Shows
The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast84. From Journalist to "Accidental Manager": Why New Leaders Fail (and How to Fix It) with Ben PerreauIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Ben Perreau, a recovering music journalist turned entrepreneur and leadership expert. Ben joins me from Los Angeles to discuss a problem that plagues almost every growing company: the "Accidental Manager."We explore Ben’s fascinating journey from the BBC newsroom to consulting for Fortune 50 C-suite executives, and why the transition from superstar Individual Contributor to Team Leader is the most dangerous leap in a career. We geek out on photography as a metaphor for leadership, discuss why we are all just "emotional meat sacks" trying to be...
2025-12-3142 min
The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast83. Scaling with Intelligence rather than Headcount, with Amos Bar-JospehIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Amos Bar-Jospeh, a third-time entrepreneur connecting from Tel Aviv. Amos describes himself as an "anti-capitalist capitalist" -- someone who has rejected the old "growth at all costs" unicorn playbook in favor of a new model: the Autonomous Business.We dive deep into why the "raise a shit ton of money and hire 40 people before revenue" model is broken. Instead, Amos is building Swann, a company designed to scale with intelligence rather than headcount. We explore the concept of Human-AI collaboration (not replacement), why sales is a...
2025-12-2338 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast82. Beyond the Chatbot: How Agentic AI is revolutionizing Sales with Garth FasanoFor this episode of Thoughts on Selling, Garth Fasano joins me to discuss the massive shift happening in inside sales.Garth Fasano is an ETA (Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition) entrepreneur and leader of a high-growth startup focused on autonomous sales.From sailing mishaps in Long Island Sound to the complexities of call center Erlang models, We discuss the evolution of the "inside sales" role and explore how "Agentic AI" is moving beyond simple decision trees to becoming the top-performing sales agent—one that is fully caffeinated and ready to sell 24/7.Key Fi...
2025-12-1638 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast81. The Future of Sales is Looking Bright: Meet NISC Finalist and Super Star Nina Iannuzzi!What do selling gum in the 5th grade and playing defense in hockey have in common with enterprise sales? According to Nina Iannuzzi, everything.In this episode, I sit down with Nina, a sophomore at the Isenberg School of Management (UMass Amherst) and a top-5 finalist at the recent National Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC). We relive the chaos of "speed selling" in a gym filled with 1,000 suits, discuss how to handle a curveball question from a CFO, and laugh about the moment I rudely interrupted her final sales pitch with a fake phone call.Nina...
2025-12-0945 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast80. The Invisible Manager: Scaling GTM & Knowing When to Stop Selling, with Sean GannonI sit down with Sean Gannon, founder of GTMPPL (GTM People), to answer the "unanswerable" question: Who is Sean Gannon?. We dive into a refreshing take on sales leadership—why the best managers strive to make themselves obsolete—and explore the often friction-filled relationship between sales and marketing.From the trenches of EdTech to the nuances of Sandler training, Sean shares candid stories about the transition from "spreadsheet inspection" to true coaching. We also discuss why "everyone sells" (even if they don't have a quota) and share a hilarious cautionary tale about what happens when a salesperson stic...
2025-12-0538 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast79. From Steeplechase Jockey to Data Geek: Mastering Sales with Diagnostics & Agentic AI with Maeve FergusonIn this episode, I geek out with Maeve Ferguson, an ex-steeplechase jockey turned Big Four consultant and data expert. We dive deep into the often-overlooked power of diagnostic assessments and how "Agentic AI" is revolutionizing the way experts build sales funnels.Maeve shares how moving beyond simple "quiz funnels" to robust data diagnostics can uncover the gap between an entrepreneur's perception and their business reality, ultimately leading to higher-quality leads and closed deals.Key Highlights & Takeaways:The Power of Diagnostics: Maeve explains why diagnostic assessments are superior to standard lead magnets. They provide...
2025-12-0141 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast78. Purpose, Energy and Real Human SellingIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with someone I truly consider a “brother from another mother” — Lester Sidney.If there’s a theme for this conversation, it’s this:👉 Sales is human work. And humans run on purpose, energy, trust, and honesty.Lester discusses his 17-year tech sales career, a couple ofunexpected detours, and the journey that ultimately led him to rediscover his why: helping people see the potential insidethemselves that they can’t yet see. What unfolds from there is one of the most honest, raw, and deeply huma...
2025-11-2539 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast77. Build the Engine Before You Step on the Gas: A Conversation with Torquil ThomsonIn this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, Torquil Thomson, joining me from Barcelona, explore something most revenue leaders know but rarely address head-on: your go-to-market engine is only as good as the data, systems, and human judgment beneath it.Torquil brings 20+ years of experience across SaaS, sales ops, and country leadership, and today helps companies fix the messy operational foundations that stall growth — especially in the age of AI.We start with his background, his move from Scotland to Spain, and how he kept gravitating toward building systems that help people perform, no ma...
2025-11-1834 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast76. Who Are You? The Most Important Question in Sales!In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with my friend and long-time sales industry pioneer Gerhard Gschwandtner — founder of Selling Power Magazine and an enduring voice in the world of sales leadership, mindset, and authenticity.Gerhard’s story is extraordinary — from growing up in Austria and stumbling into his first sales role (inventing sales enablement decades before it had a name) to creating Selling Power Magazine, one of the most influential platforms in the history of professional selling.We talk about how curiosity, creativity, and courage shape every career — and how staying in the q...
2025-11-0445 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast75. Show Up and Say Yes — Leadership, Legacy, and Living AuthenticallyIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Lauren Bailey, one of the most dynamic voices in modern sales leadership. She’s the founder of Factor 8 (award-winning inside sales training), #GirlsClub (empowering women in revenue roles), and Legacy VIP (a community for seasoned executives who crave purpose and authentic connection).What starts as a conversation about leadership quickly turns into something deeper — a raw, funny, and inspiring dialogue about who we are and why we do what we do.Lauren shares how losing her best friend became the catalyst for creating Legacy, a sp...
2025-10-2850 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast74. Listen, Don't Think — Improv Rules for Effective SellingIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Kevin Hubschmann, a former enterprise software rep turned comedian and founder of Laugh.Events — a company literally delivering “Laughter as a Service.”We dig into the parallels between improv, comedy, and enterprise sales, exploring how humor, presence, and curiosity can transform the way we connect with customers. Kevin shares his story of balancing daytime sales calls with nighttime comedy clubs, and how the two worlds collided to shape his philosophy on sales as performance and connection.Key themes:Listening > Talking. Kevin breaks down w...
2025-10-2237 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast73. Selling as an Art Form: How Storytelling and Authenticity Drive ResultsIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Jake Isham — filmmaker, creative director, and founder of Creative Minds Agency.Jake’s story is pure art-meets-entrepreneurship. He started as an actor, moved behind the camera to direct, and somewhere along the way became what he calls an “accidental marketer.”We dig deep into the intersection of storytelling, sales, and authenticity — how great art and great selling share the same purpose: to create an effect. Jake explains how the best salespeople are actually performers — not in a fake way, but in the sense that they listen...
