KNOWLEDGE
First Things First…

It's really important that those in privileged positions, like myself, are helping those who are starting out in their career journeys.

One of the ways I considered to help was to put pen to paper on some of the ways world-class Sales Development Reps operate and share this knowledge so those at the start of their careers can get a leg up.

That is the reason why I wrote the new guide, From Cold to Gold

It is free and can be used by SDRs, Leaders of event Founders who want to understand how to create their first World Class SDR org.

Download it here

STUFF ONLINE
Content of the week

• 5 learnings from sending 100k cold emails in 2023

• 5 mistakes made on cold call intros

• How to improve your LinkedIn follow-up

THOUGHTS
What am I seeing this Week: The 2026 SDR

A question our newsletter guests are asked but not answered by me yet is: What does the SDR role look like in the future?

Ive been thinking a lot about this, especially what the SDR of 2026 looks like. Why 2026? I believe the early wave of AI tools will be mainstream, and we will start to see actual productivity gains from them.

So, with that being said, let’s dig in:

The SDR role will become more senior in its tenure. It will be the role of someone who has been in the organisation for 1+ years or was a former CAE. This might sound scary, but hear me out. This will be a win-win for many of you reading this. SDRs are critical for pipeline development. No robot or mystical being will ever replace the effort it takes for one human to convince another human to take a meeting.

But as we start to look at the pure economics of the role, the need to create big amounts of pipeline is critical, so my 2026 SDR is going to work on large enterprise-level accounts. There will be a 1:1 ratio with the AE, and they will be seen as an heir apparent to the AE. It's part of a pod structure, where they enter the group and are in the seat for 24 months before progressing into a closing role within that pod, initially closing smaller valued use cases. Then, ultimately, I was promoted to a field role.

So what about the SDR being an entry-level role? This is where PLG and inbound will be converted. It will start as a role converting demand, learning the core trade of understanding customer problems and laying on top of a solution that could benefit the prospect.

Don't be afraid of these changes. The evolution of the incredible role we have is going to ensure it stays relevant into 2026 and beyond What's your take?

Anything else you would add? Drop it in the comments!

For those new to the newsletter and like what you are seeing, please click on the subscribe button, and you’ll receive this top-quality newsletter in your inbox every Friday morning!

INTERVIEW
Five Questions of the Week: James Bourke

Today, the incredibly talented James Bourke of Freshworks joins us, another incredible example of talented SDR Leadership in Europe. James is here to discuss his leadership methodology, some of the leaders who have impacted his career and how he sees the SDR role evolving!

What is your leadership methodology?
Peter Drucker once said: “culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

no matter how well-designed your plan is, it will fail unless your team shares the right culture. At the end of the day, the people who implement the plan matter.

In leading my team, I embrace the culture we have at Freshworks (CHAT): 

• Craftsmanship

• Happy Work Environment

• Agility through Accountability

• True friend of the customer

I take on a collaborative and empowering leadership style through these culture codes while leveraging the “Situational Leadership” methodology. Open communication and transparency are key elements to encourage a culture of continuous learning and growth on an individual and team level. Recognizing achievements to the wider org is extremely important and empowers the team to excel in their core job and feel valued for their work every day. Each team member owns a growth initiative that matches their strength, and they are encouraged to share their findings & knowledge in a structured way with other team members. This helps with their personal growth but also adds to the development of the other team members and ultimately leads to a high-performing and collaborative team.

You've had a quick rise into leadership at Freshworks! What was it about you that made you achieve such fast results?
I was fortunate to join Freshworks in its early European growth stages. Throughout this time, I have always put my head down and made sure I was proud to put my name on the work I did. Another important factor was transparently communicating my goals/ambitions to my manager and other key stakeholders. With help from my manager and a few mentors, I strengthened certain skills needed to move into leadership. The proactiveness and a result-oriented approach have helped with my progress within Freshworks.

Who are some of the leaders who have made the most impact on you? Throughout my journey at Freshworks, I've been very fortunate to learn from inspiring leaders who have influenced how I approach certain situations and lead the team. My first manager, Clifton Lobo, whose strategic vision and approach to fostering a positive team culture has positively influenced my leadership style. The European Business Development Director, Andre Weideck, has been a constant helping hand since my career at Freshworks. I also gain inspiration from thought leaders in the business development industry, such as Sam Nelson & David Wilkins (obviously), whose insights have inspired the next-gen/data-driven approach to business development in the BeNeLux, Nordics & Emerging European markets.

What core attributes are you looking for when you want to bring talent into your team?
Curiosity is a key attribute we seek in potential team members. Business developers who are eager to learn tend to demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving and a genuine interest in the prospects they speak with. They are more likely to discover pain points by peeling the onion, challenging the status quo, and, on top of that, contributing to the development of the team. At the SDR summit in Amsterdam, they all got challenged to find a fun fact about a complete stranger, and of course, all of them succeeded!

Another attribute we look for is a competitive background. This can be in sports, sales experience, or even setting high goals for themselves in their personal life. This shows a drive for success and a willingness to push boundaries while overcoming obstacles. If they have excelled in a competitive environment, they often bring a strong work ethic, discipline, and a results-oriented mindset. This is important for a high-performance environment and can contribute to achieving ambitious team goals. 

Resilience is also key in a dynamic sales environment. Business developers who can bounce back from setbacks, learn by reflecting, and maintain a go-getter attitude contribute to a positive and forward-moving dynamic. We openly communicate all the setbacks in our team to learn from one another and understand that it can happen to anyone. 

How do you see the SDR function evolving over the next 3 years?
The SDR function has changed significantly over the last 3 years and will change over the coming 3 years. Spray-and-pray tactics have not worked for a while, and we have gradually moved to an account-based marketing approach. Business developers reaching out to companies showing intent signals and website visits still work, but it is becoming less effective. Prospecting must evolve further, and it should be combined with buying behaviour. This all depends on the market you focus on, of course, as this will especially be more crucial for Midmarket/Enterprise accounts

Business developers will need to build trust, add value, and create a “reason to buy” by challenging the status quo of the company’s current situation. This can be done by putting in a lot more research from the business developers' side before reaching out to the buyer group. 

If there are areas in which your solution can uncover a challenge with clear metrics, and you can offer this back to the buying committee, it will differentiate your prospecting from most of the competition. 

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GOOD READS
Book of the week

LASTLY
Whenever you’re ready, here are two ways I could help you

The new Community for European-based SDR leaders: SDR leaders of Europe

An ebook about SDR<> AE Alignment: Closing the Gap