Make It Happen Mondays - B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows

Leslie Venetz, a renowned sales practitioner and author of the bestselling book "Profit-Generating Pipeline," brings her expertise to the table. She dives into the importance of territory planning and shares her unique nine-step pipeline framework. Leslie emphasizes curiosity as a teachable skill and discusses the balance between quantity and quality in outreach. Treating your territory like a CEO is key, alongside understanding customer motivations and risk profiles. This is a deep dive into refining your sales approach and pipeline management.

Rex Galbraith has worn almost every sales hat over his 20+ year SaaS career, and for the last decade, he’s helped build Consensus into the category leader for interactive demo automation. In this episode, John and Rex dive deep into why traditional product demos are failing today’s buyers—and what to do instead.You’ll hear how Rex and his team use unideal customer profiles (UCPs) to actively disqualify bad-fit prospects, how automating parts of the demo process frees reps to sell smarter, not harder, and why focusing on retention over acquisition is the mindset shift modern sales orgs need.Rex also opens up about leading through tough moments—rebrands, layoffs, even running the company out of a grocery store—and the values that kept him grounded through it all. If you care about sales efficiency, buyer enablement, or becoming the kind of AE who thrives in the AI era, 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 Rex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexgalbraith Check out the Consensus Website: https://goconsensus.com/

In this engaging discussion, Dave Govan, Founder and CEO of G2 Strategic Advisory Services, shares his insights from driving over $2.3 billion in sales. He emphasizes the critical role of business acumen over tactical skills for sales reps today. Dave explores how AI can enhance preparation and coaching but warns it might diminish the grit in junior reps. He also addresses common GTM pitfalls and the importance of aligning messaging with customer needs to optimize sales execution. A must-listen for B2B professionals looking to stay ahead!

In this special episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John sits down with Ryan Garland, an Account Executive at Coefficient, to dive into what happens when a rep actually cares about getting better. This isn’t a generic sales success story—this is the real, raw impact of putting in the work, embracing coaching, and taking ownership of your sales career.Ryan shares what drew him to John’s 1:1 coaching program, how he went from solid to standout by applying proven frameworks, and why most reps are leaving massive money on the table by being lazy and reactive. The conversation touches on the current sales landscape, AI’s impact, startup chaos, negotiation tactics that actually work, and what it means to take responsibility not just for results—but for your own personal growth.This is the kind of episode that reminds us why sales is still one of the most rewarding careers—if you show up for it. Ryan did. Now he’s winning because of it.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 Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjgarlan/

Dr. Lorenzo Bizzi is a professor of strategic management at Cal State Fullerton, globally published researcher, and author of Myths vs. Science of Selling — a book that challenges some of the most popular (but unproven) sales advice circulating in the industry today.In this episode, we dig into the difference between what sounds good in sales and what actually works. Dr. Bizzi shares research-backed insights that turn conventional wisdom on its head — including why being liked by customers doesn’t necessarily lead to more wins, how emotional empathy can actually hurt performance, and why active listening isn’t enough unless it leads to problem clarity for the buyer.If you’re tired of fluffy sales advice and want to get sharper about what really moves the needle, this episode is for you. Expect a refreshingly honest, practical conversation bridging the gap between research and real-world selling.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 Lorenzo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzo-bizzi-0b0a4711/ Check out Lorenzo's Website: https://www.lorenzobizzi.com/Get Lorenzo's Book Myths vs. Science of Selling here

This week on Make It Happen Mondays, John sits down with Rory Sadler, Co-founder and CEO of trumpet, the leading digital sales room platform helping companies like Gong, HubSpot, and Personio increase sales velocity by transforming the buying experience.Before founding trumpet, Rory spent years on the front lines of SaaS sales—first as an individual contributor, then leading global teams at Hotjar. Along the way, he saw firsthand just how painful and chaotic buying software had become—and made it his mission to fix it.In this episode, Rory shares the aha moment that led to building trumpet, his early entrepreneurial grit (selling sweets and DJing as a teen), and why entrepreneurship is way different than just working at a startup. We also dive into:Why buyer enablement is the new sales enablementHow mutual action plans build real trust and alignmentWhat sellers are still getting wrong about personalizationThe massive opportunity in simplifying complex buying decisionsIf you’re in sales, RevOps, or just care about delivering a smoother, faster, and more human buying experience, this episode will hit home.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 Rory on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-sadler-trumpet/ Connect with Trumpet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sendtrumpet/Check out Rory's Website: https://www.sendtrumpet.com/

