Role
Leader“Designed for the long term — noticeably more mature and developed than the typical one-off enablement you usually see.”
The Academy is designed for the long term and feels noticeably more mature and more developed than the typical one-off enablement you usually see.

Senior Director Solution Consulting, Zscaler
SE“Discovery isn’t a list of questions, but a strategic process – that became clear to me here.”
that really helped me back then when I was preparing for my SE interview. The training was exactly what I’d been waiting for: tailored specifically for SEs, practical and interactive. The role-plays in particular were invaluable for gaining new perspectives. The Pain Chain helped me to ask clients more targeted questions. The project summary template was worth its weight in gold – I put it to use straight away. I liked the fact that the training was spread over several weeks and wasn’t just a lecture. Discovery isn’t a list of questions, but a strategic process – that became clear to me here. I wonder why we didn’t do this straight away as an SE-AE team!

Senior Solution Engineer, Salesforce
SE“A real ‘aha’ moment was learning how to secure client commitments.”
Every session added real value, and I’ve put a lot of what I learnt into practice straight away. The checklists and frameworks were particularly helpful; I now use them regularly to structure my discovery meetings more effectively. A real ‘aha’ moment was learning how to secure client commitments. Before, I was worried it might come across as too demanding – now I know exactly how to use this approach effectively. My closing skills have also improved significantly because I make a conscious effort to set aside more time for it. What sets this training apart from others? The trainers have genuine, hands-on expertise and were able to answer every question thoroughly. The added value is enormous – not just for Sales Engineers, but also for Account Executives. Ideally, SEs and AEs should undertake this training together to further optimise their collaboration.

Principal Account Solution Engineer, MuleSoft
“The mock calls showed me how my colleagues conduct their conversations and how I can learn from their methods.”
The training helped me to better quantify the negative financial impact on clients and to improve our approach during the discovery phase. The mock calls were particularly helpful, as they showed me how my colleagues conduct their conversations and how I can learn from their methods and apply these insights to my own work. The collaborative exercises and feedback helped me to reflect on and improve my own approaches. Overall, the programme was excellently prepared and the visual presentation was first-class – everything was well thought out and structured.

Senior Solution Engineer, HubSpot
Leader“9 out of 10 overall, 8 out of 10 on relevance. There’s no arguing with that.”
The training with you has been a great thing. I’m happy to be working with you. I’ve also read our employees’ feedback — the numbers speak for themselves. 9 out of 10 overall, 8 out of 10 on relevance. There’s no arguing with that. Thank you very much.

Customer Advisory, SAP
SE“The structure of the programme kept everyone focused – I’ve rarely experienced that to such an extent.”
I came across SE Rockstars through internal recommendations – colleagues from the first cohort spoke very highly of you. Discovery hadn’t been standardised in our organisation until now, so I wanted to see what approaches were available. The focus on KPIs and ROI, in particular, gave me fresh insights. The role-plays were extremely valuable because I was able to put what I’d learnt into practice straight away. The structure of the programme kept everyone focused – I’ve rarely experienced that to such an extent. Your materials are of high quality and very well presented from a teaching perspective. Compared to other training courses, this one offers greater depth and practical applicability. It wasn’t a typical sales training course, but a scientifically grounded approach to better discovery.

Lead Solution Engineer, Salesforce
SE“Since the training, I’ve been able to use targeted questions to raise clients’ awareness of the issues.”
The training was particularly helpful to me when it came to guiding questions and the pain deck. It broadened my horizons and enabled me to speak to the right stakeholders. The role-plays felt a bit strange at first, but the valuable feedback really helped me progress. The discussions with my colleagues and the extensive experience of Jan and Tim were also immensely helpful. Since the training, I’ve been able to use targeted questions to raise clients’ awareness of the issues, leading to clearer and more productive follow-up meetings. The structured agenda I learnt during the training gives my meetings a clear direction and is a huge help with preparation.

Sales Consultant, Babtec
“Instead of focusing on our own skills, I now address the client’s problems head-on, which builds trust enormously.”
The training was a real eye-opener for me. The weekly challenges helped me to really put what I’d learnt into practice – it’s only then that you realise just how valuable direct feedback is. The Pain Deck in particular was a highlight: instead of focusing on our own skills, I now address the client’s problems head-on, which builds trust enormously. Another valuable tip was to rebrand Discovery as something like an ‘expert discussion’ or ‘deep dive’ – this significantly increased acceptance among the account executives. Compared to other training courses, the training was extremely interactive and practical, and spread over several weeks, I have really internalised the content. It was refreshing and motivating – I looked forward to every session and can definitely recommend the training.

Senior Solution Consultant, ServiceNow
Leader“After nine months I have to say: it has really paid off for me! Many things can be adopted 1:1, and the structures really help in day-to-day work.”
At some point, my personal learning curve in the PreSales leadership role — learning by doing, internal exchange and general training — had simply become too flat. What I was looking for was a combination of cross-company peer-to-peer exchange and external impulses. The first step was the PreSales Leadership Community, which kept delivering exciting impulses and exchange. But for myself I wanted more commitment and a stronger focus on interactive work in smaller groups.
After nine months I have to say: it has really paid off for me! The impulses are exciting, and the discussions offer both interesting insights and the chance to contribute yourself. I love that you are essentially part of the whole thing, and the feedback from the others gives you a direct link to practice. Many things can be adopted 1:1, and the structures really help in day-to-day work. I find the Chat Sheets and Playbooks especially practical. Absolutely recommended — and 100% PreSales-specific!

