Podcasts about sales leadership

Send us Fan MailClayton Mouney joins Joey Pinz for a powerful conversation on leadership, accountability, entrepreneurship, and where the MSP industry is heading next.

This is episode 854. Read the complete transcription on the Sales Game Changers Podcast website. This is a Women in Sales Leadership sub-brand of the Sales Game Changers Podcast.  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, Gina meets with Elisabeth De Dobbeleer, Senior Vice President of Partner Programs at Cisco. Find Elisabeth on LinkedIn. ELISABETH'S TIP: "Don't let the little voice in your head tell you, 'You can't do it. It's too early.' You should really not allow all these self-limiting beliefs to stop you. You should be bold and ambitious in terms of what you're able to achieve and what you're able to do."

In this minisode, we hear from Lou Shipley, a three-time CEO, Harvard Business School professor, and author who has spent his career building and scaling venture-backed companies. This clip focuses on a critical mistake early-stage founders make: delegating sales before they truly understand the problem they're solving. Lou walks through how he validated a company by getting directly in front of customers, why founders have to act as the first salesperson, and how real product-market fit only emerges through those early conversations. For leaders, this is a reminder that sales is not something you hand off. It's how you learn, refine, and prove the business. Lou Shipley is a three-time CEO, Harvard Business School professor, and author of Unlikely Entrepreneurs. He has led multiple startups and previously taught sales at MIT. Connect with Lou:  LinkedIn Website Resources mentioned: Unlikely Entrepreneurs: Wins, Losses, and Crucial Lessons on Building Great Companies by N. Louis Shipley and Patricia Favreau Listen to the full episode: Sales as the System and Why Founders Must Own the Problem with Lou Shipley 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 this milestone episode (400), Andrea Samadi celebrates seven years of the Neuroscience Meets SEL Podcast with her husband Majid Samadi. They reflect on the journey of translating neuroscience into practical strategies for performance, learning, and well-being. Together they review core lessons — everything begins with the brain, safety before performance, how thoughts shape biology, the power of movement, recovery as a performance strategy, and the central role of relationships and support. Majid also shares leadership insights from his decades in educational sales, including stress management, motivation, continuous learning, and the guiding motto: do the right thing. They close by looking ahead to the next phase on movement, learning and cognition and invite listeners to subscribe for future episodes. Sales Leadership Under Pressure: Applying the Neuroscience of High Performance to Real-World Leadership Guest: Majid Samadi Listen to YouTube interview here https://youtu.be/SSZH3qwPqf8 Intro: Top 7 Lessons from the past 7 years Guest: Majid Samadi (Interview begins at 10:16) EP 400: Sales Leadership Under Pressure with Majid Samadi In this milestone 400th episode, Andrea welcomes back her husband, Majid Samadi, who first appeared on Episode 1 when the podcast launched in 2019. Together, they reflect on seven years, fifteen seasons, and 400 episodes of exploring the neuroscience behind achievement, leadership, learning, motivation, and human potential. In this episode, we will cover: ✔ The Top 7 Lessons Learned from 7 Years and 400 Episodes ✔ Why understanding the brain changes the way we learn, lead, and perform ✔ The neuroscience of stress, self-regulation, and leadership under pressure ✔ How high-performing leaders sustain motivation without burning out ✔ The connection between movement, learning, cognition, and peak performance ✔ Why relationships are the foundation of leadership and long-term success ✔ The role trust plays in building high-performing teams ✔ Leadership lessons learned through organizational change, uncertainty, and growth ✔ How the definition of success evolves over a lifetime and career ✔ Why no meaningful achievement happens alone As Andrea reflects on the lessons learned from hundreds of conversations with neuroscientists, educators, physicians, psychologists, business leaders, and peak performers, she shares the one lesson that stands above all the rest: Behind every meaningful accomplishment is someone who believed in you enough to help you keep going. Welcome back to Season 15 of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast. I'm Andrea Samadi, and on this podcast, we bridge the science behind social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and practical neuroscience so we can create measurable improvements in well-being, achievement, productivity, and results. Over the past 399 episodes, we've explored the neuroscience behind performance, learning, stress, motivation, and human potential. For this milestone Episode 400, I wanted to do something different. Instead of interviewing another neuroscientist, or reviewing past episodes, we're going to explore what happens when these ideas are applied in the real world. Joining me is someone listeners heard on EP 1[i] my husband, Majid Samadi, where we laid out the framework for future episodes, EP 200[ii] (Why we launched this podcast), and EP 300[iii] (a special episode with my Mom, Hazel MacPhail, where she taught us “how to live the good life”). I'll never forget EP 1, when I asked Majid if he would record with me to help me to launch this podcast thing I wanted to start. He had just come home from working LAUSD (in California) and he put his suit jacket on my desk, and sat down in front of the microphone. I showed him the questions I would ask him, and off we went. I learned that when you start something, it doesn't have to be perfect. Just start. What 15 Seasons Taught Me Before we begin today's conversation, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what I've learned over the past seven years and 400 episodes of the Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast. I had sketched out a framework, and had some ideas of what I wanted to cover on at least the first 50 episodes. When I started this idea in 2019, I thought I was creating a platform to share neuroscience research (as it connected to Social and Emotional Learning). What I didn't realize was that the journey would change me. After hundreds of interviews with neuroscientists, physicians, educators, psychologists, business leaders, and peak performers, there are a few lessons that stand above all the rest. I'll always say it took me 50 episodes to get started. I found it really difficult to ask questions and breathe at the same time. Lesson #1: Everything begins with the brain. Whether we're talking about achievement, learning, leadership, health, relationships, or performance, success starts with understanding how the brain works. When we understand the brain, we stop fighting ourselves and start working with ourselves. We all have our own journey here. Mine started when an educator, Jeff Kleck, from EP 246[iv] challenged me to add neuroscience to my work. This was around 2014 when I had partnered with AZ Department of Education with a character ed/leadership program, and Jeff Kleck told me that I wouldn't go wrong if I wrote a whole new book that focused on the brain and learning. That's when I sat down, and started to study some of the leading researchers in this field. I've heard similar stories from other authors like Dr. Doug Fisher, who told me that he sat in classes with medical students to unwrap how the brain learns best. Lesson #2: Safety comes before performance. One of the most important themes of Season 15 has been that a dysregulated nervous system cannot perform at its best. Before growth, before learning, before leadership, the brain must feel safe. This lesson applies in our homes, our schools, our workplaces, and our relationships. I'll never forget asking Dr. David Stephen on EP 388[v] about a situation where I was under unusual stress, and my eyesight (or ability to read) stopped working. He explained the neuroscience behind this example, that I'll never forget and his solution to my problem that was to eat glucose before any important meeting or presentation. Lesson #3: Our thoughts become biology. Through experts like Dr. Caroline Leaf, Bob Proctor, Dawson Church, and many others, I learned that our thoughts are not just ideas. They influence our chemistry, our attention, our habits, and ultimately our results. What we repeatedly think becomes what we repeatedly do. This one I've believed since my days working in the seminar industry with Bob Proctor. He would hammer this concept into everyone's mind in every seminar. I just always thought this was something he really believed in, until I heard the SAME thing from Dr. Caroline Leaf, and Dr. Korotkov from Russia. It's also behind Dr. Joe Dispenza's work. To this day, I watch the words I think and say out loud. Lesson #4: Movement changes the brain. This lesson became personal. The science is clear: movement improves attention, memory, mood, resilience, and learning. But over the years, I experienced it firsthand through hiking, walking, strength training, and building daily movement into my life. This is how I've always been. I remember putting on my rollerblades when I was 16 and rollerblading to the local YMCA that wasn't really in my neighborhood. Motivation got me moving. Movement changed my brain. And this is how I still find the energy to sit at my desk and write podcasts episodes every Saturday. I have to exercise (or move) first, and then I can create. Over time this has probably been my healthiest habits. Lesson #5: Recovery drives performance. For years I focused on doing more. The neuroscience taught me something different. Growth doesn't happen during effort. Growth happens during recovery. Sleep, stress regulation, recovery, and reflection are not luxuries—they are performance strategies. This took me years to finally put into practice. Lesson #6: Relationships change everything. If there is one lesson that appears in every field of neuroscience, it is this: We are wired for connection. The quality of our relationships influences our health, happiness, resilience, leadership, and longevity. And that brings me to perhaps the most important lesson of all. Lesson #7: No meaningful achievement happens alone. People often see the finished podcast episode. They don't see the support system behind it. For 400 episodes, there has been one person supporting this mission from behind the scenes. My husband, Majid. While I was researching, writing, recording, editing, and building this platform, Majid was encouraging me when things were difficult, celebrating the wins, offering perspective when I needed it, and helping me continue when the path wasn't always clear. Many of these episodes were written because someone believed in me enough to keep me going. The podcast may have my name on it, but it has always been supported by both of us. As we celebrate Episode 400, that's the lesson I want to leave everyone with. Achievement is rarely a solo journey. Behind every meaningful accomplishment is a person, a mentor, a teacher, a spouse, a friend cheering you along the way from the sidelines, or a community that helped make it possible. The neuroscience taught me how the brain works. Life taught me that relationships are what make everything work. And that's why there is no better person to join me for Episode 400 than Majid Samadi. Welcome Majid! Thank you for taking the time to record this milestone episode with me. I know your time is limited. Before we get started, can  you share what it is that you do when you are not being strong armed to record podcast episodes for me? So, we have been covering 5 phases in Season 15, showing how the brain comes online and changes with each phase. So I've got some questions for you that will cover each phase. Does that sound good?

