The Future of Selling

What if your mindset was the biggest thing holding your sales team back? In this high-energy episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Larry Long Jr. — speaker, author of JOLT, and “Chief Energy Officer” at LLJR Enterprises — to talk about how intentionality, mindset, and daily discipline shape not just sales results, but your entire life. Larry shares how he went from SaaS sales...

What happens when a seasoned sales leader hits pause on a decades-long career to reflect, reset, and rethink leadership? In this episode, Rick Smith sits down with Rob Beattie, former Head of Sales Acceleration at ModMed and longtime sales executive at Thomson Reuters, to talk about building high-performance cultures through discipline, empathy, and daily habits that actually work. Rob shares his...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kristie Jones, startup sales coach, author of Selling Your Way In, and creator of “Kristie-isms.” Kristie shares how she helps early-stage SaaS founders scale from founder-led selling to real revenue teams and why most reps fail not from lack of training, but from lack of discipline. She breaks down how to spot top 10% performers,...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith continues his conversation with Roderick Jefferson—bestselling author of Sales Enablement 3.0—to explore how AI, coaching, and culture are reshaping modern sales. Roderick lays out the evolution of enablement, the rise of “Sales 3.0,” and why the best leaders today combine IQ, EQ, and AI. He shares six practical ways AI is transforming sale...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith talks with Roderick Jefferson, bestselling author of Sales Enablement 3.0 and the upcoming Stroke of Success. Roderick shares how a near-fatal stroke transformed his outlook on leadership, success, and life itself. He opens up about rebuilding from zero—physically, mentally, and professionally—and the four principles that now guide everythi...

If your “ABM” is just targeted demand gen, you’re leaving revenue on the table. Kristina Jaramillo breaks down a true account-based approach—a cross-functional, revenue-owned motion that prioritizes stage progression, win rates, deal size, expansion, and churn reduction. We cover building predictive ICPs (beyond revenue/headcount), crafting 1:1 content that speaks to a “party of one,” aligning sal...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with Julie Hansen—actor-turned-sales pro, coach, and author of Look Me in the Eye, Act Like a Sales Pro, and Sales Presentations for Dummies. Julie breaks down the specific, learnable on-camera behaviors that increase credibility, engagement, and executive presence in Zoom/Teams meetings, sales demos, and leadership presentations....

If every rep had a digital coworker to prep calls, update CRM, and draft perfect follow-ups—what would your team do with the time back? Robert Henderson (Head of Revenue, AskElephant) breaks down AI orchestration for sales & CS, why “proactive AI” beats prompt-and-pray, and how leaders can coach in near-real-time. What you’ll learn: What an AI orchestration platform actually does for sellers,...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith is joined by Michael Gallagher, founder of the Stevie Awards and co-founder of two AI-driven companies: Reqsy and ImageShield. Michael shares why recognition matters more than ever in an AI-powered world, how storytelling is the key to standing out, and why building your personal brand is crucial—especially for early-career sales profession...

Cold outreach is broken—and this founder has a plan to fix it. In this episode of The Future of Selling, we explore what happens when you stop spamming inboxes and start respecting your prospects. Our guest is Ryan O'Hara, founder of Pitchfire, a paid-prospecting platform that flips traditional sales outreach on its head. Instead of begging for time, reps pay for responses—and it’s working. With r...

In this episode of The Future of Selling Podcast, host Rick Smith sits down with Shannon Schaul, founder and principal of SKS Advisory, to explore how sales has fundamentally changed since the pandemic, and what leaders must do to adapt. Shannon brings a unique perspective from years of building go-to-market strategies for growth-stage, mission-driven companies. From empathy-driven selling to the...

When a deal closes, the real work begins—but only if sales and client success are aligned. In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with award-winning client success leader Erica Newell to explore the underestimated power of a well-executed sales handoff. Erica brings wisdom from years of customer success leadership, sharing why bad handoffs lead to churn, how “turf anxi...

