Business Storytelling for Sales with Nir Zavaro

Nir Zavaro, the Business Storyteller, Amazon #1 bestselling author of F*ck the Slides, and creator of the pitch-practice platform Stook, says 99% of brands lack a brand character — a consistent identity that brand, marketing, and sales can all return to when they make decisions. Without one, every decision gets made for the first time, and customers opt out the way readers abandon an inconsistent character in a novel. In this Expert Insight Interview, Nir explains his Business Catcher method, the three-minute pitch rule, and the written discovery-call agenda that earns a first yes before you present.

This episode answers:

• Why do 99% of brands lack a brand character, and how do you build one?
• What does a brand guardian do, and why review the brand every two months?
• How long should a sales pitch be, and why is 20 minutes almost two TED Talks?
• Why should emotion come before data in a sales pitch?
• Is storytelling a soft skill or a must skill for salespeople?
• How does a written discovery-call agenda earn the first yes?

Explore Nir Zavaro’s books, workshops, and the Stook platform at https://nirzavaro.com/.

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Deeply Human Leadership with Kate Jones

Kate Jones, London-based Founder of Neon, an advisory, coaching, and consulting company, argues that the world of work is broken because leaders run organizations on a hamster wheel paradigm that damages both well-being and performance. Her fix is deeply human leadership: humanity at its core, with the same commitment to results as any machine-style leader. In this episode, she breaks down the five core capabilities of her model, clarity of purpose, connection, consciousness, creativity, and care, and explains why self-care is a prerequisite for leading well.

Topics covered:

• Why is the world of work broken, and what is the hamster wheel paradigm?
• What is deeply human leadership, and how does it differ from the machine archetype?
• How does clarity of purpose motivate people in purpose-led organizations?
• Why does Kate Jones say all work is social work?
• How do emotional intelligence and self-awareness shape a leader’s impact?
• Why is self-care a prerequisite for leading well?

Book a conversation with Kate Jones and the Neon team at https://www.deeplyneon.com.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.

Entrepreneur Like a Mother with Beth Mazza and Victoria Sivrais

Beth Mazza and Victoria Sivrais, Co-Founders of Female Mavericks and co-authors of Entrepreneur Like a Mother, bootstrapped two professional services firms to multimillion-dollar exits without venture capital, and their most valuable lesson is to set your personal and financial non-negotiables before you launch, because the business model you choose decides whether you ever make the 4:45 train. Between them they are moms of nine, and they now aim to help 10,000 women build 7-figure businesses. In this episode they walk through the worksheets, numbers, and network that made their exits possible, and they explain why being open about their kids won more clients than it lost.

This episode answers:

• What is the Mommy Mayhem Matrix, and why should you complete it before launching a business?
• How do you calculate a financial freedom number that includes enough runway?
• Why does sales not equal profit, and how do contract clauses protect your cash?
• What is a kitchen cabinet of champions, connectors, and compensators, and how do you build one without networking events?
• How does “one hard thing a day” keep founders moving through chaos?
• Why is motherhood a competitive advantage in sales?

Pre-order Entrepreneur Like a Mother, grab the course bundle, or subscribe to the free Founders Files newsletter at femalemavericks.com.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.

Relationship Intelligence with Olivier Roth

Olivier Roth, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at The Swarm, joins Sales POP! to explain relationship intelligence: mapping the investors, advisors, customers, and former colleagues connected to a company so sales teams can find warm introductions instead of cold outreach. His core message: revenue lives in the network, not the CRM record. This episode covers how The Swarm turns that idea into a repeatable, AI-assisted process for finding and using warm introductions across the entire sales funnel.

Topics covered in this episode:

• How do you identify the warmest paths into a target account?
• What is the real difference between a LinkedIn connection and an actual relationship?
• How can junior sales reps borrow the network of investors and executives?
• What rules of engagement keep warm introductions from feeling forced or overused?
• How much should AI be involved in writing and sending intro requests?
• How does relationship data complement a CRM instead of replacing it?