Enterprise AI buying has moved quickly, but durable adoption still depends on context, security, workflow fit, and measurable business impact. Daniel Simon, Enterprise Account Executive at Glean, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to discuss what it takes to sell AI in complex enterprise environments, why multi-threading matters more when buyers are evaluating broad organizational change, and how strong sellers build trust by tying use cases to productivity, governance, and ROI instead of relying on product excitement alone. Daniel Simon is an Enterprise Account Executive at Glean, where he works with large enterprises on AI adoption, knowledge discovery, and productivity across complex organizations. He brings experience selling enterprise technology into multi-stakeholder buying environments. Connect with Dan: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: The Qualified Sales Leader by by John McMahon  The Go-Giver by by Bob Burg  Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Introduction 02:40 – What it really takes to move from product fluency to business impact in enterprise sales. 06:35 – Why many sellers mistake a strong champion for a qualified enterprise deal. 08:47 – A look inside how AI can expose qualification gaps without replacing sales fundamentals. 18:12 – What leaders often overlook about context as the real differentiator in enterprise AI. 30:51 – Why face-to-face engagement quietly creates leverage in a crowded AI market. 42:58 – Dan Simon's perspective on why consumption-based pricing raises the bar for customer success. 57:12 – Why AI will amplify strong sales discipline and expose weak execution. 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

Mary Jane Gibson interviews Blazy Susan VP of Sales Shuang Han on the brand's evolution from a pink-themed tribute into a global, woman-focused smoking accessories leader known for its iconic spinning tray and rose wraps. Han outlines the company's expansion into European and Canadian markets, its commitment to community-supported colorways, and a "non-plant-touching" strategy that aims for mainstream retail. Chapters: 00:00:06 - Blazy Susan: Feminine Design in Cannabis Accessories 00:02:39 - Blazy Susan's Accessories and Product Line 00:04:29 - Starting a Career in Cannabis Industry 00:05:20 - From Startup Operations to Sales Leadership 00:07:00 - International Expansion to Canada and Europe00:08:09 - Cannabis Industry Challenges and Women's Leadership 00:10:29 - Women-Focused Cannabis Brand and Self-Care 00:12:27 - Future Plans and Where to Shop Online 00:13:45 - Women's Representation in Cannabis Industry WEBSITE: https://cannatechtoday.com/Make sure to follow our other social media platforms to stay up-to-date on all things Cannabis & Tech Today.https://twitter.com/cannatechtodayhttps://www.facebook.com/CannaTechTodayhttps://www.instagram.com/cannatechtoday

In this today's segment, Dan Sperring, founder and CEO of Align ICP, breaks down a mistake most revenue leaders make when defining their ideal customer profile. The instinct is to chase the highest lifetime value customers, but those segments are often the hardest to win, the slowest to close, and the first to break when the market shifts. This clip focuses on how to balance three critical factors inside your ICP: lifetime value, ease of acquisition, and market health. Dan explains why ignoring any one of these creates pipeline risk, and how leaders can avoid over-rotating into segments that look great on paper but fail in execution. For leaders responsible for predictable growth, this is about making smarter tradeoffs, not just better targeting. 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 Listen to the full episode: Aligning Pipeline to Ideal Customer Profile with Dan Sperring 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 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

