Episode Summary: Join us as Ben Holly, first sales hire at cyft.ai, shares what’s really working in outbound for 2025. From mastering ICPs to leveraging AI for smarter sales and recruiting, this episode is a no-fluff guide to winning in modern B2B outbound strategies and tactics in 2025.

What You Will Learn:

• Why understanding your ICP on a deep level is the cornerstone of outbound success.
• How to use AI tools like Clay to build high-conversion prospecting lists.
• The difference between demand capture and demand generation roles in sales.
• Why cold outbound and recruiting share the same DNA—and how to win at both.
• Real tactics for building efficient, effective outbound engines in 2025.
• Common mistakes with SDR teams and how to fix them.

Featured Guest: Ben Holly – First Sales Hire at cyft.ai, Outbound Sales & AI Strategist

Host: Ben Reed, host of the Next Gen Sales Leaders Podcast.

Episode Highlights:

[00:02:00] The Real Outbound Lesson for 2025: Ben shares why AI won’t save your outbound without understanding your buyer deeply.

[00:08:45] Go Tribal for ICP: How spending months with customers in the field can unlock million-dollar insights.

[00:16:10] Culture Matters: Why your buyer’s culture could be the key to better cold calls and conversions.

[00:32:15] SDRs and the Market Disconnect: The mismatch between product-market fit and outbound expectations for SDRs.

[00:45:20] The Power of Cold Recruiting: Ben’s process using Clay and AI to hire and raise capital.

[01:05:00] Tool Stack Breakdown: How Ben uses tools like Clay, Apollo, and OpenAI to hyper-filter massive lists.

[01:26:00] Cold Calling with Context: Researching at scale to craft smarter cold call intros that resonate.

[01:40:10] Final Thoughts: Why recruiting, fundraising, sales, and marketing all start with deep list building & real ICP alignment.

Connect with Ben Holly:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benyaminholley/
• Company: https://cyft.ai
• Website: www.Lazysales.xyz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LazySalesAutomation
• X: https://x.com/BenyaminHolley

Subscribe & Review: Love this episode? Subscribe to the Next Gen Sales Leaders Podcast for the latest in B2B sales, AI tools, and outbound strategies. If you enjoyed today’s episode, please leave a review!

Follow Ben on Social:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-aaron-reed/

Join our FREE Group "Outbound B2B Sales/AI Hackers":

• https://tinyurl.com/3b5ap97x

Episode Summary: Welcome to the second-ever school group recording of the NextGen Sales Leaders Community! In this unique office hours session, host Ben Reed opens the floor to his community members, diving into real-time challenges and strategies for scaling B2B businesses. From solving entrepreneurial loneliness to navigating the complexities of unit economics, team building, and systemizing operations, this candid and highly tactical session gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at how B2B entrepreneurs are growing smarter and faster.

What You Will Learn:

• How to think about hiring for low-code/no-code roles in tech-focused B2B services.
• Frameworks for creating repeatable, scalable internal systems and SOPs.
• How to use tools like Lucidchart, Notion, and Upwork to streamline onboarding and delivery.
• The true cost of scaling service businesses and how to avoid unit economic disasters.
• Tips on transitioning from agency work to product-based revenue models like software or IP.
• The power of transparency, team culture, and hiring with vision alignment in mind.

Host: Ben Reed, host of the NextGen Sales Leaders Podcast

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:15] Solving Entrepreneurial Loneliness: Why community and connection are critical in the founder journey.

[00:05:00] Hiring for Growth: How to choose between client-facing talent vs. technical talent in low-code environments.

[00:14:45] Controlling Costs: How to create scalable internal billing for internal resources at an agency or service-based B2B business.

[00:17:20] Ben's Personal Agency Unit Economics: Live walk-through of Ben’s internal unit economics spreadsheet.

[00:28:20] Freelancers vs. Full-Time Hires: Strategic approaches on when to hire part-time vs full-time employees, testing new freelancers, and recruiting via Upwork.

[00:35:34] Hiring the ideal employee: Mental frameworks for thinking about who to hire into your business, what characteristics they should have, and how to align their career goals with your goals of scaling or running your business.

[00:41:30] Creating Redundancy and Avoiding Keyman Risk: The value of cross-training and multiple hires.

[00:50:10] From Agency to Product: Using agency cash flow to build scalable software and IP.

[00:59:00] Ideal Hires and Team Culture: What to look for in early team members and how to build long-term alignment.

[01:06:00] Pricing, Positioning, and Firing Clients: When to raise rates and how to fire clients that don't fit your future vision.

[01:13:00] The Power of Productized Services & Affiliate Revenue: How to scale beyond custom client work.

[01:22:30] Final Advice: How to validate markets and build high-margin businesses with focus and persistence.

Subscribe & Review: Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to the Next Gen Sales Leaders Podcast for weekly insights from real B2B operators and growth experts. Leave us a review to help more founders discover this B2B scaling podcast and community!

Follow Ben on Social:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-aaron-reed/

Join our FREE Group "Outbound B2B Sales/AI Hackers":

• https://tinyurl.com/3b5ap97x

Episode Summary: In this Office Hours session for the NextGen Sales Leaders Skool Group, host Ben Reed offers high-impact coaching to community member Haitham and Louie Villaverde, who's transitioning from freelancing to building a scalable agency.

With real-world stories and frameworks from Ben’s own entrepreneurial journey—including running a med spa and building multiple sales orgs—this conversation dives deep into systemization, client acquisition, pricing, and mindset shifts essential for growth. If you're stuck between delivery and growth or wondering how to build a real business from your skillset, this episode is for you.

What You Will Learn:

• The crucial difference between freelancing and running a scalable agency.
• How to build systems and playbooks that remove you from client fulfillment.
• Ben’s “Four Ps” framework: Puppy, Process, Playbooks, People.
• The importance of pricing strategy and how to evaluate your margins.
• Whether to take short-term clients or focus on long-term infrastructure.
• Tactical steps to identify your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).
• Why hiring a coach can accelerate your path to product-market fit and scale.

Host: Ben Reed, host of the Next Gen Sales Leaders Podcast.

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:30] Louie's Background: From agency life to freelancing and the challenges of building consistent lead flow.

[00:06:45] Ben’s Med Spa Experience: The viral toe fungus ad that actually worked—and lessons on using video hooks and visual storytelling.

[00:13:20] Freelancing vs. Agency: Why fulfillment is your bottleneck, not demand—and how to break the cycle.

[00:20:15] Building Your System: The "Four Ps" framework to delegate delivery and scale sustainably.

[00:32:10] Pricing and Profit Margins: Why undercharging limits growth—and how to run a unit economics analysis.

[00:45:00] The Power of Focus: How to say no to misaligned clients and dial in your ICP.

[00:53:40] Get a Coach: Why every entrepreneur needs someone to help them see clearly—and when it makes sense to hire one.

Connect with Ben:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-aaron-reed/

Join our FREE Group "NextGen Sales Leaders":

• https://www.skool.com/outbound-b2b-sales/about?ref=07a56393b2d2435d9366f2e6151e2600

Subscribe & Review: Love this session? Subscribe to the NextGen Sales Leaders Podcast and leave a review to support more content like this!