What if the key to scaling your company wasn’t a new strategy, but a new way of being ? In this provocative and insightful episode, executive coach and sales transformation architect Townsend Wardlaw joins us to unpack why consciousness,  not just systems or hustle, is the most powerful growth lever a founder can use. From his bold take on integrity and mindset to the hidden meaning behind "yes" a...

In this episode, Rick talks discusses the evolving landscape of sales enablement with Brian Trautschold, co-founder of Ambition , a leading sales performance management platform. Brian shares his entrepreneurial journey—from coffee runs and copy machines at UBS to co-founding multiple startups and building Ambition into a company that transforms sales teams through coaching, gamification, and trus...

In this high-energy and deeply insightful episode, Rick sits down with Amanda Rubin, Chief Revenue Officer at Wildfire and former EVP of Growth at Enthusiast Gaming. Together, they explore how authenticity is reshaping modern marketing, particularly through Amanda’s groundbreaking work connecting brands with communities on Discord. Amanda explains how Wildfire is helping brands authentically integ...

Unlock the secrets to building high-performing sales teams and staying ahead of the curve! In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith welcomes Phil Hernandez, Global VP of Sales at Taskus, to discuss what it takes to lead winning teams in today's evolving sales landscape. Phil shares practical insights from his 20+ years of experience — from creating strong sales cultures and develo...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kara Smith Brown—CEO and Founder of LeadCoverage, Ironman triathlete, and author of The Revenue Engine. Kara shares her no-fluff, practical framework for aligning marketing with business outcomes by measuring volume, value, and velocity. They dive deep into: Why most marketing-sourced data falls flat in the boardroom  How to truly...

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith dives into one of the most disruptive shifts shaping sales organizations today: Decentralized Talent (or "DeTal"). Joined by Conquer's Chief Revenue Officer Jim Trimarco (JT) and Chief Financial Officer Demian Costa, the conversation unpacks how companies are rethinking sales staffing, team structure, and global scalability. From JT’s deep...

In this episode of The Future of Selling podcast, host Rick Smith sits down with Andrew "AD" D’Agostino , a sales enablement leader with deep expertise in aligning teams, simplifying processes, and driving revenue growth. With over 14 years of experience , AD has navigated the startup journey, scaled revenue to $50M, led through 10+ acquisitions , and now plays a critical role in sales enablement...

🚀 What makes a great mentor? How is mentorship different from coaching? And how can sales leaders build a culture of mentorship that drives long-term success? In this episode of The Future of Selling , host Rick Smith sits down with Brian Kludas , a sales enablement and leadership expert, to discuss the transformative power of mentorship in the sales industry. 🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode...

Why do deals really fall through? It’s not always about price or features—there’s often a deeper reason. In this episode of The Future of Selling , host Rick Smith sits down with Ron Carson , CEO of Thirdside and an expert in B2B marketing and Win/Loss analysis. 🔎 Key Takeaways from this Episode: ✅ The #1 reason sales teams lose deals (Hint: it’s not price!) ✅ Why sales discovery is more critic...

🎙️ Future of Selling Podcast – Episode: Fixing Your B2B Sales Process with Jim Trimarco 📢 Welcome to the Future of Selling Podcast! Hosted by Rick Smith, Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, this podcast dives into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in B2B sales. Whether you’re a sales leader, account manager, or founder, we bring you real-world strategies to navigate the evolving sales...

Join Rick Smith, Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, as he sits down with Elizabeth Richardson—a seasoned B2B sales professional and a proud SMU alum—to dive deep into the power of women in sales and the unique qualities they bring to the table. 🌟 Key Highlights: ✨ Why women are outperforming men in sales roles. ✨ Breaking barriers: Overcoming underrepresentation in sales leadership. ✨ Work-lif...

🎙️ Welcome back to The Future of Selling Podcast! 🎙️ In this episode, host Rick Smith , Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, sits down with Andy Smith , Senior Vice President of Sales at Talk Me Up, to explore the evolving landscape of sales communication. From leveraging AI for best-in-class communication skills to practical strategies for improving empathy, confidence, and engagement, this episode...