Podcasts about sales leaders

We've been taught to picture career growth as a straight line upward. That's not how careers actually unfold. In this episode of HR Superstars, Karina Young speaks with Brittany Storie, Product Advisor and Sales Leader at AllVoices. They discuss how HR leaders can build a more flexible approach to career growth in a workforce where linear paths are no longer the norm. Brittany shares why companies should be honest about the fact that employees may eventually leave—and how that honesty can build trust, strengthen performance, and create lasting alumni relationships. She also explains how employees can take ownership of their growth and what HR leaders can do to create more human workplaces. You'll learn: How to talk openly with employees about their growth at the company How HR leaders can think beyond the org chart for employee development Why hiring needs to recognize nonlinear resumes and nontraditional career paths Join us as we discuss: (00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Brittany Storie (02:58) The traditional career ladder is outdated (06:19) How to build trust with new hires about career growth (11:24) The value of a strong alumni network (13:28) Going beyond traditional paths for employee development (17:22) Psychological safety and trust with employees (22:06) Hiring for nonlinear, nontraditional career paths (27:42) The need for internal champions to drive culture change Resources: For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo. Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player. Hear Karina's thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/ Download 15Five's Employee Engagement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/engage-to-excel-15fives-employee-engagement-playbook/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Employee For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo Brittany Storie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanystorie/

Pamela Potts is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of Every Leader Is a Coach.She is the creator of the Leader Coach Approach™ and OMO Method™, helping founders and senior leaders build trust, strengthen accountability, and multiply their impact through coaching-based leadership.With more than 25 years of experience building and scaling high-growth technology and ed-tech companies, Pamela brings a practical, human-centered approach to developing people and creating sustainable performance.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of Selling from the Heart, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Pamela Potts to explore why effective sales leadership is less about directing people and more about developing them.Pamela explains why successful salespeople don't automatically become successful leaders. Leadership requires a different skill set—listening deeply, staying curious, asking better questions, and helping people develop solutions they genuinely own.She introduces her OMO Method: Observe, Map, and Optimize, a practical framework for coaching without judgment, uncovering what is really happening, and helping people create their own path forward.The conversation also explores accountability, trust, consultative selling, and self-coaching. Pamela challenges leaders to stop becoming the bottleneck and become the multiplier—because great leaders don't simply manage people. They develop them.KEY TAKEAWAYSTrust starts with self-awareness. Understand your own perspective before trying to understand someone else's.Become a multiplier, not a bottleneck. Leadership is about developing capability in others. Great sellers don't automatically become great leaders. Coaching requires a different set of skills. Choose curiosity over judgment. Listen to understand instead of immediately trying to solve. Ask better questions. “Tell me more” can unlock insights that advice never will. Use the OMO Method. Observe, Map, and Optimize to turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Let people own their solutions. People are more committed to ideas they help create. Accountability belongs in coaching. Clear commitments, follow-up, and feedback turn conversations into action. Coach yourself first. Self-coaching creates the awareness needed to effectively develop others. Treat failure as data. Use setbacks as information for improvement rather than reasons to stop.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESWe stop being the bottleneck and start being the multiplier for our teams.What we're doing is listening to actually hear instead of solve.What we solve and what we contribute to is what we own.We're not going to manage people. We're going to develop people.Once you can coach yourself, then you can coach others as well.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily

