17: Relationships Over Revenue with Vaughn Mordecai

Friends with Benefits

How do you prioritize relationships when revenue is so important? Vaughn Mordecai of Mindmatrix says it’s a paradox. If you focus only on revenue, you won’t have any. Vaughn shares a story about stepping in and mending a relationship that was about to go south—it ended up gaining him a huge boost in his job title.
When you prioritize relationships, focus on authenticity, and solve customer problems, you end up making more money. Join Sam and Jason Yarborough as they talk with Vaughn about the importance of focusing on building relationships in order to grow revenue.
00:00 Intro
01:55 What does, friends with benefits mean to you?
02:27 Partnerships quickly become friendships
04:03 Vaughn's background in sociology helps him understand partnerships
06:18 Language changes our perception of the world
09:00 Vaughn on authenticity
10:27 The basis of good business is relationships
10:58 Vaughn bails out CEO - and becomes VP
12:03 Have your partners back at all times
14:09 Be the most obvious solution
15:27 Jump in, even if you don't feel ready
18:12 The importance of empathy
20:09 Empathic leadership
21:54 Be wary of focusing too much on revenue
24:22 There's no substitute for experience and trust
26:34 Relationships over revenue
30:14 Brand, KPIs and outcomes
33:06 How do you find a middle ground between revenue and relationships?
35:44 Finding a balance between making money and enjoying life
37:11 Show leadership the return on investment from partnerships
38:25 Automation and partnerships
42:05 Partnerships drive revenue without all the additional headcount
44:26 Where are partner programs struggling today?
46:10 Channel vs. partnerships
48:54 Public vs. private ecosystems