Head of Solution Engineering Central Europe, HPE
“The decisive factor: not a one-time workshop but an ongoing format — with peer exchange and real, applied coaching.”
For me, the decisive factor was that it’s not a one-time workshop, but an ongoing format — with peer exchange across other SaaS companies and real coaching when it comes to applying things in practice.

Global Head of Solution Engineering, Lucanet
“I have rarely experienced such professional training – from preparation and tool usage to follow-up, everything was of an extremely high standard.”
The Discovery training has taken our skills to a whole new level. The eight-week support programme, featuring practical tasks and role-plays, was particularly valuable, as it facilitated long-lasting learning and immediate success in customer interactions. Compared to other training courses, the programme was specifically tailored to solution consulting and pre-sales, offering in-depth, practical content. I have rarely experienced such professional training – from preparation and tool usage to follow-up, everything was of an extremely high standard. The trainers’ many years of experience made the training unique. Thanks to the programme, I now conduct Discovery calls in a more structured and targeted manner, with measurable success. A highlight was the Pain Deck, which helped us identify and address typical customer problems more quickly. Our team has adopted what we learnt and now regularly conducts role-plays that not only foster collaboration but also increase the effectiveness of our customer meetings.

Director Solution Consulting, ServiceNow
SE“It was one of the best training courses I’ve ever attended – practical, methodologically sound and immediately applicable.”
I wanted to make my discovery process more structured and effective – and that’s exactly what I got from the training. The role-play exercises were a real highlight, as they forced me to actually put the methods into practice. I learnt how important a clear introduction is at the start of a meeting – setting the scene makes a huge difference. The structured follow-up email is now also an integral part of my routine and ensures a better response from clients. The questioning techniques from the training help me gain deeper insights, and our internal collaboration with the AEs has become more focused. It was one of the best training courses I’ve ever attended – practical, methodologically sound and immediately applicable.

Lead Solution Engineer, Salesforce
SE“I now find it much easier to link the added value of our solution directly to the client’s pain points and key figures.”
The training has helped me to structure my discovery conversations and tailor them more effectively to the needs of clients. Discussing ideas with experts and peers has opened up new perspectives for me, and thanks to the Pain Chain, I now find it much easier to link the added value of our solution directly to the client’s pain points and key figures. The role-plays were particularly helpful, as they allowed me to apply what I’d learnt in a safe environment and further refine my techniques. Since then, my approach to customer interactions has become clearer and more structured, and my questions are now more precise and relevant. I would recommend the training to anyone in sales or pre-sales, as the shared structure for customer engagement delivers real added value.

Senior Solution Engineer, MuleSoft
“A key learning point was to think at a meta-level rather than just talking about features.”
The Training was particularly helpful to me because of its practical focus. Case studies were used to analyse specific situations, and participants were asked individual questions about them. This allowed me not only to learn from my own mistakes, but also from the experiences of others. A key learning point was to think at a meta-level rather than just talking about features. It is important to understand what motivates the customer and what their objective is. I recommend the Training to everyone in SaaS software sales, particularly pre-sales engineers and solution consultants. It teaches you how to ask the right questions, frame a topic appropriately and translate what you’ve learnt into a compelling presentation.

Senior PreSales Consultant, Haufe Group
Leader“Turning change into muscle memory — that’s where the Academy is essential for us.”
There was a lot of awareness — but very little practical implementation.
We already knew it was right to change something. But turning that into muscle memory — that’s where the Academy is essential for us. I would never have managed that on my own.
› Read the full Upsun case study
Senior Director, Customer Solutions, Upsun
SE“After nine years as a Solution Engineer, I thought I’d got the hang of Discovery. The training has shown me just how much potential there still is.”
The training has shown me just how much potential there still is. The Pain Chain, in particular, has helped me steer conversations in a more focused direction and get clients to the heart of their challenges. Our follow-up emails are now much more structured – we no longer let a discovery session end in a vacuum. The practical role-plays were painful, but incredibly valuable. The training was not only technically strong, but also methodologically well thought-out – clearly structured, interactive and dynamic. I can recommend it to every Solution Engineer: no theory, just directly applicable methods that take the discovery process to a whole new level.

Principal Solution Engineer, Salesforce
“I learnt to dig deeper to identify the real issues and pinpoint the crucial points.”
Being aware of the issues was a key and very important aspect for me. It helped me to focus entirely on the end customers. I learnt to dig deeper to identify the real issues and pinpoint the crucial points. The training not only enabled me to acquire new knowledge, but also to put it into practice. The interactive exercises and targeted questioning showed me how to proceed in a structured and step-by-step manner. I am impressed by how well and intuitively the training was designed. The human approach and the positive atmosphere in the live sessions made learning enjoyable and effective.