2025-10-1540 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast72. The Psychology of Selling: Laura Keith on Data, Coaching, and the Human EdgeIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Laura Keith, CEO of Hive Perform and Hive Learning — and self-proclaimed “Chief Entertainment Officer” of three kids. We dig into the psychology of selling, the human side of enablement, and how data, AI, and coaching are reshaping modern sales.Laura’s journey from studying psychology to leading sales organizations is fascinating. She never planned to work in sales — but curiosity, empathy, and a deep understanding of human behavior naturally pulled her in. Those same traits now shape her leadership and the products she’s building at Hive Perform...
2025-10-0737 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast71. Effective sales leaders don't hide behind a maskIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Jeff Kirchick — sales leader, author, and big believer in authenticity. We dig into how authenticity plays out in sales, what AI can and can’t replace, and why building trust matters more than ever.Jeff shares his journey from English major and aspiring screenwriter to startup sales leader, selling seven-figure deals to Fortune 500s. We talk about his book, the hard truths he learned writing it, and why he believes authenticity is the ultimate differentiator in a world where AI can generate scripts, emails, and playbooks.
2025-09-3036 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast70. What Selling Plants Can Teach You About Building World-Class Sales TeamsIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with David Donlan, VP of Sales at IP Co-Pilot, longtime tech sales leader, and passionate mentor for the next generation of sales professionals.David and I cover a wide range of topics — from his early days upselling azaleas with fertilizer at age 15 to shaping sales teams at HubSpot, and now building a company that helps innovators protect and accelerate patents.A few highlights from our conversation:Three ways to sell. David breaks down selling on product (easy but competitive), outcomes (about solving real bu...
2025-09-2530 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast69. Empathy, Insight, and Action: Ted McKenna on the New Sales PlaybookIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Ted McKenna — researcher, author, and co-creator of some of the most influential sales frameworks of the past two decades. Ted has been behind The Challenger Sale, The JOLT Effect, and most recently, The Activator Advantage.We dive into the evolving dynamics of B2B sales, why buyers are more informed (and more hesitant) than ever, and what high-performing sellers do differently.Some highlights from our discussion:Data meets sales anthropology. Ted shares how deep analysis of 2.5 million sales calls revealed why more de...
2025-09-1853 min
The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast68. From Practice to Performance; Preparing Sales Teams for an AI WorldIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with AI strategist and workforce transformation expert Ben Tasker. Ben has spent over a decade helping organizations harness AI not just as a shiny tool, but as a way to amplify human abilities through upskilling, reskilling, and smarter systems thinking.We dive into:The “AI Between Times”: why we’re in a transition period where adoption is fast, mistakes will happen, and systems thinking is essential.Upskilling & Reskilling: how organizations can build learning plans to keep talent relevant and amplify what people already do wel...
2025-09-1231 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast67. Driving Behavior, Building Trust: The Playbook for Sales LeadersIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Mike Baron — longtime sales leader, mentor, and operator who has lived the startup, PE, and enterprise trenches. Our conversation is part playbook, part reality check, and packed with practical wisdom for anyone leading or enabling sales teams.We dive right into a “what if” scenario: if Mike were CRO and I were head of sales enablement at a security startup, what would we do first? Mike breaks it down with clarity:Start with comp plans. Keep them simple, transparent, and behavior-driving. A clear plan motiva...
2025-09-0848 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast66. 10,000 AI Conversations vs. One Human One: Which WIns?In this episode, I sit down with Matt Wilkinson — life sciences marketer turned AI strategy partner, Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management, and board member at the Association of Key Account Management. Matt brings a sharp lens to the challenges of sales and marketing alignment, the rise of AI in B2B, and what it really takes to create customers in today’s environment.We cover a wide range of topics, from why account-based approaches are so powerful when done right, to how culture inside organizations shapes buying behavior, to the shifting role of brand and trus...
2025-08-2635 min
The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast65. Sales with Purpose: Creating Cultures of Trust and GrowthTracy Linne, an experienced sales leader and strategist, joins me for a powerful conversation on the intersection of leadership, clarity, and sales performance for this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast.Tracy emphasizes the role of leaders in shaping not just strategy but belief within teams. Our discussion covers the importance of creating clarity in complex environments, the necessity of building trust as the foundation for growth, and why adaptability is a hallmark of modern sales leadership.Key insights include:Sales as an energy exchange. Leaders must embody the inspiration they want...
2025-08-2050 min
Adversity to Strength with Lee FreemanPhyliss Leavitt: America in Therapy, A New Perspective on HealingIn this episode of Adversity to Strength, Lee Freeman interviews Phyllis Levitt, a psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience. They discuss Phyllis's journey through trauma, her path to becoming a therapist, and her insights on healing and compassion. Phyllis emphasizes the importance of human connection and the need for societal healing, particularly in the context of America. She shares her experiences with therapy, writing, and the impact of technology on relationships, advocating for a more compassionate and understanding society.www.adversitytostrength.comhttps://www.facebook.com/phyllis.leavitthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOdxqvDK9N421...
2025-08-1947 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast64. Authenticity: Sales, Storytelling and Showing Up Real with Kaivona ParkerIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I get to sit down with the incredible Kaivona Parker—the Unboring Sales Specialist—and let me tell you, she lives up to the name.We talk about what it really means to sell without the mask on. Kaivona shares her journey from breaking into tech sales to becoming a voice for underrepresented sellers, and how she’s using enablement to create safe spaces where people can bring their whole selves to work. We swap stories on improv, authenticity, faith, motherhood, and the mental game of sales—and how all of it ti...
2025-08-1345 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast63. Data, Decisions, & the Human Side of Sales with Kerry CurranIn this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, I sit down with Kerry Curran — go-to-market strategist, agency veteran, and fierce advocate for customer-centric marketing and sales. Kerry brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and empathetic leadership to every conversation, and this one’s no different.We dig into what it really means to be customer-obsessed — and how that obsession shows up in everything from messaging to enablement to revenue alignment. Kerry shares insights from her time leading strategy at agency and consulting firms, and we talk about how B2B sellers can learn a lot from B...
2025-08-0537 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast62. Work On Your Game: Mindset, Discipline, and the Truth About SellingIn this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, I sit down with Dre Baldwin — entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and former pro basketball player — to talk about the intersection of mindset, sales, and performance.Dre brings an intense, no-nonsense perspective to the world of business and selling, grounded in his experience hustling his way from overlooked high school athlete to a nine-year pro basketball career overseas. And he applies the same discipline, strategy, and mindset to his work now as a content creator, coach, and sales leader.We talk about:Why confidence is a deci...
2025-07-2842 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast61. Selling Without the Mask: Authenticity, Improv, and the Inner Game of SalesOn this episode of Thoughts On Selling, I’m joined by the fabulous Stacy Bishop, and wow, we cover some ground. From Midwest values and fintech sales to improv comedy and why your brain should zip it sometimes—we’re bringing the laughs and the lessons.If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re selling—or just waiting to talk—or struggled with how to pivot in a sales call without face-planting, this one’s for you.Here’s a taste of what we dig into:🎯 Authenticity over egoStacy shares how growing up in the...