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

Consumption pricing and AI adoption are forcing revenue teams to prove value faster, with less room to hide behind contracts, pilots, or broad technical promises. Seong Park, Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to examine how customer success has become a consultative, technical, and commercial function in modern go-to-market. The conversation explores why post-sale execution is now central to retention, how teams need to embed into customer workflows, what finance scrutiny means for consumption models, and why the fundamentals of pain, champions, outcomes, and evidence still matter in a market moving at unusual speed. Seong Park is the Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor. His background spans pre-sales, customer success, and go-to-market leadership across companies including MongoDB, ThoughtSpot, and now Cursor. Connect with Seong: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Seong Park's perspective on how pre-sales, open source SaaS, and customer success shaped his view of enterprise go-to-market. 02:26 – Why consumption models force revenue teams to re-earn the customer's business through usage and realized value. 08:00 – The value realization test every revenue leader should care about: what happens if the solution gets unplugged. 11:04 – Why workflow depth quietly becomes a moat in enterprise accounts. 18:04 – Why the real selling often starts after the customer signs. 23:50 – A look inside where Cursor is finding technical go-to-market talent, and what it takes to build that talent into customer-facing operators. 34:38 – Why finance scrutiny quietly changes the standard of proof for AI investments. 52:00 – The three things post-sale teams need to understand before value delivery can begin. 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

What you'll learn in this episode: ● Why leadership levels change depending on relationships and trust ● How leaders can operate at different leadership levels with different people ● The role adaptability plays in effective leadership ● Why some successful organizations lose their direction over time ● How ego can quietly sabotage leadership growth ● The importance of understanding people before trying to lead them    

High-performing teams need trust before the pressure hits. Lindsay Shookus spent 20 years at Saturday Night Live, including 10 years as a producer, where every week required a team of writers, cast members, celebrity hosts, musicians, producers, and crew to create a live show in six days. In this conversation, Lindsay joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to share what SNL taught her about building trust quickly, hiring people who elevate the room, reading talent under pressure, and creating a process that allows strong personalities to perform together. She also shares leadership lessons from Lorne Michaels, the importance of adaptability and coachability, and why authentic connection gives teams the confidence to take risks when the stakes are highest. Lindsay Shookus spent 20 years at Saturday Night Live, including 10 years as a producer, where she led talent booking, worked with celebrity hosts and musical guests, and helped scout and recruit cast members. She is a four-time Emmy Award winner, a former producer on 30 Rock, and the co-founder of Women Work Hard, a community supporting female entrepreneurs and leaders. Connect with Lindsay: Website Resources mentioned: Women Work Hard on IG Women Work Hard Website Rethinking Success by J. Douglas Holladay Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 - Introduction 06:25 - What it really takes to build trust quickly when high-performing people have only days to align. 14:22 - Why many leaders misread talent when they rely on credentials instead of team fit, coachability, and social awareness. 07:55 - A look inside how high-pressure decisions get made when timing is tight and every stakeholder has a point of view. 11:46 - Why hiring people who can take your job quietly raises the standard for the entire organization. 37:35 - What leaders often overlook about coachability once someone has already reached the top of their field. 43:49 - Lindsay Shookus' perspective on why vulnerability creates stronger leadership connections than polished perfection. 51:36 - Why strategic absence can make a leader's presence more valuable. 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

What if the biggest thing holding you back in sales isn't your pricing, offer, or marketing—but how you see yourself? In this episode, I share the key lessons from the first Sell With Confidence Challenge. After four days of live sales training, the women didn't leave talking about scripts or closing techniques—they left talking about leadership. They learned to overcome awkwardness in sales conversations, to stop seeing sales as pressure and start seeing it as serving others. They discovered how to communicate their value confidently and guide people to decisions that genuinely help them. Inside this episode, you'll discover: Why confidence comes from preparation, not personality The mindset shift that turns sales from “bothering” into serving Why many Christian women struggle more with permission than integrity How communication—not persuasion—is the missing link in sales Why leadership is the true skill behind successful selling How understanding buyer personalities transforms sales conversations Hear stories from women who shifted from feeling unprepared or pushy to becoming confident leaders in their sales journeys. If you've ever felt uncomfortable asking for the sale, worried about being too pushy, or heard “I need to think about it” more times than you'd like, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways: Confidence is built through preparation Sales is service—not pressure Communication is a leadership skill Buyers want guidance, not convincing Selling is really about leading Join the Sell With Confidence waitlist for the September 2026 cohort at: https://lindsayfletcher.co/waitlist

Are your customers quietly choosing your competitors because of the way you negotiate, quote, or communicate—without you even realizing it?Many trade business owners believe negotiation is all about defending price or being the toughest person at the table. But the reality is that most sales are won or lost long before a formal negotiation begins.In this episode you'll discover:Learn the three powerful negotiation levers—time, power, and knowledge—and how to use them to win more deals without discounting.Discover how slowing down, educating customers, and asking better questions can eliminate many price negotiations before they start.Understand how to position your expertise in a way that builds trust, increases perceived value, and helps customers feel confident choosing your business.Listen now to uncover a simple negotiation framework that can help you close more jobs, reduce price resistance, and grow your sales with greater confidence.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales

Sales kickoffs can become expensive calendar events if leaders are not clear on what the gathering is meant to accomplish. In this Revenue Builders replay, John McMahon shares his perspective on how CEOs and CROs should think about SKOs, from motivating the sales force and aligning teams around company goals to delivering training that actually prepares reps to execute. He also explains why peer-to-peer knowledge transfer is often the hidden value of bringing the sales organization together, why product presentations should only happen when the value proposition is clear, and how leaders can motivate reps by speaking directly to their daily challenges, career aspirations, and earning potential. John McMahon is a five-time CRO who has led revenue organizations at PTC, GeoTel, Ariba, BladeLogic, and BMC. He is the author of The Qualified Sales Leader and co-host of Revenue Builders, where he brings operator-level perspective on building and scaling enterprise sales teams.  Connect with John: LinkedIn Book 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