Don’t miss this massive channel shift! Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ In this episode of the Ultimate Partner Podcast, host Vince Menzione sits down with Alexandra Zagury, Corporate Vice President of Channels at Microsoft, to explore ecosystem shifts, partner-led growth, and AI transformation. https://youtu.be/9jrSGX5bM90 Key Takeaways Microsoft’s telemetry and propensity data offer unprecedented insights that many partners are currently failing to unlock. Partners must evolve past basic licensing models and build comprehensive managed service stacks across the entire customer lifecycle. Establishing an AI Center of Excellence on the Microsoft platform is critical for capturing future market share and technical intensity. The modern tech ecosystem demands a shift from product-led growth to true partner-led growth driven by multi-partner collaboration. Renewal engines targeting 110% to 125% retention require an always-on motion starting well in advance of contract expiration. Investing in sales readiness and precision velocity training ensures that end sellers can effectively articulate the value of the Microsoft platform. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags Microsoft, telemetry, Hyperscalers, channel, small medium enterprise, telcos, hosters, SSPs, Cisco, CSP, agentic GTM, propensity data, SPX, PUPP, cloud descent, MSPs, managed XDR, Agent 365, skilling, co-sell, renewals, flywheel, AI Center of Excellence, enterprise Transcript Alexandra Zagury Audio Podcast [00:00:00] Alexandra Zagury: One of the things that I think is the best kept secret at Microsoft is the telemetry that we offer our partners. [00:00:08] Vince Menzione: You can feel it happening. The ecosystem is shifting beneath us, the way Hyperscalers are partnering, how AI is remaking the channel and what it means to win in 2026. Welcome to the Ultimate Partner Podcast. [00:00:22] Vince Menzione: I’m Vince Menzi, own your host, and each week I sit down with leaders at the intersection of technology. Partnerships and outcomes. The voices shaping how ecosystems actually work. We talk about what’s real, what’s changing, and what it takes to lead in this era where the partner channel isn’t just part of the strategy. [00:00:41] Vince Menzione: It is the strategy because being in the room changes everything. Let’s [00:00:46] Guest: start. [00:00:50] Vince Menzione: I am thrilled because I get to have a leader that is somewhat new in role and is the corporate vice president of channels for Microsoft. And so Alex is here to, is joining us for the first time at Ultimate Partner. I’m thrilled to have you. Thank, thank you so much. Thank you so much. Welcome, welcome. [00:01:14] Vince Menzione: Thank you. Thank you. You and I are gonna be in the center seat in the middle. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. We wanna. So I am thrilled. Um, you’re relatively new in your role at Microsoft. [00:01:24] Alexandra Zagury: Seven months. [00:01:25] Vince Menzione: Seven months, [00:01:26] Alexandra Zagury: yes. [00:01:26] Vince Menzione: Wow. That’s a, that’s a crazy. So take us through, ’cause for those who don’t know you, but a little bit of an introduction, your title, your role, CVP, and uh, your remit. [00:01:37] Vince Menzione: Let’s talk about that and what your organization is focused in, in your mission. Yeah. [00:01:41] Alexandra Zagury: So hi everybody. Really exciting to be here. Thanks for the invitation, Vince. I always love to be with partners and with the channel. So my, I came to Microsoft to lead a new role, which we call Global Channel Sales, and it was part of the strategy of Microsoft to really bet on the growth in small, medium enterprise. [00:02:04] Alexandra Zagury: With the channel partner led growth. So my remit is really to lead our managed partners, but also to lead the strategy when it comes to the channel. Very specifically looking at the telcos, the distributors, the hosters. The sis and, uh, the SSPs of course. And, and so my role can be summarized in one word growth, and that’s what we do every single day is map our ambition to your ambition and figure out how we actually conquer this age of ai. [00:02:40] Vince Menzione: It’s a pretty big role. It’s a pretty, you know, I forgot about hosts ’cause we don’t, we don’t talk about them as much these days in the cloud. [00:02:48] Alexandra Zagury: Still a lot [00:02:48] Vince Menzione: of opportunity. You’ve got, and you’ve got all the telcos as well, which are pretty significant organizations, right? Lumen Field, just around the corner. [00:02:56] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. Right up the. Right up, I said across the river, but it’s across the pond in Seattle. And, uh, what does that look like from an organization perspective in terms of dollars? Are you allowed to disclose numbers? [00:03:08] Alexandra Zagury: No, we [00:03:08] Vince Menzione: don’t talk numbers. Okay. And, but you have a long career in this type of environment, in this role. [00:03:15] Vince Menzione: 10 years at Cisco, right? [00:03:17] Alexandra Zagury: Mm-hmm. [00:03:17] Vince Menzione: Tell us a little bit more about your background, [00:03:18] Alexandra Zagury: please. Yeah, sure. Um, well I started out as a, a sales leader. Uh, actually I started out in banking, if you wanna go all the way back. Um, but I fell in love with the channel actually, when I was at Yahoo, believe it or not. Wow. [00:03:32] Alexandra Zagury: Because it was the first interact sales model that I had the privilege to operate in, and I really understood. Stood the power of going through a channel. And then I was at Blackberry where I, I, I also, um, well had various sales leadership roles, but our model was all through, was all through the channel. [00:03:51] Alexandra Zagury: Yes. Um, some startups and then help [00:03:54] Vince Menzione: in those days too, right? [00:03:55] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah. It was all sps and I learned from Jim Balze the channel fundamentals. So, um, and then ended up, of course, at Cisco the last. Nearly 11 years, which I think is also one of the greatest channel companies. Yes. And really has thrived in a partner, partner led growth, and in a partner led model. [00:04:12] Alexandra Zagury: And so when, when Microsoft called, I mean, this was just the opportunity of a lifetime. To lead the channel during an era where we’re all getting disrupted, we’re all having to blueprint new systems, new ways of working, where go to market is getting identified, and we’re all having to figure out how to become customer zero ourselves, but then also how to go to market. [00:04:36] Alexandra Zagury: With, with agents. And so this was the, the most exciting time that I could think of to join the Microsoft ecosystem and really take us to the next level. [00:04:44] Vince Menzione: Well, your background is perfect for this. I, I, Rodney Clark is a friend, has been a guest on the podcast and in, in the studio, and I think of Cisco is the quintessential channel company. [00:04:56] Vince Menzione: Like when I think about how channel got created and how it worked well, it was always Cisco that did it. So give us like your perspective now, like seven plus months and like how does this feel like you’ve You’ve got a big remit and, uh, various, uh, routes to market. We’ll call them, uh, channels to market. [00:05:14] Vince Menzione: So take us through a little bit of that, like Yeah, sure. [00:05:16] Alexandra Zagury: Describe [00:05:16] Vince Menzione: the transition, what it’s been like [00:05:18] Alexandra Zagury: for you. So one of the things we’re focused on is supporting the channel through the transformation, and we look at it in a couple of lenses. The first lens is really helping the channel become customer zero. [00:05:29] Alexandra Zagury: We really believe that the partners that invest in. Actually identifying their own processes and their own go go to market are the channels, are are the partners that it can actually win because if you are using it, you’re gonna be able to sell it. The second layer is all about technical intensity, and I’m very passionate about this because I see it from two lenses. [00:05:51] Alexandra Zagury: One is. I would like each and every of our partners to lead in building an AI Center of Excellence based on the Microsoft platform. It is a unique opportunity. I can give you lots of numbers, right? We’ve all heard about the trillions of agents that are gonna be here by 2030. We’ve all heard about the tam. [00:06:12] Alexandra Zagury: I mean, our TAM is going from 777. Million to over a billion, uh, to over a trillion. I, it’s, the numbers are just enormous, insane, right? Over half a billion of customers in our base that are using, that are, that are based already on the Microsoft platform. So all the goodness of our IU IQ platform can be unlocked with all the services that the partners can build. [00:06:36] Alexandra Zagury: So investing in that technical skilling and building those practices are gonna be, is gonna be essential. The third part. The third pillar is all about ag agentic, GTM. So once you’re actually using, uh, the Microsoft platform, you’re gonna have to reimagine all your business’s pro processes, your sales processes, and the more that you are integrated into how we do, how we do things. [00:07:00] Alexandra Zagury: One of the things that I think is the best kept secret at Microsoft is the telemetry that we offer our partners. Yeah. I mean, it’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen the quality of propensity data. And now I’m gonna give you the ABCs, which is please, A SPX, which is where we get all our copilot data, PUPP, which is our proposal upsell, uh, planner, right, cloud descent, where you can actually get your next action directly to your sellers. [00:07:27] Alexandra Zagury: There is just so much goodness that we give, which is part of our, our investment in partners. Which takes me to the fourth pillar, and that is all about value alignment and one of the things that I’m very focused and I bring with me from, from Cisco and the work that I did with MSPs is really thinking through what is that value exchange between us and the partner. [00:07:49] Alexandra Zagury: I believe that I’m in the business of earning your trust. Earning your preference. And, and, and we do that by really mapping that value alignment. So not just, one of the things that the whole industry has copied from Microsoft is really looking at our incentives across the customer lifecycle. Yes. So really mapping the value alignment across the customer lifecycle, not just at the point of the deal. [00:08:13] Alexandra Zagury: ’cause that was the whole purpose of CSP. That’s right. The investments we make in tele telemetry, the investments we make in our go-to-market assets and having those bi-directional feedback loops so that we can be continuously improving. So those are sort of the things that I’m thinking about every day. [00:08:29] Alexandra Zagury: There’s a couple of others as we lead and support you in this transformation. ’cause I think of my job as to supporting and driving growth with you so that we have that joint ambition. But also supporting the transformation that both of us are on this journey. [00:08:44] Vince Menzione: And Microsoft was the first with Jay McBain was with us yesterday, and we talked, we’ve talked about this before, but you were the first company to take and look, get rid of the old metal systems, right? [00:08:55] Vince Menzione: The bronze, silver, gold, mm-hmm. And move to basically a point system for partners so that they can come at it from a kind of a global perspective on how they drive success. What was, um, what did you learn about this partner community, your first months that you didn’t expect? [00:09:12] Alexandra Zagury: Can I say something controversial? [00:09:14] Vince Menzione: Absolutely. Okay. [00:09:14] Alexandra Zagury: I love, [00:09:14] Vince Menzione: we love controversial, [00:09:15] Alexandra Zagury: so I think one of the things that I was surprised was that I didn’t see all the partners really unlocking the value of CSP. Yeah. What do I mean by that? When Microsoft moved to the Point System, and I was on the other side, really, I was so jealous of CSP when I was running managed services. [00:09:34] Alexandra Zagury: Here’s an offer that is for partners, for Partner that gives you that initial. Guarantee in terms of the margin that helps you throughout the customer life cycle with all the incentives and, and programs that we have. And I didn’t see, I mean there are some partners, but I was surprised not seeing more partners really building their value stack and their services across the lifecycle. [00:09:59] Alexandra Zagury: And I think there’s such a great opportunity now to do that. That was one of the most surprising things I thought. Oh my gosh, there must be so many, so many services stack, so many people really unlocking, unlocking that, that value. That was a, that was a little bit surprising. [00:10:14] Vince Menzione: Why? Why do you suppose, why do you suppose that was happening? [00:10:17] Alexandra Zagury: I think some of the things that we were listening here, there’s some, sometimes complexity. There are things that we still have to. Get better on, and I’m one of the first ones to say that like our partner experience, we have, um, you know, a lot of focus right now on partner center and ensuring that we’re identifying it. [00:10:36] Alexandra Zagury: I don’t know if I can say it, but, you know, one of the things that we’re looking at is replicating internally. We have Agent J. That supports our sellers through the sales process. Nice. We’re looking at having something similar for our partners. Very cool. Getting some claps there. So, yeah, so, uh, I think, you know, that I, some, there are some lockers that we, we have to acknowledge a lot of them are operational and comes with being a 50-year-old company. [00:11:02] Vince Menzione: I, I’ll give you my perspective too. I wanna get your thoughts on this. ’cause I got to, I’ve gotten to know this MSP community, which is a, you mentioned managed services and that, um, I think that some of them, well, I think Microsoft is leaning in, in a much bigger way. Um, we had Jose on stage yesterday and just the, the energy around the room, there he is, he’s back here. [00:11:23] Vince Menzione: The energy in the room around the MSP community is palpable and it maybe it wasn’t there a few years ago. Maybe some people got off the bus, so to speak, like they weren’t really paying attention mm-hmm. To all the change and all the investments. That you men, you’re mentioning or being made to support this, would you, what would you say about that? [00:11:42] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah, I’d say that that that is correct, but I’d also say that what I learned, you know, leading MSP at Cisco was that. All the stars have to be aligned, right? And if one thing is not right, if you don’t have product market fit, if you, if you, if you don’t have a good way to, uh, consolidate your offer, if you don’t have that investment in practice development, like there’s a series of things that we need to get right. [00:12:07] Alexandra Zagury: And I think Jose and I spent a lot of time thinking through those things and we’re, we’re ready to, to welcome the community and specifically around security. I mean, that was the second thing that I was really surprised because I lost so many deals on the other side to Microsoft, and I was like, and then I come on this side and I’m like, there’s all this opportunity everywhere. [00:12:28] Alexandra Zagury: I look underneath this chair, this opportunity, and I’m like, why are people not going after it? There is the opportunity to build managed XDR solutions, the opportunity to reinvent the song. There’s, there’s just so much opportunity and I think people get so stuck in the. Just thinking of it from a licensing model and not thinking it from the, the full on end-to-end value that you can then unlock through the best licensing model on the planet. [00:12:55] Alexandra Zagury: And so, look, we’re here, we’re, we’re ready to talk to all of you and, and really figure this out ’cause we are gonna place really bet big bets next year on ensuring that we’re growing with the MSP community. [00:13:08] Vince Menzione: So what are you personally focused on in changing Microsoft to drive this. [00:13:13] Alexandra Zagury: Well, uh, I don’t know. [00:13:14] Alexandra Zagury: Changing is a, is a, is a big word. Well, I like evolution, change, [00:13:17] Vince Menzione: evolution, evolving. [00:13:18] Alexandra Zagury: You know, I [00:13:19] Vince Menzione: transition. [00:13:21] Alexandra Zagury: I think there is, there is a couple of things that I’ll say that one of the things that I, I’m really focused on right now, the first one is skilling. We’re at a time of such transformation. That investing in skilling, and if you look at our skilling model, it has four pillars. [00:13:37] Alexandra Zagury: The first pillar we’re best in class, in which is certification specializations, and making sure that our ecosystem is certified to go to market. The second one, which we call project ready. It’s sort of how we help you, uh, technically skill the folks that sit in your practices. And there’s more work to do there, and there’s more that you can learn about how we can actually help you. [00:13:59] Alexandra Zagury: And then the middle part I’m obsessed with right now, which is sales ready and tech sales ready. So it is ensuring, because AI is new for everybody. Yes. It’s a muscle, it is a proposition that you have to sell it’s value that you’re selling. I, I love what the gentleman from Lenovo was talking about. It’s, it’s that CSB always on motion. [00:14:21] Alexandra Zagury: Yes. And so really getting very crisp to the end seller at the, at the reseller. For example, at the end, seller at the partner about why Microsoft. Why now, how do I sell and how do I win? And giving them the assets, the competitive battle cards, the, the, the ability to end objection handling all these. Great, we have them. [00:14:45] Alexandra Zagury: I mean, the amount of content we have, but it’s about doing it at what I call precision velocity. [00:14:51] Vince Menzione: Precision [00:14:51] Alexandra Zagury: velocity, right? Which is this concept of how do we get very precise at a persona level. So that we get the velocity of impact. And so I’m, I’m very obsessed with that right now. And there’s two other things I’m very obsessed with, right? [00:15:04] Alexandra Zagury: The other one is this practice building, ensuring that we are together building these AI centers of excellence, um, especially for all our managed partners. This is something that I’ve put on, uh, every single PDM in our org is gonna, is gonna be talking about that. And then the third one is one that I find super interesting, which I think all of us. [00:15:25] Alexandra Zagury: Have a lot of work to do, which is partner to partner. [00:15:29] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:15:29] Alexandra Zagury: If we look at a customer outcome, thank you. A customer outcome is built of many partners, right? There’s so many different touch points. I think some folks talk about seven partners in, in a customer outcome, and so how do we actually. Use agents, use agent solutions to suddenly unlock this opportunity because most of the time you’ll see an SSP with an si, maybe an ISV in the middle of a transaction to deliver on that customer outcome. [00:16:04] Alexandra Zagury: Yes. So what can we Microsoft do? And I’d love ideas, right? I haven’t cracked this. I don’t think the industry has completely cracked this. It’s more of a, a science than, than, well, more of an art than it is a science today. So that’s the third thing that I, I, I’d love to really improve and, and get better at. [00:16:20] Vince Menzione: I wish you got to see my slide earlier. ’cause I had the seven seats. I had this, I had the seven partners surrounding the customer. Customer is able to make their decisions now because with their cloud commitments [00:16:31] Alexandra Zagury: mm-hmm. [00:16:32] Vince Menzione: They’re in the, they’re in the seat where it used to be. I would rely on the partner to tell me what to do. [00:16:38] Vince Menzione: I, I’m cobbling together the best solution for my organization. Based on the trusted partners, to your point, those seven seats, and that’s partner to partner action. And Jay McBain was here yesterday and he took us through a great example. It’s AstraZeneca, that Microsoft won AWS, thought they were gonna win the deal, and then there were Microsoft partners in involved. [00:17:00] Vince Menzione: And the, the decision was made in December, but the deal didn’t happen until July. And that whole process was because all these different partners showed up. And influence the decision and the solution areas for that customer. [00:17:12] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah, that’s the best example of PLG partner led growth in action, which I think, again, that is the other thing that I’m super excited about is that actually p proving in the AI era that it’s about PLG as partner led growth, not the other PLGI. [00:17:31] Vince Menzione: I love that. I love that. Instead of product led growth, it’s partner led growth. So I understand there’s three layers that you’re very interested in that you want, you were gonna take us through today. Okay. Do you know about this, [00:17:44] Alexandra Zagury: the layers [00:17:45] Vince Menzione: of we have, uh, copilot chat. Oh, yes. 365 and, and agents. [00:17:49] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah. [00:17:50] Vince Menzione: From a product perspective, I thought maybe, [00:17:51] Alexandra Zagury: yeah, sure. [00:17:52] Alexandra Zagury: This is, I mean. This is the, uh, advantage of choosing the market Microsoft platform. Yeah, so as you look, look at it, there’s, there’s definitely different options, but when you look at Microsoft, what’s really, really interesting is that we have all the, all the layers. There’s no AI without data, and we’ve got that data foundation. [00:18:15] Alexandra Zagury: We also have the intelligence data foundation, right? Then we’ve got the, the layer of actually building those AI agents, and then the last layer that we have is actually the experience or the application layer. So when you look at our platform is a completely integrated platform with the different choices. [00:18:35] Alexandra Zagury: We are not behold, beholden to one LLM or another LLM. You’re actually able to bring your data and, and bring the LLM that you want to deliver on the, on the outcomes that you need. And I think that is very, very unique about our proposition. Yeah, I [00:18:50] Vince Menzione: agree. [00:18:50] Alexandra Zagury: But the other thing that is unique, it’s the most exciting product out there. [00:18:55] Alexandra Zagury: Agent 3, 6 5, our own oh oh seven. It really is a differentiated proposition that every single partner can build services around. Starting with your advisory services, tell me customer, what is it that you are thinking of? Then you actually move on to thinking about security because again, just like there’s no AI without data, you have to start with that data foundation. [00:19:24] Alexandra Zagury: There’s no AI without security and no security without ai. And so really thinking through how, uh, agent 3, 6, 5, I love it. I get these claps once a, I love, love really thinking about how Agent 3, 6 5 really unlocks, not only. A security budget, but an observability budget because you can do both. You are talking to both, uh, folks at the customer, right? [00:19:47] Alexandra Zagury: You can actually start talking about how you’re gonna actually govern all of these agents, manage all of these agents, but also there’s the observability layer, which is gonna tell you what actually can you do? How can you actually deliver on the outcomes that we all want from ai, which is productivity. [00:20:05] Alexandra Zagury: Experience and efficiency and all the other things. So I think this is the biggest opportunity this channel has ever seen, and every single partner is gonna have to make a choice on what platform they’re gonna lead with, and we believe it should be ours because it is completely integrated across these three layers with our very own oh oh seven. [00:20:30] Vince Menzione: I wanna get your perspective, but it feels like many of these partners in the MSP community are stuck at that CSP level. We were having this conversation about getting through that, coaching ’em through it. What would your be your perspective on that? [00:20:44] Alexandra Zagury: Um, I’d say, uh, use this moment to unlock that opportunity. [00:20:50] Alexandra Zagury: First off, invest in your skills. Get your, get your team skilled and, uh, on Microsoft, build your center of excellence. Map out your strategy where actually you’re gonna monetize and use all the different assets that we have. And if you are being really, um, I mean, most of them are serviced through a distributor. [00:21:12] Alexandra Zagury: Make your distributor accountable for supporting you in packaging the offers and giving you the, uh, information that you need in terms of skilling. And then in terms of co-selling, again, distributor has a lot of tools that can help you understand how to unlock the co unlock, the co-selling opportunity with Microsoft. [00:21:35] Alexandra Zagury: I think that’s another really big competitive advantage that Microsoft has. When, uh, Microsoft changed what it started by, by, by changing its strategy. I think clarity is kindness. We were very, very clear that where we want, we wanted partners, of course, to play an enterprise with a services stack, but we were very clear that we were betting on a partner led growth in small, medium enterprise, right? [00:22:03] Alexandra Zagury: And so we’ve built our whole operating system. Around that. And so I think it’s really about finding the information that you know you want, planning your strategy, getting skilled and go to market with us. Our co-sell Advantage is very, very unique. It is one of the only companies that has the sales teams completely aligned because CSP is our hero motion. [00:22:29] Vince Menzione: So being with a customer through the journey on CSP, but also renewals are a big component of growth. Talk to us about that. [00:22:36] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah. Renewals are, uh, a machine and an engine that is just absolutely beautiful. It’s your [00:22:42] Vince Menzione: flywheel. [00:22:43] Alexandra Zagury: It is your flywheel. Um, and it is the gift that keeps on giving. We, of course, have a very focused, um, and in fact, one of the things that I’ve done since. [00:22:52] Alexandra Zagury: Uh, since we’ve started, it started a very focused motion in terms of looking at our renewals. We have very specific targets. We, we like to see a renewal at 110% at the moment of renewal. And then we like to see a motion, t plus three, T plus six. That gets us to that a hundred and and 25%. But what we’ve also found out is that this needs to be an always on motion. [00:23:18] Alexandra Zagury: So one of the things that we’re doing is using this concept of precision velocity becoming very rigorous. ’cause we have all the data. Yeah. In terms of what is that next action, and really looking at starting that renewal process, we see that the partners that are able to reach the targets are the ones that start at T minus. [00:23:36] Alexandra Zagury: Six, maybe T minus three, you’re cutting it, but T minus six. And really building that constant motion, getting out in front Yeah. With the customer is really important. And then of course, we now even have these amazing go back motions, uh, with, with our partners where we actually, after the renewal, we go and. [00:23:56] Alexandra Zagury: The renewal was not at the target. We just constantly keep on going. Uh, going back with the, with the partners and we’ve unlocked a, a bevy of data. We, our operating model, we call it the pods, where the PDM sits at the center and orchestrates it with all the different roles that we have. And so we now have a very systematized moment, uh, motion of how to do the renewals. [00:24:18] Vince Menzione: So for the partners in the room, what’s one investment that they should make and what should every partner in the room do differently? Going into, uh, July 1st. [00:24:27] Alexandra Zagury: Well, I think the first thing, remember, CSP is our hero motion, so really for, uh, real, really focused on that. But the one investment, can I say two? [00:24:38] Vince Menzione: Please, please. [00:24:38] Alexandra Zagury: Your time. The, the first one is skilling, right? This is the time. [00:24:43] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:24:43] Alexandra Zagury: Technical intensity is super, super important, and really making those investments in skilling not only from a practice perspective, your your, your technical practice, uh, teams, but also from a sales readiness perspective. [00:24:59] Alexandra Zagury: This is a new muscle. It’s we’re all learning how to truly sell outcomes, and so getting your sales teams ready. Is is really important. And then the second one very tied to that is building your AI Center of Excellence based on the Microsoft platform. Because as we go into FY 27, you will see that the partners that prefer and grow with us are the ones that will see the investment come to them. [00:25:28] Vince Menzione: So I want to use the term front. I I, I’ve been avoiding the term frontier firm, but I think it is super critical. Everything I’ve heard today, like you need to be customer zero. You need to get in train, advance on it and go build against it. [00:25:41] Alexandra Zagury: Absolutely. Well, if you had, let me a third, I would’ve said customer zero. [00:25:46] Vince Menzione: You have it? Alright. We have less than a minute. Would you be okay if we ask for like maybe one question? Yeah, absolutely. We’ll do like one, maybe two. So good to have you by the way. Thank you, Vince. So nice to have you here. [00:26:04] Vince Menzione: I think we did such a good job. Oh, here we go. Here’s, here’s fun. A mic is coming your way. [00:26:20] Vince Menzione: Thank you. Here we go. Okay. [00:26:22] Guest: So we’ve been very keen on, um, skilling our people, and I still find it very hard to get all of the information out of Partner Center to get a complete global view. Are you and your team thinking about maybe having an MCP server access and having a real portal working with that data? [00:26:41] Alexandra Zagury: You just touched on one of our areas of improvement. Absolutely. In fact, um, thank you for, stay tuned for holding us accountable to that. That is definitely one of the things that we’re working on is how to integrate skilling hub into partner center. Right. As most of you will know, there are it Qs, and so that’s one of the things that we are definitely prioritizing, but thank you for holding me accountable to that one. [00:27:09] Vince Menzione: Awesome. [00:27:13] Vince Menzione: We have one more back here, David. I see. We wanna see how fast they can move that microphone across the room. Relay system here. The relay team. There we go. [00:27:25] Guest: That was excellent, Alexander. Thank you. And welcome. [00:27:28] Alexandra Zagury: Thank you. [00:27:29] Guest: Can you point to a specific example? ’cause I think it’s so critical what you highlighted just the skill piece and the customer outcomes piece. [00:27:35] Guest: Right. Can you point to a specific example of a story that you really love that highlights, uh, customers lighting it up with ROI. [00:27:44] Alexandra Zagury: Yeah, I think, you know, we’re, we’re, we’re a platform, so I just saw a win wire. Like at Microsoft, we get these win wires all the time about how an SSB actually won a, a deal against one of these big AI only companies. [00:28:00] Alexandra Zagury: And it was really about selling the full platform, right? Yeah. Because if, if you, if you put a full platform against an LLM proposition, I mean, the full platform really stacks up because it’s completely integrated. It’s not behemoth to one, you’re not making a bet on one company. And it really highlighted our mantra around trust and intelligence. [00:28:24] Alexandra Zagury: The customer was able to see, they, they were an M 365 customer, so all their iq, all their intelligence was already there. They knew that they, there were guardrails against it. They had a problem with shadow ai and by actually standardizing on copilot and going on that journey from copilot paid to agents, they sue the, they saw the full, uh, value proposition. [00:28:49] Alexandra Zagury: And so we won that deal and it was one of the. First E seven deals that we won, so it was great. [00:28:55] Vince Menzione: Fantastic. Great. Congratulations. [00:28:57] Alexandra Zagury: Thank you [00:28:58] Vince Menzione: Alex. I am so honored and thrilled that you got, you chose us to be your I I would say the first big Yeah, absolutely. Presentation in front of the partner community. [00:29:07] Vince Menzione: I’m so excited to have you. [00:29:08] Alexandra Zagury: Thank you [00:29:09] Vince Menzione: guys, and hopefully many more times ahead with us. [00:29:10] Alexandra Zagury: Absolutely. Invite me at anytime. [00:29:12] Vince Menzione: Okay. Well, thank you [00:29:13] Alexandra Zagury: so much. [00:29:14] Vince Menzione: Thank you. So great [00:29:15] Alexandra Zagury: to have you. Thank [00:29:16] Vince Menzione: you so much. Thanks for listening to The Ultimate Partner Podcast. If today’s conversation resonated, share it with a partner leader in your network. [00:29:26] Vince Menzione: Subscribe where you listen, and head over to the ultimate partner.com. For show notes related content and the resources for this episode. And if you haven’t already, now’s the time to register for the Ultimate Partner Live Event in Reston, Virginia, October 26th through October 28th. Until next time, keep showing up in the rooms that matter because being in the room changes everything.

