Jonathan Kitchen’s commercial career is a story about embracing change, taking bold leaps, and staying fiercely committed to the art of selling and leading.

From traditional publishing giants to digital-first disruptors, Jonathan has consistently focussed on new territories, bringing creativity and strategic savvy to every role. Here Jonathan ‘Kitch’ Kitchen breaks down his lessons learned for building and scaling high-performance teams.

Early Lessons from Dennis Publishing

Jonathan’s journey began in the bustling offices of Dennis Publishing, where the reality of gritty, frontline sales shaped his approach. Armed with nothing but a phone, a folder full of leads, and relentless determination, he quickly learned the essentials: client empathy, persuasive communication, and tenacious relationship-building.

Progressing from sales rep to team leader, Jonathan worked across iconic brands like “The Week” and prominent auto and entertainment titles. This allowed him to hone his ability to deliver impressive results in competitive markets.

The Power of Diverse Teams

Jonathan passionately champions diversity, not simply as a checkbox, but as a strategic imperative for high-performing teams. Rejecting the comfort of “hiring in your own image,” he advocates deeply for building teams rich in different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds.

His insight is clear: only genuinely diverse teams unlock the creative solutions needed to thrive in today’s competitive landscapes.

Crafting Winning Go-to-Market Strategies

Having taken many commercial teams to market and succeeded. Jonathan’s approach to go-to-market strategies blends brutal honesty with optimistic ambition. He warns against overly optimistic forecasts, instead insisting on plans firmly rooted in reality.

Transparent incentive structures, clear communication, and practical yet inspiring targets are his trademarks. Thereby fostering motivated teams who feel both challenged and rewarded.

Winning strategies are built on getting the balance between Sales and Account Management just right. Ensuring that information isn’t lost in the transfer and that AM’s are brought into the conversation at the right time. This maximises the chance that they can nurture the relationship moving forward.

Nurturing Talent Through Trust and Flexibility

Recalling the structured training and clear pathways from his early days, Jonathan underscores the importance of nurturing talent through constant learning and genuine flexibility. In a post-pandemic world, he believes success comes from blending the best of remote efficiency with invaluable face-to-face collaboration, always anchored by trust.

The Future is Human (With a Little Help from AI)

Looking ahead, Jonathan sees a bright future for sales professionals who embrace new technology. However for Kitch, AI is not a threat but an incredible opportunity. AI presents a chance to automate tedious tasks, enrich customer insights, and ultimately free up space for deeper human connections.

The future salesperson, in his vision, is part technologist, part strategist, and fully human.

Jonathan Kitchen’s story is a blueprint for anyone looking to build a meaningful, resilient career in commercial leadership. His core advice? Be relentlessly curious, strategically bold, and deeply empathetic. This underpins his approach for building and scaling high performance teams.

Above all, embrace change and technology as tools to amplify – not replace – the essential human connections that foster great commercial success.

Based on a conversation between Jonathan Kitchen, Managing Partner at Red Kite Communications, and Glen Calvert, CEO of Kaizan.