Podcast appearances and mentions of Christopher Smith

What if trying to look perfect is the exact thing costing you the sale?  In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Todd Caponi, author, keynote speaker, and one of the most respected voices on transparency in sales, to discuss why honesty closes faster than perfection and how modern negotiation should actually work.  Drawing on behavioral science, decision science, and decades of sales history, Todd explains why buyers trust the negative, why we buy when we can predict rather than when we are convinced, and how leading with your flaws can speed up sales cycles and raise win rates.  If you are a founder, sales leader, revenue executive, or seller who wants to build trust faster and negotiate without the games, this conversation is full of ideas you can use right away.  What You'll Learn  Why a perfect five-star pitch actually slows down the sale  Why buyers seek out the negative before they say yes  The behavioral science behind why we buy when we can predict  How leading with what you are not great at builds instant trust  Why your first sale is the most expensive one you will ever make  How the Four Levers of Negotiating replace discounting with collaboration  Why transparency from leadership keeps teams engaged and loyal  How honest pricing kills sticker shock and shortens sales cycles  About Todd Caponi  Todd Caponi is an award-winning sales leader, keynote speaker, and author whose work has reshaped how organizations think about sales, leadership, and negotiation. After leading sales organizations through multiple high-growth exits, including serving as a worldwide Vice President of Sales of the Year, Todd founded Sales Melon, where he helps revenue teams apply behavioral science, decision science, and sales history to build trust, improve buyer confidence, and drive stronger outcomes.  He is the author of the acclaimed books The Transparency Sale, The Transparent Sales Leader, and Four Levers Negotiating, and is the host of The Sales History Podcast. Recognized as one of the industry's leading voices on transparency in selling, Todd works with revenue organizations around the world to transform the way they message, negotiate, lead, and grow.  Connect with Todd Caponi  LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi/  Website  https://www.toddcaponi.com  Todd's Books  The Transparency Sale: https://a.co/d/0iBWFEai  The Transparent Sales Leader: https://a.co/d/0hOf1W4K  Four Levers Negotiating: https://a.co/d/0aaRnw4k  The Sales History Podcast  https://saleshistory.buzzsprout.com  About Sales Lead Dog  Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy.  Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes.  Connect and Learn More  All episodes and show notes:  https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/  If this episode brought you value: 

John Van Deusen returns to the podcast to discuss the release of his alternative worship project, the 38-track As Long As I Am In The Tent Of This Body I Will Make A Joyful Noise. He shares stories about the conception of this adventurous project, its overlap with his I Am Origami series, and the personal roller coaster he experienced while recording and releasing it. In conjunction with JFH's 30th anniversary, the site just released Vol. 15 of its annual free sampler, featuring 57 songs we think you need to hear! Download here. The sampler includes the unreleased new single from podcast host Chase Tremaine, which you can also pre-save on Spotify here. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

"When I walked inside that office, so disappointed, face to face with a man who was joyful in a joyless land — and I heard Jesus say, I am the truth. You've been looking in the wrong places." — Virginia Prodan What would you do if a man came to your office, waited for your assistant to leave, drew a gun, and told you he was there to kill you? Virginia Prodan's answer — share the gospel — is either the most audacious act of faith you have ever heard of, or the most inexplicable. Probably both. Virginia grew up in socialist Romania under Ceaușescu, watching her parents comply in public and whisper dissent at home. She chose a different path: law school, then a legal practice that put her in front of judges defending persecuted Christians, armed with human rights laws she found in a library that the regime never expected anyone to use. Western government representatives sat behind her in those courtrooms, unknown to her, sending her name and her arguments back to their countries. Voice of America broadcast her story across the Berlin Wall. When the dictator had enough, he sent a member of his secret police to finish it. Virginia shared the gospel. The man put the gun down and accepted Christ. President Ronald Reagan called Ceaușescu personally and negotiated her release from Romania. She arrived in America as a single mother, barely speaking English, with three young children. She earned a law degree from SMU, opened her own firm, and wrote the memoir Saving My Assassin — including a chapter written by the man who came to her office with a gun, who twenty years later tracked her down in Dallas to tell her he had become a pastor. Virginia Prodan's story is a reminder that the people working hardest against you may be one conversation away from becoming your greatest allies — and that sometimes, the most powerful person in the world is on your side without your knowledge. Learn more & connect: Virginia Prodan — https://virginiaprodanbooks.com Resources mentioned: Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan — https://virginiaprodanbooks.com Voice of America — https://www.voanews.com Congressman Christopher Smith — https://chrissmith.house.gov Frank Wolf (former Congressman, human rights advocate) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wolf_(politician) Visit https://www.eCircleAcademy.com and book a success call with Nicky to take your practice to the next level.

What if the biggest advantage in sales isn't your product, your pricing, or your tech stack... but simply being yourself?    In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Pete Auerbach, Sr. Vice President of National Sales at Ad.net, to discuss why authentic relationships, not transactions, are what actually close deals and build lasting business.    Drawing on nearly a decade leading the national sales team at Ad.net and a career built in digital advertising, Pete shares hard-won lessons on leading as a challenger brand, staying competitive at every stage of your career, balancing the player-coach role, and using AI and CRM to help sales teams work smarter.    If you're a founder, sales leader, revenue executive, or seller looking to build stronger customer relationships and a more resilient sales team, this conversation is packed with practical insight you can put to work today.    What You'll Learn  Why authenticity beats the "sales persona" every time • How to build relationships that turn into multi-year deals • The challenger-brand mindset: doing everything at an A level   • Why the best sellers work harder during a slump, not less   • How to escape "whack-a-mole" and actually execute your plan   • What servant leadership and empathy do for team culture   • Why CRM is a "necessary evil" and how AI is about to redefine it   • How to use AI as an enabler for your team, not a way to cut headcount    About Pete Auerbach  Pete Auerbach is a sales leader and digital advertising strategist with nearly a decade of experience at Ad.net, where he leads the national sales team while continuing to work directly with agencies and brands. He helps marketers uncover new opportunities for growth through innovative search, social, and creator media solutions, with a focus on driving measurable results and building lasting partnerships.    Pete got his start in advertising through internships on Madison Avenue before moving into the agency world and, eventually, sales leadership on the West Coast. A former two-sport college athlete, he brings a competitive, team-first mindset to how he builds and coaches his teams. Based in Los Angeles, Pete lives with his wife and two dogs, is the proud father of two adult children, and is an avid golfer and cyclist who carries a competitive edge into everything he does.    Connect with Pete Auerbach  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteauerbach/  Learn More About Ad.net https://ad.net/    About Sales Lead Dog  Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy.    Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes.  Connect and Learn More  All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/    If this episode brought you value: 

Christopher Smith joins the show to discuss what he thinks about the Roman Anthony injury updates, the Red Sox losing streak they were just on, and what's coming forward for the team.