Senior Solutions Engineer, HubSpot
SE“I thought I knew Discovery, but the training opened up new perspectives for me.”
For a long time Discovery felt like more of the same to me – the training gave me new impulses and genuine aha moments. The Pain Chain and structured agenda planning in particular helped me steer my conversations far more deliberately. I started aligning much more closely with my AEs right away – that alone improved our calls enormously. We used to simply jump into meetings; now we prepare in a much more focused and much better way. The combination of practical exercises and clear frameworks was extremely valuable – directly actionable instead of pure theory. I thought I knew Discovery, but the training opened up new perspectives for me. There are plenty of sales trainings out there, but this one really puts the SE role at the centre.

Principal Solution Engineer, Salesforce
“I get thought leadership from Tim, Jan and my peers – it helps me think about problems in a whole different way and gets me to more creative solutions.”
I joined the Trusted Leader Academy last year and I’m a big fan ever since. I get to spend a lot more time on actually doing reflective work on how to progress my team and department. I get thought leadership from Tim and Jan and also from my peers, which helps me a lot when it comes to thinking about problems in a whole different way and gets me to more creative solutions. What is particularly helpful for me is that one of my SEs has joined the Academy as well, on the IC track. It is very helpful to exchange with her – I see her progress, and I can use that for my coaching to further help her and others by going through some of the program together.

Head of Solution Engineering DACH, Miro
Leader“Doubly valuable as a manager: it eases the coaching burden and brings a fresh outside view into the team.”
For me as a manager, the Academy is doubly valuable: it eases the burden of coaching and brings a fresh outside view into the team through the exchange with other companies.

Director Solution Engineering, Akeneo
“Overall, this was the best training I have ever had in my professional career.”
The Discovery Training was an exceptional learning experience for me. The weekly role-plays, in particular, really challenged me and enabled me to learn a great deal, both from a client’s perspective and through self-reflection. A key focus for me was stakeholder engagement, and the training provided me with valuable strategies in this area. The structure and practical exercises, including the wording guides and toolkits, have made my conversations with clients more proactive and goal-oriented. Overall, this was the best training I have ever had in my professional career – perfectly organised, structured and delivered in a motivating atmosphere that left me wanting more.

Strategic Solutions Engineer, Miro
SE“Discovery isn’t something you learn once and then master perfectly.”
I already had experience with Discovery, but no structured approach. The programme helped me finally develop a tangible, systematic way of doing it. The Value Chain and the topic of asking follow-up questions were real aha moments in particular. I adjusted my self-introduction straight away – that immediately created more credibility with customers. The quality of the programme is impressive, from the live sessions to the materials. Compared to other trainings, it offers far more 'value for money'. I see a big need for this among partners especially, because Discovery often isn’t done well enough. A regular refresher training would be ideal – Discovery isn’t something you learn once and then master perfectly.

Senior Solution Engineer, Salesforce
“My colleagues are grateful and say that the training has made the qualification process work much better.”
The training has helped me to structure things and ask the right questions before I move on to finding solutions. I’ve learnt to understand the problem thoroughly before offering solutions, and that gives the sales team more guidance. My colleagues are grateful and say that the training has made the qualification process work much better. I found the role-plays really effective because you could see how others do it. Learning in this team setting was the most valuable part for me personally. I appreciate that you’re always approachable and offer support. The format brings fresh ideas and helps both experienced and inexperienced people to improve.

Internal Solution Engineer, HubSpot
Leader“You managed to meet everyone individually at their current level.”
The range of high-quality training courses specifically tailored to presales is limited in Germany. That’s why your training was our first choice for furthering our knowledge in the area of Discovery. I particularly appreciated everything related to the customer experience. Even after the training, I continue to use your materials to engage in discussions with my colleagues in sales. You managed to meet everyone individually at their current level. This was particularly valuable for our very diverse team, as everyone was able to take something away from it and yet we all had in-depth discussions. Colleagues who are taking the initiative, asking questions and applying what they’ve learnt are already receiving positive feedback.

Director Solutions Engineering, MuleSoft
SE“The idea that ‘Discovery is not an interrogation’ really resonated with me.”
The training really opened my eyes, particularly in the areas of Qualification and Discovery. This is a major area of focus for me personally. The idea that ‘Discovery is not an interrogation’ really resonated with me – it’s about going into conversations prepared and verifying anticipated pain points. The mindset you’ve conveyed is immensely important, and the Pain Chain and Pain Deck tools were new to me in this form and very helpful. I was particularly impressed by the structure the training provides and the use of GPT prompts for research. The joint action plans and the Trusted Stakeholder Grid help us to better assess opportunities as a team and develop the right strategy.

Senior Sales Consultant, Babtec
SE“It wasn’t just a training session, but a real catalyst for rethinking my approach.”
Overall, it wasn’t just a training session, but a real catalyst for rethinking my approach and adopting a more strategic stance in my role as a Systems Engineer. This new approach has led to clients being more open and willing to delve deeper into the issues. The ‘Pain Chain’ exercises helped me to better understand the impact of the client’s challenges and why they are relevant to them. The structured approach of the training has also improved my communication with account executives – we coordinate our efforts in a targeted manner, which significantly enhances the quality of our meetings.