Roth also shares how The Swarm scores relationships using seniority, role, function, and geography rather than treating every shared employer as equally valuable, and why he encourages sales teams to shift from raw activity metrics toward relationship quality.

Ready to see your own network mapped? Visit The Swarm at https://www.theswarm.com/ to start a free trial.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.

Why the Sales System Beats the Rep with Josh Troy

Josh Troy, Founder & CEO of Curvion Blue, argues that the system around a sales rep- the CRM, playbooks, training, and pipeline management- drives more revenue than raw talent. In this Expert Insight Interview, he shows how less-talented reps with strong systems routinely outperform stronger reps who lack them.

Host John Golden and Josh explore the operational layer where sales teams actually win or lose: the metrics that matter, the management gap most companies ignore, and where AI genuinely moves the needle. Josh explains why measuring the right number and reading it the right way changes which reps you keep, coach, or promote, and how mid-market companies escape founder-led selling to build a predictable revenue engine.

In this episode:

• Why does the system around a rep matter more than the rep?
• What is collected dollars per booked call, and why is it the keystone sales metric?
• How do you standardize performance management so managers make consistent calls?
• Why do half of sales-manager promotions fail, and how do you prevent it?
• Where does AI actually help a sales team today?
• Why do most sales organizations fail to get real results from AI?

Ready to professionalize your sales engine? Learn more and book a Revenue Engine Audit with Josh at Curvion Blue: https://curvionblue.com/.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.

Sarah Oelschig, ICF-certified coach, HR leader, and author of Unburned, joins Sales POP! to explain that real burnout recovery comes from subtracting commitments, not adding more self-care. She shows how to recognize hidden burnout, reconnect with what matters, and rebuild through small habits that actually last.

Host John Golden and Sarah dig into why burnout follows you home, why the always-on employee is the wrong role model, and what HR teams can do about it.

In this episode:

• Why doesn’t burnout stay at work, even on weekends?
• What are the hidden signs of burnout that others never see?
• Why does adding more self-care make burnout worse?
• How do small, two-minute habits rebuild your energy?
• How can managers spot burnout and build psychological safety?
• Why does praising your most overworked employee backfire?

Ready to start your own recovery? Explore coaching and grab Sarah’s book at https://sarahoelschigcoaching.com/.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.

Dr. James Maisiri, an AI and society researcher at the University of Johannesburg, argues that Africa must shape AI before AI shapes Africa. His core message: with China and America controlling 90% of AI computing power and Africa holding just 1%, the continent needs human accountability, locally trained models, and united AI trade agreements to protect its economies and cultures. In this Expert Insight Interview, host John Golden and Dr. Maisiri explore the real-world costs of imported AI and the opportunities emerging across the continent.

In this episode:

• Why must Africa shape AI before AI shapes the continent?
• How does Western-built AI bias hurt African businesses and women-led firms?
• Who should be accountable when an autonomous AI agent causes harm?
• Can Africa’s 53 countries unite to compete in the global AI race?
• How are young Africans using AI to leapfrog and grow their income?
• What mindset shift does Africa need to use AI wisely?

Follow Dr. James Maisiri’s research on AI, society, and Africa’s future, and connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-james-maisiri-7b8069281/

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Nasir Ali, Managing Partner of Rise360 Ventures, shows how manufactured housing communities can produce stable, inflation-resistant passive income that keeps paying even in downturns. A second-generation operator, Nasir Ali buys underperforming communities, fills their vacancies, and earns recurring rent from the land beneath the homes. In this episode, he maps the path from a first deal to a business that runs without you, and he makes the case that limited capital is no reason to stay on the sidelines.

This episode answers:

• How do you buy your first real estate deal when you have little money?
• Can you get into mobile home park investing with no capital at all?
• What is a manufactured housing community, and how is it different from a mobile home?
• Why does manufactured housing hold up in a recession?
• How much money do you need to buy a community, and how many units should you target?
• How does a mobile home park generate passive income without constant landlord work?

Ready to go deeper? Explore the asset class and grab Rise360 Ventures’ free report at https://rise360ventures.com/.

Visit us on Apple Podcasts. You can also find SalesPOP! on all major podcast stations.