2025-07-1535 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast60. Creating your customer experience: Lessons from Disney and beyondFor this episode I’m joined by Vance Morris—a guy whose journey goes from rock bands to Disney to running premium home services, and now helping businesses “Disney-fy” their customer experience. And let me tell you, the parallels to sales are everywhere.If you’re in sales and think “customer experience” doesn’t apply to you—this episode will change your mind.✅ Systems Create Freedom… and Room for DelightAt Disney, every detail is scripted and systematized so cast members can focus on the magic. It’s the same in sales: if you’ve got your basics dialed...
2025-07-0845 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast59. From Gut Feel to Revenue Intelligence: Sales in the Age of DataThis episode was an absolute blast. I’m joined by Guy Rubin, CEO of Ebsta, who brings not just revenue intelligence expertise—but also a love of physics, football (the British kind), and skiing—to the conversation.We talk about the problem that’s plagued sales teams for decades: data that’s incomplete, inaccurate, or invisible. Guy shares how Ebsta evolved from solving Salesforce data issues into building a revenue intelligence platform that helps companies truly understand what’s driving wins—and where deals stall.Some of the big takeaways from our chat:✅ Your CRM isn’t t...
2025-06-3031 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast58. Sales Leadership with Bare Feet, Big Energy and an Open HeartIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Britt White—sales leader, edtech evangelist, former VP of Sales at SmartPass, and a force of nature when it comes to bringing passion to work.This isn’t a scripted “how-to” chat. It’s a real conversation between two humans unpacking what it means to love what you do—and how that love shows up (or doesn’t) in sales, leadership, and culture.🔥 Key TakeawaysPassion isn’t optional—it’s fuel. Passion doesn’t just live inside us—it’s contagious. Britt talks about how her ene...
2025-06-2536 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast57. Sales Enablement as Force MultiplierOn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Jackie Retig, a passionate sales enablement leader and COO at EnableWorks. Jackie recently made the leap into entrepreneurship after years in the tech space, and she brings a grounded, practical perspective to what it really takes to build consistent, scalable sales teams.We get into why enablement is more than just onboarding and training—it's about creating the conditions for consistency, repeatability, and predictability in your sales org. Jackie and I talk about the transformation that comes from good enablement, how to help reps lean in an...
2025-06-1838 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast56. Selling the Dream, Delivering the Goods: Talking Demand Gen with Borja CuanIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Borja Cuan, co-founder of Four15 Digital, to talk all things demand gen, agency life, and what it takes to deliver results—not just leads. Borja's been in the digital marketing game since the late '90s, and his perspective on execution, transparency, and the importance of asking the right questions is both refreshing and, frankly, necessary in today’s B2B landscape.We dig into the realities of running a growth agency in a high-pressure environment, including the need to go deep with clients—not just genera...
2025-06-1038 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast55. Curiosity, Flow and the Paradox of Effortless SellingIn this episode, my good friend Alistair Corrie and I take a deep dive into toe topics of mindset, mastery, and how we get out of our own way—whether in selling, sports, leadership, or life.Alistair draws from a range of disciplines—The Inner game, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, martial arts concepts like Shu-Ha-Ri-Kokoro, Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy, and more—to explore what mastery really looks like and how we can create environments where people discover their own paths to skill and flow.We also talk about the role of limiting beliefs...
2025-06-0240 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast54. Buyer Enablement in the Age of AI: What Sales and Marketing Need to KnowFor this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with David Kirkdorffer — marketing veteran, recording artist, hat enthusiast, and self-proclaimed connective tissue between sales and marketing. We talked all about how sales and marketing can actually get along, the evolution of enablement, and what happens when buyers (and AI) start running the show.🔑 Key Takeaways from Our Conversation:Sales and marketing should be alliesDavid and I have both seen our fair share of friction between the two functions, but alignment starts with empathy. He shared how marketing should serve sales like a customer — and how...
2025-05-2952 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast53. Storytelling that Sells: Enabling Reps Mid-FunnelIn this episode, I had a great conversation with Tim Bradley, founder of Pennant—a video marketing firm that’s laser-focused on helping companies improve conversion rates in the middle of the funnel. Tim’s all about storytelling, yes—but with a clear eye on how that story supports sales performance.We talked a lot about the line between marketing and sales enablement, and how the best content—especially video—can serve both when it’s done right.Video as a Sales Tool: Tim broke down his “video marketing trifecta”: Anthem (why you exist), Explainer (what you do), and...
2025-05-2140 min
Exploring GrowthHow to Create Independent Leaders Inside Your Org with Sarah Levitt, Author, Speaker & Trusted Guide to the C-SuiteIn this episode of Exploring Growth, host Lee Murray talks with Sarah Levitt about the critical shift from Founder to CEO. She offers practical frameworks for externalizing thinking and empowering teams to take initiative and operate independently. The conversation explores how proactive leadership and transparency drive high performance.Have a guest recommendation, question, or just want to connect?Go here: https://www.harvardmurray.com/exploring-growth-podcastConnect on LinkedIn:Lee – https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehmurraySarah – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlevitt/
2025-05-1540 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast52. Sales Without the Hard Sell: Coaching for Authentic WinsIn this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with sales coach and former VP of Sales, Shane Jamison, to talk about the real work behind sustainable sales—coaching to the numbers, managing pipeline pressure without compromising relationships, and becoming the guide your customer needs.We dive into what it means to stay authentic when management wants pull-ins, how to balance urgency with trust, and why pressuring a customer to act early can create more harm than good.Shane shares lessons from his time building and leading teams, and how his passion for coaching em...
2025-05-1551 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast51. Sales Mindset Transformation with Steven EthridgeIn this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, I welcome Steven Ethridge, an accomplished sales trainer, coach, and expert in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Our conversation dives into the pivotal roles that mindset and intentional communication play in driving meaningful sales outcomes.Steven shares his structured two-part methodology: Sales Mindset Self-Mastery and his NLP-based Five-Step Sales Process. He highlights how a salesperson's internal belief system shapes external performance and how aligning communication with a buyer's motivations fosters authentic connections and improved results.Key discussion points:Mindset as a foundation. Steven explains how reshaping...
2025-05-0842 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast50. Find Your Why, Then Go the Distance - with Troy MeadowsWelcome back to Thoughts on Selling. This one’s a little different — and a little deeper. I had the chance to sit down with fellow ultrarunner, entrepreneur, and coach Troy Meadows to talk about something foundational: your why — personally, professionally, and organizationally.Just like an ultramarathon, building something meaningful in sales (or life) demands more than tactics. You need a reason to keep going when it gets hard. And believe me, it will get hard.🏃♂️ Key TakeawaysYour “why” is your North Star: Whether you're selling software or running 100 miles, the why behind your effort determi...
