Make It Happen Mondays - B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows

Vince Beese knows how to close. As a fractional CRO and author of Red Zone Selling, Vince helps early-stage startups and fast-growing sales teams stop spinning their wheels and start running the plays that actually move deals across the finish line.In this conversation, John and Vince ditch the fluff and dive straight into what separates elite sellers from the rest. From his days in enterprise sales to building scalable GTM systems, Vince shares hard-earned insights on:Why sales has swung too far into science—and what it takes to bring the art backHow top reps lean into friction instead of avoiding itWhy false confidence from a bloated pipeline is killing your forecastThe power of disqualifying early and oftenWhat sales leaders should focus on instead of just top-of-funnel metricsThey also unpack Vince’s Red Zone Selling framework, breaking down how to qualify faster, sell smarter, and finish stronger—no matter your deal size or sales cycle.If you’re in enterprise sales, trying to move upstream, or just tired of chasing unqualified leads, this is the episode to get you back to the fundamentals that win.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Vince on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbeese/Check out Vince's Websites: https://www.vincebeese.com/ & http://redzoneselling.co/Get Vince's Book "Red Zone Selling: The Ultimate Playbook for High-Performing Enterprise Sellers" here: https://a.co/d/cbkoWT1

Jake Mannino isn’t your average sales leader. As a Global Sales Director at Microsoft, he leads a team responsible for over $1B in annual revenue—but his true superpower lies in understanding people.In this deeply insightful episode, Jake joins John Barrows to unpack the psychology of motivation, the neuroscience of behavior change, and what it takes to build a high-performance culture in today’s AI-driven world. In 2025, Jake helped Microsoft set a Guinness World Record by coaching nearly 5,000 employees through its MCAPS Executive Coaching initiative—giving him a unique lens into what truly drives change.John and Jake dive into:The difference between motivation and inspirationWhy most managers shouldn’t be coachesThe rising importance of emotional intelligence (EQ)Why authenticity and active listening matter more than everWhether you’re leading a team or looking to lead yourself better, this conversation blends science, story, and strategy in a way that will leave you thinking—and acting—differently.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Jake on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakemannino/Check out Jake's Website: https://jakemannino.com/

On this week’s episode, John Barrows hits the floor at Rev Fest—a one-of-a-kind event hosted by Go Nimbly’s CEO, Jen, at the iconic House of Yes in Brooklyn. This isn’t your typical sales conference. It’s loud, unconventional, and hyper-focused on RevOps—the unsung heroes of modern GTM strategy.In a series of quick-hit, high-impact interviews with leaders from Snowflake, Clay, G2, StrongDM, and Figma, John asks each guest the same three questions:What should sales stop doing?What should sales do more of?And if you had a magic wand, what would you change about the sales & RevOps relationship?The answers? Candid, surprising, and exactly what sales pros and leaders need to hear.Whether you’re a rep trying to work better with ops, or a leader looking to scale smarter, this episode delivers direct insights from the RevOps trenches.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter

Monica Stewart, an expert in helping B2B SaaS founders escape survival mode, shares insights from her extensive experience generating $25M+ in revenue. She discusses common misconceptions about sales that hinder growth, especially among technical founders. Monica emphasizes the need for structured processes and challenges traditional sales methodologies. The conversation also highlights how shifting belief systems and embracing AI can revolutionize founder-led sales. Prepare for thought-provoking strategies to scale your business effectively!

Zoltan Vardy, a B2B sales advisor with over $2 billion in closed sales, shares invaluable insights for tech founders. He reveals why many founders view sales as a necessary evil and how that mindset can doom startups. Zoltan emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and refining problem-solving skills. He discusses the pitfalls of trying to cater to everyone and highlights the role of passion in entrepreneurship. Additionally, he navigates the challenges posed by AI in sales, urging founders to embrace client-centric approaches.

