In this rich and tactical interview, Toby draws on two decades in solution consulting—spanning roles at Oracle, Hootsuite, and more—to dissect the evolving world of value and pre-sales. He breaks down the nuanced differences between solution consultants, solution architects, and value consultants, and explains how every solution consultant today must be fluent in both product and business value.

Toby explores how value selling is not just a function, but a mindset that must permeate all customer-facing roles—from sales and pre-sales to CS. He outlines the foundational pillars of a value practice: subject matter expertise, strong ROI modeling, business storytelling, and continuity from pre- to post-sale. He shares how a robust value narrative helps overcome indecision, reduce deal attrition, and elevate champions into internal heroes. He also discusses the cultural challenges of change management in sales teams and why slowing down the front of the sales cycle can ultimately speed up and strengthen close rates and forecasting accuracy.