2025-04-2245 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast49. Will AI Eat You or Feed You?Dustin Beaudoin joined the Thoughts on Selling podcast to discuss the intersection of AI and sales strategy, the critical importance of in-depth preparation, and how these elements are shaping the future of sales. Here’s a deeper dive into our conversation:Dustin's Background and Sales PhilosophyDustin Beaudoin, with his extensive background in enterprise SaaS sales, brings a unique perspective to the sales process, particularly through the lens of strategic enterprise sales. His journey through the ranks of sales has made him a staunch advocate for leveraging AI to enhance sales effectiveness.He shares insights on...
2025-04-0840 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast48. Owning the Outcome: The Real Role of Customer SuccessI sat down with my good friend and former Oracle teammate Jane Scott for a deep dive into customer success. Jane and I worked together for years on the key account team supporting Xerox, and she was the glue that held it all together — truly the most important person in the room.We covered a lot in this conversation: from the foundational elements of long-term account management, to the evolving role of customer success in today’s SaaS world. Jane brings a wealth of experience and a refreshingly candid perspective on what it takes to really support cust...
2025-03-2535 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast47. Mastering the Art of Sales: Negotiation, Relationships, and Risk ManagementWelcome back to another episode of the "Thoughts on Selling" podcast. In this episode, we delve into the nuanced world of sales negotiations with Ron Hubsher, a seasoned expert in the field.Here’s a detailed breakdown of our conversation and the key insights we uncovered.Introduction to Sales Negotiations:Ron introduces himself as an engineer turned sales professional who applies engineering principles to sales, advocating for a systematic approach to sales akin to a manufacturing process. This ensures consistent, quality outcomes through qualified opportunities and repeatable best practices.The Underappreciated Art of Ne...
2025-03-1040 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast46. Will AI replace sales people? Assist you? It's your choice!In this episode, I sit down with Steven Werley, a sales expert, entrepreneur, and endurance athlete with a background in both marketing and military service. We dive into why pushing yourself to do hard things—whether in sports, business, or sales—builds resilience and long-term success.Steven shares his insights on the role of AI in sales, explaining that AI isn’t here to replace salespeople but to help them perform better. By automating follow-ups, streamlining call reviews, and taking over tedious CRM tasks, AI allows sales teams to focus on high-value interactions. We also discuss his latest...
2025-02-2448 min
The Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast45. Mastering the art of sales leadership and outbound efficiency with Todd BuslerIn this episode ofThoughts on Selling, host Lee Levitt is joined by Todd Busler, founder of Champify. Todd shares his journey from sales engineering to leading revenue organizations and launching a company designed to revolutionize outbound sales efficiency.Lee and Todd dive into the evolving nature of sales, the importance of coaching over managing, and why the best salespeople are often ex-athletes, musicians, or gamers. They also explore how reps can leverage relationships and first-party data to improve efficiency in an increasingly difficult outbound sales environment.Key TakeawaysThe Art of Selling Hasn’t...
2025-02-1136 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast44. The Art and Heart of Sales Enablement: Listening, Learning, and Driving Change With Fani Rodriguez MarinoIn this episode, I had an amazing conversation with Estefania (Fani) Rodriguez Marino, a sales enablement pro joining in from Paris.
We talked about what sales enablement really means and how it’s not just about training or content—it’s about helping the company achieve its goals by aligning sales efforts with strategy. Fani shared her journey, her passion for embracing challenges, and why motivation and context are crucial for sales success.
One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation is how sales enablement needs to balance scalability with personalization. While it’s easy to creat...
2025-01-2736 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast43: The Inner Game of Selling with Jeff LipsiusIn this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Lipsius about his concept of the Inner Game of Selling.
Drawing inspiration from his friend Timothy Gallwey, and Tim's renowned work, The Inner Game of Tennis, Jeff explains how understanding and mastering the inner game can dramatically improve sales performance.
We explore how shifting focus from selling to buying, embracing the customer as the ultimate teacher, and cultivating self-trust in customers can lead to extraordinary sales outcomes.
Jeff documents his learnings in his own book, Selling To The Point: Because the Information Age Demands a...
2024-12-2647 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast42. Sales in service of the buyerIn this episode of the "Thoughts on Selling" podcast, hosted by Lee Levitt, we dive into a rich conversation with Judy Sunblade, a seasoned expert in sales enablement. The discussion centers around the evolution of sales enablement into what is now more fittingly called revenue enablement.
This shift reflects a broader scope that includes all revenue streams, from direct sales to customer success and channel partner management.
Key Messaging:
Revenue Enablement: We're talking about moving from traditional sales enablement to a more inclusive approach that considers all avenues of revenue. It's not just about...
2024-12-0237 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast41. Supercharge Your Sales with Effective RevOps StrategiesJames McKay, a remarkable figure in revenue operations, former inside sales leader and I explore the power of RevOps (revenue operations) in supercharging sales effectiveness.
Let's unpack some of the invaluable insights from our discussion.
1. Embrace Your Sales Identity:
James kicked off by sharing his personal life—highlighting the importance of balancing professional and personal roles. He shifted his career focus from inside sales to revenue operations, influenced by his preferences and strengths in strategic outreach and market research.
2. The Evolution of Inside Sales:
Inside sales, as James notes, has morphed significantly. What on...
2024-10-1142 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast40. Unleashing Sales Success: Leveraging Compensation Strategies with Ryan MilliganRyan Milligan from QuotaPath and I take a deep dive into how automating and optimizing sales compensation can drive the behaviors that are most beneficial for businesses.
Key Points We Discussed:
The Impact of Compensation on Sales Behavior:
Ryan emphasized that your compensation plans need to motivate you directly. Often, compensation structures are too complex and fail to guide you on which deals to prioritize, leading to inefficiency and a lack of motivation.
An effective compensation plan should be simple for you to understand and directly tied to the outcomes you are expected to...
2024-10-0734 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast39. Transforming Sales Teams: The Art of Sales Management and Creating ImpactAlan Versteeg, a seasoned sales management expert, takes a deep dive into effective sales practices and the critical role of sales management in nurturing successful sales teams.
Key Discussions:
Sales as a Profession: Alan views sales as a professional career, prompted by a pivotal conversation on the dedication required in the field, similar to law or medicine.
Sales Management as a Catalyst: Focusing on how excellent sales management is essential for sustainable sales performance, Alan highlights a gap in the market where companies often promote top sales performers without providing adequate training or systems for management...
2024-09-3044 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast38. Cultivating Sales Culture with Daniel LevineJoin host Lee Levitt and Daniel Levine, an expert in sales management and leadership, to discuss building transformative sales cultures. This episode dives into the essentials of creating a strong sales culture that empowers teams and drives performance.
Key Takeaways:
Sales Culture Importance: Daniel emphasizes that sales culture is foundational to a team’s success, describing it as the backbone that supports team members to perform optimally even in the leader's absence.
Building Sales Culture: True culture builds when actions align with the company's core values consistently, not through superficial means like office perks. Daniel shares st...