Arcand continues the show with Christopher Smith who shares his thoughts on the Red Sox lately after their losses and what could happen with Roman Anthony. Where are the Red Sox in power rankings and what is going on with the finances of the Yankees and Lakers?

Why do so many founder-led companies hit a growth ceiling... even when they have a great product? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Adam Rojas, Founder and Managing Partner of Bellmoore Consulting, to discuss how growth-stage businesses can build scalable sales systems, improve revenue operations, and move beyond founder-dependent selling. Adam shares practical lessons from more than 25 years in enterprise sales leadership, explaining why predictable growth comes from building the right sales process, qualifying opportunities early, using CRM strategically, and leveraging AI to help teams work smarter instead of harder. If you're a founder, sales leader, revenue executive, or business owner looking to build a repeatable go-to-market strategy, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply immediately. What You'll Learn • How to build a predictable revenue operating system • The biggest mistakes businesses make with CRM • Why most companies suffer from a "leaky sales bucket" • The KPIs every growing business should measure • Why sales is still built on human relationships About Adam Rojas Adam Rojas is the Founder and Managing Partner of Bellmoore Consulting, a fractional commercial and revenue leadership firm that helps founder-led technology and tech-enabled services companies build predictable, scalable revenue engines. Adam specializes in helping growth-stage businesses in the $2M to $15M revenue range create the commercial infrastructure needed to scale, including revenue strategy, sales process, pipeline management, leadership coaching, and go-to-market execution. Before founding Bellmoore Consulting, Adam spent more than 25 years leading enterprise sales organizations, beginning his career in telecommunications with BellSouth before moving into leadership roles at AT&T after its acquisition. Throughout his career, he has worked with organizations ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies, helping teams modernize their sales strategies, improve CRM adoption, and build sustainable revenue growth. Today, Adam partners with founders who have outgrown founder-led selling and need experienced commercial leadership without making a premature Chief Revenue Officer hire. His work focuses on transforming inconsistent sales into repeatable systems that support long-term growth. Connect with Adam Rojas LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamrojas/ Bellmoore Consulting https://www.bellmooreconsulting.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value

In this hour of Follow The Money, hosts Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard are joined by Doug Kezirian, Sports Handicapper, to preview WNBA matchups. Also, joining the show is Christopher Smith, Red Sox Reporter - MassLive, to discuss the Red Sox and their miraculous season turnaround. Mitch and Pauly also preview tonight's MLB betting slate and give their In-Pocket plays. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jace and Rocky break down all 10 DC releases for the week of August 5, 2026. In Absolute Superman #22, Superman risks being poisoned by Metallo's kryptonite blood because he knows reaching Christopher Smith emotionally is the only way to end the fight. In Batman #12, Verity is living up to the Pennyworth name as mention of her training and her quick thinking impresses Bruce and Damian while five highly trained killers each demonstrate their methods in a series of murders. Could their missions be tied to Gotham's newest threat? In Absolute Green Lantern #17, Jo confronts Mu as the issue adds more fascinating cosmic concepts, but seventeen issues of undefined terminology leave even the central conflict difficult to understand. But the issue does deliver the origin of Absolute Jessica Cruz and a great scene of Tomar-Re being fired like a bullet. In Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11, even though Superman has been reunited with Osul and Otho, the battle is not over. Kal-El is determined to stop Kryl-Ux even while trying to save him from himself and the grief of losing his family that has twisted his soul. In Deadman #3, Deadman travels through Hell to rescue a soul Rama Kushna says does not belong there, only for him to be shocked when Lucifer shows him proof the soul is where it belongs. The devil's got receipts. In Batgirl #22, Cassandra learns that Victoria was both her childhood friend and rival assassin. Both girls were manipulated by David Cain and Dr. Forget-Me-Not, respectively, in an experiment to build the perfect killer. The resolution for this one feels a little abrupt, but the possibility that Victoria may still be alive hints at more to come for this storyline in the future. In JSA #22, Jim Corrigan refuses to reclaim the Spectre, forcing the Spirit of Vengeance to seek a surprising new host from within the JSA. Kid Eternity fulfills her previously unknown mission to find that host, but turns down the chance to recover her memories and move on to the afterlife so she can remain with the team and continue to make a difference. In Supergirl: Survived #3, Kara's love for Kal drives her to attempt the impossible, using a Blue Lantern ring to recreate Krypton for both Kal-El and Hal Jordan. It's an emotionally powerful moment, but the issue takes an unexpected turn when an Elseworlds version of Mister Mxyzptlk arrives, shifting the story away from the hard sci-fi direction it had been building toward. In Gotham Academy: First Year #6, the final issue reveals more about Olive Silverlock, but the predetermined need to position every character for the beginning of Gotham Academy Vol. 1 leaves the story feeling paint-by-numbers. The rushed maneuvering from the end of issue #4 makes the conclusion feel both overstuffed and choppy, while surprisingly little of consequence actually happens. In 100 Bullets: The U.S. of Anger #2, the issue provides so little usable context that neither a new reader nor someone familiar with the original series can clearly explain who the characters are or what is happening. The series does seem to be appropriately named, though, as the anger the issue is steeped in feels all too real. While the story hasn't come together yet, the simmering anger of the U.S. reflected here feels authentic. They also give a rundown of this week's collected editions, reprints and facsimile releases. As always, all books are ranked from top to bottom and each host gives a Book of the Week pick.   00:00 — DC Week Overview, SDCC Aftermath & Comic Promotion 17:49 — Absolute Superman #22 35:27 — Deadman #3 43:03 — Absolute Green Lantern #17 57:44 — Supergirl: Survived #3 1:04:19 — Batman #12 1:13:51 — Batgirl #22 1:18:18 — Gotham Academy: First Year #6 1:21:19 — Adventures of Superman: Book of El #11 1:29:23 — 100 Bullets: The U.S. of Anger #2 1:37:20 — JSA #22 1:45:42 — Collected Editions, Reprints & Facsimiles 1:53:17 — Rankings & Books of the Week

Podcast host Chase Tremaine is joined by a panel of staff writers from jesusfreakhideout.com - John Underdown, Matt Baldwin, and Noah Schmidt - to recap the first six months of 2026, sharing their favorite albums thus far as well as highlighting a few of their most anticipated releases for the second half of the year. Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook. BEWARE OF SPOILERS, but for reference, you can find the list of all albums recommended during this episode, alphabetical by artist: Amy Grant, The Me That Remains Bella Taylor Smith, for the home EP Brian Sauve, Long Days, Short Years Broadway Showdown, Presents: Let The Showdown Begin! CHANGETHEWXRLD, diary of peripheral wounds Colony House, 77 Drown the Planet, the blessed // the cursed EP Exile & Eden, New Horizon Floodlit, MiDaSu Fury & Solace, By Endurance Grand Motel, Tooth of the Lion: A Spring Perennial Haste the Day, Dissenter idle threat, you'll forget the sun indie tribe, WHO DO YOU SAY I AM Les Carlsen, Free Will John Joseph James, God of the Second Chance Jonathan Ogden, DAYMichael Sweet, The Master Plan Narnia, X Petra, Hope Pipe Bomb, Holy Hell So Much Hope, Buried., Wither | Grow Switchfoot, Forever Now The 77s, 7 The Figs, How Did We Get Here? The Lost Dogs, Trick of the Light The Tarnished, DEATH FOR DEATH EP Unbroken Reign, The Sins We Keep Alive You Are a Soul, Apocrypha 5