Sean Gentry breaks down how new sales managers can prioritize high-impact changes, build team trust, and use AI to make smarter leadership decisions. Learn how to drive behavior change, improve sales performance, and build a stronger sales culture without micromanaging.

Ben King spent six years in the Army before starting over in the startup world as a Sales Development Representative. He brought discipline, leadership, and resilience, but still had to learn a new industry, prove himself in a new environment, and build his civilian career one sales conversation at a time. Now at Loop8, Ben is helping companies move beyond AI hype and use automation and cloud technology to solve real business problems. This conversation explores what veterans bring to tech, what startup sales actually demands, and why successful AI adoption should begin with the mission not the tool.    We also discuss: • Starting over as an SDR after leaving the Army • Translating military experience into civilian value  • Why veterans are built for high-pressure sales environments • The habits that create long-term sales success • Building go-to-market systems inside a growing company • Selling AI without exaggerating what it can do • How Loop8 approaches AI, automation, and cloud infrastructure  • Why business outcomes matter more than flashy technology Sponsor This episode is sponsored by 2BAR Spirits, a Northwest grain-to-glass distillery with an all-female production team. The first Seattle distillery to produce bourbon, 2BAR Spirits creates approachable whiskey designed to bring people together. 2BAR Spirits also sponsored The Jason Cavness Experience Deep Tech Demo Day. https://www.2barspirits.com/ Ben's links Ben King on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-king-013041148/ Email Ben: ben.king@loop8.io Loop8: https://www.loop8.io Cloudy with a Chance of Awesome podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ynfms8t8MZbLWrU6S5h4a?si=d93ab1af30e64e4b Jason links https://linktr.ee/jasoncavness  