2024-09-2034 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast37. Taming Your Inner VoicesKaren Clark Salinas, a good friend, fellow coach and Colgate graduate joins me to unpack how our mindsets can really make or break our professional and personal lives.
Discussion Highlights:
Meet Karen:
Karen introduces herself as a work-life coach specializing in helping mid-career leaders manage their time and energy effectively, balancing career success with personal life.
The Power of Inner Voices:
We discuss how subconscious 'programming' and internal dialogues, or 'emotional saboteurs and judges' can influence our actions and how we see ourselves, often putting a brake on our career growth.
...
2024-09-0639 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast36. Effective strategic sales planning and the inclusion of diverse perspectives will drive your revenue attainment!Special guest Bethany Ibarra, a seasoned sales leader from notable technology companies including Motorola, Google, and Lenovo, shares experiences and recommendations for our fellow chief revenue officers.
Key Takeaways:
Sustainable Growth Strategies:
Bethany shares her experience launching a new market in Colombia, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices in business growth. She highlights the risks of non-sustainable growth as seen in her project, where success was initially achieved but not maintained after her departure. Sustainable growth, according to Bethany, involves building solid foundations and long-term planning that outlasts individual leadership.
Importance of Planning...
2024-08-1335 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast35. Throw away your tech stack. Critical thinking...and curiosity...and empathy...are still the critical tools for success in sales!Mike Pinkel, founder of PSI Selling and I take a deep dive into the strategic activities of successful selling. Discovery should focus on solving problems and helping people, which contrasts with the adversarial nature often seen in sales qualification.
As Mike says, "Sell with themes, not techniques!"
The Value of Discovery in Sales: Mike emphasizes the importance of continuous discovery throughout the sales process, not just at the beginning. Discovery should focus on solving problems and helping people, which contrasts with the adversarial nature often seen in sales qualification.
Co-Creation and Problem Solving: A favorite aspect...
2024-08-0744 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast34. Want to drive more sales? Implement these field marketing and sales alignment best practices!Bob Meindl, a seasoned field marketing expert and Lee explore how field sales and marketing can synergize to put the customer first and drive meaningful engagement.
Key takeaways from this episode:
Value-Driven Content Marketing: Bob emphasizes the importance of content marketing that truly addresses customer needs at various stages of their buying journey, particularly when they are not ready to make a purchase. Effective content marketing should educate and guide potential customers, paving the way for sales by shaping their perceptions and expectations in favor of the solutions offered.
Customer-Centric Sales Approach: The discussion highlights the...
2024-07-2954 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast33. The secret formula for creating high quality opportunitiesThis episode is based on Lee’s presentation at the Pavilion Palooza in June 2024, offering insights into navigating the complexities of modern sales environments.
Key Discussion Points:
Challenges in Contemporary Selling:
Lee discusses the increasingly difficult landscape of sales, characterized by informed customers who often choose to stick with the status quo due to the perceived risks of change. He highlights how today’s buyers are overwhelmed with information, leading to decision paralysis.
Effective Sales Strategies:
The conversation shifts to strategies that can overcome these challenges. Lee stresses the importance of reducing the over...
2024-06-2619 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast32. Sales enablement effectiveness requires strategic positioning, peer partnerships with sales leadership and an unblinking focus on outcomesReena Ambai and our host, Lee Levitt, discuss the ability of sales enablement to improve sales rep productivity and effectiveness through a focus on behavior change.
Curiosity, empathy, and listening are the three key traits of successful salespeople.
According to Reena, great sales enablement follows a five-step process:
Gather key data points
Prioritize focus
Design program
Deliver and analyze
Reinforce
Key takeaways:
While data is important for decision-making, perfect data is not necessary. Look for directional trends.
While metrics matter, they should be sales performance metrics. Don't get hung up on vanity...
2024-06-2535 min
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonPutin and Kim Jong Un Sign Defense Pact | Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Luke Newton, Michael Che | Wednesday, June 19Jimmy addresses the latest news, like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un signing a mutual defense agreement, before speaking with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Luke Newton and welcoming comedian Michael Che for stand-up.
2024-06-2029 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast31. If authenticity and business acumen are critical for selling success, why do we still focus on product knowledge and certifications?Leah Borges brings sales experience in hospitality, high-risk industry consulting, and most recently tech sales. discusses her journey and her mission through her consulting company, Sales Done Right, advocating for ethical sales practices.
Discussion Overview:
Leah starts by sharing her diverse background in sales, emphasizing how her start in the hospitality business laid the foundation for her customer-centric approach. She delves into her experiences in consulting sales within high-risk industries, such as construction and mining, where the stakes are exceptionally high, and the importance of deeply understanding customer needs is paramount. This background gives her a unique...
2024-06-1845 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast30. Stop pitching, start selling. Leverage social enablement to build your personal brand and to ensure dramatically better resultsRob Durant, a social enablement expert and I explore the concept of social enablement, sharing insights on how sales teams can leverage social media to improve their long term sales performance. We share personal anecdotes, practical advice, and strategies to elevate your sales approach.
Key takeaways
Be Approachable: Establish a social presence that reflects your true self, making it easy for others to connect with you on a personal level. This is the foundation for building meaningful relationships
Be Sociable: Engage actively with your network by participating in conversations, sharing insights, and showing genuine interest in...
2024-06-1041 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast29. Effective sales coaching drives phenomenal results. So...what makes great sales coaching?Matt Stinson, a sales coach and former VP of Sales and podcast host (and fellow sales coach) Lee Levitt delve into the intricacies of sales leadership, coaching, and how to improve enterprise sales productivity.
Our conversation covers personal experiences, practical advice, and strategies to elevate your sales team’s performance.
Key takeaways:
Effective Coaching: Great coaching is about asking the right questions and facilitating self-discovery, rather than simply providing answers. It's essential to focus on long-term development over short-term wins.
Empathy and Active Listening: Building trust through empathy and active listening is crucial for su...
2024-06-0443 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast28. The journey from accidental sales person to sales expertEmre Vatansever shares his unexpected journey into the world of sales. Together we discuss the importance of curiosity, learning from customers, and the significance of coaching in achieving sales success.
Emre's insights are backed by his extensive background in international relations, international business, and his current role in improving commercial performance for technology-oriented, midsize family-owned businesses.
Through stories and examples, Emre shares how his perspective on sales evolved and why he believes in the power of coaching and customer engagement as key drivers of selling without selling out.
Key takeaways include:
...
2024-05-1454 min
Donor DiariesLiving Donors: Shedding Pounds to Save Lives | EP 25Send us a textImagine stepping into a world where giving the gift of life is made more accessible to all. That's the transformative journey we embark on with Ruby Rorty and Rachel Watson in the latest episode of Donor Diaries, as they share the details of a program called Project Donor. Ruby, from Stephen Levitt’s Center for RISC, shares the program's genesis and its profound impact on the healthcare sector's donor eligibility dilemma. With a focus on mutable health issues, this initiative paves the way for potential donors like Rachel, who recounts her heartening story of...