Are you unknowingly rushing your sales process and losing deals that should have been yours?Many trade business owners rely on their technical expertise and years of experience to win work, but experience alone doesn't guarantee strong close rates.If you're spending hours quoting, chasing leads, and wondering why more jobs aren't converting, these mindset shifts could be the missing piece.Listeners will discover how to:Focus their time on the sales activities that generate the greatest impact and improve close ratesBuild stronger customer relationships by bringing genuine care and personality into every sales conversationCreate momentum through small, repeatable improvements that compound into significant sales growth over timePress play now to learn the three mindset habits that can help you stop rushing deals, build trust faster, and consistently win more profitable work.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales

In this empowering episode, Jacquelyn Goldberg, VP of Global Sales at Unframe, shares her journey from venture-backed tech sales into the fast-moving world of AI. Jacquelyn opens up about navigating leadership in male-dominated industries, the importance of emotional intelligence in sales, and why women bring unique strengths to relationship-building and advocacy. She also reflects on the role mentorship, community, and organizations like Chief have played in helping her cultivate meaningful female leadership connections throughout her career. Jacquelyn also gives listeners an inside look at Unframe, an AI-managed delivery platform helping enterprises solve operational challenges quickly and effectively. From transforming workflows for companies like Cushman & Wakefield to redefining how businesses adopt AI solutions, she explains how Unframe is approaching innovation differently. The conversation also dives into motherhood, ambition, work-life balance, and what it truly means to be an empowered woman — someone who trusts herself. This episode is packed with honest insights, leadership wisdom, and inspiration for women building careers, businesses, and confidence in today's evolving world. Connect with Jacquelyn:Website: www.unframe.ai LinkedIn: Jacquelyn Goldberg Let's keep the conversation going!Website: www.martaspirk.com Instagram: @martaspirk Facebook: Marta Spirk Want to be my next guest on The Empowered Woman Podcast?Apply here: www.martaspirk.com/podcastguest  Watch my TEDx talk: www.martaspirk.com/Speaking  

Enterprise sales breaks down when teams confuse activity with progress, champions with coaches, or product interest with business urgency. Stuart Gwynn, a top-performing enterprise seller at MongoDB, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to unpack what separates disciplined enterprise execution from deal chasing. Drawing from his path from SDR at Pure Storage to closing the largest deal in MongoDB history, Stuart explains why discovery is the foundation of value-based selling, how to test whether a champion will actually sell internally, and why large deals require multiple stakeholders, rigorous qualification, and a team operating around a shared account vision. He also shares how elite individual contributors lead without formal management titles, where AI is already changing buyer expectations, and why process only works when it is paired with judgment. Stuart Gwynn is an enterprise sales leader at MongoDB who has exceeded goal every year since joining the company in 2019. Before MongoDB, he spent seven years at Pure Storage, rising from SDR to named account rep and finishing as one of the company's top performers before moving into strategic enterprise selling. Connect with Stuart: LinkedIn Episodes mentioned: The Discipline Behind Scaling from PLG to Enterprise with Sahir Azam Why Sales Execution Wins in an AI-First World with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Cursor Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – What it really takes to combine a rigorous value framework with the human judgment required to scale enterprise selling. 02:42 – Why discovery becomes the moment where real pain, executive relevance, and budget-worthy outcomes either surface or disappear. 07:59 – What leaders often overlook about the trust required before customers will quantify the true cost of a problem. 11:28 – Why champion identification quietly determines whether a deal has internal momentum or only surface-level support. 21:35 – The mistake many sellers make when pipeline pressure pushes them toward activity instead of disciplined qualification. 18:50 – A look inside the preparation habits that help enterprise teams align before high-stakes customer conversations. 56:25 – Why many leaders get top-talent management wrong by applying the same operating rhythm to every rep. 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

Are you losing sales before you even get the chance to present your quote properly?From poor first impressions to rushed quoting processes and weak follow-up systems, these small mistakes quietly destroy close rates and leave business owners frustrated after spending hours quoting work that never converts.If you've ever felt like you're working harder than ever but not seeing enough signed jobs, this conversation will hit home.Listeners will learn how to:Identify the three most common sales mistakes causing trade businesses to lose jobsImprove customer engagement by matching buyer excitement and building stronger trust from the first interactionCreate a more effective quoting and follow-up process that increases close rates and revenue per dealPress play now to discover the practical sales fixes that can help you stop wasting quotes, win more jobs, and grow your trade business faster.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales

Send us Fan MailMeet Ash Seddeek, a globally recognized executive coach and change leadership advisor with over 15 years of experience helping leaders drive transformation through compelling communication and strategic influence. Ash has coached senior teams at Cisco, Uber, Google, Boston Scientific, San Francisco International Airport and Doosan Bobcat. A former leader at Deloitte, Oracle, and Cisco, Ash blends deep expertise in executive presence, strategic facilitation, and change sponsorship. Ash is also an Amazon bestselling author and creator of leadership frameworks such as Chief Excitement Officers (CExOs) and Exponential Value Moments (EVMs) through which he equips leaders to lead with clarity, align stakeholders, and inspire action. Ash is a two-time Fulbright Scholar, linguist, AI fintech inventor, and entrepreneur. Ash is currently also working on a passionate AI startup Intelligent Context AI. Hit play for the lowdown! [4:26s] Fulbright Scholar to Leadership Communication Coach[6:48s] The Top 1 % for Sales Leadership [9:36s] Strategic Communication in Leadership [16:10s] On his book ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity' [19:33s] What makes a great coachee[31:48s] On AI in the world of coaching[41:46s] On his Intelligence Context AI launch plansRWL Read: ‘Meaning: How Leaders Create Meaning and Clarity During Times of Crisis and Opportunity' by Ash Sedeek and Leslie Rubin; 'The Path of Least Resistance' by Robert FritzRWL Listen: Jim Rohn Motivation Connect with Ash on LinkedIn or email him at ash@executivegreatness.com Connect with Vinay on LinkedIn What did you think about this episode? What would you like to hear more about? Or simply, write in and say hello! podcast@c2cod.comSubscribe to us on your favorite platforms – Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Tune In Alexa, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Stitcher, Jio Saavn and more.  This podcast is sponsored by C2C-OD, your Organizational Development consulting partner ‘Bringing People and Strategy Together'. Follow @c2cod on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook 