Senior Specialist Solution Engineer, MuleSoft
“A real ‘aha’ moment was realising just how powerful it can be to simply talk about problems without offering direct solutions.”
The Discovery training has significantly improved the way I work. The Pain Deck, in particular, immediately created an atmosphere of trust and made it possible to address issues that clients were often unaware of. A real ‘aha’ moment was realising just how powerful it can be to simply talk about problems without offering direct solutions – the response was impressive, and I was able to experience the impact for myself. The programme’s eight-week structure is ideal, as it allows for continuous application and reflection and is significantly more sustainable than conventional workshops. The weekly exercises were crucial in ensuring that the techniques really became part of everyday practice. In addition, the accompanying book summarises in a practical and concise way everything that is crucial for this role. It is clear that the trainers fully understand the challenges sales engineers face – this makes the training particularly practical and relevant.

Senior Solution Consultant, ServiceNow
“Thanks to the Pain Chain, I now formulate hypotheses and ask more targeted questions.”
The training has helped me enormously to improve my preparation and approach. Thanks to the Pain Chain, I now formulate hypotheses and ask more targeted questions, which leads to more in-depth discussions with customers. I have also learnt to focus more on the business implications, which goes down very well with customers. The Discovery role-plays were a key moment for me. It was extremely helpful to see how others in the team conduct the Discovery, and I was able to take a lot away from it. This exercise has boosted my confidence and improved my collaboration with my sales colleagues. Even as an experienced sales engineer, I found the training very valuable. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own approach and develop further.

Solution Engineering Manager, HubSpot
Leader“My seller noticed it without knowing I was in the training: ‘Martin, you’re doing this better now.’”
In discovery, I often jumped to our solution too quickly, without properly working out the pain. What’s different with you: it’s not corporate training — it’s interactive. Role-plays, live coaching, real peer feedback. Selling the discovery — framing why I’m asking these questions in the first place — I had never heard anywhere before; I only learned that from you. My seller noticed it without knowing I was in the training: ‘Martin, you’re doing this better now.’ His feedback was that I bring much more depth to the conversations — which helps us as a team separate real opportunities from nice-to-haves. A major automotive customer told me at the end: ‘Mr Tran, you met me exactly where I was, and my colleagues are fully on board now.’ I’ve since adopted the role-plays in my own team, every two weeks. And what I find strong is that after the training it’s not over — regular fresh input keeps coming from you.

PreSales Manager, Cymulate
SE“Discovery was never clearly structured for me – the training gave me a system.”
Discovery was never clearly structured for me – the training gave me a systematic approach. The Pain Chain in particular helped me dig deeper into topics. The distinction between the meta level and the technical level was an eye-opener too: how do I really steer a conversation deliberately? Your checklists and materials are extremely valuable. I reworked my self-introduction and adopted your follow-up emails directly – that had an immediate effect. The role plays were worth their weight in gold, because they took what we learned straight into practice. This was one of the best trainings I have ever done – structured, hands-on, and with direct value for my daily work.

Senior Solution Engineer, Salesforce
SE“The training has helped me become much more confident in my discovery meetings and find a clearer structure.”
The training has helped me become much more confident in my discovery meetings and find a clearer structure. It was particularly valuable to learn how to ask more targeted questions in order to better understand my counterpart’s needs and challenges and interpret their answers more effectively. Highlights included the practical role-plays and constructive feedback, which opened up new perspectives and strategies for me. I particularly liked the ‘Pain Chain’ method, as it helps me to analyse problems precisely and logically. The training has supported my professional development and taken my conversations to a new level.

PreSales Consultant, GT-Plus
SE“Our demos are now shorter, more focused and tailored precisely to the core issues.”
– practical, authentic and immediately applicable. The Pain Chain in particular has helped me to probe deeper, even with hesitant clients, and to highlight relevant issues. I used to find it difficult to rule out sales opportunities – now I’m much better at assessing where my efforts are best spent. Our demos are now shorter, more focused and tailored precisely to the core issues. The training has given me structure and sharpened my approach. The practical role-plays and tools that I could use straight away were particularly valuable. I’ve learnt to create a sense of urgency in a targeted way – and that’s making a lasting difference to our customer conversations.