2024-05-0730 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast27. Is your inside sales team a strategic asset? Mike Conrad shares how he manages his ISR teams for improved performance and increased tenureMike Conrad and I dive into the nuanced world of inside sales. Mike, a seasoned sales professional with extensive experience in inside sales management, shares his lessons learned.
We explore the evolving landscape of inside sales and the importance of strategic leadership and development within inside sales teams. We discuss the transformative impact of thoughtful sales approaches, mentorship, challenges of adapting to modern sales tools, and advice on career pathing.
Mike and I share our experiences with inside sales teams at a variety of tech companies, highlighting the balanced approach between human interaction and technological...
2024-05-0352 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast26. Is Enterprise Selling fun? It should be! It can be! Your mindset determines your success and happiness. Jim Schaffer and I explore the process of creating success in enterprise salesJim Schaffer and Lee discuss the role of mindfulness and awareness in sales. We explore the relevance of being present, the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in sales interactions and the importance of understanding the context of who you're selling to.
Jim shares his personal journey of discovering mindfulness and how it transformed his approach to sales. We discuss the benefits of being present and reframing perspectives to find joy in any situation.
We also highlight the role of managers in supporting mindfulness and integrating it into sales organizations. Jim discusses importance of individual practice...
2024-03-1849 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast25. When sales people do their homework, discovery is more productive and customers are more receptive. Or...are you listening...or waiting to talk?In this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, we sit down with Deb Berman, an experienced sales consultant specializing in assisting early-stage tech startups, and a fellow Colgate alum! Join us as she shares her insights on building successful sales organizations, navigating the transition from startup employee to consultant, and the key elements for effective B2B sales.
Discussion Highlights:
Transitioning from founder-led sales to fielding a successful sales organization: Deb sheds light on the challenges founders face in growing the business and letting go of the founder-led sales process.
Building Buyer Personas and Effective...
2024-01-0943 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast24. High performing sales people don't "sell." They explore, they guide, they advise, and co-create. So...how do we foster curiosity?Nancy Maluso, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Edgio and I take a deep dive into the power of curiosity and authenticity in the customer engagement process, and the practices of value selling to ensure positive outcomes for all.
Nancy and I cover the practices that allow a good sales person to drive great results.
Key takeaways:
- High performing sales people don’t provide information about products. Instead, they provide insight into how a company’s business can be changed by change in process, tech or people. They help the customer explore the “...
2023-12-0537 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast23. Improve your sales results with deliberate practice and effective discoveryJonathan Mahon, cofounder of The Practice Lab and I take a deep dive into the value of discovery in the sales process, and the application of “deliberate practice” to improve selling skills.
While some believe that discovery “belongs” in a discrete stage of the sales process, and is sometimes delegated to a presales engineer, Jonathan and I share a different perspective.
Discovery should start long before the first contact, with the sales person and presales engineer conducting background research on the company, key stakeholders, installed base, etc., to begin the development of business value, financial value and...
2023-11-1452 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast22. Need to boost your pipeline size and shape? Mark Goloboy says: Get sales and marketing in the same room, working on the same goals!Special guest Mark Goloboy brings an extensive background in both large and small companies driving demand using data, analytics, process improvement and elbow grease. Together we nerd out on the value of data and shared goals to help drive pipeline size and shape. We also dig into the processes that help to ensure success.
Some companies play the blame game (it’s your fault, no yours!) while others focus on the goals of driving revenue and customer value. This latter focus requires both good data and a partnership between sales and marketing executives to continually improve the de...
2023-11-0748 min
Resúmenes de lectura rápidaFreakonomics: Uncovering the Hidden Forces Driving our World
Why is Freakonomics book worth reading?
1. Unique perspective: The book offers a fresh and unique approach to analyzing and understanding various aspects of everyday life. It applies economic principles to unconventional topics, providing readers with a new way of looking at the world around them.
2. Engaging storytelling: The authors, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, use storytelling techniques to explain complex economic concepts in a fascinating and accessible manner. This makes the book enjoyable to read, even for those without a background in economics.
3. Thought-provoking insights: Freakonomics challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to question...
2023-11-0313 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast21. High performing sales enablement organizations leverage their sales enablement charter to ensure strategic direction and significant organizational and operational impact!The purpose of a sales enablement charter is to define sales enablement, the sales enablement group mission, its focus, how it measures success, the key stakeholders and internal customers. It sets the boundaries of what the group will do and importantly, what the group will not or should not do.
The charter is a tool to help communicate what others should and should not expect from the sales enablement team.
High performing teams include the following critical components in their sales enablement charter:
group mission statement - what is the focus
team structure, roles...
2023-10-3118 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast20. Strategic account management is far more than sales planning or opportunity planningSenior sales leadership (and Wall Street analysts) talk a lot about strategic accounts. Of course, that’s where the money is, and more importantly that’s where the profit is. While your top tier of customers may generate 60 or 80% of your revenue, they will generate all of your company’s profits.
Strategic accounts spend more, they are customers longer, and make specific long-lasting platform, technology and relationship commitments.
But it takes work. You need expertise, process excellence and good platform support. For expertise, the Strategic Account Management Association is the source of truth. And ARPEDIO provides a...
2023-10-2412 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast19. Need to increase your sales teams' close rates? Improve your opportunity review process to ensure that more deals close, faster!While most people think of opportunity reviews as a necessary evil to build pipeline visibility, effective opportunity review sessions serve as a critical planning process to ensure timely deal closings.
Yes…a planning process. Good opportunity reviews identify unknown unknowns and action plans that dramatically boost close rates.
And a good platform for capturing those relationship maps and action plan tasks helps to ensure good organization and effective follow through. I mention ARPEDIO as a great example of a tech platform that fully supports these efforts, and account-based selling more broadly.
Here are a...
2023-10-1816 min
Hot Off The WireUnderstanding the history of conflict between Israel and Hamas and what might happen next | Bonus episodeOn Oct. 7 Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel igniting a war that has led to thousands of dead Israelis and Palestinians.
As the conflict in Israel continues to heat up in Gaza, Jaime Holguin with The Associated Press held an in depth discussion with AP's news director for Israel, Palestine and Jordan Josef Federman to help explain the situation.
In a second segment, Matthew Levitt with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, explains the history and focus of Hamas.
—The Associated Press
About this program
Host Terry Lip...
2023-10-1315 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast18. Effective account planning drives 40-70% higher revenues and greater customer satisfaction and loyalty. It takes great preparation, good processes and strong participationI've been deeply involved in account planning process development, improvement and facilitation for many years and have seen the strong positive impact on value creation, customer satisfaction and loyalty and revenue.
Here are a few lessons learned along the way:
Account planning, as the basis for account based selling, is vastly different from writing an account plan
Effective preparation helps to ensure the success of an individual account planning initiative
Good account planning requires the ongoing participation of key customer stakeholders...and this, by itself, is a decent judge of the relationship strength
Well defined processes...
