S01 E07 How AI Is Changing IT Services Sales | Bobby Jacobs

In this episode of Your Winning Edge, host Skip Balch speaks with Bobby Jacobs, Head of Growth at Thread, an AI-powered service desk built for IT service providers (MSPs).

Bobby shares how Thread is redefining IT support with AI and what it takes to build a scalable, repeatable sales motion in a fast-evolving market. The conversation dives into the role of SDRs, the growing impact of AI on sales and marketing, and why delivering real customer value is the foundation of sustainable growth.

You’ll also learn practical insights on hiring the right sales talent, setting clear expectations, and maintaining strong customer relationships while staying focused on your ideal customer profile.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

* How AI is transforming IT service providers and service desks
* The importance of building a repeatable sales process
* The role of SDRs in scaling outbound and inbound efforts
* How AI is reshaping sales and marketing strategies
* Why understanding customer needs is critical when selling AI solutions
* Hiring strategies: why attitude and potential matter more than experience
* The importance of setting clear expectations for sales teams
* How to maintain strong customer relationships and retention
* Why focusing on your ideal customer profile is essential for growth

Key insights:

* “We say death to the ticket.”
* “You can’t hire work ethic.”
* “It’s all about activity.”

This episode is ideal for sales leaders, founders, MSP operators, and anyone looking to understand how AI is reshaping the future of IT services and go-to-market strategy.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Thread and Bobby Jacobs
06:36 Building a Repeatable Sales Motion
12:37 AI’s Impact on Sales and Marketing
18:21 Hiring for Sales Success
33:05 Customer Relationships and Ideal Customer Profile

Subscribe for more conversations on sales, growth, leadership, and AI.

#AIinIT #MSP #SalesStrategy #B2Bsales #ArtificialIntelligence #TechSales #StartupGrowth #CustomerSuccess #YourWinningEdge

We hope you enjoyed this episode of SalesHandicapper!
– Skip and the SalesHandicapper Podcast team :)

Connect with me: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipbalch/


Listen to The SalesHandicapper on these podcast platforms: 
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yfFwczRTqruBsyi3PMD7p
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-saleshandicapper/id1878682655
Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/4b791f16-e916-45cf-a66d-4efb324e24f3/the-saleshandicapper-your-winning-edge

#SalesHandicapper #SkipBalch #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #TechSales #SalesLeadership #StartupSales #SalesProcess #ICP #PipelineManagement #SalesCoaching #RevenueGrowth #FounderSales #SalesEnablement #GTMStrategy
SalesHandicapper is a podcast for B2B tech founders and sales leaders building and scaling their sales engines. Hosted by Skip Balch, a sales strategist with over 45 years of experience in B2B sales and product development, each episode explores the real challenges of creating repeatable, scalable sales processes. Skip brings a diagnostic approach to sales, helping leaders distinguish between people problems, process problems, and ICP problems.
The podcast features candid conversations with founders and sales leaders who share their journeys from early customer wins to scaling sales teams. Whether you're a founder systematising what's working, a VP of Sales managing inconsistent team performance, or a sales leader navigating the shift from early stage to scale, SalesHandicapper delivers practical frameworks and honest insights to help you build your winning edge.

What is The SalesHandicapper: Your Winning Edge?

Welcome to SalesHandicapper: Your Winning Edge, where we help B2B tech founders and sales leaders build sales engines that actually work. I'm Skip Balch, with over 45 years in B2B sales and product development.

When revenue stalls or close rates drop, most leaders start guessing. They blame the people, tweak the process, or chase a new ICP—without diagnosing what's actually broken. SalesHandicapper diagnoses first, then prescribes.

Each episode features founders and sales leaders who've built sales engines in tech companies. We explore scaling sales—when early tactics stop working, lessons from failed hires, and how to build qualification frameworks teams can use.
Whether you're a founder doing all the selling, a sales leader managing inconsistent performance, or unsure if you're targeting the right customers, this podcast helps you figure out what's wrong and what to do about it.

This is SalesHandicapper: Your Winning Edge.