Matt Millen is the co-founder and president of Regie AI, a platform that’s transforming how sales teams scale personalized outreach without losing the human connection. Before Regie, Matt’s career spanned everything from leading sales at Tony Robbins to competitive car racing—experiences that shaped his philosophy on performance, mindset, and winning the long game.In this conversation, Matt and John dig into the evolving role of the sales professional in an AI-first world. They explore why over-automation is eroding business acumen, how to develop reps who understand the why behind every tactic, and why the future belongs to teams who blend technology and authentic selling.Matt also shares his vision of the “Ironman model” of sales—where AI and automation amplify, rather than replace, human skill—and offers practical ideas for building workflows that empower reps to stand out.If you’re struggling with how to stay sharp and relevant in the age of AI, you’ll take away a ton from this one.Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmillen/Learn more about Regie AI: https://www.regie.ai/

In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Luke Arno, CRO at Transcend and a powerhouse revenue leader who’s scaled growth at companies like Twilio Segment and Box. Luke shares what sets truly great sales teams apart—and why coaching, optimism, and grit are the unteachable qualities every leader should look for.They dive deep into the differences between coaching, mentoring, and leadership, and why enablement is the most overlooked growth lever in business today. Luke explains how to shift enablement from a reactive support function into a proactive, strategic driver—and why sales fundamentals matter now more than ever in an era of AI and automation.From hiring for passion to rebalancing the art and science of sales, this conversation is packed with actionable ideas and fresh perspectives on how to build a team—and a culture—that thrives.If you’re wondering where to focus in a world of endless tools and playbooks, this one’s for you.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Luke on LinkedIn: luke@transcend.ioCheck out Tanscend's Website: https://transcend.io/Interested in job opportunities? https://transcend.io/careersAlso checkout Luke's advisory services: https://www.gtmsalescoach.com/

John “JT” Turner is a sales executive, leadership coach, and team builder with a proven track record of turning good teams into great ones. In this episode, John Barrows and JT explore what authentic sales leadership really looks like—and how to apply it in today’s fast-moving, AI-influenced world.They unpack JT’s formative experiences, including his time at Google X launching moonshot ideas in cybersecurity, and how that environment shaped his approach to leadership, risk-taking, and thinking 10X. JT shares the story behind his new book, "Authentic Sales Leadership", and dives into practical frameworks like his Victory Plan—a simple yet powerful tool for coaching performance and culture.They also tackle the rising importance of EQ over IQ, how to coach it, and what it means to invest in talent even when turnover is inevitable. This episode blends heart, hustle, and hard-won wisdom—making it a must-listen for leaders looking to build high-performing teams rooted in values, not just metrics.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with JT on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/johnturner1000Check out JT's Website: https://vinly.co/o/authenticsalesGet JT's new book: https://a.co/d/iZuP8fp

Nick Hill is the Director of Sales Enablement at Crunchbase, with a track record of building performance-driven coaching programs at Miro, Sprinklr, and beyond. In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows and Nick dive deep into all things enablement—from structure and timing to coaching reps and aligning with RevOps for real impact.They explore when companies should actually invest in enablement, how to differentiate training vs. coaching vs. enablement, and how to hold frontline managers accountable in the process. Nick shares practical ideas for simplifying call coaching (without listening to 50 hours of recordings) and lays out his vision for how AI will transform sales enablement in the years ahead.If you’re in sales leadership, enablement, or just trying to scale a winning team, this conversation is a must-listen.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1Visit our sponsor Website: https://otter.ai/Connect with Nick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasahill  Check out Nick's Website: https://about.crunchbase.com/ 

Mark Raffan is the founder and CEO of Negotiations Ninja™, a former procurement pro turned sales ally, and one of the sharpest minds in the negotiation game today. In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows welcomes Mark back for a tactical, no-fluff conversation on why most sales reps lose deals in the final 10%—not to competition, but to poor negotiation.They dive into some of the biggest silent killers in dealmaking: value leakage, premature discounting, and procurement intimidation. Mark shares fresh takes on how to shift from reactive to strategic selling, why reps need to stop deferring to their managers, and how procurement actually evaluates ROI (hint: it’s about total cost of ownership).You’ll also get a preview of his latest book, 9 Secrets to Win Deals and Influence Stakeholders, along with a sneak peek at what he calls negotiation alchemy.This one’s packed with practical insights that will make you rethink how you close.Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markraffan/ Connect with Mark on IG: https://www.instagram.com/negotiationpod/ Check out Mark's Website: https://negotiations.ninja/