What you'll learn in this episode: Why hiring should start with understanding your own strengths and weaknesses The difference between vision, mission, and culture when building a team Why most entrepreneurs struggle with hiring compared to selling The real cost of making a bad hire Why Dan treats the first 90 days as part of the interview process The surprising statistics behind finding the right talent How great leadership helps people achieve their goals—and why that leads to your success  

What if working harder isn't the answer to growing your sales?Many business owners and sales professionals pride themselves on their work ethic—and rightly so. But hard work alone doesn't guarantee results.The real challenge isn't effort; it's making sure your effort is directed toward the activities that actually drive sales growth.In this episode you'll discover:Why hard work alone doesn't always translate into stronger sales resultsHow to distinguish between urgent tasks and truly important sales activitiesThe three key levers that will help you work smarter, focus on what matters, and improve your close ratesPress play now to learn how to shift from simply working hard to working effectively—and start achieving the sales growth your effort deserves.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

Today's episode features Sahir Azam, Partner at Index Ventures and former Chief Product Officer at MongoDB, where he helped scale Atlas into a multi-billion-dollar platform. This conversation breaks down what actually separates top enterprise sellers, from intellectual curiosity to resource orchestration, and why those traits alone aren't enough without leadership building the right operating model around them. Sahir also explains how sales leaders create scale through enablement, accountability, and structured engagement, not just hiring more talent. For leaders trying to build repeatability in complex sales, this is a clear look at what it takes. Sahir Azam is a Partner at Index Ventures investing in AI infrastructure, and former Chief Product Officer at MongoDB where he led the Atlas transformation into a multi-billion-dollar platform. He brings a rare operator's perspective on building go-to-market discipline, scaling sales culture, and navigating the product-distribution balance that separates winners from founders who fail. Connect with Sahir: Index Ventures LinkedIn Get the Force Management framework for navigating product-go-to-market fit and building the sales discipline that separates scaling companies from those that fail: The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders 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

Are you losing trade sales without even knowing why your customers are saying no?Many trade and construction businesses spend countless hours quoting jobs but still struggle with inconsistent close rates and unpredictable revenue.In this episode, Ben breaks down the three most common mistakes trade businesses make during the quoting process and explains how small changes can dramatically increase both close rates and revenue per job.In this episode you'll discover:Why failing to match your customer's excitement can instantly reduce trust and cost you sales opportunities.How “tick and flick” quotes force customers to compare you on price instead of value — and what to do instead.The simple follow-up systems that consistently help trade businesses win more jobs without needing more leads.Press play now to learn the practical sales fixes that can help you close more deals, stop wasting time on lost quotes, and grow your trade business faster.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

What you'll learn in this episode Why setting expectations helps clients manage their emotions How understanding pain points builds trust and influence Why Teach to Sell focuses on guiding—not pushing—clients The role of emotional intelligence in sales success How influence comes from asking great questions Preparing clients for challenges to improve their experience How to connect on a deeper level and build rapport Why authenticity is your most powerful sales tool   To find out more about Dan Rochon and the CPI Community, you can check these links:Website: No Broke MonthsPodcast: No Broke Months for Salespeople PodcastInstagram: @donrochonxFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NoBrokeMonths/Facebook: Dan RochonLinkedIn: Dan RochonTeach to Sell Preorder: Teach to Sell: Why Top Performers Never Sell – And What They Do Instead

What you'll learn in this episode: ● How to balance confidence with humility to build trust and influence ● Why behavior — not strengths or weaknesses — defines your effectiveness ● The 5-person leadership model inspired by military structure ● How to use pre-decision compasses to respond, not react ● Why emotional connection is more powerful than logic in leadership ● How to lead yourself first to lead others better    

Consumption pricing puts pressure on the forecast in places traditional SaaS models rarely exposed. Total usage may be easier to model from the CFO's seat, but the field still has to answer harder questions: which customer, which channel, which rep, and when. In this replay segment, Devavrat Shah explains how AI can help teams learn across cohorts, spot patterns in uneven data, and create more trust in a forecast that would otherwise depend on isolated judgment calls.  Devavrat Shah is an MIT professor, director of MIT's Statistics and Data Science Center, and co-founder and CEO of Ikigai Labs. He brings a data science and operator's perspective to forecasting, consumption pricing, and enterprise AI. Connect with Devavrat: LinkedIn Listen to the full episode here: Understanding AI Through History and Practical Application with Devavrat Shah 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

What you'll learn in this episode: Why being “60% right and 40% wrong” can still destroy a business The biggest mistake founders make during customer development Why product-market fit exists on a spectrum—not as a yes/no answer The customer development funnel that creates referrals naturally How to know when your product is ready to scale The danger of building based on your own assumptions instead of customer pain Why entrepreneurs struggle to balance confidence with humility The exact questions to ask customers before investing in growth How Uber Eats generated 33x stronger sales results than average clients Why slowing down can actually help you grow faster About Collin Stewart Founder, CEO, podcast host & failed musician How can he help you? Bootstrapped PR to millions in revenue Built a revenue team to 11 Grew 3 companies from $0–$1M as the only sales hire Hosts a podcast with 120+ episodes Nailed product-market fit but whiffed on building it (and learned a tonne from it) Connect with Collin Stewart: Predictable Revenue Founder's Edition The Terrifying Art Collin Stewart LinkedIn Predictable Revenue Podcast

In this special Q&A-style episode, Mike Weinberg is joined by sales leadership coach Matt Ferguson for a practical, fast-paced conversation tackling real-world sales management challenges submitted by sales leaders and reps. Mike and Matt dive into topics like: Transitioning from top rep to first-time sales manager Coaching underperformers back to quota Why most pipeline reviews fail Creating proactive hunters instead of reactive order-takers Managing large, geographically dispersed sales teams Helping executives understand complex enterprise sales cycles Packed with honest insights, practical coaching advice, and a few laughs along the way, this episode is full of actionable ideas for sales leaders looking to build stronger teams, healthier pipelines, and a culture of accountability. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Matt's website:  MattDFerguson.com The October 7 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