What if the biggest reason sales teams lose trust has nothing to do with pricing, competition, or AI? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Tim Deaver, Vice President of Federal Sales at Skyloom, to explore why the best sales leaders focus on one principle above everything else: deliver on your promises. Drawing from more than two decades of leadership in the U.S. Air Force and executive roles across the aerospace and satellite communications industry, Tim shares practical lessons on leadership, accountability, customer trust, CRM strategy, and building sales teams that consistently perform. If you're leading a sales organization, managing enterprise accounts, or looking to build stronger customer relationships, this conversation offers practical insights you can put to work immediately. What You'll Learn • Why trust is still the most valuable asset in sales • Leadership lessons from 22 years in the U.S. Air Force • The habits of high-performing sales leaders • Why accountability drives better sales performance • How to develop future sales leaders inside your organization • Why consistency beats quick wins in enterprise sales • Practical leadership principles that apply to every sales team About Tim Deaver Tim Deaver is the Vice President of Federal Sales at Skyloom, where he leads federal sales for the company's Free Space Optical Communication solutions. Before joining Skyloom, Tim served as VP of Global Sales and Solutions at Mynaric and previously led U.S. government satellite and space programs at Airbus U.S. Space & Defense and SES Government Solutions. Throughout his career, he has helped deliver major aerospace, satellite communications, and defense programs for organizations including the U.S. Air Force, NASA, FAA, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Prior to entering the private sector, Tim served 22 years in the United States Air Force, holding leadership positions across space operations, acquisition, and policy. He brings decades of experience leading complex organizations, building customer relationships, and developing high-performing teams. Connect with Tim Deaver LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-deaver-76a6a97/ Learn More About Skyloom https://www.skyloom.co/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

(0:00) Joe Murray is joined by Christopher Smith, the Red Sox beat reporter for MassLive.com, to talk the Curtis Mead injury, Red Sox and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this hour of Follow The Money, hosts Pauly Howard and John Jastremski are joined by Christopher Smith, to talk about MLB and the Redsox. Pauly and John also discuss their betting odds on the NBA and best bets. Get instant access to expert picks, public betting splits data, and pro betting tools when you join VSiN pro. You can take 17% off an annual subscription when you use promo code: POD26. Click Here to get started. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is AI replacing salespeople? Not according to Damian Wisniewski. In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Damian Wisniewski, Head of Sales at GitKraken, to discuss how AI is transforming sales leadership, CRM strategy, and revenue teams. Damian explains why the biggest opportunity isn't letting AI sell for you. It's using AI to become a smarter sales leader, coach teams more effectively, analyze customer conversations, and make better decisions faster. The conversation also explores the future of CRM, AI agents, Model Context Protocol (MCP), sales hiring, and why successful sales professionals must adapt instead of resisting change. These themes are reflected throughout the conversation transcript. What You'll Learn • Why AI won't replace great salespeople • How AI can coach sales teams at scale • The future of CRM in an AI-first world • Why sales leaders should rethink how they use data • How to build repeatable sales processes with AI About Damian Wisniewski Damian Wisniewski is the Head of Sales at GitKraken, a developer tools company helping software teams manage AI coding tools and enabling engineering leaders to measure the ROI of AI investments. He specializes in building and scaling high-performing sales organizations for startups and established technology companies launching new products. With a strong technical background, Damian combines sales leadership with deep product knowledge to help teams grow efficiently in an AI-driven world. Connect with Damian Wisniewski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianwisniewski/ Learn more about GitKraken: https://www.gitkraken.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

Welcome to this bonus episode of Shoot the Hostage, where we are lingering in the hallways of our favourite moments from our Liminal Spaces season. If you've ever felt like you're trapped in a dreamlike transitory space between a swimming pool and a never-ending warehouse, you've come to the right place for some Liminal Space cinema chat. We're crossing over from the uncanny to the absurd as we revisit the movies that made Dan question Sarah's sanity and his own grasp on geometry. In this best of compilation, we dive back into the eerie, sparsely populated worlds of some of the best movies with liminal spaces. We revisit Christopher Smith's time-loop feature Triangle, where Dan finally learns how many points a triangle has. We also tackle the art-house vibes of 70s cult horror like Messiah of Evil, which Dan argues isn't a movie but rather a collection of images that would be vastly improved by a guest appearance from Mr Blobby. The journey continues with Peter Weir's Picnic at Hanging Rock, featuring a magic rock that may or may not be solar powered for your 1900s toaster. We also get a pinch of Lynch with Jamie from Final Transmission as we attempt to decode David Lynch's Lost Highway and the rising star power of Balthazar Getty. From the slow march to death in David Robert Mitchell's, It Follows to the aggressive hospitality of Wake in Fright, we've curated a lineup that is definitely more vibes that linear narrative. We also touch on Alex Garland's Annihilation, the dessert of the season and John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, featuring the legendary Dondald Pleasence and a very large, very secure wooden door. Whether you're a fan of liminal space horror or just here for the film criticism and humour, this episode has it all – including a discussion on whether a crab is technically a “floor fish” What to expect from this episode: Dan tries to convince Sarah to pivot the season into movies featuring basic geometric shapes. A definitive (and possible incorrect) explanation of what actually constitutes a liminal space. The revelation that the Messiah of Evil might have been a piny, yellow spotted ghoulish figure from 90s British TV. The logistics of plugging a laptop into a 6 million year old magic rock in the year 1900 Dan's theory that the size of the church key is directly proportional to how much evil you're hiding in the basement. A debate about some of the Brian Johnsons and whether they hold the key to ancestral immortality. A sneak peek at our upcoming season where we finally prove once and for all that size doesn't matter. We shall return! On August 3rd we're back with a brand new season. This time chosen by Dan. The new theme is "Size Doesn't Matter" and the first film we're sizing up is Ant-Man (2015). Would you like to see the full lineup for season 16? The only place you can see it is on Patreon but you don't need to be a paying member. Sign up for a free membership and get access to the lineup when it drops any day now. Instagram | TikTok | Threads | YouTube