2023-10-1017 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast17. Enterprise selling is like running a marathon, and Jonathan Levitt describes why "choosing to do hard things" allows us to be successful in both!Special guest Jonathan Levitt answers the question “why do we choose to do hard things?”, like running an ultramarathon or selling corporate wellness services (blood analytics) to government agencies.
As the top sales person at InsideTracker, a blood analytics company, Jonathan moved from ambassador program management, influencer development and direct-to-consumer sales to a focus on enterprise and public sector. Along the way he’s worked with leading professional and elite athletes, and more recently larger public service agencies and some of the largest consumer brands.
He’s sold many million of dollars in blood analytics and has...
2023-10-0349 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast16. Short Bytes: The levers of sales productivity, enablement and how you can drive higher sales performanceJoin me for a discussion in how to study, measure and improve sales productivity.
Sales productivity is the intersection of sales effectiveness, efficiency and revenue, and is the backbone of a growing and profitable organization.
Here are some highlights:
Sales enablement is one of the five levers of sales productivity and is the glue that sticks all of the others together. While content is a component of sales enablement, enablement is much more. And while training is a component of sales enablement, enablement is not training.
Adult learning theory drives effective sales enablement
Facilitation...
2023-09-2614 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast15. Getting your "fair share" with enterprise customers? Change your selling approach and enjoy better results. Ulrik Monberg, CEO of ARPEDIO outlines his recipe for effective Account Based Selling.Special guest Ulrik Monberg shares his passion for effective account based selling. Ulrik identified something missing in CRM over a decade ago, describing the category generally as providing a place to store transactional and contact information, while less useful for guiding account team behavior or truly fostering a value selling mindset.
He set off to build ARPEDIO, to provide a platform to support the functions of Assess, Reflect, Plan, Execute (ARPEDIO) (and Dio, which means God in Greek). We recently discovered our mutual enthusiasm for thoughtful, effective account planning and account based selling.
We agree that...
2023-09-1950 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast14. The power of communication: You create your world with your words...so what exactly are you saying? Communication expert Laurie Schloff provides an approachable perspective!Special guest Laurie Schloff and I discuss the value of effective communication in the selling realm. This episode will help you to become a better communicator, and to help your team communicate better as well!
Good communicators are able to motivate their prospects more effectively than weak communicators, and most of selling involves helping others to see different ways of being, to lower the perception of risk in acting, and to show a useful path forward.
Laurie shares some tips regarding effective communicating, including the “power” of your communication. Are you too assertive a communicator, too pa...
2023-09-1235 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast13. Why does sales still take an inside out view? Jackie Quint discusses the success moments that will change your selling perspective and drive both customer satisfaction and profitability!Special guest Jackie Quint and I discuss the value of customer success as a key to revenue generation and why smart AEs partner with CSMs to win more deals and help customers achieve their strategic goals!
Too much of selling focuses on the hero's journey of bringing in new logos and undervalues the shorter-cycle, lower-cost, higher-win-rate sale to existing customers. Jackie, with her experience in carrying a bag, consulting with multiple companies and then running Sales Enablement, Operations and Customer Success at Sophos, Extreme Networks, Salesforce and Hitch, offers a remedy.
Organizations need to move be...
2023-09-0542 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast12. Your sales people are leaving money on the table! Expert negotiator Christine McKay outlines how to capture additional value and reduce engagement costsSpecial guest Christine McKay and I discuss how to get the most from a sales engagement, starting with a value selling mindset — understanding requirements, aligning with the customer’s business goals and demonstrating value. Christine, as an experienced sales negotiator, outlines how most organizations leave value on the table and assume additional costs in virtually every deal.
While sales people tend to focus on price as a primary contract term, most customers care more about implementation costs and downside risks. Sales enablement has an opportunity improve their contract fluency and financial acumen.
Key takeaways of our con...
2023-08-2952 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast11. Why Change, Why Now? Kevin Dixon and the secrets to success in enterprise sellingSpecial guest Kevin Dixon and I discuss a key factor in value selling — understanding the participants on the buying team, mapping the relationships and dynamics and coming up with a plan to address their individual and group care-abouts.
Kevin is a long term sales exec turned company founder, who has brought a powerful tool to the market. Boxxstep provides the capability to map relationships, share that information cross the sales team and to poll individual buyers post engagement to determine where sales enablement can provide support to improve individual sales people skills and capabilities.
Kevin shares...
2023-08-2250 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast10. Meagan Davis on the essence of sales enablement and long distance runningSpecial guest Meagan Davis and I discuss the essence of sales enablement and how it’s similar to long distance running — you have to prepare, set a project plan, to train, be ready for speed bumps, broken shoe laces, SMEs that don’t show up or other anticipated/surprising events that may impede your ability to succeed.
Meagan recently published How to Start a Sales Enablement Program, available on Amazon. Her goal in writing the book was to capture and share her own learnings in launching a sales enablement function at a security tech company.
Meagan di...
2023-08-1538 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast9. Tammi Warfield: Think of selling as the passing of a baton between team membersSpecial guest Tammi Warfield and I discuss the full customer buying relationship versus the much more limited traditional selling approach. Tammi has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft, BMC, Delphix and more, where she owned the customer relationship process and business practices across the entire lifecycle. She's carried a bag and, generously, she has many lessons to share.
She also happens to be a long time friend and former coworker.
We explore Tammi's Value Realization model of Engagement -> Presales Journey -> Discovery & CoCreation -> Adoption/Rollout -> Value Realization -> (Next) Engagement.
...
2023-08-0839 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast8. Let's build muscle memory in sales! Dr. Stefanie Boyer shares her research and recommendations!
Stefanie Boyer, Ph.D is an author, TEDx and keynote speaker, sales trainer and named Forbes Next 1,000. Stefanie speaks and writes about how businesses can create growth while keeping their teams happy and loyal. Cited by AMA as the Sales Professor of the Year and recognized as a sales innovation expert, Dr. Boyer runs the sales program at Bryant University and is co-founder of RNMKRS, a technology company using AI to bring unbiased sales training to students around the world.
Stefanie has carried a bag, worked as a firefighter and held the javelin-throwing record.
2023-08-0149 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast7. Does sales enablement excellence require process expertise or subject matter expertise? Lisa Skillern and I duke it out!Lisa Skillern brings a special blend of process expertise in sales enablement and domain expertise in security. Her stakeholders love her; her sales teams count on her. She has carried a bag and run marketing. She has driven revenue and sales productivity in both large and small organizations. When we needed an enablement pro to drive global sales enablement for the security portfolio at Google, she was the obvious choice and we worked together to design and deliver enablement for our related portfolios.
Lisa focuses on the pragmatic side of sales enablement -- what will make a...
2023-07-2535 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast6. Liz Pulice outlines the Revenue Operating Rhythm and its impact on sales productivity and excellenceLiz Pulice brings a special blend of hands-on experience and executive leadership skills. She has many years of go-to-market strategy, operations and revenue and sales enablement activities. She's carried a bag and run operations. She is a fellow founding member of the Sales Enablement Society, and a sought after industry speaker
Liz focuses on operational excellence, aligning with strategy and managing stakeholders. At the same time, her background in psychology and the sciences gives her an understanding of the cognitive processes that we strive to influence through enablement.
