Higgle: The B2B Sales Club

Why do facts so rarely change what anyone actually believes? Mike Mears returns for the second half of our conversation, this time moving from the psychology of his 4-steps into what they look like in practice. We start with cold calling, and why the odds are stacked against it before you even dial. Mike then explains why our need for certainty makes us invent stories about other people that feel...

Why do most people believe they're rational when the evidence says otherwise? Mike Mears, a former Cold War spy who went on to run the CIA's Leadership Academy, returns to the podcast in this episode. This time, he's explaining why intelligent people reject changes they know they need to make. We start with the "burning platform," and why a tactic built on fear quietly shuts down the experimentati...

What happens when your biggest customer tells you that you're behind the curve? Craig Letton, CEO of hyble, returns to the podcast for a second appearance. This time, he's letting us in on what it actually takes to rebuild a product around AI. We start with the year Craig spent trying to bolt AI onto a platform that already worked, which ended with nothing to show for it and a customer telling him...

What separates persistence that builds relationships from persistence that quietly burns them? In this episode I sit down with Dave Corlett, Growth Director at Shaped By, to unpack the business development principles that have survived nearly two decades of market change. Dave explains how a deliberately low-profile community he built of in-house creative leaders has become one of his most effecti...

What separates companies using AI for efficiency from those using it for transformation? Eric Fulwiler, Co-founder & CEO at Rival, joins us today to explore why many organizations are incorrectly approaching AI the same way they approached previous technological shifts. We discuss the difference between using AI to improve existing processes and redesigning entire operating models around what the...

Why are so many sales teams chasing efficiency instead of trust? In this episode, we're welcoming Carlo Girasoli to discuss why relationship-led business development continues to outperform high-volume outreach in complex B2B sales. We explore the difference between creating awareness and trying to create demand, and why many sales teams undermine future opportunities by pushing for conversations...

What if the future belongs to those who redesign systems instead of simply using AI? In this episode I sit down with Sangeet Paul Choudary, best-selling author and Founder of Platformation Labs, to explore why AI is changing far more than individual jobs or workflows. We discuss why every industry is built around a set of constraints, and what happens when AI removes those constraints almost overn...

If algorithms can outperform your marketing team, what are you really paying for? This week I'm joined by Jason Ryan, Head of AI Strategy at Magnus Consulting, to unpack what happens when go-to-market strategy collides with AI. We take a look at the shift from traditional campaigns to always-on marketing systems that continuously test, learn, and optimize. Jason shares how algorithms are now capab...

Is the industry sleepwalking into a talent collapse driven by AI and short-term thinking? In this episode I sit down with Paddy Woods, Founder of Fuse, to unpack a bold and urgent idea: the marketing and creative industry is heading toward a structural talent crisis. Paddy shares insights from his  "Workforce Transition Program for the UK Marketing and Creative Industries" report, explaining why j...

How do you align global stakeholders and still keep price from dominating the conversation? In this episode, I sit down with Shari Begun, Vice President of Sales at GlobalFoundries. She leads strategic accounts in the semiconductor industry and manages several billion dollars in annual revenue. She takes us behind the scenes on what it actually means to close complex, high-stakes deals that take t...

Are agencies about to automate themselves into irrelevance? In this final part of a trilogy with Simon Billington, Global Executive Creative Director at Team Lewis, we go deep into the idea of "control points" and why they might define the future of agencies more than any shiny AI tool. We explore how better visibility over data actually creates more creative freedom, and why automating the wrong...

Are agencies about to be redefined not by what they make, but by how they think? In this second part of my conversation with Simon Billington, Global Executive Creative Director at Team Lewis, we get straight into the shifting foundations of agencies in an AI-driven world. Simon challenges the idea that deep domain expertise is still the ultimate advantage. Instead, he argues that the real differe...

How do you punch above your weight when a technological revolution threatens your entire industry? In this episode, I sit down with Simon Billington, Global Executive Creative Director at Team Lewis, for the first in a trilogy of episodes. Simon takes us back to early 2023, when agencies everywhere rushed to experiment with generative AI, and explains why he chose a radically different path. Inste...