Why do some sales professionals consistently earn trust while others struggle to close deals? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Ryan Goldberg, Head of Sales at National Enrollment Partners, to discuss why trust, curiosity, empathy, and leadership remain the biggest competitive advantages in modern sales. Ryan shares lessons from nearly two decades in the employee benefits industry, including how he grew a wholesale business from $2 million to $35 million in sales, built and sold his own consulting company, and now leads national growth initiatives at National Enrollment Partners. The conversation explores customer relationships, sales leadership, CRM adoption, coaching, AI, and the mindset required to build high-performing sales organizations that create lasting results. What You'll Learn • Why trust is the foundation of every successful sales relationship • How curiosity creates stronger conversations and better outcomes • The leadership habits that build high-performing sales teams • Why coaching matters more than managing • Common reasons CRM initiatives fail • Lessons from building scalable sales organizations About Ryan Goldberg Ryan Goldberg is the Head of Sales at National Enrollment Partners, where he leads U.S. growth and strategy for one of the country's leading managed services companies in the employee benefits industry. With nearly two decades of experience in employee benefits, distribution, and sales leadership, Ryan has built a reputation for driving sustainable growth through strategic partnerships, customer relationships, and people-first leadership. Before joining National Enrollment Partners, he founded Worksite Wheelhouse, an employee engagement consulting firm that achieved four consecutive years of double-digit growth before being acquired by a private equity-backed portfolio and merged into National Enrollment Partners. Earlier in his career, Ryan helped build a wholesale distribution channel that grew from $2 million to $35 million in sales, demonstrating his ability to scale teams, develop markets, and deliver measurable business results. Today, he focuses on helping organizations grow through trust, collaboration, and operational excellence. Connect with Ryan Goldberg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-g-7161693/  National Enrollment Partners: https://www.nationalenrollmentpartners.com/  About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success through leadership, sales strategy, CRM, and customer relationships. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

Send us Fan MailIn S2E35, we bring on Christopher Smith, the man responsible for calling Ian a Bag O'Douche in his book, and catch up on retirement life, work-from-home setups, gaming headsets, getting older, getting fatter, getting skinnier, and Chris immediately talking shit about Ian having no AC in the UK. From there, we get into CPAP machines, dry-mouth dragon breathing, brutal electric bills, GLP-1s, portion control, running, whiskey collections, and an old deployment gym story involving Robby, pre-workout, and bathroom destruction that apparently sounded like a mortar attack. We also talk about the “she is autism” story, Ian's Texas visit, retirement routines, regular bar spots, LEGO Batman, Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, World of Warcraft, Path of Exile, Diablo, GTA, Phasmophobia, Ian's endless house-buying process, whether he'll stay in England, Misawa dreams, Florida plans, Halloween houses, weather, climate arguments, flat-earthers, and Chris wrapping it up by saying he misses the boys and wants to catch up more often. Support the show

On this episode of OC Catholic Radio, Fr. Christopher Smith of the Cathedral Square podcast has a long overdue chat with our longtime host, Rick Howick. Rick stepped away from his weekly hosting duties in the Summer of 2025, as he took a position at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. And the work that Rick is dedicated to in 2026 is the same kind of work that Fr. Christopher has dedicated much of his own ministry to. Listen, download, and share! For more, come visit us at occatholic.com and click ‘radio.'

Jason Dunn, known for his time as the frontman for Hawk Nelson's first five albums, joins the show for the first time to share stories about his brand new solo album Formerly Known As..., his return to pop-punk and touring, his time in Hawk Nelson (as well as other bands), and what he's been doing in the interim. Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

Customers don't stay loyal to companies. They stay loyal to people they trust. In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith welcomes Carl Bailey, Chief Marketing Officer at Elan Fuels, and Riley Vidock, Director of Sales at Elan Fuels, for an insightful conversation about leadership, operations, sales, and why lasting customer relationships are built through trust, not transactions. Drawing from decades of experience in transportation, logistics, operations, and sales, Carl and Riley share why understanding operations makes better sales professionals, how servant leadership creates stronger teams, and why honesty consistently outperforms traditional sales tactics. They also discuss mentoring future sales leaders, company culture, AI's impact on the transportation industry, and why customers continue to follow people they believe in. What You'll Learn • Why customers follow trusted people instead of companies • How operational experience creates stronger sales professionals • Why honesty builds long-term customer relationships • The connection between sales, marketing, and operations • How servant leadership transforms company culture • Why mentorship is essential for developing great salespeople   About Carl Bailey Carl Bailey is the Chief Marketing Officer at Elan Fuels, bringing more than 30 years of transportation leadership across operations, sales, engineering, pricing, and contract negotiations. His experience in the liquid bulk industry has helped organizations build long-lasting customer relationships through operational excellence and trusted partnerships. Connect with Carl Bailey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-bailey-58983694/   About Riley Vidock Riley Vidock is the Director of Sales at Elan Fuels, with a strong background in transportation sales, business development, and customer relationships. She is also the author of Before I Disappeared and Captivating Chaos, co-host of the Dare to Diva Podcast, and a passionate advocate for resilience, personal growth, and authentic leadership. Connect with Riley Vidock LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-vidock-4492571b0/  Learn More About Elan Fuels Website: https://www.elanfuels.com/  About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/  If this episode brought you value:

What separates average sales leaders from the ones people actually want to follow? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Joy Wilder Lybeer, Chief Revenue Officer at Source Advisors, for a conversation on sales leadership, team building, accountability, trust, and why servant leadership still wins in high-performance sales organizations. Joy shares the leadership lessons that shaped her career, from running retail banking teams to leading revenue organizations, and explains why the best leaders stay close to the work, stay honest with their teams, and never confuse authority with leadership. This episode also dives into CRM adoption, performance culture, identifying future leaders, and why helping people achieve their best is one of the most important jobs a sales leader can take on. What You'll Learn Why great sales leaders are tough on numbers but generous with people How trust and vulnerability shape high-performing sales teams Why some top performers should never become managers What Joy looks for when building a winning sales culture How to identify future sales leaders inside your team Why women in sales often need encouragement to step into leadership roles What breaks CRM adoption and how leaders can fix it Why servant leadership is still one of the strongest growth advantages in sales About Joy Wilder Lybeer Joy Wilder Lybeer is the Chief Revenue Officer at Source Advisors, a specialty tax advisory firm that helps businesses unlock tax credits and incentives through expert guidance and CPA partnerships. She is an experienced revenue leader with a background across strategy, marketing, banking, and executive sales leadership. Throughout her career, Joy has built high-performing teams, led large revenue organizations, and developed a leadership style centered on accountability, trust, and helping people reach their full potential. Connect with Joy Wilder Lybeer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joywilderlybeer/ Learn more about Source Advisors: https://sourceadvisors.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

So Much Hope, Buried. (the indie artist behind JFH's #5 Staff Picks favorite album of 2024) has returned with another banger of an album with 2026's Wither | Grow. The four-piece returns to the show to discuss the album among many other topics, including parenting, production, cars, horror films, and more. Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

In this episode, C. Christopher Smith, founding editor of ERB, chats with poet Julie Moore, who is also the new producer of this podcast. Chris and Julie offer a behind-the-scenes look at the podcast and discuss Julie's hopes for her work as producer. They also discuss Julie's brand collection of poems, Devil's Backbone, which arrives in bookstores this week.A Best of the Net and eight-time Pushcart Prize nominee, Julie L. Moore is the author of five poetry collections, including, the brand new collection Devil's Backbone. Her previous collection, Full Worm Moon, won a 2018 Woodrow Hall Top Shelf Award and received honorable mention for the Conference on Christianity and Literature's 2018 Book of the Year Award. After directing two university Writing Centers for 20 years, Julie now lives in Indiana and works at Eastern University for its LifeFlex program as a Senior Online Advisor and First Year Composition Instructor.

