The Chat - Content-Led Growth

From Cold Calls to Calendars on Fire with James Hanzimanolis

Guest: James Hanzimanolis - Outbound pro turned content-led sales strategist and author of Savage Outbound
Host: Terry Wilson - Co-founder at Chat Metrics, Host of The Chat

🔥 Episode Overview:

James Hanzimanolis went from running a high-intensity outbound agency to building a scalable, inbound sales engine powered by content – and it all started with a cold call to Seth Godin.

In this episode, James unpacks how that one conversation transformed his entire approach to sales and pipeline building. He shares the exact systems he used to book 300+ demos, close deals while he sleeps, and why content-led growth is no longer just a “marketing thing.”

You’ll walk away with practical strategies to layer your pipeline, escape founder-led chaos, and start building a revenue engine that actually scales.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:
• Why inbound leads convert 3x faster than outbound (and how to get them)
• The story behind James’ infamous call with Seth Godin
• How to build a layered pipeline that doesn’t rely on one channel
• The problem with most founders delegating sales too early
• Why you need to test outbound yourself before you hire
• What “content-led growth” really looks like in practice
• The simple framework James uses to audit and improve outbound results

🧠 Key Quotes by James:
“You need to find a way for people to come to you instead of you going after them.”
“Outbound works – but it breaks when you try to scale without systems.”
“Every sales channel should be a layer, not your lifeline.”
“Your pipeline problems are just strategy problems wearing sales clothes.”

📌 Episode Chapters:
0:00 - Intro & James’ outbound roots
2:45 - The call that changed everything (Seth Godin story)
4:30 - From cold outreach to inbound traction
6:20 - How James layered his sales channels for scale
8:15 - Why content isn’t just for marketers anymore
10:40 - Founders, don’t skip the early sales trenches
13:05 - What’s wrong with most outbound strategies today
16:40 - The early mistakes that nearly tanked James’ agency
19:30 - Wrap up & Part 2 preview

🔗 Resources & Links:
• Connect with James Hanzimanolis on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-hanzimanolis/
• Grab his book: Savage Outbound (search on Amazon or LinkedIn)
• Learn more about Chat Metrics at Chat Metrics
• Follow host Terry Wilson on LinkedIn
• Subscribe to The Chat for weekly episodes with top B2B sales and marketing leaders