What if the fastest way to grow your sales wasn't getting more leads — but making more from the customers you already have?Many trade and service businesses automatically chase new leads when sales slow down, but that approach often increases costs, consumes time, and delivers lower close rates.Here are three overlooked strategies that help businesses grow revenue more efficiently by maximising existing relationships, reactivating past opportunities, and generating higher-converting referrals.In this episode you'll discover:How increasing the average spend of existing customers can create significant revenue growth without extra marketing costs.Practical ways to turn past quotes and previous customers into new sales opportunities quickly and efficiently.Why referral-based leads consistently close at higher rates — and the simple systems that generate more of them.Tune in now to discover three practical sales strategies that can help you grow revenue faster, improve close rates, and reduce the stress of constantly chasing new leads.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

What you'll learn in this episode: Why self-belief is the foundation of every successful business The GPS framework for achieving goals with clarity and focus How the “commit or quit” mindset removes distractions Why consistency beats talent in sales and entrepreneurship The CPI Communication Model for building trust and rapport How neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) improves communication Why follow-up is the most overlooked sales skill The SCARLET framework for hiring winning team members How great leaders teach people how to think, not what to do Why “You are good enough” is the ultimate entrepreneurial truth    

25. That's the number of consecutive Presidents Clubs Lucy Williams-Jones has qualified for. Across some of the greatest companies in our industry, BMC, MongoDB, Datadog and now Astronomer, Lucy has built one of the most consistent and decorated careers in enterprise sales. In this episode, Andy Whyte sits down with Lucy to unpack what separates a lucky career from a legendary one. From the impact of AI on modern selling to the growing complexity of buying committees, Economic Buyer engagement and what it really takes to build a champion, this is a masterclass in consistency. You'll learn: ✅ Why AI is making salespeople lazy and what the best sellers do differently ✅ How buying committees have grown from 1-2 people to 10-15 and what that means for how you sell ✅ Why your Economic Buyer should be your champion and how to get there early ✅ The traits that separate A Players from the rest ✅ How to use MEDDPICC as a personal framework, even when job hunting ✅ Why you can't build a champion on WhatsApp 

What if the easiest way to grow your sales was simply learning how to close deals on the spot?Often, the problem isn't the quality of the lead—it's the lack of momentum in the sales process.When customers are properly prepared before the meeting, understand exactly what to expect, and have the right decision-makers involved, sales can move forward far faster and with dramatically higher close rates.In this episode you'll discover:Why businesses that quote and close faster consistently achieve higher sales conversion ratesHow to “pre-frame” customers before meetings so they're ready to make decisions soonerThe three simple strategies that help trade businesses close more deals on the spot without pressure or gimmicksPress play now to learn how to build momentum in your sales process and start turning more quotes into signed deals immediately.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

In this segment, Marcy Stoudt, Founder of Revel Companies, breaks down how AI is changing one of the most important responsibilities in sales leadership: coaching. This conversation focuses on a simple but critical shift. For years, managers struggled to observe real customer interactions and give meaningful feedback at scale. With AI, that constraint is gone. At the same time, leaders are dealing with constant meetings and cognitive overload. Marcy explains how top operators are using AI not just to increase productivity, but to create space to think, coach, and lead more effectively. For CROs and frontline managers, this raises the standard. The tools are here. The question is how you use them. Marcy Stoudt is Founder of Revel Companies, where she advises revenue leaders on AI adoption, talent strategy, and organizational alignment. With deep experience in executive recruiting and sales leadership, she helps organizations shift from treating AI as a technology decision to embedding it into how work gets done across teams. Connect with Marcy:  LinkedIn Website Get the Force Management framework for building and scaling predictable pipeline and revenue systems, with a focus on execution, alignment, and repeatability:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders 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

What if the fastest way to close more sales isn't a better pitch—but asking better questions in the very first meeting?Many trade and business leaders think closing more deals happens at the end of the sales process, when the quote is sent and the follow-up begins. But the truth is, most sales are won or lost long before that moment.Without that clarity, quotes become generic, competition increases, and close rates suffer.In this episode you'll discover:Why understanding what your customer truly wants is the most powerful closing strategy you can use.How asking “why” creates stronger emotional connection and trust during sales conversations.The simple framework that helps trade businesses increase close rates by turning first meetings into “hell yes” moments.Press play now to learn how to ask smarter questions, create stronger customer connections, and close more deals before the quote is even delivered.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

Joel Zeff is a dynamic keynote speaker, work culture expert, improvisational humorist, and author who brings energy, humor, and practical insight to every stage. For more than 25 years, Joel has delivered over 2,500 presentations that blend improvisation with actionable business lessons around teamwork, leadership, collaboration, and change.Known for his highly interactive keynotes, Joel engages audiences through playful improv exercises that reinforce a powerful message: organizations thrive when people feel supported, appreciated, and connected. From Wells Fargo and Samsung to KPMG and even the IRS, Joel has helped companies across industries build more joyful, resilient, and high-performing cultures.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by keynote speaker and work culture expert Joel Zeff to discuss how joy, presence, and positive support create stronger sales cultures and better performance.Joel explains that “selling from the heart” means genuinely helping others succeed and bringing passion into every interaction. Drawing from his background in improvisation, he shares why embracing change, staying flexible, and choosing how we respond to challenges are essential skills for sales professionals and leaders alike.The conversation highlights how leaders cultivate passion—not by demanding it, but by creating environments built on ownership, appreciation, celebration, and support. Joel also emphasizes the importance of being fully present in conversations, especially in a distracted world where attention is rare and deeply valuable. Packed with practical wisdom and humor, this episode is a powerful reminder that positivity, persistence, and connection fuel lasting success.KEY TAKEAWAYSSelling from the heart means helping others succeed, not simply closing deals.Passion grows in environments built on ownership, appreciation, and positive support.Change is constant—success depends on how you choose to respond to it.Improv teaches two powerful sales lessons: stay present and never quit.Positive support and recognition directly improve culture and performance.Presence and listening strengthen trust and connection in every interaction.Persistence and adaptability are critical to long-term sales success.Joyful cultures create more engaged, committed, and resilient teams.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESSelling from the heart is answering the question: How do I help the people around me be successful?I only control how I react to what happens.You can make mistakes. You just can't give up.It's my job as a sales leader to create the foundation for passion.The best present you can give somebody is your presence.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!Listen to Larry Levine's Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.  Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTubeGet Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:Click Here for Your Daily Dose

