Revenue Builders Podcast: “Here's to 2026!”

Episode Date: December 27, 2025
Hosts: John McMahon & John Kaplan

Episode Overview

In the final episode of the year, co-hosts John McMahon and John Kaplan reflect on the highlights of the Revenue Builders podcast throughout 2025. They share memorable moments from standout episodes, recognize the impact of their guests, express gratitude for their listeners, and hint at exciting changes on the horizon for 2026. This episode serves as both a heartfelt thank-you and a retrospective, emphasizing the podcast's mission to give back to the sales leadership community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections on 2025’s Standout Episodes

• Recognizing Impactful Guests
  Both hosts named several episodes that left a particular impression, citing the diversity and depth of the topics and the caliber of guest expertise.

• Favorites Mentioned:

  • Doug Holiday series on “Rethinking Success”
  • Ann Gary’s deep dives on champions & economic buyers
  • Marcello Gallo & Bobby Morrison covering AI-driven sales innovation
  • Steve Wa and Jane Thompson on “elephant hunting” big deals
  • Mike Hayes discussing his leadership book “Mission Driven”
  • Steve Garrity’s personal journey with cancer survival and leadership
  • Dean Auto’s story of resilience and forgiveness after a life-changing accident
  • Megan Gill (MongoDB) sharing Sales Operations insights
  • Chris Vick on advanced pipeline generation techniques

  “Those are just a sample of some that really stuck out to me. But I loved all of them in 2025, Johnny. It was a great year, man.” – John Kaplan [01:21]

• Emphasis on Variety and Real Stories
  The co-hosts highlight how the episodes ranged from deep tactical sales insights to personal stories of resilience and transformation.

2. Audience Connection and Community Impact

• Acknowledging Listener Support
  Both Johns expressed sincere gratitude for their audience, crediting listener engagement with enabling the show’s ongoing success:

  “We’re able to do these podcasts because our listeners reach out to us on LinkedIn... They review us and rate us and we read all that stuff. Because of that feedback, the team's been working really, really hard.” – John Kaplan [02:52]

• Personal Impact Notes
  John McMahon recounted receiving messages from listeners describing how the podcast affected their careers—and sometimes even their lives:

  “By listening to the podcast, it changed their sales career, in some ways changed their life. And, you know, that’s why we continue to do this, because we're having a huge effect...” – John McMahon [03:36]

3. Looking Ahead to 2026

• Teasing Future Enhancements While specifics remain under wraps, Kaplan excitedly hints at upcoming changes to the podcast in 2026, promising new formats and high-powered guests:

  “Johnny, I'm dying to talk about what we're going to do, but they told me we can't talk about it. So there's some big things coming in 2026... format changes, some, you know, look and feel and some superstar guest power…” – John Kaplan [02:52]

• Mission Reaffirmed
  Both hosts reaffirm the podcast’s purpose: to give back to the community, foster knowledge sharing, and offer support to B2B sales professionals at scale.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kaplan’s Sincere Thanks:
  “I just want to thank all the listeners. I want to wish everybody a great end of year and beginning of next year.” [00:14]

• On Guest Diversity:
  “There was a lot of variation, too... Steve Wa and Jane Thompson, who are big, you know, elephant hunters... Megan Gill, VP of Sales Operations at MongoDB—the Chris Vick one on Pipeline Generation.” – John McMahon [01:38]

• Authenticity Shout-Out:
  “Doug Holiday… he’s just a... wonderfully different person. He's so authentic, so genuine, and so heartwarming. It's hard not to love that guy.” – John McMahon [02:38]

• Kaplan on Partnership:
  “It's an honor to show up and do these with you. I know we joke around a lot, and people love the way you and I other.” [04:22]

• On Podcast Origins (with Humor):
  “Well, we would have done it six years ago, but I took two years to drag you into this thing.” – John McMahon [04:43]
  “We should do a podcast on that. How the Blind Squirrel Found a Nut.” – John Kaplan [04:48]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:14 – Thanking listeners; reflecting on the year’s standout episodes
• 01:21 – Kaplan lists favorite podcasts and why they mattered
• 01:38 – McMahon discusses the diversity of guests and highlights specific memorable moments
• 02:52 – Kaplan on the show’s community support and teasing 2026 improvements
• 03:36 – McMahon and Kaplan reflect on the personal impact of their show in the sales community
• 04:22 – Celebrating their partnership and four years of podcasting
• 04:43 – Light-hearted banter on starting the podcast

Closing Thoughts

The “Here’s to 2026!” episode is a warm, reflective conversation between two leaders sincerely invested in their community. Their gratitude and excitement set the stage for an even stronger year ahead, with promises of innovation and continued practical value for their listeners. Perfect for both long-time followers and newcomers seeking inspiration and insight on building and scaling revenue teams.