Why Solution Engineering Needs Its Own Operating System, with Edward Kandel (252)

In this episode, I sit down with Edward Kandel, founder of Coform
& Focal, to dig into why solution engineering often feels like
a black box. We explore why the impact of SE teams remains elusive,
how knowledge gets trapped, and what it takes to bring true
visibility to PreSales and delivery. Edward shares his journey from
investor to community builder and unveils how his projects are
changing the way we measure and prove SE value. We also discuss the
evolution of software sales toward consumption-based pricing and
what that means for the future of our roles. If you want to
understand where PreSales is heading and how to become
indispensable in the age of AI-driven software, this episode is for
you. Edward on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwardkandel/
---------- PreSales Leader Community:
https://serockstars.com/community All other links:
https://paths.to/presales We hope you enjoy listening and find it
inspiring! Chapters: (00:00:00) Welcome & Introduction to
PreSales Unleashed (00:01:23) Edward Kandel’s Journey: From
Investor to Solutions Community Builder (00:04:44) Unpacking the
'Black Box' of Solution Engineering (00:05:15) Building Coform and
Focal: Community and Tools for Solution Teams (00:08:06) Defining
'Solutioners' and the Evolution of PreSales Roles (00:15:46)
Challenges Facing Solution Engineering Teams (00:21:03) Measuring
SE Impact: Beyond Attached Revenue (00:29:38) The Future of
Solution Engineering in a Consumption-Based World (00:31:30)
Rallying the Community: Skills, Trust, and the Road Ahead
(00:39:40) Outro & Community Collaboration Opportunities