The Exceptional Business Podcast

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Business Podcast , Helen reveals how ChatGPT completely changed the way they recruit account managers, telemarketers, and admin staff — saving hours of manual screening and dramatically improving candidate quality. Previously, applicants were asked to submit videos — a barrier that kept numbers low. After switching to a Google Form with 10 targeted quest...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Business Podcast , Helen Dowling digs into one of the biggest frustrations in sales — why even talented salespeople hate prospecting. Drawing from her own team’s experience — making 100–130 calls a day and speaking to only 10–15% of prospects — Helen explains how structure, clarity, and better qualification can turn prospecting from demoralising to effec...

In this episode of The Exceptional Business Podcast , Helen shares a real-life story from her experience with Travel Counsellors — and how it revealed the difference between simply taking bookings and truly building relationships . Planning trips for her 25th anniversary cruise, the Inter Milan vs Liverpool match, and even the Winter Olympics, Helen expected a tailored, attentive service. Instead,...

In this episode of The Exceptional Business Podcast , Helen discusses why outsourcing lead generation and appointment setting to a reputable, specialist team can transform your sales pipeline. She explains that while many businesses try to handle outreach internally, they often face the same challenges — unqualified leads, poor follow-up, and wasted time. Outsourcing to experts means gaining a ded...

n this episode, Helen Dowling from Exceptional Thinking explores one of the most overlooked marketing tools in business growth — your team’s reviews. She explains how genuine feedback from your employees not only helps attract top talent but also builds credibility with potential clients. Positive reviews show that your business is professional, transparent, and a great place to work with — and fo...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares how her team tackled one of the most frustrating challenges in appointment setting — no-shows and constant rearranges. Using Go High Level , they built an automated system to confirm appointments and categorise bookings by their likelihood to rearrange. Within just two months, they halved their no-show rate and dramatically improve...

In this insightful session, Helen Dowling from Exceptional Thinking unpacked the “sales gap” many mid-size businesses face — that frustrating space between marketing buzz and actual new clients. Her advice was clear: fix the bottom of the funnel before spending more at the top. Helen shared a structured, three-stage process to qualify leads and improve conversion rates: 1️⃣ Stage One – Booking: Us...

Helen walked through how to use Sales Navigator to find the right prospects — for example, C-suite directors in large UK manufacturing firms — and how to use ChatGPT to craft personalised connection and follow-up messages that start real conversations. 💡 Key takeaways: 🔍 Target smartly – Use Sales Navigator filters to find your ideal decision-makers. 💬 Personalise with AI – Let ChatGPT help you...

In this powerful and candid episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares the real story of when she and her husband — and Finance Director — Nick had to take a client to court. They won the case, but as she explains, winning doesn’t mean it didn’t take a toll . This episode dives deep into the emotional and operational realities of dealing with client disputes — what happens before,...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares a simple, structured approach to setting business goals that actually stick . Instead of plucking targets out of thin air, she shows how to use real numbers, reverse engineering, and weekly accountability to create growth plans that are ambitious — but achievable. Drawing from her own experience leading Exceptional Thinking into it...

In this deeply honest episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen opens up about something most entrepreneurs neglect — rest . After years of “go, go, go,” she shares how burnout forced her to rethink productivity, redefine success, and rebuild a business that thrives without her being constantly switched on. Drawing on lessons from athletes and Olympic performance coaches, Helen explains...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen lifts the lid on how she and her team have used AI-driven automation to revolutionise the way their business runs — saving the equivalent of one to two full-time roles through smart systems design. Following previous episodes on ChatGPT and Go High Level, this one dives into Monday.com , Zapier , and Make — the unsung heroes connecting ev...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen pulls back the curtain on the lead generation industry — and she doesn’t hold back. After more than 20 years in business, she’s seen the good, the bad, and the downright awful: empty promises, unqualified “leads,” one-size-fits-all campaigns, and companies more focused on signing clients than serving them. Helen breaks down exactly why mo...