Throughout the months of March and April, over in the JFH Podcast Facebook group, our listeners (you!) participated in a tournament to determine the best album of 2006. On this episode, JFH staff writers Chase Tremaine and Scott Fryberger reconvene to discuss the tournament's many upsets and surprises, alongside sharing listener feedback and responses regarding our 2026 predictions, wish-list items, and most anticipated album releases. Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

What does it take to drive growth, lead change, and build winning sales organizations? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Rodrigo Hijar, Head of Sales Strategy and Planning at Vilore Foods Company, to discuss sales leadership, growth strategy, change management, consumer behavior, CRM, and the future impact of AI on sales organizations. Rodrigo shares lessons from his journey through management consulting, revenue growth strategy, and consumer goods leadership. He explains why showing up consistently, staying ready for opportunity, and embracing change are critical to long-term success. The conversation explores how sales strategy teams can partner more effectively with sales leaders, why change management often fails, and how AI is beginning to reshape the role of CRM and sales planning. What You'll Learn • Why showing up consistently is one of the biggest drivers of success • How luck and preparation work together to create opportunities • The difference between B2B and consumer-focused sales organizations • Why sales leadership requires a unique approach to management • How sales strategy teams can create greater organizational impact • The keys to successful change management initiatives • Why sales and strategy teams must operate as one organization • How CRM should help predict what happens next, not just track activity • Why AI will transform sales planning and decision-making • How high-performing teams embrace growth and change About Rodrigo Hijar Rodrigo Hijar is Head of Sales Strategy and Planning at Vilore Foods Company, where he helps drive commercial growth, organizational transformation, and strategic planning initiatives. With more than 12 years of experience advising and leading consumer goods organizations across the United States and the Americas, Rodrigo brings deep expertise in revenue growth management, pricing strategy, pack-price architecture, promotional optimization, trade terms, and commercial strategy. His career spans management consulting and consumer goods leadership, helping organizations unlock growth opportunities while building sustainable commercial capabilities. Connect with Rodrigo Hijar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigo-hijar/ Learn More About Vilore Foods: https://www.vilore.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

What does it take to build high-performing sales teams in an AI-driven world? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Leala Dueno, CRO and Founder at LATTIX, to discuss sales leadership, team development, mentorship, CRM strategy, AI, and what it takes to create repeatable revenue growth. Leala shares lessons from her journey building and scaling sales organizations, leading enterprise growth initiatives, and helping companies navigate the evolving relationship between data security, AI, and business growth. The conversation explores the realities of sales leadership, the importance of resilience, how to manage up effectively, and why CRM and AI are transforming the future of sales organizations. What You'll Learn • How great mentors can accelerate career growth • Why ego often becomes a barrier to sales success • The mindset needed to overcome setbacks in sales • Lessons from building and scaling high-performing teams • How successful leaders manage up and influence stakeholders • Why CRM must evolve beyond a system of record • How AI is changing sales operations and decision-making • The risks organizations face when adopting AI • Why data quality is critical for growth and forecasting • Leadership principles that help teams perform consistently About Leala Dueno Leala Dueno is the CRO and Founder at LATTIX, a company building trust infrastructure for the AI era. She is a revenue leader and startup operator with extensive experience building and scaling sales and account management teams across global technology organizations. Throughout her career, Leala has led enterprise growth initiatives, developed go-to-market strategies, and managed multimillion-dollar portfolios across technology services and AI-driven solutions. At LATTIX, she is helping define a new category at the intersection of data security, AI, and zero-trust infrastructure, enabling organizations to securely share, control, and trust their data across increasingly complex environments. Her leadership approach focuses on building repeatable revenue systems, developing talent, and helping organizations adapt to the rapidly changing technology landscape. Connect with Leala Dueno LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lealadueno/ Learn More About LATTIX: https://lattix.com About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

(0:00) Joe Murray is joined by Christopher Smith who covers the Red Sox for Masslive who reacts live to the breaking news that Brayan Bello have sent him to Worcester after another brutal outing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What separates great sales leaders from the rest? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Aaron Coleman, Chief Revenue Officer at ZSuite Technologies, to discuss sales leadership, team development, process discipline, CRM adoption, AI, and what it takes to build a consistent revenue engine. With more than 25 years of experience in financial technology sales and revenue leadership, Aaron has built and led high-performing teams across the financial services industry. He shares practical lessons on leadership, prospecting, coaching, sales culture, and why successful organizations never stop focusing on the fundamentals. Aaron also explains how banks evaluate technology investments, how sales teams can navigate long buying cycles, and why AI is becoming an essential tool for modern revenue organizations. What You'll Learn • Why discipline and consistency still drive sales success • The importance of curiosity in sales and leadership • Leadership lessons learned from great and poor managers • How to build a culture of collaboration across remote teams • Why sales leaders should coach to strengths, not weaknesses • The key to managing long and complex sales cycles • How top sales organizations qualify opportunities more effectively • Why process matters more than talent alone • How AI is changing prospecting, CRM, and customer engagement • The future of revenue leadership in financial technology About Aaron Coleman Aaron Coleman is the Chief Revenue Officer at ZSuite Technologies, a bank technology company that helps financial institutions grow commercial deposits through virtual account management solutions. At ZSuite Technologies, Aaron leads sales and marketing efforts, helping banks and credit unions transform operational challenges into scalable opportunities for growth. With more than 25 years of experience in financial technology sales and revenue leadership, he has built and led high-performing teams, expanded client relationships, and developed revenue strategies across the financial services landscape. Known for his results-driven leadership style and ability to translate complex banking technology into clear business value, Aaron focuses on building strong partnerships, repeatable growth strategies, and sales cultures that deliver results. Connect with Aaron Coleman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-coleman/ ZSuite Technologies: https://zsuitetech.com About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

