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The Thread Podcast
The Thread Podcast explores the future of enterprise sales in the era of AI.
Hosted by Justin Vandehey, founder of Thread, we bring together top sales leaders, enablement pros, and innovators shaping how go-to-market teams grow and win.
Each episode dives deep into what’s changing in sales—from real-time AI coaching to modern revenue systems of action—and features actionable insights from CROs, RevOps leaders, startup founders, and the technologists building the next generation of tools. Whether you’re scaling founder-led sales or leading a global GTM team, you’ll walk away with new strategies to improve seller performance, accelerate deal cycles, and leverage AI for growth.
If you’re ready to think differently about sales execution and the future of GTM, follow The Thread and join the conversation.
The Thread Podcast
Equity Is a Revenue Lever: Benjamin Roach on RevOps in the Incentives Economy
In this episode of the Thread Podcast, Justin Vandehey interviews Benjamin Roach, Director of Revenue Operations at Optio Incentives, to explore what it takes to build RevOps in the equity compensation and incentives space. Ben shares his “traditional” path from sales into RevOps, why he deliberately took a step back into a junior ops role, and how getting technical became a career unlock.
They dig into the complexities of selling and operating in equity management—where revenue can include ARR, transactional fees, and services, and where buyers span CFOs, CHROs, legal, and finance. Ben also shares his point of view on AI: where it can help participants and admins get fast answers, and why data quality and human oversight still matter. The episode closes with career advice for aspiring RevOps leaders and how to learn the craft.
Key topics covered
- Why Ben moved from sales → RevOps (and why he “took a step back” to level up)
- Equity compensation complexity: strike price, taxes, vesting, global compliance
- How Optio’s GTM motion sells “trusted partner + tech,” not just software
- Measuring growth in equity management beyond traditional ARR
- AI in equity management: where it’s useful today and where it’s risky
- Career advice: become technical, stay curious, build a broader toolbelt
Memorable moments / quotable lines
- “Stock options… were unknown to me. You get handed them and think, maybe one day I’ll make money.”
- “AI is only as good as your data models.”
- “Don’t be scared to take a step backwards.”
- “RevOps wears so many hats—you need a lot of tools on your toolbelt.”
Chapters (suggested)
00:00 – Welcome + Ben’s intro
01:00 – From sales to RevOps (and why he took a step back)
02:10 – Why the equity/incentives space pulled him in
03:30 – Aligning finance, HR, and revenue metrics
04:45 – Why revenue isn’t just ARR in equity management
05:30 – Simplifying a complex story for CFOs/CHROs/legal
06:55 – Global compliance + product readiness constraints
09:00 – AI in equity: what it can and can’t do (yet)
11:05 – Career advice for aspiring RevOps leaders
13:45 – Plug: Optio + how to connect with Ben
