Top Sales Speaker

Companies Like Marriott and Aflac Generated Over $1 Billion With This One Mental Shift—Here’s Why It Works

By John Lusher | July 8, 2025 |

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…

The #1 Mistake Leaders Make in Uncertain Times—Without Even Realizing It

By John Lusher | July 1, 2025 |

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.…

Why Most Leaders AND Sales Execs Fail at Velocity—and Don’t Even Know It

By John Lusher | June 24, 2025 |

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…

The Goal That’s Quietly Killing Your Sales Team’s Momentum

By John Lusher | June 17, 2025 |

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…

Why Being “Busy” Might Be Destroying Your Sales Results

By John Lusher | June 10, 2025 |

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…

Craving More Respect? This Airport Agent’s Hilarious Trick Is a Masterclass in Emotional Intelligence

By John Lusher | June 3, 2025 |

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…

The Surprising Reason Your Message Isn’t Getting Through

By John Lusher | May 27, 2025 |

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…

The Chip That Fueled Velocity

By John Lusher | May 20, 2025 |

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…

Struggling to Win in This Economy? Use This $200M Mindset Hack

By John Lusher | May 13, 2025 |

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:…

The Brutal Truth About Thriving in Today’s Turbulent Times

By John Lusher | May 6, 2025 |

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…

Archives

You Don’t Have a Talent Problem. You Have a Direction Problem.

By John Lusher / March 2, 2026 /

In the mid-2000s, I was lying in a hospital bed recovering from back surgery when a difficult question hit me: What haven’t I done with my life? And why? When you’re forced to slow down, clarity shows up. I realized that unrealized goals rarely come down to talent or opportunity. They come down to three…

Stop Improving. Start Defining Outcomes.

By John Lusher / February 24, 2026 /

Most professionals ask the wrong question. They ask: “How do I improve what I’m already doing?” High performers ask: “What outcome do I really want to achieve?” That shift changes everything. Because when you focus on activity, you stay busy. When you focus on outcomes, you become strategic. And here’s the real problem… We let…

The Question That Matters More Than AI Right Now

By John Lusher / January 28, 2026 /

Things like AI and other issues come second. The first question is: what do you want to achieve for yourself? If you are not happy with what you are achieving on an annual basis, what would make you happy? What would make you feel fulfilled? It has to be specific, and it has to be…

The Hidden Cost of Discounting

By John Lusher / January 21, 2026 /

Let’s talk about what’s happening in the market right now: tariffs, inflation, supply chain pressure, price. Customers are cautious. Decisions are slower. And suddenly everyone’s favorite strategy is discounting, because nothing says “premium solution” like dropping your price faster than your confidence.  Inside the company, it usually sounds like this: Sales says, “We’ve got to…

The Real Point Where Momentum Breaks Down (and Why Most Executives Miss It)

By John Lusher / January 14, 2026 /

Most people think velocity is blocked by outside forces—other people, missed signals, bad timing. The truth is far more uncomfortable…and far more powerful.  It turns out the biggest obstacle that gets in our way is internal, and it starts with the stories we create every day. Everything that someone says or does to you, you…

Every Word Matters: How Emotional Triggers Shape Success

By John Lusher / January 6, 2026 /

Every conversation you have is shaping a story in someone else’s mind—and if you are not aware of it, that story could be working against you. We are emotional creatures. Like a strength, it can help us—but if it is overused, it becomes a weakness. Anything you say to me or do to me, all…

Before You Finalize Your 2026 Plan, Watch This

By John Lusher / December 22, 2025 /

A quick question: have you ever shared what you thought was a brilliant idea, and the reaction you got back was a polite nod, crossed arms, or the classic, “Yeah, let’s think about it”? Same idea, same words, same logic and yet it landed with all the impact of a wet noodle. Here’s why. Have…

The Part of Storytelling Almost Everyone Leaves Out

By John Lusher / December 16, 2025 /

I became a speaker for the wrong reason. I figured if I could be on stage and slay my dragons by being proverbially naked in front of the audience, then I had made it and gotten rid of all my fears. That’s not true. That was being self-focused, and it didn’t help the audience. I…

The Science Behind Getting Prospects to Say Yes Faster

By John Lusher / December 11, 2025 /

Before you even introduce yourself, your prospect’s hormones have already voted on you. The question is: did you win? In the first few seconds of any interaction, their brain is quietly—but decisively—determining whether to trust you, engage with you, or shut down completely. And it all comes down to three key hormones neuroscience identifies: cortisol,…

The Moment I Stopped Feeling Like a Fraud

By John Lusher / December 3, 2025 /

You know, there’s a phrase from my childhood that stuck with me for decades. It wasn’t inspirational. It wasn’t wise. It was—“You’re a fraud.” My father said it to me. T And it became a lightning bolt that hit me every single time I tried to do something big. And here’s the worst part… There…