https://youtu.be/Hbw3xtIiJRQ Jay Larson, Executive Coach, Facilitator, Sales Leader, and Founder of Lights On Coaching & Consulting, is driven by a mission to Turn on the Lights for Others by helping individuals unlock their potential through coaching, leadership development, and transformative experiences. By combining executive coaching, experiential learning, and decades of leadership expertise, Jay empowers leaders to build trust, embrace vulnerability, and create lasting personal and professional growth. In this conversation, Jay introduces The How to Gain Trust Framework—Be Present, Be Curious, Be Vulnerable, and Judge Not. He explains why authentic coaching begins with deep presence and genuine curiosity, how vulnerability creates psychological safety for meaningful conversations, and why withholding judgment helps leaders build trust and accountability. Jay also shares how challenging experiences, executive peer groups, and coaching conversations help leaders overcome isolation, gain confidence, and achieve breakthrough moments that transform both their businesses and their lives. — Turn on the Lights for Others with Jay Larson  Good day, listeners. The Management Blueprint podcast is here, and my guest today is Jay Larson, an experienced executive coach, facilitator, and sales leader with over 20 years of impact across industries. Jay has guided more than 400 individuals through transformative coaching, backed by 40 years of expertise in assessments, success profiles, and competency frameworks. He helped launch and leads a thriving nonprofit that’s touched over 500 lives through experiential learning and outdoor recovery programs. Welcome to the show, Jay.  Oh, thank you, Steve. Thanks for having me.  Well, you have a fascinating background and have helped a lot of people, which is obviously the biggest thing. So what would you say is your personal “Why” that you are manifesting through your practice?  Well, I think my personal “Why” is really turning the lights on for others. That solidified for me probably five or ten years ago. As I realized, through the work I was doing with Korn Ferry, the work with clients, and the work with the people who reported to me, it was never really about the money. I did like winning—winning sales and things like that. That’s always nice. But it was really more about the impact we were making. Were we making an impact? That sort of thing. So I realized pretty quickly, through my coaching training, that my “Why” was about turning the lights on, having those “aha” moments, personal growth, and seeing that happen with others and myself. That’s fascinating. So when you work with experiential learning and outdoor recovery programs, tell me a little bit about those. How do those help?  So I help lead. I’m the president of the board. A friend of mine and I got together probably 10 or 12 years ago. He had built a little nonprofit called Wild Hearts Adventures, and the basic idea was that his son was in recovery. Any time they went to the mountains or did anything outdoors—climbing, canoeing, fishing, anything like that—his son would come alive. They would connect on a different level than they normally would during that obviously trying time for a parent-child relationship, with all kinds of tough love, easy love, and all that kind of stuff.  So he noticed that connection. He wanted to take it bigger. We talked. I’d done a ton of outdoor stuff in my past, and my kids had recently grown up and were leaving home and things like that. So I had time to focus on that. We take people on all kinds of different outdoor excursions, and it really is about connection through adventure. That's what we're trying to drive—that connection. Helping people know they're cared about. Helping them know they can be their authentic selves without judgment. And that they can do really hard things.Share on X  That’s interesting. I have a friend who was also on this podcast some time ago, and he also does a lot of mountaineering, but he does it with CEOs. He goes one-on-one with a CEO, and they climb for two or three days. Obviously, there’s lots of conversation going on. What is the driver of the impact in these environments? What makes people come closer together?  Yeah, it’s interesting. What makes them come together is that sense of adventure, that sense of the unknown, and their willingness to challenge themselves. We’re very open up front with folks who join that this is going to be difficult. Most of them have never camped overnight. We’re taking them to the Rocky Mountains and getting to the top of some very, very high places.  You wouldn’t believe it once you walk to the base of those mountains and look at them. You’re like, “There’s no way we’re going to the top of that.” So that fear and all of that… I find the impact on them—the reason they come—is their willingness to be challenged. The impact is not only the connection of the team, which is important because a lot of folks, certainly in recovery and otherwise, can feel quite lonely. What they’ve done is their fault. They have to recover from it. They have to do some heavy lifting and white-knuckling. This is more about the team helping.  We're all going to carry each other's stuff as we go up. We're going to hear from each other and talk with one another while we're up there.Share on X Then seeing them at the top of the mountain, when they reach 14,000-plus feet and they’ve put in the work to get there, they realize—to a person—that they can do very hard things. Their recovery, the next step in their career—whoever we’ve taken up there—it’s always, “If I can do this, then I’m pretty sure I can face that.” Great metaphor.  Yeah. It is a great metaphor. I wonder what empowers them to actually accomplish it, because climbing a 15,000-foot mountain without being fit is no easy feat. Especially if they’re not used to having to be resilient. What empowers them to actually do it? How do they not give up? Is it the peer pressure? What is it?  Yeah, no, we’ve had people that go up and turn back. We do have it. We leave it up to them. We’re not going to force anybody to go up there. We’re not back there shouting at them or anything like that. Now, we do a lot of encouraging. They’ll say, “I’m too tired. I can’t keep going. There’s no way.” It’s like, “Listen, let’s just take a rest, then one more foot in front of the other. You can do this. I’ve done this.  I was in worse shape when I did my first one than you are now. You can do this. Come on. Just keep going. Just keep going.” So lots of encouragement, lots of coaching along the way. Very, very few people do these fourteeners. A lot of people do them, but relative to the population, very few do. So they look at this as a very, very daunting thing. What I know, having done it numerous times now, is that it’s all about how fast you want to get to the top.  It’s not whether you can get to the top. You can get there, barring an injury. It’s just that you might have to take more breaks. You might have to rest more often. You might have to go slower. You might have to swallow your pride. A lot of things like that. But if you’re willing, we’ll get you there. Yeah. It’s interesting. When my grandfather was probably 79 years old, just one year before he passed away, we somehow convinced him to climb a little mountain. I mean, it’s not a big one, but maybe 1,000 feet. Okay. He was walking with a stick, and it was very steep. He made it up there, and then there was a beautiful inner lake that became visible.  He was so happy that he did it, and he was so grateful that we kind of twisted his arm a little bit to make this trip. It completely recharged him. He was an accomplished person. He was 80. He wasn’t in great shape. He’d had a couple of heart attacks beforehand, and it was a big emotional moment for him.  Yeah. There’s a sense of accomplishment. There’s something you prove to yourself when you do that. I remember reading The Comfort Crisis. I don’t totally remember the author’s name, but it’s called The Comfort Crisis. We’re not doing hard things as often. We have a lot of the hard things done for us. It used to be that you had to build your own house, or grow your own food, or lift heavy things on the farm over certain distances, or they didn’t get moved.  Now everything’s prepared in the store. We lift the heaviness of a 12-ounce can or a grocery bag. Those are the heavy things we lift. When we set our minds to doing something very, very difficult that we don’t think we can do, we grow something in ourselves. I know it’s not just psychological or emotional. There’s a physical nature to it as well.  The mental and physical parts, the way you grow your brain and change your brain when you’re doing those things. It’s not all just, “Yay, I proved it to myself.” You come down from the mountain a different person than you were when you went up. Slightly, and sometimes massively.  Yeah. I remember when I ran my first marathon, I felt a little bit like that. A wall came down, and I felt more invincible in some ways.  Yeah. Like, “There’s nothing I can’t do.” I had a particular gentleman who went on one of the first trips we did. He had been in the gangs. He was actually an enforcer for one of the gangs. So a pretty tough dude. He’d done a lot of things. He’d lost his children, lost his marriage, all kinds of things. He’d been in prison. He’d had a tough run and made a lot of bad choices, to be honest. He went on this thinking, “I’ll do what I can. What I want to do.” That sort of thing.  He had a pretty good attitude. But at the same time, when you get up on summit day and it’s 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, and we’re waking him up and getting him going, people aren’t always in the greatest moods. People are excited, but at the same time it’s dark, I didn’t sleep well, and I was nervous. So he’s on the trek up. He’s struggling. He’s stumbling. He’s not sure he can do it. That sort of thing. But he’s a pretty quiet guy.  He wasn’t complaining or anything. When we got to the top, he just sat there for a while. We all did. We just sat looking at the view because it’s an amazing view from 14,000 feet. We were all just standing there, and he looked over at me. I looked over at him. He had this grin on his face, and he goes, “Man, if I can do this, I’m going to get my kids back. I’m going to get my kids back. I can do it. This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but now I know I can do that.” You’re just sitting there, surreal in that moment, knowing that not only has this person’s life changed, your life has been changed by this person. Perhaps, generationally, things have changed for the family. And they have since then, the family’s back together, and as far as I know, things are going great.  He’s been promoted a couple of times at work and things like that. So that’s what I mean by turning the lights on. When you have those moments where there’s this realization inside a person of what they’re capable of or what they’ve accomplished. That’s a peak kind of situation for them. A peak experience. Yeah. Lovely to be a part of it. So you just reminded me of an experience when I felt that way. It was actually when I launched my Vistage group back at the end of 2013. We had just moved here a year earlier, and Vistage reached out. I said, “Okay, I’m going to do this. I don’t know anyone in town, but that’s a great way to build a network.” It was pretty grueling work, cold-calling for three months solid.  I am aware.  Yeah. I know. That’s what I’m telling you. Yes. That was this kind of experience for me. I thought, “Wow, okay. If I can do this, then maybe I’m not a lost cause here in America.”  Yeah. Yeah. It really transfers, right? Just like you were saying, these, whatever you want to call them, mountaintop experiences for people, these moments in your life when you realize that, “I am capable.” Now, there are valley moments that we have as well. I had a gal that got… We were within 35 minutes of the peak of Mount Yale, and there’s kind of a plateau on the top. She got there, and she had a panic attack—a full-out panic attack—and would not let go of my arm. Couldn’t lead the group up to the summit.  My daughter actually—whole other story there—my daughter stepped up and led the group. Had never done it before. Just stepped up and led the group. Huge, tons of courage. But I immediately just turned this gal around, and we started going down the mountain right away because that’s the only thing you can do when somebody’s panicking up that high.  Where else are you going to go? We took the slow way down the mountain. There’s a quick way down that mountain, but that doesn’t end well. The slow way was just a slog. She was being apologetic the whole way down. She was feeling bad about herself and everything. I think since we’ve talked, Steve, since then, I got an email from her from the summit of that mountain, where she went up with somebody else and went back and did it.  She sent that to me. She said, “I miss our group. I just had to tell you that I made it.” I made the summit of this particular mountain where she failed before. I can’t tell you the joy that gives me as a human, just to see that happen with somebody else. I just love it.  Yeah. She owed it to herself to go back and do it.  Yeah. Yeah.  And not give up.  She promised. She said, “I’m going to do this. One day I’m coming back, and I’m going to do this.” It took a couple of years—a few years, actually—but she did it. So that’s fantastic.  That’s great. That’s great.  Yeah.  Jay, I’d like to switch gears here because this podcast is about frameworks. So, what is a framework that helps you create more impact with your Vistage groups, with your executive coaching clients, and the people that you climb mountains with? Do you have a framework that you can describe?  Yeah, I think let’s talk about that a little bit. I’ll tell you some of the things that I do. Perhaps I don’t know that I would call what I do a framework. I reach out to many people. I coach a lot of people through different contracts, Vistage groups, as well as my own practice. The thing that I think matters the most is gaining trust initially. Just having a natural curiosity for what’s happening with them.  Not being afraid to, as we have even on this call, do some back and forth. Like, “Yeah, I’ve seen that in my life,” or, “I’ve faced that before too. So how do you think you’ll go about it?” And having those questions. Again, it’s not pre-planned. I don’t pre-plan a whole lot for coaching sessions. I review and things like that, but I really want to go in fresh and really listen. I don’t know, Steve. You tell me. You’re the framework guy, right? You tell me. What’s my framework?  Well, what I’m hearing is being present, being curious and vulnerable because when you’re sharing your own experiences, sometimes it is, I guess you probably do that as well, that you share sometimes when you failed at something, and how you learned from it, and how you recovered from it. I do that with clients, and that allows them to be more honest, more vulnerable themselves, and be able to process things better.  Yeah. Knowing they’re not alone. Yeah. They’re not alone. Knowing they’re not alone is huge. I think another really important piece of how I approach things, that may or may not work—I guess we’ll see—is it’s not my job to make them feel good. It’s my job to get to the honest, authentic issue, or blockage, or whatever that is.  Well, I guess part of a framework that I believe in, I guess there’s been a couple from my past that I’ve knit together that have probably shaped a lot of what I do. One is I worked initially for a company called ChartHouse Learning, and they had what was called the Fish Philosophy back in the day. It’s the gentlemen out at Seattle’s Pike Place Market that throw the fish to the clients, throw the fish, come back behind the counter, and catch the fish, and things like that.  They filmed them and how they were driving engagement with the clients and each other. And four tenets of that philosophy were: be there, or be present, like you were saying, so that’s had some impact. Play, which is have some fun with it. Compete, you know, in some ways. Make a game of some things, in some sense of the word. Be there, play, make their day, which is a focus on others versus yourself, so you're there to make their day.Share on X  And then choose your attitude was the fourth. That’s all copyrighted by ChartHouse Learning, whatever. It’s not mine. But you can choose whatever attitude you really want going into the day. So regardless of what is presented to you, your reaction is yours to choose. So that’s, I think, had a big impact on how I address things, as well as spending a lot of time in leadership development.  And so many times seeing development fall flat brings up another framework of just how we actually develop as people. And that is we have to be aware that there’s something we need to change. We need to own it. We need to be responsible. Take responsibility for that gap or that change. And then we need to be willing to act on it. Willing to do something about it. So many times in pre-planned leadership development sessions, and coursework, and things like that, we can miss the mark for that individual. They may be aware of a gap. I mean, Instagram will tell you what you should be these days, right? There’s plenty of, “I can see the gap between me and that person.” Yeah. “I can see the gap between my house and theirs,” whatever that might be.  But do you own it? Are you really aware that that’s an issue that I have? And are you going to take responsibility for it? Then do something about it? Commit and be accountable. That's where coaching really struck a chord for me. I had been in corporate, selling and doing business development for a long time.Share on X  That was always great, but you never got to do the work. You got to deliver the promise, but you never got to deliver the result. Yeah. Now with coaching, I’m able to do that with individuals and teams. Walk them through that. Be honest. Really dig in. Ask the hard questions about their responsibility for the situation, et cetera. So that’s the favorite part of my work.  Yeah. This is a piece that AI is not going to disrupt because AI cannot hold someone accountable, right? It’s just an individual. Yeah. A person who has emotions, who cares about you. They can hold you accountable because you don’t want to disappoint them. But AI cannot do this. AI cannot build trust. I guess it might be able to if it gives good answers all the time.  You start to trust it. But you never know because there’s no person behind it. Who do you trust? The software program? Yeah. That doesn’t work. Yeah. So trust, accountability, and emotions are pure undisruptables, elements of what we do.  And it ends up being the part that connects us, right?  Yeah.  I mean, ironically, we connect to the computer. We connect to the internet. But we never really connect with it. You could say, to some degree, you connect with other people through different apps and things like that. But there’s something about being in person. There’s something about having the back and forth and the consistency over time. It’s not that different on the mountain trips than it is in coaching. A little more comfortable. A little more comfortable.  Sitting in a chair.  Yeah.  But if it’s too comfortable, it’s probably not as effective.  Right. So maybe it won’t. Right. It’s a different kind of uncomfortable.  Yeah.  Right? Yeah. A different kind of uncomfortable. I guess if you’re saying framework, those are kind of some of the mantras, or the credo, whatever it is, that I live by. If it’s not authentic, I don’t really want to do it. From a coaching standpoint, I know you’ve coached some people in your career, and what you’ve done with Vistage and that. There’s some times when people are just kind of mailing it in.  I haven’t gotten the courage up yet to close a call based on that. Like, “Well, you’re just kind of mailing it in, so let’s connect next month.” But it makes you feel like that, right? Like, why am I here? Why am I doing this? If we’re not producing some kind of meaning, or purpose, or moving one of us forward, then what are we doing? Why are we doing it?  Yeah. I always wondered about this because I always wondered whether I should own this. There are people who are more vulnerable, who are more coachable, who are more open, who are more willing to let you see them. And there are people who are not. But they are there, so they need something that they came to get. So whose responsibility is it? If, for them, it’s harder to get there, then should it be on me as well to make it happen? And obviously you can’t guarantee it, but I’m always wondering about it. So when people were mailing it in, I was always wondering, “What could I have done differently so that they wouldn’t do that, or that they didn’t do it, or maybe they’d make some steps?”  Yeah. I feel the exact same thing. I know exactly what you’re talking about. Yeah. I was just talking to somebody earlier about this exact situation where we had a group of 8 to 10 leaders, and one of them just didn’t engage, hadn’t scheduled the meetings, and things like that. After a number of tries to get them engaged, it’s that classic, “You can lead a horse to water,” right? Yeah. They may be full of water already. They may be waterlogged. So I don’t want to judge them for that, right?  That’s the kind of thing where I can get upset. Just my natural reaction. I can get upset that they aren’t engaging, and I can get upset at myself that I can’t get them to engage. You can go there.  Yeah.  But really, at the end of the day, I can only do what I can do.  Yeah.  Then we have to get to the point where you have the fierce conversation where you’re saying, “It doesn’t feel like you’re engaging.” “Can you help me understand why that might be?” Yeah. Then leave it there and let them answer the question. “I don’t want to.” Right? Yeah. It’s like, “Okay, well, why are we scheduling these meetings?” “Let’s just save everybody some time and money.” Or, “I don’t know how to.” Okay. I can help you with that. Those sorts of things. Or, “I don’t know why I would need to.” We can help with that, too. But I can’t change, “I don’t want to.” I can’t change it directly.  Yeah, you can’t. You know what I also experienced sometimes? There were some members, especially who were maybe older, who just wanted to be heard. They just wanted an audience. Maybe they would not get that because spouses are often sick of hearing about business stuff and things that they don’t relate to.  That person just needed someone. Sometimes people are so starved for conversation that they don’t even care whether you’re really listening. They just want to trick themselves into believing that someone is at least listening. It’s the saddest version of it.  Yeah. Yeah. When you work with Vistage, we’ll see a lot of that. Where there’s the isolation of the leader at the top of whatever business it is. What I suggest to them is, “I’m going to try and create a safe space with trust.” “I’m not saying anything to anybody else about what you share.” “So say what needs to be said.” “Be yourself.” “Let down your guard.” “We’ll get there.” Right?  It’s not like they’re just going to walk into a room with me as a stranger, just because they decided, and they’re going to let down their guard. But session by session by session, they let down their guard. You end up talking about things that they can’t mention to anybody else at work because it would shake an employee’s confidence or something. Or how do you, as the CEO of an organization, say, “I don’t know what to do”?  Here’s the place. This is what we give you. That’s why I love it because, again, that’s kind of a lights-on moment, is what I would call it. It’s their ability to take that deep breath, lean back, and just be themselves and say, “I don’t know.” You don’t have to fake it all the time around everybody that’s depending on you. So that’s a real relief for a lot of folks.  Yeah. That’s huge, to be able to unburden yourself. It is true. When you are in a responsible position, sometimes you have to absorb all the uncertainty in the business or the potential risks. You can’t talk about it because then you are amplifying that risk. Then people start worrying, and that kind of paralyzes people.  Then the business is in an even worse position. What really shocked me when I became a Vistage Chair was how few CEOs these CEOs actually knew. It wasn’t just that they were isolated inside their company. Maybe they were isolated at home because their spouse didn’t want to hear it, or they didn’t want to burden their spouse because then it would come back to them eventually with the anxiety of the spouse as a further pressure.  So they might not want to share that. But they didn’t even know other CEOs because they were so busy working in their business, they had no time to go play golf and meet other people. The only time they could do that was in the Vistage group once a month. They could rationalize that this is business. They are working on the business. That gave them permission to take the day off and fraternize with other CEOs.  Yeah. That’s such an important thing. It’s such an important thing to know that you do have a group of people that will have your back, regardless of what you come with. We had a meeting in my group not too long ago where we had some breakthroughs. It was really special to see a group that didn’t know each other, didn’t even know each other existed three or four months prior, sharing about how time is short, possibly because of some health issues. How their business is so important because it’s their legacy.  It’s what they’ll leave behind when they move on. That’s really personal, deep, meaningful conversation. When you allow space for it, it can happen. Build it, and they will come, kind of a thing. I just think that’s so important because I think CEOs who see this may be sitting there bottling that up. They’re taking that stress and trying to hold it. There’s so much energy that it takes to do that, that they wonder why their business isn’t growing, or why they can’t get past a certain amount of revenue, employee count, client service, or breaking into certain levels.  They don’t realize that the more they’re holding that in, it’s almost like they’re holding that growth captive. They just don’t have the energy. They get burned out. That’s when bad decisions start happening. They get emotional, or they just are done. You know? Yeah. They do. I’ve talked to so many people that are just, “I’m just so done with this.”  Yeah. They become unhappy. Then the people around them become unhappy. Then unhappy people don’t do well in the business. They don’t grow the business. Then the CEO feels even worse and lashes out. Yeah. Yeah. That’s huge. When you have the CEOs, and each of them shares things and becomes very vulnerable, then it becomes a safe space.  That’s what creates the trust, right? They all have skin in the game because they all share stuff that they don’t want to get out of the group. Therefore, they can trust the other person to do the same thing.  Yeah. Trust is huge. When you think about it, like this might be odd, but I think when some people think about the holidays and being around family, some people get excited for that, and some people cringe at that, right? Because I think a lot of that is, yes, you’re family, and it’s almost a forced relationship sometimes. They don’t trust. They won’t share their authentic self with that other person in the family. What should be a holiday, and restful, restoring, energizing time, becomes more of a forced situation where it’s draining.  Then you start to distance yourself even more. I think the idea of just having that safe space where other perspectives are in the room is a huge thing as well. Helping people think differently than you. Surrounding yourself with those people. Because you can’t necessarily afford to bring them on just because they think differently. Having them in a group where they will give you a different perspective, and also hold your trust, and let’s face it, just give a damn about you, and how you’re doing, and connect, and want you to succeed, it’s huge. Having people in your corner like that. Yeah. It’s not always naturally there because of timing and other things, like you were mentioning.  And then one more thing. Before I came to Vistage, I had a mastermind group. Oh, yeah. When I was a business owner, which I organized. It worked initially well until it stopped working because I didn’t have the time to invest in it. To make sure everyone showed up. To make sure everyone brought topics, to discuss issues to the table. So it fizzled out.  I think what’s special about Vistage is that there is a person who is committed to making this happen and making it a high-quality experience. Yeah. That is actually priceless because without the person, the time that those CEOs are investing is wasted. Then it’s not even worth showing up for it, right?  Yeah, exactly.  That’s a unique thing. It actually doesn’t really get copied. I don’t see other organizations that can really provide the same quality of experience without that committed Chair, who is thinking about these members all the time, spends some time with them one-on-one, and then makes sure the meeting happens, people show up, and there’s good content in the meeting. It’s very valuable.  Yeah.  So anyhow, if someone would like to learn about Vistage or connect with you, where could they do that?  Yeah. I think LinkedIn is probably the best place for that. I have a LinkedIn page that touches on my Lights On Coaching and Consulting practice, named for exactly what we’ve been talking about. It covers my Vistage group and also the nonprofit, Wild Hearts Adventures. So if anybody is struck by that, go to my LinkedIn. Let’s connect on there, and we’ll just have some conversation. I just love having conversations with new people, with fresh perspectives, regardless of whether we connect and do work together or just even keep in contact.  It’s just lovely speaking with one another, similar to what we’re doing now. Sharing that philosophy. Sharing that why. It’s just encouraging to hear that from others. So I welcome anybody to reach out to my LinkedIn. I don’t know if we can put a link in here to that page or not, but certainly we can.  Yeah. We can directly link that. We’ll put your LinkedIn URL in the show notes. You can just Google Jay Larson Vistage Chair, and he’ll pop up, and you can connect with him. So Jay, thanks for coming and sharing some wonderful stories about people who climbed the mountain, and how it changed their lives. If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure you stay tuned because I have wonderful subject matter experts, CEOs, and business owners who come and share their stories. Wonderful. So thanks for coming, and thanks for listening. Yes. Thank you. Take care. Important Links: Jay's LinkedIn Jay's website

EPISODE 749 - Nicole Ward - Bio-hacking for the Sales Athlete - For Executives, sales leaders, founders, and anyone performing at a high levelAuthor and corporate executive Nicole Ward joins from Los Angeles to share how a late in life wake up call transformed her health, career, and now her work as an author and podcaster. She describes never really seeing herself as an author until, in her early fifties, inspiration suddenly “volcanoed” into a book idea that connected three areas of expertise in a way she had never seen before. Once she was clear on what she wanted to say, the writing process became energizing rather than intimidating, helped by an editor who protected her natural voice while shaping the manuscript.Nicole explains why she chose to self publish, after being told traditional publishers might take years to bring her book to market. Encouraged by other authors, she invested strategically in professional editing, book design, and a second editorial review to ensure the book looked and read at a high level. She also built a personal advisory board of thirteen people from diverse backgrounds, asking them for blunt, honest feedback that led to key improvements and helped her refine the final version.At the heart of the conversation is Nicole's broader mission: The Executive Athlete. Drawing on her career working with C suite leaders and board members, she is focused on “bringing consciousness to power” by helping high level decision makers regulate their health, manage stress, and extend their healthspan. She demystifies biohacking as simply using data, tools, and targeted supplementation to understand your unique biology and age as well as possible, not as an extreme lifestyle reserved for tech billionaires. Her own journey began when, at thirty five, she was sixty pounds overweight, inflamed, exhausted, and so overworked that after rolling her SUV she worried more about missing a meeting than the accident itself.Nicole shares practical, accessible strategies for busy professionals, like “exercise snacking” small bursts of movement with bands, light weights, or stairs throughout the day that can add up to real fitness without a 5 a.m. workout. She stresses that supplements are meant to augment, not replace, fundamentals like sleep, nutrition, and recovery, and that meaningful change comes from choosing one or two realistic actions instead of trying to overhaul everything at once. This same ethos shapes her two podcasts: Aon at the Top, where she interviews mid market corporate leaders about their path to the C suite, and The Executive Athlete, focused on executives who prioritize health, wellness, and longevity.Speaking directly to listeners who feel stuck, unhealthy, or like they always put themselves last, Nicole is candid about once being a “quitter” with her health and pushing it to the bottom of her priority list. She underscores that change is possible at any age by taking small, consistent steps, honoring commitments to yourself, and giving yourself grace when you fall short. Her before and after story, now documented in her book and content, illustrates how rebuilding your health can not only transform your body but also your confidence, leadership, and capacity to show up fully for your family, colleagues, and community.https://www.nicoleelizabethward.com/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

What does it take to lead sales for some of the biggest stadiums, sports franchises, and entertainment venues in the world? In this episode of Against the Sales Odds, Lance Tyson sits down with Colin Cook, Executive Vice President of Sales at Legends Global, to explore the leadership principles that have shaped his journey—from serving as an Army officer to leading a global sales organization of more than 350 professionals. Colin shares the story behind Legends' work on iconic venues like SoFi Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Allegiant Stadium, and the new Buffalo Bills stadium, while offering practical lessons on consultative selling, building resilient teams, and leading through disruption. Together, they discuss: Colin's unconventional path from the military to sports salesHow Legends creates world-class fan and client experiencesLeading major stadium projects through the uncertainty of COVID-19Why transparency, empathy, and adaptability are essential leadership skillsHow buyer expectations are changing across generationsThe mindset every young sales professional should develop to succeed Whether you're leading a sales team, managing change, or looking to elevate your leadership game, this conversation is packed with real-world insights from one of the most respected leaders in sports business.