Pipeline generation breaks down when sales organizations rely on individual performance instead of building controlled, repeatable systems. In this episode, Greg Casale shares how his background in engineering shaped a system-first approach to sales, applying principles of process control, data capture, and structured training to reduce variability and improve consistency. The conversation explores why outbound phone remains a critical channel despite its difficulty, how over-automation has saturated the market and reduced conversion rates, and where AI fits as a tool to strengthen preparation and execution without replacing human interaction.  Greg Casale is the Founder and CEO of Reveneer Inc., where he leads a system-driven approach to outbound pipeline generation through embedded SDR teams. He began his career as a chemical engineer and brings a manufacturing and process control mindset to building repeatable, data-driven sales operations. Connect with Greg: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: Hyperbound TitanX Key takeaways from this episode:  03:00 – Why many CROs over-index on hiring instead of addressing the system driving performance 33:30 – What it really takes to build an outbound channel competitors can't easily replicate 49:00 – Why leaders risk losing differentiation when AI replaces human-driven sales behavior 01:00:00 – A look inside how top SDRs control conversations in the first 30 seconds of a cold call 09:33 – The mistake many CROs make when relying on fractional SDR models for pipeline generation 01:07:24 – Why cutting SDR capacity during downturns quietly weakens your ability to recover 18:11 – What leaders often overlook when measuring SDR success beyond meeting volume 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

What if the mistakes you're making with customers could actually become your greatest opportunity for growth?Every business makes mistakes—it's inevitable. A quote gets missed, a delivery goes off track, or communication falls short.Handled poorly, these moments can cost you repeat business and referrals. Handled well, they can actually strengthen trust, deepen customer loyalty, and create even more opportunities down the road.In this episode you'll discover:The three most common customer service mistakes that can quietly cost you future businessHow to respond effectively when quotes, delivery, or communication fall shortWhy fixing mistakes the right way can actually increase customer trust, loyalty, and referralsPress play now to learn how to turn customer service mistakes into stronger relationships, more repeat business, and long-term growth.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

This is episode 837. 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 Gina Stracuzzi, President and Chief Revenue Officer of the Center for Elevating Women in Sales Leadership at the IEPS and author of Success was Never the Hard Part: Setbacks, Comebacks and the Rise of Women in Sales Leadership, and Tamara Greenspan, Senior Vice President of Government, Defense, and Intelligence, Federal Sales at Oracle. Get your copy of the book here. Find Gina on LinkedIn. Find Tamara on LinkedIn.  GINA'S TIP: "Being successful isn't the hard part for women. We can sell, we can lead, we've proven that again and again. It's everything around that, the expectations, the responsibilities, and the roadblocks, that make it harder than it needs to be." TAMARA'S TIP: "The most important thing is to raise your hand. Take a risk, even when it feels uncomfortable, because that's how you gain experience, expand your network, and move your career forward."

Most real estate teams hit a wall they can't see clearly.As production grows, sales leadership becomes the bottleneck. Not because your leaders aren't talented, but because accountability and inspection work alone requires roughly 80 hours a month before recruiting, onboarding, or training even starts.AI is now changing that math.Learn how that bottleneck forms, what it costs teams at every stage of growth, and how Christopher Watters is rebuilding the leadership layer with AI tools and a vision of an emerging, AI-powered Enterprise Model of real estate team.The author of The Million Dollar Real Estate Team, Chris also shares a lead quality strategy that reaches a 1.6 to 1 lead-to-appointment ratio and drives per-agent productivity of 60+ homes per year.Watch or listen for Chris's insights into:0:00 Intro and welcome 1:40 What stays stable over time for a real estate team and what changes every 3-6 months 5:06 The two switches that unlock agent productivity: high-intent leads and the enforcement loop 10:49 What happens at approximately 150 deals per year that bottlenecks too many real estate teams 18:30 The time constraints for sales leaders and how AI unlocks them 20:43 What Chris built, burned, and rebuilt into a model where agents close 60-100 homes per year regardless of experience level 26:40 What should be centralized and what should be local for expansion teams (based on a lot of trial and error) 29:34 The 5-phase, 90-day onboarding process that both weeds out agents and produces high retention 33:12 How to identify high-intent leads producing a 1.6-to-1 lead-to-appointment ratio 41:46 How the emerging Enterprise Model changes the roles of real estate leaders and real estate agents and the processes of booking appointments and managing transactionsBooks mentioned in this episode:→ The Million Dollar Real Estate Team→ Rare Find Series Mentioned in this episode:→ Techtember Check out Christopher's AI solution→ https://tableos.ai/Connect with Real Estate Team OS→ https://www.realestateteamos.com→ https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos→ https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

What if you could dramatically increase your close rate before you even send the quote?Too often, salespeople leave without fully understanding the customer's needs, without a clear next step, or without creating enough momentum to stand out from the competition.When that happens, your quote becomes just another option instead of the obvious choice.In this episode you'll discover:Why the first meeting is the most critical stage in winning more salesThe three essential things you must confirm before leaving any customer meetingHow to create momentum, build trust, and position yourself as the clear first choice before the quote is even deliveredPress play now to learn how to master the first meeting, quote faster, and close more of the opportunities already in front of you.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

Strategic accounts expose where most sales approaches break down, especially when technical capability fails to connect to enterprise-wide value. In this replay segment, Jane Thompson unpacks what it actually takes to navigate complex, multi-division organizations, from building aligned champions to translating solutions into outcomes that matter at the board level. The conversation highlights why intellectual curiosity, multi-threaded engagement, and disciplined account mapping remain non-negotiable for sellers operating at the highest level. Jane Thompson is a sales leader at BigPanda with deep experience selling into complex, multi-division enterprise accounts and building high-impact strategic sales motions. Connect with Jane: LinkedIn 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

What if rising costs don't have to destroy your margins—or your close rate?With fuel prices climbing and input costs continuing to rise, many businesses are feeling the squeeze.The challenge isn't just protecting profitability—it's doing so without constantly re-quoting, frustrating customers, or losing deals. relationships, and bottom line.In this episode you'll discover:How to protect your margins from rising fuel and input costs without constantly changing your quotes.Why adding a simple compliance cost buffer can create smoother sales processes and stronger profitability.How this strategy helps you avoid customer friction, maintain trust, and win more repeat business.Press play now to learn how to safeguard your profits, simplify your quoting process, and stay competitive—even in uncertain times.New episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.Take our Free Quote Quiz now to Kickstart Your Sales Growthhttps://quiz.typeform.com/to/ByHoaj2bTo see how we've helped business grow their sales:Read Client ResultsWatch TestimonialsOr email Ben if you would like to get in touch: hello@strongersalesteams.comThis podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management , through refined sales processes, proven trade sales techniques, and strategic sales leadership that strengthens sales process execution, accelerates sales team development, builds stronger sales teams, improves time management for sales, drives resilience and results, increases team results across the construction industry and wider industry sales sectors, and supports sustainable trading growth that continues to drive results through an effective management process in modern trade sales.

