Most revenue challenges don’t start with sales.

They start at the system level.

In this episode of Making Revenue Tick, I sit down with Mark C. Ward, Founder at Revenue Arc and author of Sales Turnaround, to unpack why so many companies stall between $3M and $30M ARR, and why the default “hire harder, sell harder” mindset rarely fixes the real issue.

Mark has spent the last two decades helping companies, from early-stage scaleups to global tech giants - diagnose and redesign their revenue systems for sustainable growth. His work focuses on making sales organizations not just hit targets, but predictably perform.

We talk about what a healthy revenue system actually looks like, why most forecasts are fiction, and the costly gap between ambition and operational maturity.

What we cover:

– The 5 elements of a scalable revenue system

– Why onboarding is a competitive differentiator

– The hidden drag of bad process and tool sprawl

– Building sales systems that align with how your customers buy

– What to do when your team is on fire—and not in a good way

If you’re a founder, CEO, or sales leader navigating the messy middle - this is for you.

Because the truth is: if your revenue engine isn’t designed to scale, it won’t.

Watch the full episode now and get practical strategies you can implement immediately.

Connect with Mark Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcward/Connect with Richard Washington: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richwash/Follow Growth Magnet: ⁠ / growth-magnet-7083793079794556928 #MakingRevenueTick #RevenueLeadership #ScalingStartups #GTMStrategy #b2bgrowth 00:00Introduction to Revenue Growth Challenges03:03The Importance of Revenue Operating Models06:05Common Problems in Scaling Revenue08:58Understanding Business Inefficiencies12:02The Role of Systems in Revenue Growth14:57Customer-Centric Revenue Operating Models18:01The Impact of Remote Work on Team Dynamics20:59Navigating Organizational Politics24:11Blind Spots in Business Operations26:54The Art and Science of Business Transformation40:55Navigating Change: The Importance of Retaining Core Elements46:55Leadership Gaps: Identifying and Addressing Weaknesses52:44Hiring Right: The Critical First Sales Hires58:56Assessing Talent: The Importance of Proper Evaluation01:03:48Building Systems: The Heartbeat of Sales Organizations01:09:43Impact-Centric Selling: Understanding Broader Implications01:12:57Final Thoughts: Key Takeaways for Sales Leaders