IT Consultant, BOME
Leader“Now we have real methods and a real toolkit. We don’t work without it any more.”
We couldn’t apply any of this without the content — we’d be scraping something together off the internet. Now we have real methods and a real toolkit. We don’t work without it any more.
Quantity alone doesn’t win. When you have both, you know the curve is going to go up.
› Read the full cplace case study
Team Lead PreSales, cplace
Leader“A change in how people act and behave — you don’t get that from a one-time training.”
The challenge I saw from the very beginning: we were very strong in technological and process expertise, but not always as focused on understanding what actually drives the customer in front of us. Changing that mindset fundamentally — and using our technical expertise for it — was the challenge we set out to solve.
What I liked from the very beginning: it’s a true companion over at least twelve months. A change in how people act and behave — you don’t get that from a one-time training, nor from doing it two or three times. It has to be pursued continuously. How can I understand the customer as well as possible and help them make an informed decision — instead of just knowing our own solution? Understanding how it can help is actually the second step. In the past, we often did it the other way around.
My first customer is the account manager. There is no obligation to bring us into deals — if an account manager wants to run a deal entirely on his own, he can do that, no matter how complex the solution is. And what we notice: we’re simply pulled into deals far more often now. That number — PreSales-attached opportunities — is up significantly.
And I notice it in general: at the end of these conversations, the customer’s feedback very often ends on a positive note now. Because customers simply notice: this was different. That wasn’t a sales show — that actually helped me.
› Read the full CHG-MERIDIAN case study
Head of PreSales Central Europe, CHG-MERIDIAN
SE“The training was one of the best I’ve ever experienced – precisely structured and packed with practical tools.”
The training was one of the best I’ve ever experienced – precisely structured and packed with practical tools. I was particularly impressed by the Pain Chain, a simple yet powerful tool that helps to clearly identify clients’ problems and solve them strategically. The wide range of techniques has taken my ability to conduct discovery conversations to a whole new level and makes me significantly stronger in strategic negotiations. Colleagues are already noticing that I’m more involved in critical discussions and back up my points with well-founded arguments. I can wholeheartedly recommend this training: it was a fantastic investment in my professional development.

PreSales Enterprise Architect, Workday
SE“The demo menu significantly improved our appointment organisation and professionalism.”
It was the first training session I’d attended where all the participants were fully engaged. Everyone was keen, and the positive momentum created added immense value. It wasn’t just a lecture, but genuinely valuable input from experts. I particularly liked the Painchain methodology, as it helps you delve deeper into clients’ problems and ask the right questions. The demo menu also significantly improved our appointment organisation and professionalism. The training helps me to structure my presentation and address clients in a targeted manner. I use what I’ve learnt in every presentation. Thanks to the interactive training with genuine discussion, I was able to implement concrete improvements in my work straight away, even though I was relatively new to my role. Your professional and well-structured delivery greatly supported the learning process and motivated me.

PreSales Consultant, Arvato Systems
SE“Since the training, I’ve been more agile in client meetings, delve deeper in a more targeted way, and remain more persistent.”
The open discussion between us participants and you as trainers was simply brilliant. Everyone was able to contribute and discuss everyday examples from their working lives. In particular, the ‘Pain Chain’ and the approach of formulating a hypothesis and following it through were real ‘aha’ moments for me. Super simple, but extremely effective. The comprehensive toolset, ranging from generative AI to cheat sheets and mutual action plans, was both inspiring and helpful. Since the training, I’ve been more agile in client meetings, delve deeper in a more targeted way, and remain more persistent. I particularly recommend the programme for Solution Engineers and Account Executives, as it improves the quality of discovery and team collaboration. The programme is suitable for all levels of experience in sales. Even seasoned salespeople can benefit enormously from a refresher like this.

Senior Solution Engineer, Slack
“Whether these insights live on in the long term stands and falls with the leader behind them.”
That there’s a specialised company dedicated to PreSales discovery at all — I found that really exciting from the start; there’s a lot of experience behind it. But what convinced me above all was the format: not ‘let’s sit together for two days of cramming’, but built up over a longer period, with real continuity.
Discovery happened at our company before, but very differently — depending on which PreSales person and which seller sat together. Sometimes structured, sometimes not. Sometimes with alignment beforehand, sometimes without. There was no shared framework and no shared goal. Why do we even do discovery? For us the answer was: we want to do a demo. That discovery is much, much more — the foundation of the entire sales process — was a real aha moment. You’d think that’s rudimentary and obvious to everyone. It wasn’t.
Add to that the Pain Chain: daring to stay with the problem even though we immediately think in solutions — that’s supposedly what defines us. And our new favourite word: quantify.
Today, as a team, we have three to five guidelines we follow through on consistently. What pleased me most was an email I was cc’d on: a colleague from my PreSales team wrote to sales, ‘Let’s get them on the phone — and this is our agenda for the meeting.’ I was really proud. And sales doesn’t push back at all — they’re inspired: a colleague who was never in the training has started writing follow-up emails, simply because she saw it from us. And customers now thank us for the summary — that touchpoint didn’t exist before.
One thing I’d tell every team: whether these insights live on in the long term stands and falls with the leader behind them.

Director Advisory, Sybit
Leader“The Trusted Advisor Academy is the next evolution of presales enablement.”
Too many SE teams still rely on one-off workshops that ultimately waste budget and time. The Trusted Advisor Academy is the next evolution of presales enablement.