(0:00) Joe Murray is joined by Christopher Smith from Masslive to talk all things Boston Red Sox and more! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Listy Limon, Chief Revenue Officer at GFS Home Loans, to discuss leadership, mortgage sales, AI, CRM adoption, customer trust, and building high-performing sales teams in a challenging market. With more than 20 years of experience across the mortgage industry, Listy shares practical lessons on leadership, structure, accountability, and why service continues to separate top producers from everyone else. She also explains how AI, digital branding, and changing customer expectations are reshaping the mortgage industry faster than many professionals realize. Listy is known for combining strategic leadership with hands-on execution, helping teams grow while staying deeply connected to customers and day-to-day operations. The conversation also explores sales culture, coaching, CRM discipline, and what it takes to stay relevant in an increasingly digital sales environment. What You'll Learn • Why trust and service matter more than rates alone • How AI is changing customer behavior in mortgage sales • The importance of structure and consistency in leadership • Why personal branding now impacts referrals and revenue • How CRM discipline improves sales performance • What separates top-performing loan officers from the rest • Lessons from leading through a difficult mortgage market • Why transparency and communication build stronger teams • How to create accountability without fear-based leadership Guest Information Listy Limon Chief Revenue Officer, GFS Home Loans LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/listylimon/ Listy Limon is a passionate, people-first mortgage executive with over 20 years of hands-on experience across all areas of the industry. As Chief Revenue Officer at GFS Home Loans, she leads national growth initiatives, develops high-performing teams, and drives revenue growth through a strong focus on people, process, and purpose. Recognized as a NEXT Powerhouse Leader and one of NMP Magazine's 40 Under 40 Mortgage Professionals, Listy combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership. She is passionate about empowering teams, improving customer experience, and helping shape the next generation of leaders. Based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, Listy is also a proud mother of three boys and enjoys spending time outdoors fishing and attending live music events with her husband Frankie. About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

Red Sox writer from MassLive Christopher Smith joins the show to discuss the three-game sweep over the Royals and if it can be sustained. Plus, Christopher explains how important Jarren Duran still is to the clubhouse.

We get into the timeline of where things went wrong for John Henry and the feelings fans have for him taking a turn after he says he can't get free drinks in Boston anymore. How far do things really go back when there was an organizational change? Then, Christopher Smith of MassLive joins the show and talks about how integral Jarren Duran really is to the Red Sox clubhouse. And, Christian believes the NBA's time of duos running the league are coming to an end.

Why do so many salespeople lose deals even when they think meetings went well? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with James White, Founder of James White Sales, to discuss emotional intelligence in sales, buyer psychology, CRM adoption, prospecting persistence, and the habits that separate top sales performers from everyone else. With more than 30 years of experience in sales leadership, training, and business growth, James shares practical insights on how sales professionals can improve conversations, build trust, follow up effectively, and create consistent long-term revenue growth. This conversation covers modern selling, coaching sales teams, handling rejection, improving sales processes, and why emotional intelligence matters more than scripts and generic sales tactics. What You'll Learn • Why most sales calls fail • The importance of emotional intelligence in sales • How buyer psychology impacts decision making • Why salespeople give up too early • The real reason CRM adoption fails • How to follow up without sounding pushy • Why persistence creates more opportunities • The role of empathy in closing deals • Building long-term sales habits that actually work • Why great salespeople never stop learning Guest Details LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswhitesales/ Website: www.jameswhite.business  YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JamesWhiteSales/videos Growth Resourcing: https://growthresourcing.co.uk/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog If this episode brought you value:

Why do so many sales conversations fail before they even begin? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Darren Haygood, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Partner at Streamline Auto Solutions, to talk about the real skills behind successful sales leadership, customer relationships, and long-term business growth. With more than 25 years of experience across OEM, dealership, and automotive SaaS organizations, Darren shares practical lessons on leadership, active listening, CRM adoption, customer experience, and building authentic client relationships that last. From launching innovative automotive technology solutions to leading high-performing sales organizations, Darren explains why the best salespeople focus less on pitching products and more on understanding problems. The conversation also explores mentorship, leadership development, CRM implementation challenges, and why trust still matters more than technology in modern sales. If you work in sales, automotive, leadership, CRM, SaaS, or customer experience, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately. What You'll Learn • Why active listening is the most important skill in sales • How top salespeople build trust and credibility faster • Why product demos fail when done too early • How to identify the real customer problem before selling • The role mentorship plays in leadership development • Why most companies fail to fully utilize their CRM systems • How authenticity improves long-term client relationships • Why education works better than hard selling • Leadership lessons from automotive SaaS and dealership operations • How process and technology should improve customer experience Guest Information Darren Haygood Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Partner, Streamline Auto Solutions Proud father of four, adventure enthusiast, triathlete, and automotive SaaS sales executive with 25+ years of experience across OEM, dealer, and digital marketing organizations. Darren focuses on driving meaningful change for dealers through technology solutions, data insights, and scalable processes that improve the customer experience. Connect with Darren Haygood: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenhaygood/ Learn more about Streamline Auto Solutions: https://streamlineautosolutions.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

What does it take to lead a global sales team selling drone navigation technology to the Department of Defense, in environments where GPS cannot be trusted? Kara Kramer, Vice President of Raptor Sales at Vantor, joins Sales Lead Dog to break down her journey from the intelligence community to the front lines of defense technology sales, and the leadership philosophy she built around one core principle: being the shield for her team. This episode covers mission-driven sales, building diverse global teams, why women are underrepresented in sales leadership, and a CRM take that will change how you think about your pipeline tool. What You'll Learn: How 9/11 redirected Kara from vet school to a career built around national security mission What GPS-denied environments mean and why Raptor exists to solve it for military drone operations The shield leadership model: absorb the pressure so your team can close Why she hated CRM as a seller and now calls it the tool that protects her entire team What she actually looks for when building a globally diverse sales team The real reason there are not enough women in sales leadership and what the data says How to run demos that move defense tech deals forward when no PowerPoint will do it How to build a team career path without assuming everyone wants what you wanted About Kara Kramer: Kara Kramer is the Vice President of Raptor Sales at Vantor. She leads the global go-to-market team for Raptor, the company's vision-based software suite enabling precise drone navigation and target coordinate extraction in GPS-denied environments. Vantor is a spatial intelligence company that fuses data from satellites, drones, and ground sensors to create a real-time digital representation of Earth, delivering mission-critical insights for defense, intelligence, and commercial operations. She previously held leadership roles at AeroVironment, Shift5, and Istari, and earlier in her career served in the intelligence community and worked at Booz Allen Hamilton and Thomson Reuters. Connect with Kara Learn more about Vantor Vantor on LinkedIn Drone autonomy without GPS About Sales Lead Dog: Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy.   Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/   If this episode brought you value:

