Top Sales Consultant
I recently received an honor that caused me to reflect on an entire career. I was inducted into the 2026 Legends of the Speaking Profession. For someone who has spent decades speaking professionally, you might assume that communication always came naturally to me. It didn’t. As a teenager, I had a speech impediment that prevented…
There are people who become successful. There are people who become famous. And then there are those rare individuals who become something much greater. Dolly Parton became an icon. Her story didn’t begin with wealth, connections or opportunity. She grew up as one of 12 children in a one-room cabin in the mountains of Tennessee.…
Vince Lombardi famously said: “Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” I agree. Leadership requires effort. It requires discipline, repetition, resilience and a willingness to keep improving. But there’s another piece we cannot afford to overlook: Hard work only creates meaningful progress when it is…
I recently received a sales message that opened by telling me the sender and I were in the same business. There was only one problem. We weren’t. The sender had my name. He had a template. But he clearly hadn’t taken the time to understand what I actually do, who I serve, or whether what…
Some of the biggest breakthroughs in business don’t begin with a brilliant answer. They begin with a different question. I recently came across the story of an industry built around companies purchasing life insurance policies from policyholders. Traditionally, everyone viewed life insurance through essentially the same lens: Buy the policy. Pay the premiums. Eventually, the…
Most communication problems are not caused by what we say. They happen because of what the other person believes they heard. People do not listen to words in isolation. They listen through filters shaped by past experiences, assumptions, emotions, expectations, and beliefs. Those filters can completely change the meaning of a message. I might say:…
In today’s business environment, leaders and sales teams are being pushed to move faster, produce more, adopt new tools, and deliver immediate results. But moving faster does not automatically mean moving forward. One of the most important principles of the Velocity Mindset® is to start with the end in mind, but first, you must make…
Markets are volatile. Budgets are tightening. International tensions are affecting supply chains, energy prices, and business confidence. For leaders, the pressure is real. But here is the brutal truth: Uncertainty does not destroy companies. Inaction does. When fear enters the boardroom, decisions slow down. Investments are delayed. Teams lose confidence. Organizations begin waiting for conditions…
Most salespeople don’t lose deals because of price. They don’t lose because of the competition. And they rarely lose because of the economy. More often than not, they lose because they’re approaching every opportunity with the same linear thinking they’ve been taught since childhood. From the time we enter school, we’re trained to follow the…
Fame can be addictive. Not just celebrity fame. Business fame. Leadership fame. Social media fame. The kind of visibility that makes people feel seen, validated, and recognized. But when attention becomes the goal, direction often changes. People start making decisions for reactions instead of results. They chase clicks instead of contribution. They prioritize visibility instead…
Stop! The world feels out of control—economically, emotionally—and the instinct is to hit the brakes. AI is rewriting the rules. Global chaos is draining us. The pandemic shifted everything. It’s no wonder that people feel like they have no control over their lives or businesses. And when that happens, we freeze—or we scramble. We grab…
Let’s be honest, the world feels a little uncertain right now. Markets are shifting. Customers are hesitating. Wars are breaking out all over. But here’s the truth: uncertainty isn’t the problem—indecision is. As a top sales leadership consultant and keynote speaker, I talk to sales leaders and executives every day. They say, “We are waiting for clarity.…
One of the core tenets of the Velocity Mindset® that leaders and sales executives struggle with is this: start with the end in mind—but make sure it is the right end. As a top sales leadership consultant and keynote speaker, I have seen these three mistakes leaders and sales executives make that derail even the…
You know, one of the core ideas behind the Velocity Mindset® is simple: start with the end in sight—not just a to-do list, but the real outcome you want to achieve. But here’s the thing most people miss: they don’t aim high enough. They shoot for something small, something safe, and then wonder why nothing…
You know what most people confuse velocity with? Speed—just speed. They think, “If I’m moving fast, I must be making progress.” But let me ask you this: Have you ever sprinted through a day, hammered out emails, checked 47 things off your to-do list, and still felt like nothing really moved the needle? That’s not…
Do you ever find yourself in a situation where people are losing it, and you’re the one expected to stay calm? Let me take you back to a story from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Great Customer Service, which I co-wrote with Don Blohowiak. A few years ago, an American Airlines gate agent received the worst…
Most people think the biggest challenge in communication is what we say. But neuroscience says it’s actually what people hear—or rather, what they think they’re hearing. You see, people don’t listen with their ears. They listen with their filters. And those filters? They’re packed with personal experiences, assumptions, even childhood stuff they’ve long forgotten. It’s…
Every success story has a chip on its shoulder—a reason to fight harder, to push forward when others would quit. This is the story of a young boy who dreaded introducing himself. He had a speech impediment—one that made it nearly impossible to pronounce the letter R. Now imagine not being able to clearly say…
In today’s economy, pressure is everywhere. Margins are tight, deals are stalling, and decision-makers are more cautious than ever. But the sales pros and leaders who thrive in this turbulence—they are not just smart in strategy; they are strong in emotional intelligence. As a sales leadership consultant and sales leadership speaker, I’ve seen this firsthand:…
Let’s face it — the economy is shaking. Markets are volatile, budgets are shrinking, and fear is creeping into every boardroom. And if you are not careful, that fear can lead to paralysis and inaction. But here’s the truth no one talks about: fear and uncertainty don’t kill companies. Inaction does. The winners in…