Is your sales strategy lost in translation between the boardroom and the sales floor? Tim Ohai, author of "The Zen of Strategic Execution," joins the show to illuminate where most companies stumble in turning strategy into action. Tim shares lessons learned from a global career with giants like Shell, Microsoft, and Walmart, giving listeners an inside look at why well-crafted strategies often fall apart when people get involved. The conversation dives into the true meaning of execution, unraveling myths about planning and highlighting the hidden obstacles that can sabotage growth. Mark and Tim share vivid stories, including a $300 million NASA mishap, to show how clarity and alignment make or break success. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that will challenge sales managers and executives to rethink how they communicate strategy and foster a culture of high performance.

AI is shifting from model development to real-world usage, exposing a new bottleneck that most sales teams are not prepared to understand or sell against. As inference speed, memory bandwidth, and infrastructure become the true differentiators, traditional software playbooks begin to break down. Alex Varel joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to unpack what it takes to sell in this new environment, where technical depth, curiosity, and adaptability are no longer optional. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping productivity, why ICPs must evolve weekly, and how elite sellers distinguish themselves by orchestrating value across increasingly complex buying groups. Alex Varel is EVP of Worldwide Sales at Cerebras Systems, where he leads global go-to-market efforts at the forefront of AI infrastructure. He has built and scaled high-performing teams across MongoDB, Zscaler, and Multiverse, driving growth through IPO, hyper-scale expansion, and emerging technology shifts. Connect with Alex: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell "AI Superpowers" by Kai-Fu Lee “Leonardo da Vinci” by Walter Isaacson "No Country for Old Men" by Cormac McCarthy "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy “The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley” by Jimmy Soni Key takeaways from this episode: 00:00 – A look inside what it really takes to rethink computing architecture when speed, not scale, becomes the constraint 13:09 – Why many leaders underestimate how the shift from training to inference is redefining where competitive advantage actually lives 25:27 – The mistake many CROs make when applying legacy software playbooks to markets that require constant recalibration 21:33 – What it really takes to turn AI from a concept into a daily productivity multiplier inside a revenue organization 31:34 – Why most sales organizations quietly accept a broken productivity model and what changes when that assumption is challenged 34:26 – A look inside the evolving role of the AE as a multi-dimensional operator across technical, business, and interpersonal domains 49:41 – Why treating ICP as a static exercise leads to missed growth opportunities in markets that are shifting in real time 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

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Guest: Raymond Little — Founder, SVG Roofing Coaching | Contra ShoesGuest Links: Facebook: Raymond Wendell Little | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rwl612/Raymond Little built a roofing company from zero to nearly $100 million, exited to private equity for $40 million, and now runs SVG helping owner-operators between $1M and $10M break through their plateaus. In this episode, Raymond gets raw about what actually works in roofing sales in 2026, starting with storm vs retail in today's market, why wind claims are getting harder everywhere, and why the four-to-eight knocking window beats the nine-to-five mindset most new companies are still stuck in. He breaks down why you should never poach million-dollar producers from other companies but instead build them yourself, why a hefty override or ownership needs to be in the field driving the team daily, and his rule that you can't develop anyone greater than yourself. The conversation digs into Raymond's hiring philosophy built around second-chance people, team players, and good energy over credentials or personality tests, his 90-day ride-along system where new reps work the first 4-5 deals in the truck with him from knock to build, and the sales tactic of using the adjuster and homeowner as "teachers" to elevate new reps while making the process fully transparent. Raymond also shares why personal development around physical health, clean living, and healthy relationships is the foundation his entire company was built on, the real numbers on what 1099 reps should earn per lead, why one roof a week pays the bills and three a week means you stop checking price tags, and his mentor story of following Kurt the Nintendo and hitting half of what that man accomplished as his own definition of success. He also gets into Contra Shoes, the lightweight flexible roofing shoe a quarter the weight of Cougar Paws, designed for reps who knock and climb all day.

Today, a segment from our episode on pipeline generation and building a repeatable revenue system with Christopher Vik, VP EMEA at Samsara and former CRO at Leapwork. In this clip, Chris breaks down why most pipeline generation efforts fail before they even start. He explains how preparation drives conviction, why reps avoid pipeline when they lack insight, and what leaders must do to build a culture where execution actually sticks. If you're trying to improve pipeline performance or develop more effective sellers, this is a perspective worth revisiting. Chris Vik is VP EMEA at Samsara and a former CRO at Leapwork and Go Autonomous, where he scaled go-to-market teams across new markets and high-growth environments. He is known for building structured revenue systems that connect pipeline generation, sales execution, and recruiting. Resources mentioned: Flip the Script by Oren Klaff Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff Get the Force Management framework for building and scaling predictable pipeline and revenue systems:  The Predictable Revenue Framework: Guide for Leaders 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

The sales leadership lessons that changed how Mark Kosoglow leads and scales teams. Mark Kosoglow shares 3 moments that reshaped how he coaches, manages, and hires. Stop creating busywork. Protect rep selling time. Use PIPs to coach, not to quietly fire. Hire for traits, not past success. Train the skills. Great leaders win with clarity, intent, and strong systems. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:35 I don't know what I'm doing 04:09 The PIP fiasco 07:08 Going 0/10 on hires 11:00 Outro These Courses Will Get You to President's Club: ☎️ Cold Call Course: https://bit.ly/4jqQ4w2

What you'll learn in this episode: Why hiring should start with understanding your own strengths and weaknesses The difference between vision, mission, and culture when building a team Why most entrepreneurs struggle with hiring compared to selling The real cost of making a bad hire Why Dan treats the first 90 days as part of the interview process The surprising statistics behind finding the right talent How great leadership helps people achieve their goals—and why that leads to your success