Training That Works

In this episode of Training That Works , Rustin Schroeder talks with Brandon Gort about the hidden ingredient behind every high-performing training program… accountability. Before he ever built courses or sold software, Brandon was thrown into a sales floor with zero experience. No scripts, no handholding… just a manager who demanded daily proof of progress. What he learned there shaped everything...

In this episode of Training That Works , Rustin Schroeder talks with Achal Channarasappa , Head of Solutions Engineering at Superblocks, about what happens when training moves from theory to touching the real thing . Achal shares how his team discovered a faster, smarter way to onboard by throwing out the endless video libraries and replacing them with live, 90-minute hackathons. The result? Reps...

In this episode of Training That Works , Rustin Schroeder talks with Hina Madha about how emotional intelligence, not policy or process, became the anchor when her company grew from 40 people to over 2,000. She shares the moment she realized things were breaking… new hires flooding in, leaders stretched thin, and teams losing connection. That’s when she found a different kind of training. One that...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Brian Maiers about the two trainings that completely changed how he sells. The first gave him a simple framework he could use anywhere, even in an airport if he ran into a dream client. The second made him look inward, uncovering his natural strengths and the one thing most salespeople ignore while trying to “fix” themselves. Then...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Lauren Klaus about how to fix onboarding so it actually works. Lauren shares why the old sink-or-swim approach fails and what companies should do instead. Drawing from her background in speech science, the service industry, and eight years at TTSG, she breaks down the system that builds reps who last. You’ll hear how to blend live...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Shara Simms about how to design enablement that doesn’t just get completed… it proves impact. Shara takes us inside a three-day immersive manager workshop where 75 percent of the time was spent practicing real scenarios, not listening to slides. Every participant walked away with a customized blueprint they could use on the job th...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Robin Hoffpauir about building training people actually remember… and use. He opens with a story from his restaurant days… a pre-test to gauge knowledge, a focused five-day sequence with a dedicated trainer, hands-on product practice, and clear docs everyone could always find. Then comes the unlock… consistent review tied to the E...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Nitish Kulkarni about how Sweetwater builds elite sales talent at scale… and why storytelling beats slide decks when the clock is ticking. Nitish opens the curtain on Sweetwater University… a 13-week onboarding that runs ~350 classes with ~130 rotating instructors for every new sales engineer. Then he shares the simple phrase that...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Bri Brodeur and Samer Jabr about turning training from a one-off event into outcomes people can feel at work… today. They unpack the design thinking workshop that changed how their teams solve real problems, the five-minute microlearning rule that keeps employees moving, and the brutal mistakes that make people hate training… like...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Eric Wiegand about how to solve the top-of-funnel problem without chaos. Eric breaks down why “try-this” pivots kill momentum, why the worst training is no training, and how to make learning stick with AI-powered roleplays, repeatable systems, and spiffs that actually drive results. He shares the mindset shift behind today’s best...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Julie Thomas about why most training misses the mark… and how to fix it fast. Julie shares how she went from sales leader to “accidental entrepreneur,” then lays out the two levers that actually move behavior: treat training as change management and tailor everything so reps can see themselves doing it. Expect memorable lines like...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Andrea Wilczynski-Urbaniak about what actually moves the needle inside sales organizations… and why most trainings miss. Andrea explains why mentors beat one-off workshops, how industry context changes everything, and why leaders must commit to consistency all year… not just in January. She even opens her playbook on using a famil...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Matt Cohen about the kind of enablement that actually changes behavior and revenue… not just slides. Matt explains why every training must start with clear learning objectives tied to leading KPIs, and how anchoring content to the sales process keeps it real for the field. He breaks down the biggest mistakes teams make… one-off ev...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Louis Vasquez about why most training fails… and what actually gets sellers to execute under pressure. Louis shares his unique improv-style sales tournaments where reps battle head-to-head selling outrageous products. The result? Sharper discovery, faster thinking, and reps who can win in the real world. Louis also unpacks the min...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Carolyn Manuel about what separates forgettable training from the kind that actually changes seller behavior… fast. She reveals why her best learning moments were peer led, how role play and scenario work cement skills, and why micro, searchable video libraries beat three-day marathons every time. Then she tells the story every se...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Chris Roszak about what actually moves the needle in sales and cybersecurity training. From the first minute, Chris breaks down why peer-led, frontline lessons beat theory every time… and how forcing reps to regurgitate slides or record awkward camera quizzes backfires when there’s no real feedback. He shares the sessions that tru...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Kelsie Neibel about ditching rigid sales scripts, building a repeatable framework that actually fits your style, and turning mindset from a liability into an edge. Kelsie breaks down her S.E.L.L. method... start with mindset, energize your process, learn to flow with money, learn from proven technologies. She used it to 5x her inc...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Denton Myers-Pollock about what makes training actually work inside an organization. Denton shares the best training experiences of his career… including a month-long onboarding program where new sales hires had to earn their spot on the floor by closing real deals, and a leadership coaching framework that stuck because it was rei...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Kevin Quirk about what makes training stick, why most programs fail, and how leaders can create learning environments that truly change behavior. Kevin shares his best and worst training experiences—from executive coaching that built accountability across teams to sales programs that focused on psychology over rigid frameworks. He...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Constantine Johns about identity-first training, human-to-human selling, and why real transformation starts inside before it shows up in the numbers. He shares the mindset shift that took him from checking boxes to changing behavior… and the simple question he asks customers that stops the room cold and opens real conversations. Y...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Allie Cope about what actually makes adults learn... and what quietly kills impact. She unpacks her most memorable team training from her Blue Bottle Coffee days, where teach backs, creativity and real psychological safety shaped her personal facilitation style. Then she gets spicy on what fails… micro training for real skills, un...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Kellan Andrew about the training that actually changed how she leads... and the “worst ever” program that left people shaking.  From Toast’s nomination-only Rise management cohort to three-day gauntlets with timers, scorecards, and peers trying to trip you up, Kellan breaks down what builds confidence versus what creates PTSD. She...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Neil Flanagan about training that builds trust and wins deals. Neil explains why Command of the Message helps in complex sales and how to link your product to business value. He contrasts it with a program that told reps to “find the pain and twist the knife,” which led to angry calls and broken relationships.  Neil shares a simpl...

In this episode of Training That Works, Rustin Schroeder talks with Catie Ivey about why sellers are too often “failed” by leadership… and how to fix it fast. She breaks down what great training actually feels like in the room, from immersive Sandler bootcamps with Salesforce’s legendary trainers to the quiet power of a frontline manager who coaches instead of micromanages. You’ll hear why most of...

Most sales training is broken. Companies spend six figures on workshops that never stick because reps never get to apply what they learned. In this episode of Training That Works , Rustin Schroeder sits down with Kasey DuPre of Lucid to break down a better way. “Don't train them not to fail.” Kasey explains Lucid’s approach: tools ready in 2–3 days, live calls by week two, and chunked princip...