Ein Recruiter öffnet Ihr LinkedIn-Profil und entscheidet in weniger als zehn Sekunden, ob er Sie anschreibt oder weiterscrollt. Nicht Ihre Erfahrung entscheidet das, sondern wie Sie auf der Seite positioniert sind.In dieser Folge zeigt Jan Nordh, warum LinkedIn keine Social-Plattform ist, sondern eine Suchmaschine für Talent, und wie Sie Ihr Profil so aufstellen, dass die richtigen Recruiter und Hiring Manager Sie finden. Es ist die praktische Fortsetzung der letzten Folge über das Open-to-Work-Banner: dort ging es um das Warum, hier um das Wie. Aus 19 Jahren Executive Search und 25 Jahren im Enterprise-Vertrieb kennt er beide Seiten des Tisches.Du erfährst:Warum ein Recruiter in zehn Sekunden über Ihr Profil entscheidet, und worauf er wirklich schautDie Drei-Teile-Formel für eine Headline, die in der Suche auftaucht: Rolle, Keywords, WirkungWie Sie Ihre About-Section als Geschichte schreiben, statt den Lebenslauf hineinzukopierenDie eine Open-to-Work-Einstellung, die aus lautem Suchen gezieltes Gefundenwerden machtFür Enterprise-Vertriebler, Sales Leader, Cybersecurity-Profis und alle, die im DACH-Raum und in den Nordics gefunden werden wollen, statt nur sichtbar zu sein. Themen: LinkedIn, Cybersecurity, Enterprise Software, IT Sales, Executive Search, DACH, Nordics.https://www.nordh.de

Wo verläuft die Linie zwischen einem Lebenslauf, der dich stark positioniert, und einem, der dich beim ersten Referenz-Call den Job kostet?In dieser Folge zerlege ich aus Sicht des Headhunters, was du auf deinem CV strategisch formulieren darfst und was dich garantiert das Angebot kostet. Denn der häufigste Fehler bei wirklich guten Leuten im Enterprise Sales und in der Cybersecurity ist nicht der erfundene Titel. Es ist das Gegenteil: ehrliche, korrekte Lebensläufe, die den eigenen Wert komplett verstecken.Du erfährst:Welche Angaben verifizierbar sind und dein Angebot sofort kippen lassen (Abschluss, Arbeitgeber, Daten, Führungsverantwortung).Wo legitimes Übersetzen anfängt und Erfinden aufhört, am Beispiel Titel, Zahlen und deiner Rolle im Deal.Warum Top-Performer sich systematisch unter Wert verkaufen und wie du Entscheidungen statt Aufgaben schreibst.Wie ein Hiring Manager in sechs Sekunden über deinen CV entscheidet, und was er dabei wirklich sucht.Wie du Joblücken und kurze Stints sauber framst, ohne dich zu rechtfertigen oder eine Inkonsistenz zu LinkedIn zu erzeugen.Für IT-Sales-Profis, Enterprise Account Executives, Cybersecurity-Vertriebler und Sales Leader im DACH-Raum und in den Nordics, die ihre Positionierung ernst nehmen. Keywords: Lebenslauf, CV, Bewerbung, Enterprise Sales, Cybersecurity, IT Sales, Executive Search, DACH, Nordics, Karrierestrategie.https://www.nordh.de

In this episode of the Medical Sales Podcast, Samuel Adeyinka sits down with Steve Gielda, co-founder of Ignite Selling, to explore what separates average medical sales reps from top performers and how great sales managers develop winning teams. Steve shares decades of experience training life science organizations, explaining why strategic account planning, challenging customer thinking, and asking better questions create stronger sales outcomes than simply following traditional discovery methods. He also breaks down the importance of coaching, feedback, accountability, pipeline management, and leadership development, while revealing why the best managers ask more than they tell, coach early in the sales process, and empower reps to learn from failure instead of rescuing them. This episode is a must listen for medical sales professionals and leaders who want to improve their selling skills, build high performing teams, and create long term success through better coaching and strategic execution. Connect with Steve Gielda: LinkedIn Connect with Me: LinkedIn Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How »

109.000 unbesetzte IT-Stellen in Deutschland. 424.000 fehlende Cybersecurity-Fachkräfte in Europa. Und trotzdem sitzen erfahrene Enterprise-Sales-Profis seit Monaten in Prozessen, die nach fünf Runden im Sand verlaufen.Das ist kein Widerspruch. Das ist die wichtigste Marktveränderung der letzten zwei Jahre, und die meisten Kandidaten deuten sie falsch.In dieser Folge schaue ich mir an, was in DACH, in den Nordics und in den USA tatsächlich passiert. Mit belastbaren Zahlen: 1,15 Millionen offene Stellen in Deutschland, ein Rückgang von 42 Prozent gegenüber 2022. Rund 170 Tage durchschnittliche Vakanzzeit. Und aus einer Greenhouse-Auswertung von 640 Millionen Bewerbungen die Zahl, die alles erklärt: Fast jede dritte ausgeschriebene Rolle wird ohne Einstellung geschlossen.Sie erfahren:Warum längere Interview-Prozesse ein Symptom von Unsicherheit sind und nicht von GründlichkeitWas die Zahlen aus Deutschland, Schweden, Norwegen, Dänemark und den USA wirklich über Ihre Chancen sagenWarum fast 30 Prozent aller Prozesse ohne Einstellung enden und was das über Ihre Absagen aussagtWarum AI-optimierte Profile im Moment gegen Sie arbeiten statt für SieWarum Ihr Engpass nicht das Interview ist, sondern die Stufe davorFür IT-Sales-Professionals, Enterprise Account Executives, Cybersecurity-Vertriebler und Sales Leader in DACH und den Nordics. Und für Hiring Manager, die wissen wollen, was ihr Prozess sie gerade kostet.https://www.nordh.de

In this week's episode, I am bringing you the 2nd edition of The Sales Series. In Episode 192, I introduced you to “The Sales Series,” so I can bring you just a few of the top moments from Top Sales Leaders who have joined me on The 20% Podcast. That first episode included clips from guests such as:Alexine Mudawar/Lori RichardsonJohn Barrows Nick Cegelski Jen AllenIan KoniakToday we will be covering 5 more clips from previous episodes:Episode 84: Belal Batrawyhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/5GyAcYcGSqdwOKxQ9D2Ruk?si=e8d2abf275454225 Episode 97: Morgan Buchananhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/42WMdxmynhPQOwp88wZ96V?si=f1e2476df5344ec3 Episode 92: Jason Bay https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TUlew3jtAiEMHpx90ckWS?si=ae3f6b87ec234d22 Episode 133: Leslie Venetz https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Unzq35rq03dtiYTcMuzkF?si=e4e448bbe16e4c17 Episode 60: Morgan J Ingramhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3gMHYQhYRgnh6X3e270XAG?si=00f5af451cd84f64 Please enjoy this week's “Sales Series 2” on The 20% Podcast. Please enjoy this week's episode of The 20% Podcast! ____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-communityI want your feedback!Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmdail.com, or find me on LinkedIn.If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, share it along! If you know of anyone who would be great to interview, please drop me a line!Enjoy the show!

What separates a manager who gets results from one who truly transforms people? In this episode of the Global Sales Leader Podcast, host Jason Cooper sits down for a third time with Keith Rosen — globally recognised sales leadership authority, pioneer of coaching culture, and author of the bestselling Coaching Salespeople into Sales Champions — to unpack his brand-new book Crucial Coaching Conversations. Keith and Jason go deep on the real reasons managers struggle to coach their teams, why urgency is silently destroying leadership, and how the rise of AI is widening the gap between good and great salespeople. This is a masterclass in the language of leadership. In this episode, you'll learn: Why 76% of companies have changed how they buy — and what that means for your sales teamThe "art of enrollment" and how to get your team genuinely bought into coachingHow to coach fear, uncertainty, and mindset — not just strategy and resultsWhy managers are the chief problem solvers (and why that's the biggest mistake they make)The simple 3-question pre-coaching form that replaces long prep documentsHow to break down departmental silos using the language of coachingWhy AI will never replace human connection — and how to stay ahead of itHow to align personal goals with business objectives so your team never quietly quitsChapters:00:00 – Introduction & Keith Rosen overview03:39 – From the first coaching book to the new era04:48 – How AI is reshaping sales leadership07:00 – The language of enrollment and setting positive intent09:00 – Manager burnout, cortisol, and firefighting culture10:40 – AI: tool or shortcut?15:36 – Why the dominant leadership strategy is care17:25 – Urgency vs leadership: the hidden crisis21:07 – Group and team coaching in practice26:30 – Enrollment: getting your team to want to be coached32:21 – What a true feedback culture actually looks like35:42 – Aligning personal goals with business objectives43:16 – How to coach fear (and what you can't coach)47:09 – The 3-question pre-coaching prep form50:10 – Final thoughts: invest in yourself, get a coachConnect with Keith Rosen:

Sales organizations stall when knowledge stays trapped in the heads of a few experienced people. In this Revenue Builders replay, Frederik Maris explains how leaders turn field experience into repeatable execution through sharper qualification, stronger frontline management, and deliberate coaching. He shares how conscious competence helps managers teach what top performers do instinctively, why early wins matter for new reps, and where leaders must take accountability when talent fails to develop. The conversation gives CROs a practical view of the systems, behaviors, and management discipline required to build a team that can scale. Frederik Maris is the Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of EliteGTM, where he helps founders and revenue leaders build more predictable go-to-market organizations through advisory, recruiting, and enablement. His career includes senior leadership roles at Splunk, Zoom, DataRobot, BMC, Veritas, and PTC, giving him firsthand experience building and transforming complex enterprise sales teams. Connect with Frederik: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor Key takeaways from this episode:  08:44 – What it really takes to uncover the customer pain and internal support that move complex deals forward. 04:51 – Why sales leaders need a clear understanding of the methods behind their own success. 26:16 – What CROs often overlook about the frontline manager's role in seller ramp and retention. 28:13 – Why a new rep's first deal can shape confidence, momentum, and long-term performance. 40:36 – Frederik Maris's perspective on the traits that matter most when hiring for growth. 45:06 – A look inside the interview signals that reveal self-awareness and emotional intelligence. 01:01:07 – The leadership question that creates accountability when performance falls short. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

I spent a decade being selfish. It made me rich. Then I tried to lead people, and it almost cost me everything.I've knocked doors in Brazil as a missionary. I've sold pest control, solar, and coaching. I've made millions in commissions and trained thousands of sales reps. Somewhere along the way, I made the single most expensive mistake of my career.I promoted my best salesperson into leadership.He had a 90% close rate. He was one of the most talented reps I'd ever seen. Within six months, our culture was deteriorating, retention was falling, and the team I'd spent years building was unraveling.That mistake cost me over $1 million.More importantly, it completely changed the way I think about leadership.In this episode, I break down the biggest differences between being a great salesperson and becoming a great leader.We cover: • What skills transfer from sales to leadership—and which ones become liabilities. • Why every leader must make the shift from selfish to selfless. • Why sales makes you dangerous, but leadership makes you durable. • The Rule of 7 and why most leaders try to coach too many people. • The 70% Delegation Rule that changed how I build leaders. • Why reactive leaders stay stuck while proactive leaders build scalable businesses. • The Boss, Mentor, Friend framework. • How to transition from top producer to full-time leader without destroying your income or your culture.If you're a salesperson, entrepreneur, manager, or business owner trying to build people—not just close deals—this episode is for you.If it helps you, send it to someone who's making the jump into leadership. It might save them from making the same mistake I did.

In a previous episode, I introduced “The Sales Series” to re-intro many amazing conversations from Sales Leaders on the show. This week, I am resharing “The CS Series” to highlight incredible Customer Success Leaders from the show. Today we will be covering 5 CS Leaders: Brooke Simmons: “Prioritization Quadrants” (Ep. 130)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/130-the-state-of-customer-success-2023-with/id1528398541?i=1000599320083 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GUG3xZVRg70ER8zuOyF2R?si=3cfe012a2d014107 Luke Ferrel: “The Customer Needs Triangle”  (Ep. 131)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/131-the-growth-of-scaling-customer-success-and/id1528398541?i=1000600560447 https://open.spotify.com/episode/50Pwr6m23z46HDMeBhoxU5?si=c7a0bd79ce0d4de3 Tyler Meckes: “Account Mapping Playbook”  (Ep. 147)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/147-the-account-management-customer-success-growth/id1528398541?i=1000616621251 https://open.spotify.com/episode/64lbqKMcYCliq25xVLEOMh?si=ac43ba87f6674817 Rob Zambito: “Conscious Investments in CS”  (Ep. 149)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/149-consciously-invest-in-customer-success-with-rob/id1528398541?i=1000618331520 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2nv23CFUGUhfocZIfcWKCP?si=d5a8591c280b428b Jay Nathan: “Customer-Centric Mindset” (Ep. 154)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/154-the-customer-centric-mindset-with-jay-nathan-evp/id1528398541?i=1000622913191 https://open.spotify.com/episode/21MTbcIJhvhOpBGn47A3RO?si=a11735d5af5e4038 Please enjoy this week's episode of “The CS Series”. I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! It will cover my journey into sales, the lessons learned, and include stories and advice from top sales professionals around the world. I'm excited to share these interviews and bring you along on this journey!Like the show? Subscribe to the email: Subscribe HereI want your feedback! Reach out at 20percentpodcastquestions@gmail.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, please share it! If you have suggestions for guests, let me know!Enjoy the show!