Head Solution Consulting, TIS
SE“I’ve used these techniques in my new job and achieved better results.”
The whole training was a real highlight. In particular, the exchange and interaction with you as trainers and with the group worked really well. The mixed cohort of Account Executives (AEs) and Sales Engineers (SEs) was particularly valuable, as it allowed us to gain an understanding of the other side’s perspective. The mix of different levels of experience brought fresh ideas and broadened our horizons. You explored the ‘Pain Chain’ concept very effectively. I was able to apply it successfully, even in internal discussions. I’ve also used these techniques in my new job and achieved better results as a result. The role-plays in the training were particularly helpful. They showed me how important it is to ask precise questions and not take anything for granted. The training was rounded off by the chat group for exchanging and sharing additional knowledge nuggets.

Senior Sales Engineer, Arctic Wolf
SE“The biggest effect for me: translating a Pain Chain into numbers and facts that have real business relevance.”
My last discovery training was back in 2016 — since then you run a lot of discoveries, but you settle into a groove. I’m an engineer by background, more of a techie: I could always cover technology and architecture well in discovery, but I’m not a business person, not an economist. That’s exactly where the biggest effect was for me — how I translate a Pain Chain into numbers and facts that have business relevance. That’s where I learned the most. Concretely, we now know much better how valid our supposed opportunities actually are: it used to be ‘I’ve got a really exciting topic here’ — and afterwards it turned out the pressure isn’t that high after all, or the problem lies somewhere else entirely, or it’s only coming up in six to twelve months. We have significantly more clarity there now. I also notice it in the collaboration with our partner: instead of ‘I’ve already talked to them, this is what they want’, it’s now ‘come join the discovery, we’ll do it together.’

Business Consultant, adesso
SE“Discovery always felt vague to me; the training gave me a tangible methodology.”
I have known you for a long time through the podcast. You have been with me in my SE role from the very start, without me realising it. Discovery always felt vague to me, with no clear structure. The training did not just give me more confidence, it gave me a tangible methodology. I found the Pain Deck and the Demo Menu particularly helpful, finally clear answers to typical challenges. I was able to use the templates straight away to support customers in making the case internally. The training kept reminding me to rethink my Discovery methods. Thanks to the practical format I could immediately adjust small things. It was one of the best trainings I have ever done: well thought through, practical, and with a lasting impact.

Account Solution Engineer, Salesforce
“The slogan ‘NoDiscoNoDemo’ was a real game-changer – no demo should take place without an in-depth preliminary discussion with the customer.”
Thanks to your collaboration, we have fostered a better understanding between pre-sales and sales. Everyone in the team now knows exactly when they need to step in during the sales process and how crucial their role is to overall success. The slogan ‘NoDiscoNoDemo’ was a real game-changer – it showed us that no demo should take place without an in-depth preliminary discussion with the customer. Do we always manage this? No, but more and more often.

Managing Director, All for One Group
SE“Instead of talking primarily about solutions, I now put more weight on working out the business value and asking the right questions.”
For me, the Academy is a great opportunity to develop professionally and personally, get to know new perspectives, and grow my network within the SE community. Especially valuable are the open exchange with the other participants, the practical content, and the inspiring discussions. I also really like the mix of trainings, live sessions, and the direct line to Tim and Jan that’s available at any time. That way I don’t just understand the content in theory — I can transfer it directly to my daily work.
Above all, the way I look at customer meetings has changed. I engage with customer requirements more consciously and with more structure, listen more purposefully, and focus more on the customer’s actual challenges and goals. Instead of talking primarily about solutions, I now put more weight on working out the business value and asking the right questions. That has lastingly improved my customer interactions and helps me advise in a much more targeted way.
To every SE thinking about joining: take the chance. If you’re open to new impulses and get actively involved, you’ll benefit professionally, grow personally, and take away many valuable insights for your daily work.

PreSales Expert, CHG-MERIDIAN
SE“The training helped me to significantly improve my collaboration with my AEs.”
The format of the Discovery training – spread over several weeks and delivered in small, bite-sized chunks – was, for me, the best training approach I have ever experienced. I was able to test the content directly with clients and see the results straight away. The programme not only taught me methods, but also gave me the opportunity to discuss these topics with others. This exchange and the community calls were at least as valuable to me as the content itself. The Training helped me to significantly improve my collaboration with my AEs. Together, we were able to identify business needs and respond to clients in a more focused way. The content was superbly tailored to my challenges and never felt like a standardised mass-produced product – everything was personalised and therefore more relevant to my day-to-day work.

Senior Specialist Solution Engineer, MuleSoft
“I wish I’d done this training back in 2017.”
The training covered aspects that I haven’t encountered in any other enablement programme. I wish I’d done this training back in 2017, as I could have gained many of my current insights in a relatively short space of time, and my processes would have been developed much more effectively and quickly as a result. I found the ‘Pain Chain’ and the ‘Discovery in Sheep’s Clothing’ exercises particularly helpful. The role-plays were a great way to kick off each session. The programme helped me to better grasp the big business ‘why’. This comprehensive perspective has significantly improved my approach to discovery. I was very satisfied with the programme and can highly recommend it. I would definitely do it again.

