Negotiation Made Simple

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. What can a three-time Super Bowl champion teach us about negotiation? In this episode, NFL legend Stephen Gostkowski shares lessons learned from nearly 15 seasons with the Patriots dynasty alongside Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. From performing under immense pressure to negotiating contracts, knowing your worth,...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. Most people think negotiation is about tactics, pressure, or getting the last word. It’s not. In this episode, we unpack the hidden rules that actually determine who wins deals and who quietly leaves value on the table. From pricing with confidence and handling procurement pressure to navigating tough conversati...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. Most people think negotiation starts when the offer hits the table. In reality, it starts long before that and the highest performers understand how to build leverage, shape perception, and position their value well ahead of the final conversation. In this episode, John sits down with executive negotiation advis...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. What really determines who wins a negotiation? In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , John Lowry sits down with veteran talent agent Blake McDaniel , who has spent decades negotiating deals for some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Alabama, Run-DMC, and many others. Through years of high-st...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. When goals stall, deals freeze, and ideas go nowhere, most people push harder and get more stuck. In this episode, John Lowry shares a simple framework for getting unstuck by shifting from positions to interests, from convincing to connecting, and from pressure to progress. This is a must listen for leaders who...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode, we sit down with a Producer of American Idol to unpack how one of the most successful shows in television history almost never happened and what that teaches us about high-stakes negotiation. From getting rejected by networks, to reworking the pitch, to stacking the right pieces at the right mom...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. What do you do when the odds are stacked against you and losing feels inevitable? Most negotiators hit a point where deals dry up, leverage disappears, and confidence starts to slip. It’s in those moments that most people play defense… and slowly lose their edge. In this episode, we break down an unlikely source...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , we explore one of the most overlooked skills in negotiation and leadership: managing the negotiation happening inside your own head . Clinical psychologist and mindset coach Dr. Nick Wignall joins the conversation to unpack why anxiety, fear, and pressure show up so s...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. Is the goal of a negotiation to gain a "distinct unfair advantage"? In this episode, host John Lowry sits down with global insurance executive Barry Stowe to dismantle that Wall Street myth and reveal a more profitable path. Stowe, who led Prudential Corporation Asia through a season of unprecedented g...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , John sits down with Walker Thrash, commercial real estate deal maker and author of The Deal Maker’s Will . Through a mentor–mentee story, Walker distills years of experience into seven powerful rules that help negotiators simplify complexity, understand self-interest,...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. What separates good negotiators from great ones? In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , Wharton professor Richard Shell,  author of Bargaining for Advantage and one of the world’s foremost experts on negotiation, joins the show to share what he’s learned from decades of teaching Navy SEALs, CEOs, diplomats...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode, we sit down with Mark Anthony McCray—one of the top sales leaders in global logistics—to unpack what really drives sales negotiations. Mark’s core philosophy: remove friction. When you make it easy to do business with you—and help your buyer look good to their stakeholders—deals move. They discu...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , John Lowry sits down with Richard Gabriel, one of the nation’s leading trial consultants, whose career spans more than 2,500 cases including some of the most high-profile trials in history. Together, they explore the fascinating intersection between jury consulting an...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. When emotions run high and the stakes are even higher, how do you negotiate resolution? In this episode, seasoned litigator and nationally recognized settlement counsel John Pion shares raw, real-world stories from the frontlines of high-stakes negotiations — including a moment where a gun was placed on the tabl...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , host John Lowry teams up with longtime friend and leadership expert Chris Allen to tackle one of the most overlooked leadership skills— negotiating inside your organization . From team conflict to change management and return-to-office policies, negotiation is happeni...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode, John Lowry sits down with Peter Robinson — former director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine — to explore the foundational skills every negotiator needs. Peter shares stories and lessons from decades of teaching and practicing negotiation around the world, emphasizing...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , John Lowry sits down with high school teacher and coach Tristan Wheeler to explore the unexpected parallels between education and negotiation. Tristan shares how teaching seniors and coaching soccer have shaped his understanding of influence, transformation, and conne...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , John Lowry sits down with a seasoned university president and faith-driven leader to explore the human side of negotiation. From managing complex relationships to navigating high-stakes decisions, this conversation unpacks the quiet disciplines and mindset shifts that...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , we sit down with Aaron Dorn, CEO of Studio Bank and former U.S. Marine Corps officer, to explore what it really takes to lead, negotiate, and grow in today’s business world. From founding a billion-dollar bank to navigating high-stakes deals, Aaron shares hard-earned...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple , host John Lowry sits down with Doug Ryan , a commercial real estate expert with over 25 years of experience at Colliers Nashville . Doug has played a pivotal role in some of Nashville’s biggest real estate deals , and he credits advanced negotiation training as a game...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. Negotiation is both an art and a science, and few people understand this better than Dr. Keld Jensen. As the author of 12 books and a leading expert in negotiation, trust, and behavioral economics, Dr. Jensen has spent years studying what makes deals successful—and what causes them to fall apart. In this episode...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. What can a billion-dollar fighter jet deal teach you about negotiation? In this episode, host John Lowry takes you behind the scenes of a high-stakes negotiation between President Donald Trump and Lockheed Martin CEO Marilyn Hewson. Discover how Hewson navigated public criticism, transformed a tense situation in...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode, John Lowry sits down with Ryan Hawk, the host of the acclaimed Learning Leader Show podcast and a bestselling author. Ryan shares invaluable insights from his journey as a leader, podcaster, and keynote speaker, including lessons learned from over 600 deep-dive interviews with some of the world’...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this episode we dive into an incredible 18-year journey that proves the power of persistence, creativity, and relationship-building in high-stakes negotiations. Our guest, Brian Tucker took on a seemingly impossible challenge—turning a breathtaking piece of land into Punta Brava one of the most exclusive golf...

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show. In this special episode of Negotiation Made Simple , host John Lowry sits down with renowned attorney and mediator Ken Feinberg, whose expertise has helped shape the outcomes of some of America’s most tragic and high-profile cases, from the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund to the Boston Marathon bombing and Deepwat...