The Dreamforce panel this week wasn’t just good. It was the kind of conversation that reminded me why I love what I am doing in the world of sales and marketing. The level of experience, honesty and debate in the room was next-level. Everyone came ready to talk about what’s really happening inside go-to-market teams: the friction, the fundamentals and the opportunities that come when we strip the noise away.
What struck me most was how human the discussion was. AI was on the agenda, sure, but the real takeaway was about the people side of this business… the connection between sellers and buyers, the alignment between marketing and sales and the leadership it takes to make it all work.
Here are a few highlights that stuck with me:
- Face-to-face matters again. “If your sellers aren’t out meeting people, they’re missing out on the most important part of selling: connection.”The data backs it up: close rates and retention are higher when you show up in person. Sometimes “old school” is what works.
- Sales and marketing alignment isn’t a project. It’s a mindset. “If you’re chasing two different numbers, you’re already misaligned.”The best teams share one goal: revenue. Everyone’s measured on the same outcome, and everyone’s accountable for the customer experience.
- AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement. “AI won’t fix a bad process… it’ll just make you do the bad process faster.”The teams using it well are building prompts, refining data, and freeing up humans to do what machines can’t: listen, adapt, and build trust.
- Relevance is the new currency. Buyers are doing 70% of their research before ever talking to sales. “If 90% of your content isn’t relevant, you’re wasting time.”The winning companies are the ones mapping the real buyer journey and tailoring every touch point to it.
- Leadership depth matters. Several panelists hit on the same problem: first-line leaders who were promoted too quickly or never trained properly. The fix? Invest in enablement and hands-on coaching. It’s slow work, but it pays off.
It was one of those rare conversations where you leave with practical ideas and perspective. Everyone in the room, from early-stage founders to CROs of public companies, was aligned on one truth: the fundamentals haven’t changed. You still have to know your customer, build real relationships and focus relentlessly on outcomes that matter.
A massive thanks to our panelists: Eric Gilpin (CRO of G2), Didi Dayton (one of the most trusted GTM advisors in tech), Chris Degnan (former CRO of Snowflake and co-author of “Make it Snow”) and Sally Duby (sales leader and co-founder of the VP of Sales Forum).
And a spotlight on our sponsors Kluster and MindTickle who helped make it happen.
And of course, a special shoutout to our moderator, Glenn Haertel, and the memoryBlue sales and marketing team for pulling the whole thing together and packing the room.
The conversation doesn’t end here but this was a great reminder of where it starts: at the intersection of people, purpose and performance.
