Understanding the stories of resilience, strategy, and leadership is essential for success in the competitive sales world.
James will uncover the raw and unfiltered real-life experiences of sales Leaders, exploring the ups and downs and lessons learned in the high-pressure sales world.
Three Acquisitions, One Collapse, and a $1 Trillion Scam Problem | Brad Joffe, Apate.ai
What happens when your startup gets acquired, then your acquirer collapses a year later? Brad Joffe, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Apate.ai, has lived it. In this episode of Battle Scars of a SaaS Leader, James Bergl sits down with Brad to trace his career from M&A lawyer to venture capital at OurCrowd. From there he joined the founding team at Earnd, the company that brought earned wage access to Australia. Brad shares the inside story of Earnd's three acquisitions: Greensi...
24 Aug 2026
Beyond the Valuation: Raising, Selling and Building a Business Buyers Want
Raising capital or selling your SaaS business is rarely as simple as landing an impressive valuation. In this episode of Battle Scars of a SaaS Leader, we sit down with Patrick Lynch and Harry Brown, co-founders of Scale Ventures. After careers across EY, KPMG, private equity transactions and growth-stage CFO roles, Pat and Harry now help SaaS and AI founders become genuinely transaction-ready, whether they are preparing to raise, take on strategic investment or pursue an exit. They unpack wh...
22 Jul 2026
Building a $20M-Donating Ticketing Platform Without Selling Out on Culture
James Humpherson, Global GM and first employee at Humanitix — the world's first humane ticketing platform — reveals how a not-for-profit tech company has turned event ticket sales into more than $20 million in donations for high-impact charities, all while out-competing Eventbrite and other major players on product, price and support. In this episode, James shares his journey from backpacking through South America to becoming employee #1 at a scrappy startup, the "chicken and egg" problem of...
25 May 2026
From Rep to Regional Leader: The Brutal Truth of Tech Sales
What does it take to rise from sales rep to regional leader, build high-performing teams across APAC, and stay true to the fundamentals of great selling - even as the industry changes around you? In this episode of Battle Scars of a SaaS Leader, James Bergl reunites with two of his former standout sellers from the Datto era - Reece Appleton, Regional Director APAC at Huntress, and Adam Folb, Head of MSP Asia Pacific at Check Point Software - to unpack the brutal truths of building a career a...
6 May 2026
From BDR to Sales Director: Career, Leadership and Motherhood
What does it take to build a successful sales career across multiple industries, step into leadership, return to work after motherhood, and still lead with authenticity? In this episode of Battle Scars of a SaaS Leader, James Bergl sits down with Lauren, Sales Director at ClickView, to unpack her journey from entering SaaS sales at 22 to leading sales teams in edtech. Lauren shares honest lessons on switching industries, building go-to-market systems, hiring for hunger and resilience, navigat...
24 Nov 2025
Why Are So Many Lawyers Starting AI Businesses?
If you’ve ever wondered how a vertical SaaS company decides where to go next, this conversation offers a rare, inside look. James Bergl sat down with Ronnie Gurion, Clio’s COO, to map the choices behind global expansion, from why Australia became the APAC beachhead to how legal market nuance reshapes the usual “copy-paste” playbook. 🎯 Our mission here at Bluebird Recruitment is to help connect talented professionals with thriving SaaS companies in Sales, Marketing, Customer Succe...
27 Oct 2025
Why Asia-Pacific Expansions Fail (and What Actually Works) with Duco Van Breemen - CEO Haymarket HQ
We unpack how Asian startups use Australia as a Western test bed, the cultural signals that make or break sales, and a repeatable path to validate markets fast. We also explore investor perspectives, AI reality versus hype, and why commitment on the ground beats fly-in fly-out. • why Australia appeals for first Western expansion • how to read Australian sales language and build trust • reverse‑engineering competitor playbooks for fast intel • when Australia’s TAM is too small and what to do ...
29 Sept 2025
Can You Really Find Top Talent Without a Perfect Resume?
Adam shares what relocating to the UK to launch Squiz taught about first‑principles GTM, why partnerships beat cold starts, and how revenue flipped once distribution clicked. He breaks down his whiteboard interview test, the red flags he screens for, and why resilience, values alignment, and coachability trump paper‑perfect CVs. Now at SugarCRM, he explains why he hires builders over big‑brand sellers, how GTM can shape product, and the role networks play in attracting top talent and sustai...