How do you stand out in the RFP process when everyone is using the same AI tools? AI is reshaping sales faster than most of us can process. In this conversation with Antoine Drapeau, Senior Account Executive at Verndale, we get into what that really means for RFPs, discovery calls, and credibility. We explore how buyers are increasingly turning to large language models to define their problems bef...

What happens to agencies when scarcity disappears and AI can do almost everything? In this episode I sit down with Tom Salmon, Co-Founder of Agency by Agency, to unpack what's really happening inside the UK's 25,000-strong agency market. Tom has mapped the entire sector, and the data reveals some surprising shifts. We examine if the challenges that agencies are facing are a temporary downturn or a...

Could a survey based on original research be your missing piece in winning high-value B2B deals? This week, I sit down with Becky Lawlor, Founder of Redpoint Insights, to unpack the real power behind survey-based thought leadership. We go far beyond "just sending out a survey" and get into what actually makes original research influential in B2B buying decisions. Becky shares compelling data showi...

Are outdated discovery tactics and fear of rejection quietly killing your enterprise deals? Alex Sobol, co-founder of The Millennium Alliance, is here for part 2 to unpack what's really happening in B2B C-suite sales right now. We dig into why so many companies are hiring the wrong types of salespeople (even when their resumes look perfect) and what actually separates average performers from elite...

What if the real secret to sales success is in how you handle difficult people? In this episode, I sit down with Alex Sobol, Co-Founder of The Millennium Alliance, to look closely at the real traits that drive success in sales. Alex shares how he went from selling sponsorships straight out of college to building a global C-suite community that's now on track for $100 million in revenue. He believe...

What happens when clients demand fewer people, lower fees, and measurable growth at the same time? In this episode, we're joined by Micki Meyer (Executive Director, Global Client Engagement - Health with Interpublic Group) to unpack the shifting economics of the agency world, including why traditional models are under serious pressure. We walk through the classic retainer, time-and-materials, and...

As production gets cheaper and faster, where does real agency value survive? In this episode, I sit down with Claire Lambell, Managing Director at Southpaw, to unpack what's really happening inside creative agencies as AI reshapes the industry. We dig into the pressure coming from automation, platform tools, and procurement, and ask the burning question: where does the strategic moat actually live...

What happens when you stop automating tasks and start reimagining the entire workflow? In this episode, we're alongside Rebecca Aliab Deng, Vice President of Business Operations at Cognitiv, to unpack what AI transformation actually looks like inside deep learning advertising platforms. We go beyond the hype and examine the real challenges: overwhelming volumes of AI tools, mismatched expectations...

Are agencies evolving into strategic partners, or becoming commoditized overnight by AI? In this second of two parts, Gareth Turner of Big Black Door joins me again to unpack what AI is really doing to marketing teams, agencies, and the role of the CMO. With his 30 years of brand-side experience, we get straight into the tension between strategy and execution. AI can move fast, but we explore why...

What if the smartest move in marketing is to step back before doing more? We're welcoming Gareth Turner, Founder of Big Black Door, in this episode to check out what's really going on inside the modern CMO's world. We talk about the uncomfortable truth that most marketing leaders don't have enough budget to deliver their plans, and yet a staggering portion of that budget is wasted through poor bri...

How do you win customers when AI becomes the gatekeeper between you and your audience? In this episode, I sit down with John Campbell, Head of Innovation & AI at ROAST, to unpack how AI is fundamentally reshaping search. We explore the shift from traditional search results to AI-generated answers, and why zero-click results are forcing businesses to rethink how they measure success. John explains...

Could a $5 gesture outperform your entire digital ad budget? In this second part of my conversation with Kris Rudeegraap, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Sendoso, we start off by discussing the myths surrounding gifting in B2B sales and start tearing them apart. We hear how gifting isn't about flashy $500 items or gimmicks; it's about psychology, creativity, and timing. Kris explains why spending $30 on...