What It Really Takes to Lead a People-First Company with Kate O’Neil

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/9a/1d/30/9a1d3047-67a1-7ad2-90e4-08bf729bcdf3/mza_16668592956361812707.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

GTM News Desk

Mark Kilens and Rachel Elsts Downey

32 episodes

2 days ago

Welcome to GTM News Desk, the podcast where Mark Kilens and Rachel Elsts Downey bring you real talk backed by real action. Twice a month, we cut through the noise to deliver the essential resources, news, and expert takes you need to create impactful, People-first GTM motions. From trending topics to clickbait headlines, we sift through the clutter to highlight what truly matters in the world of B2B Go-to-Market. With nearly 25 years of combined experience working with top B2B brands like Drift and HubSpot, we’re sharing our insights and advice to help you navigate the best (and worst) GTM strategies. Whether you’re a startup founder or a CMO, tune in to GTM News Desk for analysis, candid discussions, and actionable tips that prioritize people and drive real results.

All content for GTM News Desk is the property of Mark Kilens and Rachel Elsts Downey and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Marketing

Technology,

Business

What It Really Takes to Lead a People-First Company with Kate O’Neil

GTM News Desk

30 minutes

7 months ago

What It Really Takes to Lead a People-First Company with Kate O’Neil

How can companies truly build a people-first culture?

What happens when leadership prioritizes customers but neglects employees?

Why is bad management one of the biggest problems in tech today—and how do we fix it?

Those are the three big topics we’re covering in this episode of GTM News Desk. Kate O’Neil, CEO of Opre, joins us to discuss what it really takes to lead with a people-first mindset, the structural challenges holding companies back, and the investments in leadership that actually move the needle.

Jump into the action:

(00:00) Welcome to GTM News Desk

(01:15) What companies get wrong about people-first leadership

(05:08) How leadership failures impact employees and company culture

(07:16) AI voice technology: The next challenge in people-first business

(10:43) How AI-generated voices could reshape leadership training

(14:02) Why bad management is tech’s biggest problem

(19:01) The truth about building a people-first go-to-market strategy

(23:14) How investing in managers drives better business outcomes

(27:52) The long-term value of leadership training in high-growth companies

(30:50) Exclusive content preview and closing thoughts

To hear Kate's insights on people-first leadership, the biggest management challenges in tech, and how companies can invest in better leadership development, check out the extended conversation on TACK Insider: https://tackinsider.com/

Connect with Kate O’Neil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oneilkate/

Our sources from today’s headlines:

Segment 1: https://gamma.app/docs/a16z-AI-Voice-Update-2025--ttkorld8iy6wfnj?mode=doc

Segment 2: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/06/peloton-pton-q2-2025-earnings.html

Produced in partnership with: https://shareyourgenius.com/