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:

What would you do differently if a single moment forced you to confront how fear has been shaping your entire definition of success?In this episode, Chris Woods shares how a life-threatening health crisis, where he flatlined in hospital, became the turning point that exposed the hidden fear-driven patterns behind his high-achieving career at Google and beyond. If you've ever felt successful on the outside but anxious, driven, or disconnected on the inside, this conversation will help you make sense of what's really driving your decisions and how to start shifting it.By listening to this episode, you will discover how to:Recognise fear-based thinking patterns that quietly shape your career, choices, and sense of selfShift from fixing weaknesses to intentionally building your life around your natural strengthsRedefine success in a way that leads to genuine fulfillment rather than constant achievement pressurePress play now to learn how to step out of fear-driven success and start building a more aligned, strengths-led, and fulfilling way of living.˚KEY POINTS AND TIMESTAMPS:04:02 - Life before the health crisis and fear-driven achievement05:17 - Health crisis: tick bite, cardiac Lyme disease, and flatlining08:46 - Gratitude and realisation after a second chance12:35 - “Who would you be without your concerns?” exercise17:58 - Why focusing on strengths beats fixing weaknesses20:38 - Redefining success after leaving Google28:14 - Where to find Chris Woods and his coaching work˚MEMORABLE QUOTE:"I was living to build an obituary as opposed to living to build a life."˚VALUABLE RESOURCES:Chris' website: https://chriswoodscoach.com˚Coaching with Agi: https://personaldevelopmentmasterypodcast.com/mentor˚

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:

In this "best of" episode, I'm sharing some golden nuggets from sales trailblazers, Jamie Crosby, Nick Kane, and Liz Heiman. They share the secrets behind scalable, trust-based referral selling to help you ditch haphazard "who do you know?" asks and start building referral systems that deliver. Today's show is packed with actionable advice on referral selling—the dos, the don'ts, and lessons learned from real-world sales situations. Outline of This Episode [00:41] Jamie Crosby's top three referral selling do's and don'ts [05:12] Importance of organically building relationships over time to generate referrals [06:28] Nick Kane on asking for referrals [11:41] Strategic networking using LinkedIn and CRMs [14:43] Liz Heiman on proactively reaching out for referrals [08:57] Checking in before asking referrals [17:09] Combining referrals with event networking [18:31] Referrals can be about more than just sales Earn It Before You Ask The first rule of referral selling is: never ask before you've earned it. Value comes before requests, and any referral agreement should always be transparent and in writing. Jamie Crosby suggests continually updating your referral sources—celebrate the wins and share the bumps in the road so they're never blindsided, a practice that deepens trust and professionalism. Jamie shares the story of when years of nurturing relationships paid off when, unprompted, multiple referral partners stood up to share testimonials about her business's impact. Thoughtfully built referral networks don't happen overnight, but their ripple effect can be truly magnificent.   Timing, Tact, and Tenacity For Nick Kane, excellence in service is the foundational "do"—without it, no referral program stands a chance. He underscores the importance of educating customers on referral benefits and making the process straightforward and enticing for them. The key differentiator is timing. Ask too early, and you risk coming off as transactional; wait too long, and you may miss your window.  Nick illustrates these principles with an example involving a multi-level referral chain to infiltrate a dream client account. By mapping connections, leaning on LinkedIn, and nurturing advocates at each step, he struck gold—not with a cold call, but a series of warm, credible introductions.    Don't Make It Hard Liz Heiman champions a methodical approach, have a written plan, be proactive (maybe pick up the phone!), and most importantly, don't dump all the legwork on your customer. Instead of vague or open-ended asks, she suggests specificity: do your homework and invite your customers to simply confirm or connect, not to brainstorm on your behalf. Liz also shares how blending event networking with referral requests can yield better introductions. By encouraging clients to bring contacts to meetings, dinners, or information sessions, you transform referrals from awkward asks into mutually beneficial experiences. This creates more natural, lower-pressure entry points for growing your network, and helps your advocates help you more easily. Connect with Jamie Crosby Jamie Crosbie on LinkedIn Jamie Crosbie on Twitter     Connect with Nick Kane Nick Kane on LinkedIn  Nick Kane on Twitter    Connect with Liz Heiman Liz Heiman on LinkedIn  Liz Heiman on Twitter  Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter    Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show Notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com  

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:

In this episode, Peppa Wise, SVP of Go-To-Market at Multiverse, breaks down the real differences between scaling from 0 to 10 million, 10 to 100 million, and beyond. From early-stage hustle and chaos to building scalable systems, leadership teams, and world-class sales processes, this conversation is packed with lessons most operators only learn the hard way. Peppa shares the painful mistakes that shaped her leadership journey, including the year Multiverse fell behind on productive capacity, why hiring the wrong people can quietly destroy growth, and why great leaders must learn to balance accountability with empathy. The conversation also explores AI, workforce transformation, leadership psychology, sales rigor, emotional resilience, and why Multiverse believes the future of work depends on helping companies actually adopt AI — not just buy new tools. If you're building a startup, leading a sales team, scaling a company, or trying to become a better leader, this episode is full of hard-earned insights you can apply immediately. With thanks to our sponsors Aurasell. Timestamps: 0:00 — Trailer 1:18 — Introduction & Guest Overview 2:59 — What Separates the 0-10, 10-100 & 100M+ Stages 4:48 — Early Learnings & What to Overcome in the 0-10 Journey 7:00 — What Leadership Looks Like at 0-10 8:58 — Reflecting on Your 0-10 Self & Mistakes Made 10:24 — How Mentorship Fuelled Evolution Through Each Stage 13:01 — Is It Okay to Specialize in One Stage 15:38 — What Is Your Long-Term Ambition 17:12 — Have You Changed as a Person Through This Journey 19:46 — How to Coach Leaders Being Inauthentic 21:16 — Were There Any Real Career Low Points 24:26 — What Does Maniacal Productive Capacity Mean 25:57 — What Signals Show Someone Is Ready to Promote 28:38 — Where People Go Wrong With Productive Capacity 33:10 — How to Manage Emotion Under Pressure 37:54 — What Separates First From Second Line Leaders 40:13 — Do You Hire People Similar to Yourself 42:32 — What Changes Has Donn Driven in Year One 45:45 — What Excites You Most About This Next Phase 48:13 — Why Multiverse Is Still the Destination 49:46 — Common Misconceptions About Multiverse 51:17 — Closing & Final Thoughts

Sales is the only job where you can grind for 10 hours and still end the day feeling behind due to CRM chaos and internal fire drills. In this episode, Mark Kosoglow breaks down his exact productivity playbook, including:

Here are the show notes formatted for your podcast: A Successful Foundation for Sales Leaders | Michael Biedermann Interview with Michael Biedermann 3 Big Ideas discussed in this episode: BIG IDEA #1: Why sales leaders need a team foundation A strong sales team does not grow by accident. Michael explains why sales leaders need a clear foundation that gives the team direction, structure, expectations, and a shared way to operate. Without a foundation, sales teams often rely on personality, pressure, or inconsistent activity instead of a repeatable system for success. BIG IDEA #2: The basic pillars of a sales leader's foundation Michael shares the core pillars every sales leader needs to build a stronger team. These pillars help leaders create clarity, build trust, improve communication, set standards, and guide the team toward consistent performance. When these pillars are in place, salespeople know what matters, how to execute, and how success is measured. BIG IDEA #3: How sales leaders implement their foundation Having a foundation is not enough. Sales leaders must know how to bring it into the day-to-day rhythm of the team. Michael discusses how leaders can implement their foundation through coaching, accountability, team communication, consistent expectations, and practical leadership habits that create long-term results. About Michael Biedermann: With three successful exits, Michael Biedermann is an award-winning sales leader and author with experience ranging from IBM to startups. He now mentors GTM and sales leaders, helping them build stronger teams, improve leadership effectiveness, and create a foundation for sales success. Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Valley-Blueprint-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0H1YHSCJ1 Get the show notes for this episode here: https://AskJeremyJones.com/podcast

How Sales Leaders Cracked the ABM Code On this episode instead of talking to marketers about account-based marketing, host Adam Turinas sat down with two sales leaders who have built and executed ABM programs from the ground up. They bring sharp, practical views on what it actually takes to make ABM work. His guests are Clint Mooneyham, VP of Sales at Sagility, a healthcare operations company serving payers and providers, and Tony Mancuso, an enterprise sales leader on the growth team at Onymos, a Series A AI startup focused on diagnostic labs and precision medicine. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen/

What you'll learn in this episode: Why leadership requires a different skill set than sales The hidden costs of a bad hire (and how to avoid them) How to attract top talent with vision, not perks The “Leads and People” formula Gary Keller taught for business growth Why building your team should be as strategic as client acquisition How to create a culture where high performers thrive  

Should salespeople have targets? One LinkedIn post divided thousands of sales professionals — and we finally break down who's right.In this episode, Dave, Regan, and Luigi tackle one of the most controversial topics in modern sales management: whether removing revenue targets and replacing them with a personal success blueprint actually builds a higher-performing team — or whether it's just feel-good theory that falls apart in execution.What you'll learn:→ Why Parkinson's Law means hard ceilings are quietly killing your best performers→ The real reason top reps sandbag deals at the end of the quarter→ Why team-based targets let average performers hide behind good ones→ How psychological safety actually increases sales output (and the data behind it)→ The case for quarterly KPIs over annual targets in a fast-moving market→ Which activity KPIs are completely pointless — and what to replace them with→ The middle ground that gives reps a floor, removes the ceiling, and still drives revenueWhether you're a founder setting your first sales hire's number, a sales leader rebuilding your comp structure, or a rep who's ever hit quota and coasted — this episode will change how you think about targets forever.

In this episode, instead of talking to marketers about account-based marketing, I sat down with two sales leaders who have built and executed ABM programs from the ground up. They bring sharp, practical views on what it actually takes to make ABM work.My first guest is Clint Mooneyham, VP of Sales at Sagility, a healthcare operations company serving payers and providers. Clint brings 15 years in sales, nine of them in healthcare, and his perspective will slow you down before you start, which is exactly the point. He makes the case that most companies launch ABM before they have earned the right to, and that skipping the validation steps at the front end is the single biggest reason these programs fail.My second guest is Tony Mancuso, an enterprise sales leader on the growth team at Onymos, a Series A AI startup focused on diagnostic labs and precision medicine. Tony started with tens of thousands of potential accounts and built, essentially from scratch and with limited startup resources, one of the most disciplined account selection and execution systems I have come across.What struck me about both conversations is how well they complement each other. Clint is asking the question you need to answer before you begin. Tony is showing you how to execute once you have answered it.If you are wrestling with your ABM program, or wondering why a previous attempt did not produce results, this episode is worth your time.Key Topics:"(00:00:00)" Introduction to ABM from a Sales Perspective"(00:03:25)" Theme 1: Is ABM Even Right for You? "(00:05:50)" Validating Strategy with Buyer Intent Data "(00:08:45)" Theme 2: Building a Disciplined Account Selection System "(00:12:10)" Scoring Criteria and Trigger Events "(00:14:50)" Theme 3: Deep Account Research and Intelligence "(00:19:55)" Theme 4: Messaging Outcomes Over Features "(00:23:45)" The Water Cooler Test and Win Themes "(00:25:40)" Theme 5: Alignment, Measurement, and Knowing When to Pivot "(00:31:40)" Closing Summary and Top Five Takeaways If you are interested in discussing this or any other topic, let's have a chat.  Reach out to me directly to schedule a no-obligation discussion. This isn't a sales call, but rather an opportunity to talk through your questions and challenges.Follow me on LinkedIn.Subscribe to The Healthtech Marketing Show on Spotify or watch us on YouTube for more insights into marketing, AI, ABM, buyer journeys, and beyond!Thank you to our presenting sponsor, HealthcareNOW, 24/7 expert shows, interviews, and podcasts, powering healthcare leaders with innovation, policy, and strategy insights.

Send us Fan MailWhere Does Your Time Go? And why your sales motion might be the reason you have less of it.In this episode, we sit down with Stu Pike, VP and COO of ServiceNow APAC, to get into what's actually going on with the GTM motion and what to do about it. Stu's seen this from every angle over the last 30 years, and he brings it back to something simple: design your go-to-market around how buyers actually make decisions, not how your org is structured.Most revenue teams feel this, even if they don't always say it out loud, it's not effort that slows things down, it's friction.Stuff gets lost between demand gen, sales, solutions, customer success. Deals start to drag and discovery gets repeated. And before you know it, you're talking more about the internal process than the customer's problem. That's usually when trust starts to wobble a bit too.We get into the handoffs that quietly kill momentum, a really simple question that exposes where things break, and why so many “transformations” fall flat.We also talk about what's changing right now, how teams are starting to use AI to carry customer context, clean up CRM gaps, and make coaching way more useful (and less painful).But the thread running through all of it is time. How do you give it back to your reps, your managers, your leaders so they can spend more of it with customers and, honestly, more of it outside of work too.If it resonates, give it a share with someone who's rethinking how their team sells, and don't forget to subscribe.We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/

Why clarity is the first job of leadership The difference between accountability and micromanagement Why top leaders inspect early instead of reacting late How development separates great leaders from forecast managers The 3 leadership qualities that strengthen team performance

