Breaking Sales

There's a devastating invisible force awaiting you in every prospect and client conversation you have, and you hold the key that either lets it out or keeps it at bay. The good and bad news - it's all controlled by you.  In this episode, Dan and Kristie explore how anxiety shows up in sales conversations and why it's such a performance killer. Through real client stories, they reveal how trying to...

Every closing technique you've been taught is training your prospects to resist you. While you're focused on "Always Be Closing," your prospects are running in the opposite direction, "Avoid Being Closed." The harder you push, the further they pull away. It's a losing game. In Part I, we revealed why traditional closing tactics backfire and the three stages prospects go through when debating chang...

Traditional closing tactics focus on winning the deal—but that's not the process your prospects and clients experience. They experience a process that requires them to debate change. If you want to get better at closing, then you'll need to master the process that your prospects go through. The ABC, or "always be closing" method, is great for the movies, but detrimental to your real world conversa...

In this revealing second part of our conversation with Lappin180 and top commercial real estate advisor Emily Smith, we dive deep on one of the most damaging barriers to successful selling: - anxiety, and how detachment is a practical and proven way to reduce the thoughts that hold you back.  Emily shares the remarkable transformation that occurred when she stopped trying to control things that sh...

After 12 successful years in commercial real estate, Emily Smith thought she had the perfect formula: be the most prepared, most knowledgeable person in every room. Then she started working w/ Lappin180. In this candid conversation, Emily reveals how she completely transformed her approach by letting go of the "expert" persona that had defined her career. She shares the humbling process of recogni...

Do you view your calendar as a constraint or an asset? In this episode, Dan and Pam discuss why your relationship with time is the foundation of high performance. They explore the zero-sum approach to time management, revealing why traditional time blocking doesn't work for most sales professionals and how to build the discipline to stop re-prioritizing in the moment. Learn practical strategies to...

When was the last time you sat comfortably in silence during a sales conversation?  In this episode, Dan Lappin and Pam Evanson explore the transformative power of giving prospects space to think. You'll learn:  Why jumping in to fill every pause can cost you valuable insights  Practical techniques for creating space in your conversation, and  How to practice the art of detachment from labeling in...

What hidden patterns from your past might be limiting your sales performance? In this candid episode, Dan and Kristie share personal stories about how childhood experiences shaped their approach to business conversations. Dan reveals his journey from seeking validation to finding freedom in authentic interactions, while Kristie discusses reframing her view of tension from something negative to a p...

Have you ever felt like you were chasing the day? You know, that gap that exists when you set out to achieve or create something new, but you're unsure if the different routines and actions you're investing in will pay off. Your days include more uncertainty than normal because the new and different actions feel like you're taking a step back, not forward.   In this episode of Breaking Sales, Dan...

WARNING: Part II of this conversation might make you uncomfortable—especially if you've been in sales for more than 10 years. When Dan asked a room of veteran salespeople with multiple 7-figure deals under their belts when they last practiced their sales conversations, the silence was deafening. Not a single hand went up. These same professionals tell their children to practice constantly to impro...

What separates sustainable high performance from occasional success? Often, it's not the big moments, but the small daily practices that create the foundation for excellence. In this final episode with MJ Insurance Chief Growth Officer and President of Benefits Consulting Andy Vetor, we explore how intentional routines enable us to maintain focus, energy, and impact across multiple demanding roles...

Ever notice how the more attached you are to someone's success (kids, friend, client, or prospect), the less likely they are to listen to and take your advice?  Through stories from sales, leadership and parenting, MJ Insurance Chief Growth Officer and President of Benefits Consulting Andy Vetor talks about how slowing down and asking questions actually helps the other person take ownership of imp...

Do you know what it's like to stay unwavering and fully committed to asking questions and seeking to understand the other person's perspective, versus sharing expertise or having all the answers? That powerful shift from no longer making yourself the lead character in the conversation, and instead allowing the other person to take on that lead role. This is exactly what long time client and friend...

Ever wonder how you can learn to embrace those uncomfortable moments? You know— the ones that light the path toward where you want to be headed verses where you currently are. Whether a difficult conversation, new routine, or some new action.    In this episode, Pam and Dan break down: What's really happening in your head during those pivotal moments Why labeling something as "hard" versus "uncomf...

When was the last time you felt truly confident in a high-stakes sales conversation—not just trying to project confidence, but actually feeling it? In this raw conversation, Kristie reveals what happened when she realized her "proven track record" wasn't good enough. You'll learn the exact process she used to recognize when she was operating from fear versus authentic confidence, specific techniqu...

How do you fight off the anxiousness that floods in at times during your prospect and client conversations? The feeling  that causes you to jump to solving, use filler words in moments of silence, and to back off of asking good, meaningful questions? In Part II of our conversation, Tim Filewicz shares his experiences in learning how to trust his voice of objectivity and detachment, and how he trul...

How do you learn to trust a completely new approach or skill when the stakes are high?  In this episode, Lockton VP Tim Filewicz shares how he transformed his mindset from seeking to be liked to embracing a peer to peer role, where the priority is to help his prospects and clients feel positive tension as they decide on change.    You'll learn how to break free from the "friend zone" in your clien...

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to truly build trust with someone new—even when you come highly recommended?  That's because we naturally hold people at a distance until we understand their intent. In this episode, Pam and Dan explore a counterintuitive truth about sales conversations.  They break down why telling prospects they don't need to do anything with you—that "not moving forward" is...

In this episode, Pam and Dan break down what real mindset preparation looks like, and why it matters - especially if you want better results from your conversations. Telling yourself to be calm, confident, or courageous is not enough. If it was, you'd already be having the more meaningful conversations and results.  Listen in as Dan and Pam show you what it takes to develop real mindset strength—t...

Goals: Why do they frustrate so many of us?  In this episode, Dan shares a different approach to setting goals designed to help you break free from the traditional goal-setting trap. We'll explore why the word "goal" itself might be holding you back, and discover a powerful framework that focuses on achievement, creation, and experience instead. If you're ready to transform how you think about and...

Have you ever walked into a sales meeting feeling perfectly prepared - research done, questions ready, value proposition polished - but still felt something was off? The reality is, research alone can only get you so far – mindset is the true catalyst behind every sales outcome, yet it is so often overlooked in our preparation. In this Snippet, Dan and Pam explore why traditional pre-meeting prep...

Today, people feel pressure to prove themselves on social media—sharing every win and accomplishment. Yet, the most successful people rarely feel the need to broadcast their achievements. When looking at who actually makes it in business long-term, there's one quality that stands out above all others: humility. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore why humility is the hidden key to high performance...

Sometimes, the thing that's holding us back from achieving that next level of performance isn't a lack of skill or ability –  it's the voice inside our own head. However, with the right tools and practice, it is possible to strengthen your mindset so you can think clearly and decisively in almost any circumstance. In this episode of Breaking Sales, we're continuing Dan's conversation with Dr. Rach...

Have you ever noticed a little voice in your head right before a big meeting, saying "Don't mess this up. Don't say anything stupid. Make sure they know how smart you are."  That voice isn't just an annoyance; it's actually sabotaging your performance.  In this episode, Dan sits down with psychologist and researcher Rachel Turow to explore the science behind self-talk and how it affects everything...

We've all been there – a conversation seems to be going well, when one comment or question causes everything to shift. The energy changes, walls go up, and what seemed like a productive discussion grinds to a halt. What made things go south? In many cases, it's a lack of empathy.  In this episode of Breaking Sales, Dan and Pam dive deep into why empathy is the foundation of meaningful business rel...