What actually holds businesses back from scaling? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Wayne Hunter, President & CEO of AvTek Solutions, to break down the real challenges behind growth, leadership, and operational success. Wayne brings over 30 years of experience in IT, cybersecurity, and compliance. He shares practical insights on why most businesses struggle not because of tools, but because of missing process, poor data governance, and weak execution. If your business feels stuck, inconsistent, or harder to scale than it should be, this conversation will help you rethink how you operate. What You'll Learn • Why process and procedures are critical for business growth • How poor data governance creates serious risks • Why most CRM failures are actually process failures • The role of leadership in building accountable teams • How to scale without breaking your operations • Why listening is one of the most important leadership skills • How mentorship and peer groups accelerate growth About the Guest Wayne Hunter President & CEO, AvTek Solutions Wayne Hunter is a seasoned IT leader with over 30 years of experience in storage systems, systems integration, and IT management. As President & CEO of AvTek Solutions, he helps organizations simplify complex technology, strengthen cybersecurity, and maintain compliance in regulated industries. A two-time Amazon Best-Selling Author, Wayne is known for turning technical uncertainty into clear, actionable strategies grounded in integrity and long-term client success. Connect with Wayne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waynehunteravtek/ About AvTek Solutions Website: https://www.avteksolutions.com/company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avtek-solutions/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@avteksolutions9241   About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value

(0:00) Joe Murray is joined by Christopher Smith from Masslive.com to talk all things Alex Cora being fired and where the Red Sox go from here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why do some salespeople consistently win while others struggle to close deals? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Michael Ritsema, Principal and President of I3 Business Solutions, to discuss persistence, sales discipline, and why consistent outreach still drives results in modern selling. Michael began his career in sales in the early days of technology distribution and went on to build I3 Business Solutions into a managed services company supporting more than 150 clients with cybersecurity, productivity, and IT reliability. His journey includes navigating economic downturns, pivoting business models, and building a recurring revenue technology services company. In this conversation, Michael shares practical lessons from decades in sales leadership. He explains why persistence still separates successful salespeople from the rest, why CRM systems are essential for tracking long term opportunities, and why many modern sales teams give up far too early in the engagement process. Michael also talks about leadership, accountability, and the importance of soft skills in building strong teams and lasting client relationships. This episode is a practical look at the fundamentals of selling that still matter today. What You'll Learn • Why persistence is still one of the most important traits in sales • How consistent outreach creates opportunities over time • Why many sales teams quit too early in the process • How CRM systems help track long term sales opportunities • The difference between sales activity and real engagement • Why leadership requires clarity and accountability • How strong culture supports sales performance Guest Michael Ritsema Principal and President, I3 Business Solutions Website https://i3bus.com linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljritsema/   Guest Bio Michael Ritsema is the Principal and President of I3 Business Solutions, a technology services company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After starting his career in technology sales in the 1990s working with IBM systems, Michael built and led a successful business focused on managed services, cybersecurity, and technology productivity solutions. Over the years he has guided the company through major economic shifts including the 2001 technology recession and the 2007 financial crisis. Today I3 Business Solutions supports more than 150 clients by helping organizations improve reliability, security, and productivity through technology. Michael is known for his focus on persistence in sales, strong leadership culture, and disciplined use of CRM systems to manage long term relationships and opportunities. About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value

Chris Smith, MassLive beat reporter for the Sox, breaks some news with Christian Arcand: Sonny Gray's hamstring injury might be more serious than first thought.

00:00 - Arcand checks in with the Red Sox 19:27 - MassLive's Christopher Smith joins live, Sonny Gray update 36:43 - A.J. Brown Watch is still in effect

Why do so many sales conversations fail before they even begin? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Ian Spandow, Sales & Dog Whisperer, Author, and Sales Enablement Consultant, to explore one of the most common mistakes in modern selling: pitching before understanding the buyer. Ian has worked with sales teams across the world and previously led the sales coaching team for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Oracle. Over his career he has coached thousands of sales professionals and helped organizations rethink how they approach discovery, qualification, and customer conversations. Today's buyers are more informed and more cautious than ever. When salespeople rush into presenting solutions before fully understanding the customer's situation, they often lose credibility and miss the opportunity to guide the conversation. Ian shares lessons from decades of experience in sales leadership and coaching. The discussion covers how discovery should work today, how AI is influencing sales training and enablement, and why personality and curiosity matter more than ever when building high performing sales teams. Ian's personal journey is also remarkable. After a major turning point in his career, he founded a nonprofit dog rescue and sanctuary. Today he balances helping animals with coaching sales professionals, proving that leadership and empathy matter in every field. This episode offers practical insights for sales leaders, founders, and professionals looking to improve their sales conversations and build stronger relationships with buyers. What You'll Learn • Why pitching too early damages sales conversations • How better qualification leads to stronger sales outcomes • The biggest discovery mistakes sales teams make • How modern buyers are changing the sales process • Why personality and curiosity matter when hiring sales talent • How AI is influencing modern sales training and enablement • What sales leaders should focus on when coaching their teams Guest Ian Spandow, Sales & Dog Whisperer, Author, and Sales Enablement Consultant LinkedIn Guest Bio A web search for the phrase “Plucky Irishman” will return Ian Spandow's name as the top result. His audacity led to him being fired from a senior role at a global technology firm for defending an H-1B recruit from India. As an immigrant worker living in the United States, Ian worked with several Silicon Valley start ups after first finding and later losing a fortune during Ireland's Celtic Tiger years. Once slated for the cover of Newsweek, Ian suddenly faced deportation and a mid life restructuring that led to marriage and the rekindling of his passion for dogs. Today Ian runs a nonprofit dog rescue and sanctuary, helping animals while also coaching sales professionals and organizations. His work connects two worlds that share a common theme: helping others find a better path forward. About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value