Senior Solutions Engineer, HubSpot
“This structure has made it easier for us to set standards, improve the quality of collaboration and better support sales engineers and account executives.”
The training was a real highlight for our team. The practical role-plays and tools – from checklists to concrete examples – offer enormous added value without requiring much effort. The programme is practical and immediately applicable, with helpful tips running like a common thread throughout. Particularly impressive is the long-term format, which allows time to absorb the content and put it into practice. This structure has made it easier for us to set standards, improve the quality of collaboration and better support sales engineers and account executives. The interactivity in the course was motivating – even on days without preparation, it was enjoyable and inspiring. All in all, the programme is a valuable resource that delivers real, tangible results in day-to-day work.

Senior Solution Consulting Manager, ServiceNow
Leader“We’ve increased our pre-sales-to-closing conversion rate by 10% in the short term.”
The training has helped me develop my team. They now have more tools to guide clients more effectively, which makes their work more enjoyable. As a result, we’ve increased our pre-sales-to-closing conversion rate by 10% in the short term. Structured methods such as the Pain Chain and the Pain Deck have become an integral part of our pre-sales process. We argue our case more precisely and convincingly, and ask more critical questions. Customers understand more quickly where we can help. The role-play sessions in particular created an ‘aha’ moment – this is where I realised how important it is to work with figures and structure. I’ve been on many training courses, but this one stands out: more systematic, more repeatable, more successful. It doesn’t just make us better – it makes us more successful.

Head of Sales, Scaling Champions
SE“The Pain Chain made me more persistent: I now ask the decisive follow-up questions.”
Discovery used to be nothing more than a question sheet with ten questions to me. It was only at Salesforce that I realised how important it really is. The training helped me work in a more structured and more focused way. The Pain Chain in particular made me more persistent – I now ask the decisive follow-up questions. I also reworked my self-introduction and bring more relevant examples. The training showed me that Discovery is not a single meeting but an ongoing process. Customers respond well, because quantified pain points make the argument clearer. I found it fascinating how much the way you steer a conversation influences Discovery. The training brings lasting change because it prompts self-reflection – it doesn’t just hand you patterns to copy.

Solution Engineering, Salesforce
“It helps you set the right course from the outset and manage the process in a structured way.”
I recommend the Training to anyone who is new to sales or is struggling. I particularly liked the Training because it is specifically designed for the early stages of the sales process. It helps you set the right course from the outset and manage the process in a structured way. Rather than just talking about features and functions, you learn to highlight the added value for the company and demonstrate the opportunities for development. I recommend the Training to anyone who is new to sales or finds it difficult to focus on the right topics. It offers valuable insights for optimising your own pipeline and making the sales process more effective.

Senior PreSales Consultant, Haufe Group
“I’m currently doing the POC learning path and the content is really super helpful and to the point!”
I just have to leave my compliments here. I’m currently doing the POC learning path and the content is really super helpful and to the point! Well done! 👍

Solutions Engineer, Miro
Leader“The success speaks for itself: we have exceeded our revenue target and are busier than ever.”
The training has fundamentally changed the way we work. The role-plays were a particular highlight – it was the first time I’d received genuine feedback on my conversations, and that helped me improve enormously. The Pain Deck session inspired me to actively use Loom to send concise and effective video messages to clients. Thanks to the clear structure of the training, we have significantly improved our discovery documentation and noticeably professionalised our approach to clients. As a result of the training, we now turn clients down more quickly if they are not yet ready for change. This has made us more efficient. At the same time, the focus on discovery has helped us strengthen our position – clients often say: “Why hasn’t anyone explained this to me like this before?” The success speaks for itself: we have exceeded our revenue target, are busier than ever, and are perceived by clients as being far more reliable.

COO, GT-Plus
SE“I can recommend the training to anyone who wants to take their discovery skills to the next level.”
Since the training, I have been more structured in my discovery discussions and have been able to address my clients’ requirements in a more targeted way – with clear results. The strong practical focus, particularly through the role-plays, has firmly cemented what I’ve learnt. I found the group discussions particularly valuable. I can recommend the training to anyone who wants to take their discovery skills to the next level and achieve measurable progress in their client meetings.

Senior Solution Engineer, Salesforce
“The results speak for themselves: more structured conversations, clearer next steps and better client responses.”
The training has taken my discovery methodology to a whole new level. The Pain Deck, in particular, was a game-changer – I now use it in almost every discovery session to draw clients’ attention straight away to key challenges. The structured approach has improved my conversations enormously. I get the relevant information more quickly and manage my deals more strategically. Thanks to the wording guides and templates, I save a lot of time and know exactly how to address my clients. Before the training, I often jumped from one meeting to the next. Now I consciously take the time to think through my strategy – that makes a huge difference. The results speak for themselves: more structured conversations, clearer next steps and better client responses. The training is valuable not only for Solution Consultants, but also for AEs who want to manage their deals professionally.

Senior Solution Consultant, ServiceNow
SE“Around 85–90% of the extensive content is relevant and practical – a welcome change from the usual ‘lecture-style’ approach.”
You take the topic of discovery to a whole new level – it’s in a league of its own compared to many other training courses and really sticks in the mind. The training was an absolute asset for me and immediately applicable. Around 85–90% of the extensive content is relevant and practical – a welcome change from the usual ‘lecture-style’ approach in training courses. I particularly liked the fact that I could get actively involved straight away, rather than just listening. The exercises, such as the Pain Deck, helped me to think more deeply about the right questions and to clearly separate the meta-level from the content. Your modern branding and the inspiring monk analogy not only encourage reflection but also stimulate creativity. The support provided even after the training is unparalleled.