In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Guy Rubin, CEO of Ebsta, the revenue intelligence platform that guarantees increased quota attainment—and was recently acquired.Guy shares the origin story of building Ebsta as a bootstrapped venture, the lessons learned through scaling without VC pressure, and how staying aligned with his values made the acquisition feel like a natural next step. But the real power of this episode lies in the data.We dive into insights from Ebsta’s 2025 Sales Qualification Report, which shows jaw-dropping stats—like how just 17% of reps are responsible for over 80% of revenue. It’s Pareto Principle in real-time, and it forces us to ask: What happens to the other 80% in an AI-first world?John and Guy dig into how the best reps qualify, the resurgence of full-cycle sales, and why the future belongs to reps who can ditch the features and start leading business conversations.This one’s a wake-up call and a roadmap for anyone in B2B sales looking to stay ahead in a fast-changing game.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 Guy Rubin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rubinguy/ Check out Guy's Website: https://www.ebsta.com/

In this episode, John sits down with Dr. Yaniv Zaid—a global authority on persuasion, communication, and ethical influence. With a career spanning 22+ years, 2,500+ keynotes, and 11 bestselling books (including his latest, The New Bible of Sales: The Ten Commandments), Dr. Zaid brings razor-sharp insight into what makes people say “yes.”Together, they dive into the psychology of trust, how identity and narrative matter more than features, and the universal persuasion process that top sellers unknowingly follow. Yaniv also breaks down the fine line between manipulation and persuasion, shares why failure is one of the fastest paths to credibility, and challenges John on whether people really have to like you to buy from you.If you’re in sales, leadership, or just want to understand how to ethically influence others, this episode is packed with actionable strategies that blend science with story.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 Dr. Yaniv Zaid on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanivzaid/Check out Dr. Yaniv Zaid Website: https://www.persuasion.co.il/en/

In this mind-expanding episode, John sits down with MichaelAaron Flicker—entrepreneur, behavioral science strategist, and CEO of XenoPsi Ventures, where he oversees a portfolio of nine companies. He’s also the co-author of Hacking the Human Mind: The Behavioral Science Secrets Behind 17 of the World’s Best Brands, a must-read for anyone serious about sales, branding, or influence.They explore how behavioral science drives real-world buying behavior, why most sales tactics miss the mark, and how we can ethically use psychological principles to build trust, guide decisions, and grow businesses. From Five Guys’ focused menu strategy to the Sunken Cost Fallacy of Amazon Prime, this episode is packed with real-life behavioral insights sellers can use right now.If you’re ready to move beyond outdated tactics and understand how emotion, perception, and decision-making truly work, 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 MichaelAaron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelaaron-flicker/Check out MichaelAaron's Website: https://xenopsi.com/ Also Check Out These Links:https://hackingthehumanmind.com/https://www.xenopsi.com/michaelaaronflicker.phphttps://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com/podcast-overview.php https://theconsumerbehaviorlab.com/masterclass.php

In this episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with branding icon David Brier—a man known as The Brandfather, whose work has generated over $9 billion in brand value across four decades. With 320+ international awards, a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship medallion, and praise from the likes of Daymond John, Grant Cardone, and Oren Klaff, David brings both gravitas and grit to this deeply insightful conversation.From his Brooklyn roots and obsession with typography to the powerful strategy behind Brand Intervention and his newest book, Rich Brand, Poor Brand, David shares how great branding isn’t just about looking good—it’s about thinking differently, taking risks, and telling stories that stick.You’ll hear why personal brand is one of the few things AI can’t replicate, why playing the long game is a winning move, and how authenticity is still the most underused superpower in modern business.If you care about standing out, earning trust, or building a brand that actually means something—this one 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=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with David Brier on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrierCheck out David Brier's Website: https://www.risingabovethenoise.comConnect with David Brier on IG: https://www.instagram.com/risingabovethenoise/Get David's new book "Brand Intervention": https://bit.ly/BrandInterventionHardcoverApply for David's 9-week Masterclass: https://www.risingabovethenoise.com/say-less-sell-more/Schedule a Zoom call to work with David 1-on-1: https://davidbriercalendar.as.me/schedule/5231d133/appointment/9282937/calendar/1250409?appointmentTypeIds[]=9282937