Could the ingredients for life have arrived on asteroids? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice unpack what the sample collected from asteroid Bennu is teaching us about the origins of life itself with Harold Connolly, geologist and mission scientist for OSIRIS-REx. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/secrets-of-asteroid-bennu-with-harold-connolly-jr/ Thanks to our Patrons Kevin Widener, WilfriedLepuschitz, Rodney Juste, Aladin Mihai, Marc Washington, david smith, Gary Flenthrope, Christian Becker, EricRobert, Sonya a, Steve Jones, leeinalaska, Sewit Haile, Edward Janezich, Miguel Rodriguez, Shea M, Mister E, G.Montagnard, Vincent Jenkins, Ryan B, Brandon Kavulla, Owoskeun Cinder, LehensGivris, Marc, Debbie Evercloud, Fakhreddine Madi, Logan Koehler, Cem Oğuz, Aaron Greeley, Ohad Meir, Paul Osborne, Bodnár Márton János, STRS, Lawrence, THEO NNEBE, Richard Mosby, Kenneth Hawley, Robert Wilson, Amelia Cooper, mabus98, Mandana Rad, Lucas Kiil, Channing Hodges, Elizabeth Newton, Sebastián Egaña, Eric Hall, Sondre Rypdal, Anne Shirley, Andrew Rosenfeld, Michael Owen, T Playle, Kevin Selman, david Aldridge, Raymond Wright, Biotoxin, Brittany, Wraptile, Frances Cooley, Rodney Bell, Hesam Eskandari, Patrick Dietz, Alexandre Malouin, Diana Smith, Jesse Hoffman, Ian Peterson, WickedProf, Jonathan, SUSAN Moore, Tom DeGerlia, Jessica Holden, Simeon Ivaylov Petrov, Dario Kubler, Robert Passeri, Jr., Fred Miller, Jason Delancey, Rory L, Alice Kelaine Harline Davis, Loonertick, Rich, Jason Rich, jon meier, Susan, Robert Christine, Simon, Lauren Zajac, Brandon Abramovitz, J Sauce, Christopher Smith, Suzan Stocker, Roch Dylla, Treven Price, Zippo, Preet Sandhawalia, Chris McAfee, Hoth, Cody Mecham, Lewis, Casey Hampton, Jason Beezley, and Anthony Gliganic for supporting us this week. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, featuring audio from a local live workshop, experts Richard Colgan, MD, and Christopher Smith, MD, explore the burden of complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) on patients and the healthcare system, highlight advances in the treatment of complicated UTIs, and examine approaches to empiric and definitive antibiotic therapy. Topics covered include: The Burden of cUTI and Antimicrobial Resistance Changes in IDSA Guidelines for cUTI Diagnosing cUTI Selection of Empiric and Definitive Therapy Novel Treatments for cUTI Get access to all of our new podcasts by subscribing to the Decera Clinical Education Infectious Disease Podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or Spotify. Presenters:  Richard Colgan, MD Professor Emeritus Department of Family and Community Medicine University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, Maryland Christopher Smith, MD Infectious Disease Physician Chase Brexton Healthcare Clinical Assistant Professor Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center Baltimore, Maryland Link to program page: https://bit.ly/3Q4TgDK Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if AI is not the solution to your sales problems? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, we sit down with Jim Iyoob, President of ETS Labs, to break down what actually drives performance in sales and contact centers. Jim shares his journey from call center agent to building a global organization, along with practical insights on leadership, accountability, and why most companies struggle with CRM and AI adoption. This conversation cuts through the noise around AI and focuses on what truly matters: process, people, and leadership. What You'll Learn: • Why AI cannot fix broken sales processes • The biggest mistake companies make with CRM • How mentorship shapes long-term success • The role of accountability in high-performing teams • What servant leadership looks like in real organizations • Why involving your team is critical when implementing new tools • Lessons from scaling a company from 400 to 4000 employees About the Guest: Jim Iyoob serves as President of ETSLabs and Chief Revenue Officer at Etech Global Services, leading AI innovation and customer experience strategy across both organizations. With over 35 years in contact centers, Jim focuses on practical AI implementation that works in real operations. At ETSLabs, he helped develop QEval, an AI quality management platform designed for real time coaching and full interaction coverage. At Etech, he leads global sales and quality operations while helping transform the business using insights from large scale customer interaction data. Connect with Jim Iyoob: LinkedIn LinkedIn Newsletter Podcast Etech Insights Newsletter About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Impeller CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

Arcand debates what could have led to Alex Cora benching Carlos Narvaez in the Red Sox series finale against the Astros. MassLive's Christopher Smith joins to make some sense of the team's slow start. Mike Vrabel and Robert Kraft appear to disagree on expectations for next year's Patriots.

Christopher Smith of MassLive joins Arcand to try to make some sense of the Red Sox' slow start to the 2026 season. Smith provides more clarity on the team's recent struggles and the early benching of Carlos Narvaez. Mike Vrabel said the Patriots' goal is to win another Super Bowl, while Robert Kraft just hopes to get back to the playoffs.

What if the secret to a long, successful sales career had nothing to do with scripts, tactics, or closing techniques? Richard Cassell, Senior Director of Business Development at Black Box, learned his most important sales lesson at age 12 working at his family's gas station in Valdosta, Georgia. That moment set the foundation for a career built on one core idea: stop focusing on yourself and start focusing on what the customer actually needs. In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Richard sits down with host Christopher Smith to unpack the mindset shifts, mentorship moments, and hard-won lessons that have shaped his approach to sales, leadership, and relationship building over multiple decades. From a pivotal two-year comeback at Washington Mutual to reframing an entire enterprise deal around mission instead of ROI, Richard shares real stories with real lessons that any sales professional can apply immediately. What You'll Learn The three principles a retired sales veteran gave Richard early in his career, and why they still drive his success today How a chance encounter at a Franklin Covey store in Seattle changed how he manages time and priorities Why being transparent about product gaps can actually win you the deal in the long run The Washington Mutual story: how Richard lost the room, came back two years later, and closed a career-defining deal How to build multi-threaded relationships inside complex enterprise accounts Why reframing around mission (not ROI) was the key to winning a major deal in Salt Lake City What Richard looks for in a mentor and how he recommends approaching high-level professionals His honest take on CRM: necessary evil or genuine sales tool Why AI is now changing the prospecting game and what that means for sales reps who want to stay competitive How Richard leads through nonprofit work and why giving back is a core part of his professional identity Guest Credentials Richard Cassell Senior Director of Business Development, Black Box Black Box is a global solutions provider specializing in IT infrastructure design, deployment, and management for enterprises, with a strong focus on healthcare across the United States. Richard covers large healthcare systems nationally, working within a portfolio of 1,700 hospitals and 300+ healthcare systems. Richard also serves as Vice Chairman of the Board at The Breakfast Group, a 50-year-old Seattle-based nonprofit focused on education and economic development for inner-city minority youth. About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Impeller CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/  Connect with Richard Cassell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcassell/ If this episode brought you value:

March Madness 2026? How about 2006 instead? JFH staffers Chase Tremaine, Christopher Smith, and Scott Fryberger, plus special guest Micah Smith (from the band Empty Atlas) pit against one another to determine which 32 albums released in 2006 will participate in the tournament. You will have the chance to vote on the top 32 within the JFH Podcast Facebook group. Check out the new Empty Atlas single "Godspeed," streaming everywhere on March 27! (Link to Spotify) Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

In this hot-button discussion, four panelists discuss a wide-ranging set of issues regarding generative artificial intelligence, with a specific focus on music: Can music created by A.I. be good, either ethically or artistically? Panelists include podcast host Chase Tremaine; JFH staff writer Alex "Tin Can" Caldwell; songwriter and producer Adam Watts (check out his site myartisttype.com); and Chris Adam from the Christian music promotion ministry For the Rock (follow on Instagram). Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.

Podcast host Chase Tremaine and JFH staff writer Matt Baldwin co-interview two members of the post-rock band Fury & Solace about their fantastic new album By Endurance and about the multifaceted relationship between faith and instrumental music. Would you like to hear and even appear as a guest on the host's new podcast series? Click here for more information. The JFH Podcast is hosted and produced by Chase Tremaine and executive produced by John DiBiase and Christopher Smith. To meet the people behind the show, discuss the episodes, ask questions, and engage in conversations with other listeners, join the JFH Podcast group on Facebook.