8 Sept 2025
Sales Success & Strategy: Insights from a 15-Year Industry Veteran
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of SaaS sales leadership in Australia with industry veteran Jamie Deveaux. With over 15 years of experience and multiple leadership roles, Jamie shares the principles that have allowed him to build a strong reputation and sustained success in a competitive market. "customer first, company second" and how this approach impacts sales success and employee happiness. Discover the critical need for a strong work ethic, the dangers of ...
4 Aug 2025
How to WIN the Aussie SaaS Market
In this insightful episode, we dive deep into the Australian SaaS market with Alex Wilson, author of a new paper for SaaS companies looking to expand into Australia. Alex shares his journey from London to Australia, highlighting the unique "barbell effect" of the Australian market, where 95% of companies are SMBs, while a small oligopoly of 5,000-6,000 enterprises drive 60% of SaaS revenue. Learn about different sales motions for market entry, the importance of localization (especially regar...
23 Jun 2025
The Revolution in Sales: Are You Ready for the AI Workforce?
Rosh Singh from Relevance AI discusses with James Bergl how an AI workforce empowers sales teams, enabling leaders to redefine growth through intelligent automation in this interview.
6 Jan 2025
From Sales Rep to Leading APAC Sales at a Billion-Dollar Company
A masterclass in personal growth and sales leadership!Alex Haddon shares her extraordinary journey from equine sciences to leading APAC sales for a billion tech unicorn. In this captivating episode, she reveals how her entrepreneurial spirit and adaptability propelled her through diverse industries to become a top performer in SaaS sales.Learn how Alex leveraged her unique background to excel in the fast-paced world of tech startups.#TechSales #CareerTransition #salesleadership 🔍 In...
9 Dec 2024
From Engineer to CEO: How Brian Swift CRACKED the Code to Success!
Tech leader Brian Swift shares his journey from engineering to CEO, revealing the key strategies and insights that propelled him to success as a CEO and entrepreneur.
14 Nov 2024
From Startup to Global VP: Mastering Modern Sales Leadership
James sits down with Andrew Morton to learn about his journey from a Nova Scotia farm to a cybersecurity sales leader, showing that success often comes from unexpected places. Starting with technical roles, he quickly discovered his talent for sales in the early 2000s.Now as VP of Global Sales at DefenseX, Andrew has consistently turned difficult situations into opportunities for growth.What makes Andrew's story special is his ability to adapt and grow in the fast-changing tech world. He...
31 Oct 2024
How to Build a Loyal Community of Brand Advocates with Rob Rae
Rob Ray, a 25-year MSP veteran who transformed from accountant to industry titan by breaking every conventional sales rule.In this value-packed episode, James discusses Rob's exact strategies to build one of the largest MSP communities and why traditional business growth methods are failing in today's market.He shared his unexpected strategies that turned regular clients into fierce advocates. A must-listen for MSP owners, sales leaders, and tech entrepreneurs who want to build lasting i...
14 Oct 2024
Cybersecurity Startup Growth: 0 to 300 Customers in 3 Years
What if the key to success in entrepreneurship lies in mastering every aspect of a business?In this episode of Battle Scars of a Sales Leader, James sits down with Dane Meah, CEO and co-founder of MyCISO, a cutting-edge security SaaS platform.Dane shares his incredible journey from selling plastic bags to building a successful cybersecurity company.In this episode you'll learn:Dane's early career experiences and his passion for sales and business improvementThe serendipitous path that led him...
19 Sept 2024
Disrupting Markets and Scaling Up with Matt Loop
Building a robust team culture and scaling tech companies internationally is no easy task.Learn from Matt's inspiring journey from his early days at Salesforce to impactful roles at LinkedIn, Slack, and now Rippling. We promise you'll gain invaluable insights into the importance of passion, perseverance, and smart risk-taking in the fast-paced world of technology and cloud computing.Matt shares practical advice on navigating career opportunities in tech, offering a behind-the-scenes look at h...
12 Aug 2024
From Imposter Syndrome to Leading a 65-Person Sales Team | Samantha Borg
James sits down with Samantha Borg, Senior Director of Sales for Kaseya in Australia and New Zealand, to uncover the secrets of successful sales leadership. Samantha reveals the lessons she's learned during her seven-year tenure at Datto and Kaseya, including the importance of hard work, passion, and building a team that thrives on trust and accountability.Navigating the challenges of imposter syndrome, managing a large go-to-market team post-Datto acquisition, and dealing with und...
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