Top Sales Consultant
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…
In his groundbreaking book Activate Your Brain, Scott Halford lays out the Five C’s of neuroscience—five triggers that, when activated, increase the chance of success in any pitch, proposal, or conversation. They are: control, certainty, completion, choice, and context. Today, I want to focus on just two: control and certainty—and how they played a major role…
For 17 years, Rory McIlroy chased one dream. He had already conquered the PGA Championship. He stood atop the U.S. Open. He lifted the Claret Jug at The Open. But Augusta—home of the Masters—always found a way to say no. In 2011, he led by four heading into Sunday. The golf world expected a coronation.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
You know, every year around this time, we hear the same thing: it’s Thanksgiving, time to give thanks. And while that’s a beautiful tradition, I want to challenge that thinking a little. Giving thanks should never be limited to one day a year. If you’re living the Velocity Mindset, gratitude is not an event—it’s a…
Have you ever had a challenge so painful that you waited years to face it? But there were a couple of things I dealt with when I was younger, too. One was an addiction issue, and I open my keynotes with that. Another was that I couldn’t enunciate the letter R, so I was bullied…