We discuss the issues of organizational dynamics and chan...
2023-07-1837 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast5. Is sales enablement art or science? Roderick Jefferson says "YES!"Roderick Jefferson brings a special blend of hands-on experience, including carrying a bag early in his career, and managing training, sales productivity and global sales enablement over the past 20+ years. He is a fellow founding member of the Sales Enablement Society. He is a frequent keynote speaker and published author.
Join our conversation on sales enablement -- how we define it, how the focus has gone from the "right content at the right time at the right place..." to changing seller behavior...to revenue enablement. Roderick looks at enablement with both an "art and science" lens; the ar...
2023-07-1139 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast4. Two thirds of all tech products are sold through the channel. Heather Margolis takes a deep dive into channel enablement!Heather Margolis brings a special, deep knowledge of channel marketing, channel management and channel enablement. We first met more than fifteen years ago to discuss the sales enablement market and emerging technology vendors. Along with indirect sales channels, we share a love of cars, the outdoors, and New England. In this episode Heather and I share a small slice of our ongoing conversation about sales and channel enablement best practices and lessons learned.
Join our conversation on channel enablement -- how it differs from direct sales enablement and how to do it effectively. Heather points out that...
2023-07-0532 min
The Energy Markets PodcastS3E13: Brattle Group consultants discuss their report for the South Carolina legislature on the benefits of adopting an organized regional wholesale power market in the SoutheastBurned by an aborted nuclear power plant new build that saddled the state's consumers with hundreds of millions of dollars in needless costs for years to come, South Carolina's Act 187 established a legislative study committee to ponder whether the state's electricity consumers might not be better off with competitive reforms of the Palmetto State's 150-year-old monopoly regulatory regime. A centerpiece of the committee's considerations is a sweeping analysis of the competitive options the state could pursue, comprehensively put together by the Brattle Group. We talk with two of the report's authors – John Tsoukalis, principal, and Andrew Levitt, sen...
2023-07-0146 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast3. Marina Devalia stages an intervention to get marketing and sales to work together!Marina Devalia, founder of Playbook Lab, has a passion for marketing...and not just marketing, but the key issue of marketing and sales alignment.
She is a member of the Sales Enablement Society and has spent many years in senior marketing management roles. Check her LinkedIn profile for all the highlights and details!
In this episode Marina and I dive into the issue of marketing and sales alignment -- why marketing and sales don't always work towards a common goal, how to create useful SLAs that work for both groups, and perhaps most importantly, how to stage...
2023-06-2739 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast2. Matt Cohen: On bootstrapping sales enablement and onboardingMatt Cohen is one of those special people who have a strategic perspective, strong implementation experience and an ability to get things done. He recently joined Dotmatics to build out the sales enablement function. He is a current board member of the Boston Chapter of the Sales Enablement Society and spent three years at Seismic in enablement (isn't that redundant? ). Check his LinkedIn profile for his StrengthsFinder results (quite accurate, I'd say!)
In this episode Matt and I share a small slice of our ongoing conversation about sales enablement best practices and lessons learned. At Dotmatics, a...
2023-06-2043 min
Breakfast Leadership ShowInterview with Mark DragerMark is the Founder of Phanta Media, a branding and creative agency that helps entrepreneurs, speakers, and coaches create can’t ignore brands, events, and content that lands them bigger opportunities and grows their audience.
To achieve this, Phanta Media helps its clients challenge limiting public perceptions of who they’re or who they can be to unlock their true potential.
They have been in business for 15+ years and have worked with 300+ clients, including the Toronto Raptors, Evan Carmichael, and billionaire Michael Lee-Chin, in 4 countries. Revenue wise, they make over $1M annually.
Mark star...
2023-06-1928 minThe Thoughts on Selling™ Podcast1. Key attributes of successful sales people - curiosity and business acumen! Kevin Onarecker shares his perspectiveKevin Onarecker has been in sales and sales management for the past thirty years and brings many lessons learned to the conversation.
In this episode Kevin and I talk about the most important attributes for a sales person and how to instill and develop those attributes. Curious about the attributes?
Okay...curiosity is the first. Business acumen is the second.
Can these be learned? Sure!
Do they need to be practiced? Absolutely!
...and they need to be coached. The single most important activity a first line sales manager can...
2023-06-1339 min
For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running180. Anthony Lee: "Running saved my life"Anthony is more than, in his words, just a regular average Joe. He is a mountain, trail and ultra runner who loves challenging races, a restaurant worker, nature lover, and member of the Boulder outdoor community.
In this episode we talked about:
-running long and running steep
-growing up an unlikely runner
-making big health and fitness changes
-running for a better life
-focusing on the moment
-winning races
-the allure of the 100mile race distance
-mentorship and learning from others
2021-09-2453 minBreakfast Leadership ShowInterview with Rosalyn PalmerRosalyn Palmer is an award-winning Advanced Rapid Transformational Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist and Certified Coach. Rosalyn was one of the very first to train in RTT with Marisa Peer and has become one of the most sought-after RTT practitioners worldwide. Rosalyn was recently recognised at the ‘Janey Loves 2019 Platinum Awards’ with an award for her Trust Transformation package.
As bestselling author of the award-winning self-help book: ‘Reset! A Blueprint for a Better Life’, Rosalyn makes emotional wellbeing accessible to all. Rosalyn is also a co-author of Amazon No.1 bestselling self-help books ‘Ignite Your Life for Women’ and ‘Ignite Your Female Le...
2020-12-1426 min
During The MovieProject PowerIt always gets real in the NOLA, look me in my eyes, am I lying? Lets talk about a "Power" struggle between the authorities, the elite, and the everyday person on the streets of New Orleans with Dominque Fishback, Jamie Foxx, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/appSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/duringmovie/support
2020-08-2949 min
Breakfast Leadership ShowInterview with C. Lee SmithC. Lee Smith founded SalesFuel in 1989. Lee was named as one of the 14 Leading Sales Consultants by Selling Power magazine in 2018 and 2019. Foremost expert in executive leadership, sales coaching, behavioral analysis and the discovery process. Lee is author of the new book Hire Smarter, Sell More!, co-host of the Manage Smarter podcast and frequent keynote speaker.
https://salesfuel.com/hire/
C. Lee's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/manage-smarter/id1332925915
2020-04-0920 min
Breakfast Leadership ShowInterview with C. Lee SmithC. Lee Smith founded SalesFuel in 1989. Lee was named as one of the 14 Leading Sales Consultants by Selling Power magazine in 2018 and 2019. Foremost expert in executive leadership, sales coaching, behavioral analysis and the discovery process. Lee is author of the new book Hire Smarter, Sell More!, co-host of the Manage Smarter podcast and frequent keynote speaker.https://salesfuel.com/hire/C. Lee's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/manage-smarter/id1332925915
2020-04-0920 min