  Most sales leaders invest in process, technology, and training. Almost none of them invest in the one lever that silently controls all three: the language their people use — out loud and in their own heads. Andy Weins has spent 20+ years in the military as a mass resiliency trainer, built a business from scratch, and studied the neuroscience and psychology of how the words we choose wire our behaviour. In this episode, he and Marcus Cauchi go deep on the specific phrases that signal avoidance, underperformance, and self-sabotage, and the language patterns that drive ownership, execution, and results. If you lead a sales team or run a company, this is not a soft conversation about mindfulness. It is a diagnostic tool. By the end, you will recognise the exact words your team uses when they are not going to close the deal, and you will know what to replace them with. Why This Matters Every sales team has what looks like a pipeline problem, a skills problem, or a market problem. Often it is a language problem in disguise. When your salespeople say "I just wanted to follow up," they are signalling low value before they have even started. When they say "I should call that account," they are parking it indefinitely. When they say "we need more leads," they are frequently deflecting accountability for what they already have. The language your team uses in CRM notes, forecast calls, and customer conversations is data. It tells you who is owning their number and who is performing learned helplessness. This episode gives you the framework to hear that signal clearly. Key Themes and Takeaways 1. Blame, Excuse, and Denial: The Three Default Failure Modes Andy opens with a concept drawn from Brené Brown's work on shame: when there is a gap between what we want and what we have, the brain defaults to one of three responses — blame, excuse, or denial — because they require the least cognitive effort. In sales, this shows up as: Blame: "The prospect went dark." "Marketing isn't generating quality leads." "The economy is tough." Excuse: "I didn't have time to prep." "The deck wasn't ready." Denial: "I didn't really want that account anyway." The correction Andy offers is deceptively simple: ask "Where is my DNA in this?" Even if you are 1% responsible for a poor outcome, claiming that 1% shifts you from passenger to driver. For sales leaders running deal reviews, that question, where is your DNA in this?, is worth installing as a standard. 2. "Just" and "But": The Two Words That Kill Credibility Before You've Started Marcus flags two words that most people use dozens of times a day without realising their cost: "Just" — minimises what follows. "I'm just calling to check in" communicates low value, low confidence, and low intent. Andy's framing: just justifies the nonsense that's about to happen. Train your team to remove it entirely from outreach language. Not "I just wanted to reach out" — "I'm calling because..." "But" — cancels everything before it. "Great work on that proposal, but..." means the compliment is noise. Two conflicting ideas, only one of which is true: the one that comes after but. In coaching conversations with reps, this matters. In customer conversations, it is fatal. These are not stylistic preferences. They are trust and credibility signals that prospects and internal stakeholders pick up subconsciously. 3. The Difference Between a Desire and an Expectation — and Why It Determines Whether You Hit Target Andy draws a sharp distinction that has direct application to how sales leaders manage their teams and how salespeople manage their customers: An expectation is what you want from someone else. It sets you up for resentment, conflict, and passivity — because other people are not here to meet your expectations. A desire is what you want. It is owned. It creates agency, because the question that follows is what are you willing to do to get it? In sales management, the difference sounds like this: Expectation: "My reps should be hitting 80% of quota by Q2." Desire: "I want a team hitting 80% by Q2. What am I prepared to do to coach, structure, and resource them to get there?" The second version puts you back in the problem. That is where leverage lives. 4. "Need" vs "Want": Why Needs Create Victims and Wants Create Agency Drawing on Dan Sullivan's 10x Is Easier Than 2x, Andy argues that needs are a trap. When you say "I need a six-figure salary" or "we need more pipeline," you are constructing a prison: a world where survival is contingent on something outside your control, which justifies inaction when that thing doesn't arrive. Wants work differently. "I want more pipeline" immediately opens the question: what are you willing to do to generate it? The conflict becomes internal — which want is greater, your want for comfort or your want for results? — and internal conflict is where growth happens. For founders: audit the language in your strategy meetings. Count how many times need is used as a reason not to act rather than a prompt to act. It is a reliable indicator of where learned helplessness has taken root. 5. People Talk About Results to Justify Decisions They've Already Made This is one of the episode's sharpest insights, and it maps directly onto how sales forecasts and pipeline reviews get distorted. Andy's framing: the people who get funded on Dragons' Den are the ones who talk about the work — "we will take this influencer, they will post three times a week, that will reduce our customer acquisition cost by X" — not the ones who say "we'll increase sales and grow the business." Watch for this in forecast calls. Reps who say "I'm going to close this at the end of the month" are describing a result. Reps who say "I have a confirmed call with economic buyer on Thursday, legal review is booked for the following week, and we've agreed the commercial terms" are describing work. The second rep knows what they're doing. The first is hoping. Marcus extends this: the work is the reward. Not a soft point — a structural one. Fixating on the number makes you passive. Fixating on the three specific actions that produce the number makes you active. Build your pipeline reviews around activity and methodology, not outcomes, and the outcomes improve. 6. The Six Most Powerful Statements — A Framework for High-Performance Internal Dialogue Andy's framework for replacing avoidance language with accountable language is built on six sentence-starters, used in sequence. For sales leaders, this is a coaching script and a self-assessment tool. I am — Identity. Who are you as a seller, a leader, a professional? This sets the anchor. It also establishes boundaries: I am not going to take that approach is more powerful than I can't or I won't. I can — Capability. Honest inventory of what is within reach. Not everything, but something. What can you actually do? In coaching conversations, this is where excuses go to die. I feel — Emotional data. The body knows before the brain articulates. I feel uncomfortable with this account's timeline is information. Suppressing it is expensive. Andy's recommended construct: I feel [emotion] when [specific behaviour occurs]. Clean, ownable, actionable. I know — Empirical grounding. Not assumption, not interpretation. What do you actually know versus what are you telling yourself? In sales, this is the difference between a forecast based on facts and one based on optimism. I want — Stated desire. Now that you are grounded in reality, what do you actually want? This is where new thinking enters. It plants a direction. I will — Commitment. A contract with yourself. Time-bound, specific, testable. This is where language stops being self-talk and becomes execution. Run your 1:1s through this lens. What do you know about this deal? What do you want to happen? What will you do in the next 48 hours? That is a coaching conversation. 7. Should → Could → Can → Will: The Language Ladder That Turns Avoidance into Action This is Andy's most immediately deployable tool for sales managers dealing with stalled activity, sandbagged pipeline, or reps who are busy without being productive. Should — moralises and parks. "I should call that enterprise account" means it will not happen. It creates guilt without commitment. It is where people store things they have decided not to do. Could — generates options. Crucially, Andy argues that you must start here with unlimited time, money, and resource. No constraints. Let the brain go wide. This is how you break out of small thinking. In team exercises, this is the brainstorm phase. Can — grounds in reality. Take the expanded could list and ask: what can we actually do, given current constraints? You typically get more options than if you'd started with can directly — because could first opens more neural pathways. Will — is the commitment. Specific. Time-bound. Testable. And Andy's observation from hundreds of workshops: the will is almost always a small, basic action that the person had been avoiding simply because they had never written it down. For sales leaders: run this sequence on any stalled deal, underperforming territory, or strategic initiative that has been sitting in should for more than two weeks. It takes fifteen minutes and it moves things. The Four Agreements Applied to Sales Leadership Marcus frames the episode's second half around Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements and their antithesis — a framework that maps precisely onto how high-performing versus underperforming sales cultures operate: Agreement What it looks like in a strong sales culture What the antithesis looks like in a broken one Be impeccable with your word Forecasts you can trust; commitments that stick CRM noise; happy-ears forecasting; overpromising Don't take anything personally Reps who hear objections as information Reps who go quiet after one rejection Don't make assumptions Proper discovery; testing hypotheses with buyers Pitching to an assumed need without qualification Always do your best Consistent activity; incremental improvement Effort contingent on mood or certainty of outcome   The antithesis that Marcus outlines is worth reading carefully as a diagnostic of cultural dysfunction: using language to protect yourself rather than communicate clearly; speaking to justify rather than clarify; making everything about yourself; filling information gaps with untested stories; and making effort conditional on comfort. If that describes your forecast calls, your deal reviews, or your 1:1s, this episode is the starting point for changing it. Reflect, Realise, Regulate: Why Acknowledging a Problem Is Not Step One Andy challenges the received wisdom that acknowledgement is the first step. His model: reflection comes first. Reflect — how did I show up? What is frustrating me? What brings me clarity? This is the diagnostic phase. Realise — who are the right people to involve? What behaviours am I responsible for? What choices do I actually have? Regulate — pick accordingly. Act from awareness, not reaction. This has direct application for sales leaders managing underperformers. Jumping to the problem — "your close rate is 12% and the team average is 28%" — before the rep has reflected produces defensiveness, not accountability. Create the conditions for reflection first. The numbers become a shared investigation rather than a verdict. The Start/Stop/Continue Framework and Where Sales Organisations Leave Most Value Marcus closes with a direct provocation: if you audit the dead work, the rework, and the pointless activity that most sales organisations inflict on themselves, you can recover 60–80% of your working week. The stop list is the highest-leverage intervention. Not because stopping things is easy, but because it creates the cognitive and calendar capacity to do the things that actually matter. Ask your team: what are you doing right now that if you stopped tomorrow, no one — including your customers — would notice? That conversation, done honestly, is worth more than most sales methodologies. A Five-Minute Exercise for You and Your Team Name one should that has been sitting on your list for more than two months. Generate five coulds — with no constraints. Strip it to two or three cans — given actual resources and time. Write one I will with a day and a time attached. Identify the one word in your vocabulary you will remove this week to stop yourself wriggling out of it. Do this in your next team meeting. Watch what surfaces. About Andy Wines Andy Wines is a fourth-generation entrepreneur, 20+ year US Army veteran, and mass resiliency trainer. He owns and operates a junk removal business and has built a speaking and consulting practice focused on the language of leadership and the psychology of performance. His first book, Words F**king Matter, identifies 13 phrases that are actively limiting performance. His second book, Stop Avoiding Your Numbers, is a guide to financial confidence for business owners. Andy is available on LinkedIn — his phone number and email are public and he actively responds. You can also reach him at andyweins.com.   #sales leadership #sales team language  #sales coaching #founder mindset #accountability in sales #B2B sales performance #sales productivity #sales culture #high performance sales teams #sales pipeline management #sales manager coaching #sales mindset Chapter Markers 7 Truly Insightful Moments for Sales Leaders and Founders Timestamp Chapter Title 0:00 Intro — Why the Words Your Team Uses Are Your Biggest Revenue Leak 2:00 Blame, Excuse, Denial: The Three Ways Salespeople Avoid Accountability 3:29 "Just" and "But": Two Words That Destroy Credibility Before the Call Has Started 7:35 Desires vs Expectations: Why Sales Leaders Who Set Expectations Fail Their Teams 10:19 Talking About Results vs Doing the Work — How to Spot Who Will and Won't Close 20:27 The Six Most Powerful Statements: A Framework for Accountable Sales Conversations 41:43 Should → Could → Can → Will: The Language Ladder That Kills Pipeline Avoidance 45:00 The Stop List — Recovering 60–80% of Your Team's Week by Removing the Right Things

Derek Champagne talks with Jason Ferguson. Jason Ferguson wasn't supposed to make it—not out of his neighborhood, not into a Division I lockerroom, and definitely not to a tech IPO. But he's never followed the script. A former University of Hawai‘i football player, Jason is now a Sales Leader, speaker, coach, and author of Nobody's Legend, a self-help memoirrooted in truth, pain, and resilience.Raised in West Los Angeles, Jason faced violence, loss, and long odds. Football became his escape, and his obsession. Despite being undersized, he earned a full-ride scholarship through grit, vision, and relentless work. But when injuries ended his career, the identity he'd built crumbled, and he spiraled into addiction behindclosed doors. Jason's journey is one of rebuilding. From silence to significance. Today, he's a Director ofSales at ServiceTitan, where he helped scale the company through its hypergrowth years and successful IPO. He also coaches early-stage tech founders, helping them build high-performing revenue teams and sustainable growth strategies—grounded not in theory, but lived experience.Jason speaks on emotional intelligence, mental resilience, and transforming adversity into advantage, bringing unfiltered truth to audiences ranging from students to C-suite leaders.Nobody's Legend isn't just a memoir. It's a raw, unapologetic roadmap through chaos, self-destruction, and the long climb back to purpose. Told with unfiltered honesty and cinematic detail, this is the true story of a former D1 athlete who lost it all—football, identity, family, self-worth—and still found a way to rebuild from rock bottom.Jason Ferguson takes you inside the mind of an addict mid-withdrawal, a teenager chasing dreams in the unforgiving streets of L.A., and a grown man staring down the voice in his head telling him he's not enough. What unfolds isn't a comeback story. It's a reintroduction to who he was always meant to be.This book goes beyond motivation. It's about the war between your ears—the lies you believe, the doubts you feed, and the habits that either bury you or build you. Whether it's walking into a sales job in an oversized suit with nothing to lose or running sprints up a sand dune at 4 AM chasing a vision no one else could see, Nobody'sLegend reminds you that your pain isn't proof you're broken. It's proof you're not done yet.It's about mindset. It's about radical accountability. It's about getting hit and getting back up with youridentity intact. And most of all, it's about reminding every underdog, former screw-up, or misunderstood soul outthere that you don't have to be famous to be legendary.Order a copy of Nobody's Legend: https://jfinspires.com/book/Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

If your revenue team is hitting a ceiling despite adding headcount and new tools, the problem isn't your people - it's your architecture. In this episode, Mike Allton sits down with Amanda Rubin, SVP of Revenue at Frameplay and former EVP of Growth at Enthusiast Gaming, where she drove four consecutive years of revenue growth. Amanda unpacks what she calls the "architect's mindset" - the long-view, systems-first approach that separates true Revenue Leaders from sales managers who are simply trying to hit this quarter's number. You'll hear how Amanda built scalable GTM frameworks from the ground up - first with nothing but a color-coded Google Sheet, and now with an AI-powered tech stack that eliminates admin drag and gives sellers back the time they need to actually sell. She breaks down exactly how she structures account lists, ladders sales teams, and deploys tools like We Flow, Fyxer AI, and Apollo to create a revenue engine that scales without breaking. What you'll walk away with: Why the difference between a Sales Leader and a Revenue Leader changes everything about how you build your org How to structure account tiers so no opportunity falls through the cracks The AI tech stack Amanda is architecting right now at Frameplay - and the honest truth about what it takes to implement it Connect with Amanda Rubin: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: We Flow - AI-powered activity tracking and pipeline intelligence Fyxer AI - AI email organization and post-meeting draft automation Apollo - Sales sequencing and outreach automation Download the free Executive Guide to Shadow AI: theaihat.com/shadow-ai CHAPTERS: 00:00 Meeting Follow Up Basics 00:23 Podcast Intro Theme 01:32 Welcome and Mission 01:56 Scaling Chaos Problem 02:33 Meet Amanda Rubin 04:05 Sales vs Revenue Leadership 05:53 Revenue Architect Mindset 07:07 GTM Narrative and Positioning 08:01 Designing the Sales Org 10:21 Frameworks That Break 11:14 Account Lists and CRM Discipline 12:44 Tiering and Activity Tracking 13:36 People Roles and Incentives 15:18 Enthusiast Gaming Playbook 17:29 Packaging and Storytelling 19:41 Building Seller Pods 22:07 Diagnosing Capacity Leaks 23:27 Support vs Sales Spend 24:29 AI for Spec Sheets 24:52 Wildfire GPT Brain 25:59 Shadow AI Governance 27:15 Fix Workflows First 27:42 WeFlow Setup and CRM 30:51 Conference Intelligence Dashboards 33:33 Fyxer Inbox and Followups 35:09 Apollo Sequences and Outreach 36:37 Frameplay Pitch and Audience 39:06 WeFlow Activity Warnings 41:25 Fail Fast Tool Decisions 42:56 Story Before Headcount 44:01 Connect on LinkedIn 44:42 Final Shadow AI Reminder Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Farrell, Sales Leader at Salesloft, joins John Golden to examine how AI is reshaping pipeline creation, deal execution, and revenue forecasting — without replacing the human trust factor that remains essential to closing high-value B2B deals. Drawing on 25 years of hands-on sales experience, David introduces his three-legged stool framework for diagnosing sales performance and makes a compelling case for why most organizations should buy purpose-built AI solutions rather than attempt to build their own. Learn more at https://www.salesloft.com/.

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

In this episode, Trey sits down with Scott Moak, multi-million dollar EB Producer and Sales Leader at Ross & Yerger. Scott shares his insights on building and recruiting top producers. Discover how culture, comp, and equity are the ultimate formula for growing a stable of top producers.Connect with Scott:smoak@rossandyerger.comResources & Links:

This is episode 830. Read the complete transcription on the Sales Game Changers Podcast website. Watch the video of this podcast on YouTube here. The Sales Game Changers Podcast was recognized by YesWare as the top sales podcast. Read the announcement here. FeedSpot named the Sales Game Changers Podcast at a top 20 Sales Podcast and top 8 Sales Leadership Podcast! Subscribe to the Sales Game Changers Podcast now on Apple Podcasts! Purchase Fred Diamond's best-sellers Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know and Insights for Sales Game Changers now! On today's show, Fred meets with Eric Appel, Worldwide Head of Sales; and Dean Scontras, Vice President, SLED at Island. Find Eric on LinkedIn. Find Dean on LinkedIn.  ERIC'S TIP: "Life rewards action. Always be moving forward, moving sideways, just be moving. Attacking accounts, learning about your customers, and discovering what's important to them only happens when you're active." DEAN'S TIP: "The true measure of a successful salesperson comes down to grit, and how they create qualified pipeline in a short amount of time. I do think grit directly transforms into how effectively you generate pipeline."