Client Architect, MuleSoft
Leader“Thanks to this structured questioning, not only do I gain insights, but my clients do too – insights they didn’t have before.”
There’s a tool that I took to straight away and have actually already used a lot: the Pain Chain. Thanks to this structured questioning, not only do I gain insights, but my clients do too – insights they didn’t have before. We now ask more targeted questions to understand the background before we get into the product presentation. This has significantly improved our sales process. The Pain Deck is also a great tool for bringing new colleagues on board and giving them a solid basis for their arguments. The eight-week training period was perfect – not too short and not too long. The weekly intervals were ideal for consolidating what we’d learnt. The follow-up community calls are also brilliant. They help me to further consolidate and apply what I’ve learnt. The way you two delivered the training was really good. It lightened the atmosphere and made the training enjoyable as well.

Head of PreSales, Babtec
“It was fascinating to look at our processes from an outside perspective and receive valuable tips on how we can improve even further.”
The Dojo left a lasting impression on me. It was fascinating to look at our processes from an outside perspective and receive valuable tips on how we can improve even further. Your wealth of experience was incredibly enriching – it was immediately clear that you’d already encountered similar situations and could provide concrete examples. This practical content has enabled me to put what I’ve learnt into practice straight away in my day-to-day work. I particularly appreciate that the training has helped me to better understand prospects and customers. That pays off – in better customer relationships and, ultimately, in revenue. This training is ideal for anyone working in tech sales who wants to create real added value.

Managing Director PreSales, dynasoft
SE“I’ve become more confident about saying ‘no’ when it’s not the right fit. It’s really liberating.”
The training has helped me spot more quickly whether a potential client is really a good fit or not, and that saves me a lot of time and effort. I’ve become more confident about saying ‘no’ when it’s not the right fit. It’s really liberating. I used to often circle round and round like an eagle, but now I cut the process short by asking the right questions and getting straight to the point. The interactivity and the way you involved everyone was really impressive. You managed to keep everyone meaningfully engaged for over two hours. For me, the training was a real eye-opener. Overall, I am now much more focused and efficient in my conversations.

Sales Consultant, Babtec
“A particular highlight for me was the ‘Pain Chain’ method for quantifying problems.”
A particular highlight for me was the ‘Pain Chain’ method for quantifying problems. I am already actively using this tool to obtain more precise figures from customers. Your detailed feedback on the practical exercises and your extensive experience were extremely valuable and will stay with me for a long time. The interactivity and the built-in exercises were fantastic and really enjoyable. The role-plays and scenarios were extremely helpful in developing practical skills. Your setup and the professional delivery of the online sessions were impressive and highly effective. I realised how important it is to be involved early on in the sales process, which made the training particularly relevant for me.

Solutions Engineer, HubSpot
SE“The training helped me conduct my qualification meetings in a more precise and focused manner – a real boost to efficiency.”
The training helped me conduct my qualification meetings in a more precise and focused manner – a real boost to efficiency. The ‘Pain Chain’ exercise was a real eye-opener, showing me how to ask more relevant questions and genuinely help the customer move forward. The group discussions with other sales engineers and account executives were particularly valuable, giving me many new perspectives and greater self-confidence. The practical focus of the programme allowed me to try out something new every week and put it into practice straight away. I can recommend the training to everyone – it’s a perfect combination of practical relevance, targeted feedback and personal support.

Solution Engineer, Salesforce
Leader“The rest of the team are now asking me when they can finally have a session with Jan and Tim.”
The training content was highly relevant to the team and was very well received by the participants. They are now able to ‘discover’ opportunities in a more targeted manner and apply what they have learnt directly. During the training, they developed a greater awareness of how to engage with customers based on their individual information needs, and are adapting their working methods accordingly. The participants learnt useful strategies and tools, such as the ‘Pain Chain’ for quantifying economic impacts, the ‘Trust Stakeholder Grid’ for stakeholder relationships, and the ‘10-Click Demo’ for effectively managing demo pressure. They particularly appreciated the practical wording examples, which they are successfully using in emails and conversations. The training has significantly improved the way we work, and the rest of the team are now asking me when they can finally have a session with Jan and Tim.

Branch Manager, Babtec
“Deep Dive Discovery allows us to get so deeply involved with the client that they practically can’t get past us.”
I had hoped the training would give me much deeper insights into the Discovery methodology, and that is exactly what I got. A key insight from the Training is the introduction of Deep Dive Discovery. This allows us to get so deeply involved with the client that they practically can’t get past us. The Training helped me to internalise the Pain Chain as a tool. It enables us to really get to the heart of the client’s pain, which has significantly improved the quality of our discovery process. The programme offers a balanced mix of practical exercises and theoretical knowledge. I found this combination extremely enriching and it has brought about a lasting improvement in our sales approach.

Managing Director, dynasoft
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