In this episode, Helen digs into the underrated superpower of sales: asking better questions. Sparked by coaching a candidate selling corporate hospitality, she shares why most reps leap to a pitch instead of learning why a buyer would—or wouldn’t—say yes. Using her own experience with race-day events, Helen shows how almost no one asks, “Why not now?”—and how that single question uncovers practic...

In this 9:30 Advantage session, Helen shows why standout sales conversations begin long before the meeting — with smart qualification , not a hard sell. You’ll learn how to use LinkedIn and ChatGPT to create connection and follow-up messages that make the right prospects self-identify (“raise their hands”), so your diary fills with people worth speaking to. Helen walks through the practical flow:...

In this candid episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen tackles one of the biggest frustrations she hears from new clients: “We’ve tried lead generation before, and it didn’t work.” She breaks down why so many businesses get burnt by flashy dashboards, false promises, and low-quality “leads” that go nowhere — and more importantly, how to make sure it never happens again. Helen walks thr...

In this episode, Helen revisits one of the most transformative frameworks she’s used in business growth — Leverage by Fabian Fredrickson. She breaks down the eight “activators” that help entrepreneurs step out of day-to-day operations and scale sustainably: 1️⃣ Team – building people who truly support you. 2️⃣ Systems – ensuring everything runs smoothly without relying on you. 3️⃣ Time – setting b...

In this refreshingly honest episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares her journey from working on every holiday to finally switching off completely — and how you can do the same. She talks about the mindset shift that comes from realising you’d never expect your team to check emails on their holiday, so why hold yourself to a different standard? Helen also shares the practical ste...

In this episode, Helen tackles the bit most business owners avoid: follow-up. Drawing on ideas from No One Gives a Bleep About Your Business (Chris Dillon) and her own setups, she shows how automation makes follow-up timely, professional, and painless. You’ll hear how Exceptional Thinking uses Go High Level with WhatsApp to handle no-shows and nurture leads: a short video apology, three clear opti...

In this 9:30 Advantage session, Helen shows senior leaders how to create reliable lead flow without adding headcount. She unpacks the real reasons pipelines look “full” but don’t convert—overreliance on cold leads, blurred roles (asking closers to self-prospect), weak follow-up, and fuzzy definitions of a “good” appointment. Drawing on hard-won lessons from reshaping her own sales function, Helen...

In this 20-minute 9:30 Advantage session, Helen breaks down why sales teams underperform when they’re fed cold, unqualified leads — and what to do instead. She explains the hidden costs (wasted hours, demoralisation, bad forecasting) and the common trap of pushing salespeople to both set appointments and close deals — two very different skill sets. You’ll learn a four-part fix: Introduce BANT with...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen lifts the lid on the CRM platform that’s become the backbone of her business — Go High Level . After years of juggling multiple tools for CRM, email marketing, scheduling, and social media, she explains how moving to an all-in-one system has saved time, reduced costs, and improved client management. You’ll hear: Why Go High Level replaced...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares how a clearly defined process transformed Exceptional Thinking — streamlining operations, simplifying training, and enabling her to step out of the daily running of the business. Drawing on her own five-step appointment-setting process, Helen explains how documenting each stage — from kickoff meeting to weekly reporting — has creat...

In this 930 Advantage session, Helen tackles one of the most common myths in business growth — that referrals alone can sustain your pipeline. While they’re valuable, referrals are unpredictable and can’t be relied on as your sole strategy. Instead, Helen reveals how to build a system that generates them consistently. You’ll learn her four-part referral strategy : Ask for them – Overcome the awkwa...

In this episode of The Exceptional Thinking Podcast , Helen shares how AI — and ChatGPT in particular — has become an everyday part of running Exceptional Thinking. From creating social media content and blog posts, to solving HR challenges, writing scripts, generating ideas, analysing appointments, and even building complex Excel formulas, AI is helping the team work faster, smarter, and with few...