In this compelling episode, HR futurist Jim Stroud sits down with Dr. Deepak Bhootra of Sandler to explore the powerful intersection of talent acquisition, sales strategy, and leadership development. Tailored for recruiters and HR leaders, this conversation reveals how organizations can align hiring, training, and performance to drive measurable business results. Discover how consultative selling principles can transform recruiting, strengthen candidate relationships, and elevate workplace culture. Stroud and Bhootra share actionable insights on strategic communication, emotional intelligence, and building high-performing teams in today's competitive talent landscape. Whether you're a CHRO, talent acquisition professional, or HR strategist, this episode offers practical strategies to help you hire smarter, lead better, and deliver lasting impact. Contact Deepak Bhootra via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakbhootra/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most revenue teams believe they have a definedIdeal Customer profile (ICP), but the reality is far less precise, with the majority of pipeline often sitting outside the segments that actually drive retention and expansion. This disconnect creates inefficiency across marketing, sales, and customer success, and is only amplified by AI-driven outreach that scales poor targeting. Dan Sperring, founder and CEO of Align ICP, breaks down why ICP must evolve from a static definition into a dynamic operating system rooted in use cases, lifetime value, and market health. The conversation challenges traditional go-to-market structures, highlights the risks of misaligned incentives, and offers a clear framework for building predictable, durable growth. Dan Sperring is the founder and CEO of AlignICP, a company focused on helping revenue teams align around high-value customer segments to drive predictable growth. He brings experience across customer success, revenue leadership, and scaling SaaS businesses through product-market and go-to-market alignment. Connect with Dan: AlignICP LinkedIn Books mentioned: The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen The Innovator's Solution by Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross and ​​Marylou Tyler  Amp It Up by Frank Slootman Tools and podcasts mentioned: clay.com zoominfo.com The Science of Scaling Podcast Get the Force Management framework for aligning your ICP, sales motion, and customer lifecycle around high-value use cases and measurable business outcomes: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – What Dan Sperring really thinks about ICP and why 70% of pipeline is wasted before it even starts 14:12 – Why use case is the signal most teams miss and what actually predicts expansion and retention  23:37 – What high-performing ICPs all have in common and why most segments fail one of the three tests  25:21 – The hidden tradeoff between product-market fit and sales complexity that early teams underestimate  40:27 – A peek into what really breaks when sales and customer success are separated across the customer journey  56:06 – How top teams shift comp from bookings to LTV and what that unlocks in pipeline quality and predictability Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In today's episode, you'll discover: 1.     How modern sales leaders can build high-performing teams, leverage communication data, and create scalable systems that drive consistent revenue growth. 2.     By coaching your reps on optimizing conversations with AI-driven insights, you will learn practical strategies to help your organization thrive in a competitive market. 3.     How companies can scale their sales efforts without losing personalization. To support these three takeaways, I chose a quote from Barney Brown:  "We're using this term artificial intelligence, but in the role of selling and in our relationships, nothing about that relationship should be artificial. It should be genuine. So how we're thinking about it is how do we use generative AI to help our account teams become more effective and productive, so they can double down on their interpersonal and relationship skills." About Erich Hugunin: Erich Hugunin is the VP of Sales at Ringover, where he leads a high-performing sales team focused on driving growth through modern communication solutions. With extensive experience in scaling sales organizations, Erich specializes in leveraging data, technology, and coaching to improve performance and customer engagement. He is passionate about helping sales leaders adapt to today's evolving landscape and build teams that consistently exceed targets. How to Get in Touch with Erich Hugunin: Website: https://www.ringover.com/ Email:  erich.hugunin@ringover.com Gift: 7-Day Free Trial Stalk me online! Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman Communication Style Assessment (CSA)™:  https://changingthesalesgame.com/communication-style-assessment/ Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes are posted every week - listen as Connie delves into new sales and business topics or addresses problems you may have in your business.

Building a high-performing sales team in the insurance industry has never been harder. With veteran producers nearing retirement and green rookies years away from validation, agency leaders are stuck deciding where to invest their recruiting efforts. Should you chase the established "lone wolf" or train the hungry newcomer?My guest, Nancy Grasso, Regional Vice President for Growth at OneDigital, joins me to share her no-nonsense approach to recruiting, mentoring, and leading top-tier producers. We discuss why she refuses to hire "name-droppers," how to test a candidate's true grit during the interview process, and the exact "sweet spot" of experience you should look for in your next hire. We also break down how to structure a mentorship program that actually produces results, rather than just enriching the mentor. If you are struggling to build a sales team that opens doors and closes business, this episode is your blueprint.▶▶ Sign Up For Your Free Discovery Callcompletegameu.com/agaKEY MOMENTS(00:00:00) Nancy's Accidental Entry into Insurance (00:02:42) The Power of an Opinion: Why Consultants Close and Brokers Quote (00:07:16) Training Clients to Expect Spreadsheets (And How to Stop) (00:09:17) Experiencing OneDigital's Growth from $50M to $2B (00:11:59) The Transition from Top Producer to Sales Leader (00:15:30) The Recruiting Playbook: The Three Buckets of Producer Talent (00:17:55) How to Build a Mentorship Program That Actually Works (00:20:20) The Hard Truth About Sales: Underestimating the C-Suite Divorce (00:26:58) Testing for Grit: How to Spot a "Name-Dropper" Before You Hire Them (00:30:13) Why Curiosity is the Ultimate Predictor of Sales Success (00:32:43) How to Keep a Million-Dollar Producer Motivated (00:37:21) The Evolution of the Benefits Sale: From Medical Quotes to Total HR (00:41:14) Nancy's Lightning Round: Time Blocking, The "Cut The Crap" Podcast, and CardioCONNECT WITH ANDY NEARY

In this week's episode, I am happy to re-introduce you to “The Sales Series,” to bring you just a few of the top moments from Top Sales Leaders who have joined me on The 20% Podcast. Today we will be covering clips from 5 guest episodes, but it is actually highlighting 6 incredible human beings:5. Alexine Mudawar/Lori Richardson: Getting Into Sales (Episode 143)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/143-the-past-present-and-future-of-women-in/id1528398541?i=1000613048881 4. John Barrows: Energy Management (Episode 104)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/104-we-have-to-earn-everything-with-john-barrows-the/id1528398541?i=1000576107250 3. Nick Cegelski: Protect Your Time (Episode 58)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/58-nick-cegelski-starting-30-minutes-to-presidents/id1528398541?i=1000536716697 2. Jen Allen: Solving The “Why” of The Problem (Episodes 79 and 107)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/107-how-everyone-can-be-a-challenger-with-jen-allen/id1528398541?i=1000578397112 1. Ian Koniak: Self-Care (Episodes 63 and 108)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/108-getting-stronger-in-moments-of-pain-with-ian-koniak/id1528398541?i=1000579176703 Enjoy this week's episode!____________________________________________________________________________I am now in the early stages of writing my first book! In this book, I will be telling my story of getting into sales and the lessons I have learned so far, and intertwine stories, tips, and advice from the Top Sales Professionals In The World! As a first time author, I want to share these interviews with you all, and take you on this book writing journey with me! Like the show? Subscribe to the email: https://mailchi.mp/a71e58dacffb/welcome-to-the-20-podcast-communityI want your feedback!Reach out to 20percentpodcastquestions@gmdail.com, or find me on LinkedIn.If you know anyone who would benefit from this show, share it along! If you know of anyone who would be great to interview, please drop me a line!Enjoy the show!

The Social Media Information Trap with Darren PadgettDarren Padgett, Founder and CEO of NCKTR Business Solutions. Egos are checked at the door, I value ethics over shortcuts, and I help businesses grow, transform, and thrive— none of the BS you see ads and influencers try to sell courses on, just results.Link:https://dnabusinessco.com/Tags:Business Connections,Business Consulting,Business Operations,Business Strategy,Consulting,E-Commerce,Leadership Consultant,Logistics,Sales Leader,Software as a Service (SaaS),The Social Media Information Trap with Darren Padgett,Live Video Podcast Interview,Interview,Podcast Support PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page

Wendell Santiago is a Commercial Real Estate executive and Sales Manager at Realty Capital Advisors, where he leads client relationships, site identification, acquisitions, and leasing across multiple markets and asset classes. He serves as a trusted advisor to clients, guiding projects from market analysis and site tours through due diligence, approvals, leasing, and construction coordination. In addition to his real estate leadership, Wendell directs firmwide marketing efforts, developing LinkedIn and email campaigns, branding, signage, and SEO-driven content to increase market exposure and generate deal flow. With a strong entrepreneurial background and over two decades of experience in operations, finance, and real estate, Wendell is known for his action-oriented approach, ability to navigate complex approvals, and talent for building long-term, high-trust client relationships. Key Points: Success Comes from Taking Action A core philosophy: nothing happens without action. Brokers must make calls , visit properties and physically walk spaces. Confidence comes from hands-on knowledge, not theory. How His Team Doubled Revenue Wendell's team grew leasing volume from ~$9M to ~$24.9M by: ·       Anticipating Market Shifts ·       Solving Problems Proactively ·       Adapting to Demand Trends ·       Positioning the Market Leadership & Team Management Salespeople are the "eyes and ears" of the business.  Strong leaders listen closely to field feedback  and use that insight to guide strategy. Wendell maintains credibility by staying hands-on (showings, tours).  Leveraging Interns as a Force Multiplier Interns handle prospecting , list building and cold calling. At peak: 1,000+ outbound calls/week from interns alone. Brokers focus on closing, not dialing. The Biggest Frustration: Poor Follow-Up Wendell's #1 issue with salespeople is dropping the ball on follow-up, especially frustrating when leads are already warm or handed to them. Wendell feels the root problem is confusion between activity (busy work)  and productivity (closing deals). Critical Sales Lesson: Ask for the Meeting Many salespeople fail at a basic step: asking for the meeting. Even with warm leads, they hesitate. If you don't ask, someone else will . Accountability & Performance Culture Wendell discusses his strong belief in setting clear expectations and consequences for inaction. Bottom line: results matter. Core Philosophy ·        Be proactive, not reactive ·        Stay close to the market ·        Act quickly on opportunities ·        Support your team—but expect performance  Bottom Line Success in sales (and leadership) comes from action + awareness + accountability.     About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus, and revenue generation experts. Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs. If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let's talk. Click here to schedule a time. Please subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and check out our website at https://gosalesology.com/. 

SDRs often feel disconnected from leadership decisions — especially when it comes to quotas, activity expectations, and pipeline goals. In this episode, Brandon breaks down the leadership perspective behind these decisions, explaining how quotas are built from revenue targets, why activity drives predictability, and why pipeline quality matters more than most reps realize. You'll also learn how leadership balances forecasting, hiring, and performance — and why expectations are often higher than they seem fair. If you want to grow faster in your sales career, understanding how leadership thinks is one of the biggest advantages you can have.

In this weeks' Scale Your Sales Podcast episode, my guest is Anna Bella. She is a Sales Leader with over 13 years of leadership experience, spending the last 7 building & scaling SDR teams across EMEA and APAC at high growth SaaS companies including Redis and Snyk. She drives measurable revenue impact through cross-functional collaboration, AI-powered outreach, accountbased strategies, and performance frameworks. She is a Board Member at Buckinghamshire Business School, member of the Women in Tech Forum and SDR Leaders of EMEA. In today's episode of Scale Your Sales podcast, Anna brings over a decade of experience building and scaling sales development teams across EMEA and APAC. They discuss leadership in an AI-driven landscape, focusing on the importance of empathy, accountability, coaching, and culture in enabling high-performing teams and retaining top talent. The conversation also addresses increasing female representation in sales and technology leadership, offering practical guidance on career development, AI adoption, networking, and mentorship. Welcome to Scale Your Sales Podcast, Anna Bella.   Timestamps: 00:00 Empathy-Driven Leadership and AI 05:16 Initiative and AI Super Users 08:29 Advocating Women in Tech Sales 13:58 Women's Empowerment in Leadership 17:21 Stretch, Challenge, and Change 20:51 Onboarding, Retention, and Growth 24:20 Culture: The Ultimate Differentiator 28:11 Coachable Team for Sales Success 29:29 Empathy and Accountability Leadership 32:56 Empathy Unlocks Team Potential   https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabella85/   About the Host Janice B Gordon is the award-winning Customer Growth Expert, founder of the Scale Your Sales Framework, and host of the Scale Your Sales Podcast. She helps CEOs, founders and revenue leaders grow sustainable revenue by aligning leadership, sales and customer experience through her North Star Leadership approach. Named one of LinkedIn Sales' Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow and a Top Global Thought Leader on Customer Experience, Janice works with organisations worldwide to rethink how revenue grows. Connect with Janice Book Janice to speak at your next sales or leadership event https://janicebgordon.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon Scale Your Sales Podcast https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast Enjoy the episode? Share your takeaway in the comments and leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help more leaders discover the show.

This is episode 822. Read the complete transcription on the Sales Game Changers Podcast website. Watch the video of this podcast on YouTube here. The Sales Game Changers Podcast was recognized by YesWare as the top sales podcast. Read the announcement here. FeedSpot named the Sales Game Changers Podcast at a top 20 Sales Podcast and top 8 Sales Leadership Podcast! Subscribe to the Sales Game Changers Podcast now on Apple Podcasts! Purchase Fred Diamond's best-sellers Love, Hope, Lyme: What Family Members, Partners, and Friends Who Love a Chronic Lyme Survivor Need to Know and Insights for Sales Game Changers now! On today's show, we interviewed Louise McEvoy, Senior Vice President, Global Channel Sales at Keyfactor. Find Louise on LinkedIn.  LOUISE'S TIP: "Bring your best self every time. If you've done everything you can, then the outcome isn't failure, it's just part of the journey."

Are you craving a breakthrough moment to transform your leadership, confidence, and career trajectory, but secretly worry you might not be cut out for the challenge? In this electrifying episode, Steve Acorn sits down with Abby Metzger, the all-time sales and production record holder for Ohio, and living proof that mindset and grit override privilege or luck. You'll discover how Abby went from small-town student to earning $45,000 as a freshman, outpacing every manager in forty years and learning the often-painful secrets of true leadership. Expect raw breakdowns of highs and lows, including near-mutiny moments, unstoppable motivation, and practical tools for unlocking next-level results. Listen now and don't wait. If you want to avoid mediocrity, get ahead of your peers, and understand what separates good from legendary, these insights could change everything. This episode is packed with exclusive, actionable wisdom you won't hear anywhere else.     Timestamped Highlights 00:00 – Abby reveals the surprising truth about what real leadership means and why empathy—not control—is the ultimate power move 05:40 – How a bold study-abroad goal turned hustle into victory, and what happens when you bet on yourself 14:00 – Near-disaster: Abby's team threatens to quit—hear the pivotal lesson she'll share in every future job interview 18:07 – Incentive secrets: How Abby's unconventional rewards and ice cream breaks unlocked $60,000 in two weeks 26:39 – Crushing records: Her honest confession about wanting to shatter the previous Ohio sales leader's legacy 30:56 – The tough preseason grind nobody talks about—how losing an $11,000 job actually set up a game-changing comeback 40:30 – The expensive mistake: What happens when you don't color-test paint and why owning the fix became her power story 44:01 – Elite job offers: Abby reveals how her business story landed her a prized career at PwC in New York, and how you can replicate her pitch 46:26 – Abby's rapid-fire advice for new interns from radical ownership to selling yourself, not just your product     About the Guest Abby Metzger is a senior at The Ohio State University, slated to join PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in New York City as a Deals Transformation Associate. She holds the all-time Ohio sales and production record for YEAA's Student Painters, earning $45,000 while running a six-figure painting business as a freshman and was named Ohio Manager of the Year. Abby is recognized for her uncommon drive, championship mindset, and ability to turn adversity into advantage for herself and her team.

What you'll learn in this episode: ● Why hiring because of a “pain point” often creates bigger problems ● The danger of too many specialists too early in business ● How systems create consistency—and consistency creates momentum ● Why simplifying your business can increase profitability ● The real reason 50% of hires don't work out (and what to do about it) ● The SCARLET hiring framework: Self-starter, Competitive, Assertive, Relationship-based, Learning-based, Team player ● How removing friction in your processes leads to predictable success If you've ever felt capable but inconsistent in your income, this episode will show you how leadership, systems, and the right people close the gap between effort and results.