
The Learn-It-All Podcast
Welcome to The Learn-It-All Podcast, the show for today's leaders who are ready to get and stay ahead of the game. Because great leaders aren't born or made, they're always in the making.
Your host Damon Lembi is a 2x best-selling author and CEO of Learnit—a live learning platform that's upskilled over 2 million people.
In conversations with industry experts and solo episodes, Damon offers fresh insights, new practices, and actionable strategies for leaders looking forward to thriving in tomorrow’s rapidly evolving business landscape.
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Latest episodes

May 6, 2025 • 52min
162: LinkedIn Strategies That Actually Work In 2025 | Richard Bliss
Richard Bliss, a LinkedIn strategist and bestselling author, shares powerful insights on optimizing LinkedIn for success. He emphasizes that genuine conversations trump likes, explaining how the platform's algorithm values meaningful interactions. Learn why video may not be the best choice, the importance of effective commenting, and a five-day challenge to boost visibility by 300%. Bliss also guides executives on how to engage authentically and use tools like Sales Navigator to connect with warm leads instead of cold outreach.

May 1, 2025 • 52min
161: The BEST Career Advice From 25 Years As A Lawyer You'll Ever Hear | Jason Stuart Weiss
There’s often a gap between what school teaches and what real life demands. Jason Weiss found that to be true for becoming a lawyer. Now, after 25 years in the legal world, he shares the practical, hard-earned lessons that apply to anyone trying to succeed in a high-pressure, people-driven profession. Whether you’re a lawyer, leader, or someone simply figuring out how to show up fully in your work, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, communication, and redefining success on your own terms. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why “the practice of law” never really ends How to recover from losses and develop thicker skin What not to do when giving or receiving professional advice How to pick clients (and when to walk away) Why communication and follow-up might be your most valuable assets The surprising ways AI and legal tech can (and can’t) help When to rethink your entire career and how to do it responsibly Timestamps: 00:16 – Jason’s post-law school “welcome to reality” moment 01:38 – First win in court and the difference real-world law makes 02:57 – Why law is a “practice” (and not an exact science) 03:58 – How a judge’s mood can influence your case 04:20 – Jason’s book: The Sht They Never Taught You in Law School* 05:54 – Universal skills: follow-up, integrity, and knowing your values 08:52 – Law school theory vs. real-world advocacy 11:25 – What happens when you lose and have to face the client 13:46 – Learning who not to work with as a lawyer (and business owner) 15:59 – The $60K mistake Jason made with a client—and what he learned 19:06 – Common misconceptions non-lawyers have about lawyers 21:25 – The power of saying “I don’t know”—and circling back 24:43 – Clients today expect instant clarity: managing modern expectations 25:55 – Thick skin, self-care, and knowing when not to take it personally 28:06 – Continuous learning, CLEs, and the role of AI in law 30:49 – Batman’s utility belt: how Jason views AI as a legal tool 33:43 – Worst professional advice Jason ever received 36:29 – Honesty, mistakes, and always having a plan of action 37:07 – Advice for those considering law school 38:35 – Why some lawyers are miserable—and how coaching can help 42:26 – What coaching is (and isn’t) supposed to do 44:23 – Finding motivation 25 years into the legal grind 45:35 – Why showing up is more powerful than talent 47:02 – You don’t have to respond instantly—just communicate well 47:46 – What Jason has doubled down on since writing his book 49:24 – Final advice for aspiring or struggling lawyers 50:14 – Where to find Jason online About Jason: Jason S. Weiss is a litigator who handles all aspects of business and commercial litigation. He has dealt with matters involving breach of contract, tortious interference with business relationships, title, property, non-compete clauses, commercial and residential landlord tenant matters, elder abuse, partnership disputes, trade secrets, RICO claims, fraud, real estate litigation, consumer protection, American’s with Disabilities litigation, tenant/landlord matters, medical marijuana litigation, personal injury and other various business related lawsuits. He was recently appointed as a Board Member of Benefits Specialist Inc. and voted President of Leadership Coral Springs Class of 2011. Jason is also a former adjunct professor of Sports Law at Nova Southeastern School of Law, a former adjunct professor of the graduate level course Sports Law at St. Thomas University and a former judge for the Broward County Teen Court Program. Jason has extensive sports and entertainment law experience, including representing professional football, baseball, and soccer players, personal management companies, rappers, bands, radio personalities, mixed martial arts fighters, chefs, agents, boxers, actors, writers and models. Jason has also negotiated, drafted and litigated recorded music and video deals, distribution agreements, publishing agreements, production agreements, employment contracts and endorsement deals for athletes, entertainers, musicians, chefs and agents. He serves as a legal advisor to professional athletes, performers and entertainers in all aspects of their professional and personal activities. Jason has been selected by Super Lawyer magazine as a Rising Star in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Resources & Mentions: - Jason’s Book: The Sh*t They Never Taught You in Law School : https://www.amazon.com/hit-They-Never-Taught-School/dp/1955242887 - Follow Jason on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jason-s-weiss - Follow Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjasonweiss/ Connect With Us: Uplevel your team’s learning: www.learnit.com Contact us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram

Apr 30, 2025 • 6min
160: 5 Steps To Avoid The Sunk Cost Fallacy As A Leader | Damon Lembi
Have you ever stayed too long at a job, on a project, or even a relationship just because you already put so much into it? That’s the “Sunk Cost” fallacy at work. And it can quietly sabotage smart leaders, strong companies, and promising futures. In this solo episode, Damon unpacks how this psychological trap nearly cost his company half a million dollars and what finally gave him the clarity and courage to walk away. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the sunk cost fallacy really is (and how it shows up at work and in life) The project that taught Damon a $500K lesson Why walking away from the project freed Learnit to build something better How to overcome ego, pride, and emotional attachment A 5-step framework to help you know when to pull the plug The surprising office building decision that proved Damon had learned the lesson Timestamps: 00:00 – What is the sunk cost fallacy (and how it traps us) 01:00 – The $500K LMS mistake: why Damon didn’t walk away—until he had to 02:30 – Making the call: pulling the plug and letting the COO go 03:00 – Why it freed up time, money, and momentum to rebuild smarter 03:30 – Step 1: Name it—call the project or decision what it really is 03:45 – Step 2: Stop throwing good after bad 04:00 – Step 3: Put your pride in check and ditch the ego 04:20 – Step 4: Create a “go or no-go” line for any project 04:40 – Step 5: Pressure test with your team—would you start over again? 05:00 – Reframe your thinking: what do you gain by pivoting? 05:30 – Real estate edition: the office building they never moved into 06:15 – Final takeaway: tough decisions are the sign of a wise leader About Damon Lembi: Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Resources & Mentions: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Apr 29, 2025 • 44min
159: The Student Debt Crisis Will Change The Workforce Forever (How To Prepare) | Laurel Taylor
70% of college seniors with student debt say looming repayments will impact their career plans.The average graduate and oftentimes, their parents will endure 17 to 20 years of loan payments in efforts to become free from student debt. Our emerging workforce will comprise 75% of the workforce by 2025 making student debt a majority issue. Student debt isn’t just a financial burden, but it’s one of the biggest barriers to wealth creation in the modern workforce.In this episode, we’re joined by Laurel Taylor, founder and CEO of Candidly, to explore how addressing student debt is no longer optional. Laurel shares how her personal journey with debt led to a mission that’s already wiped out nearly $2 billion in liability and opened new pathways to first-time wealth.In This Episode You’ll Learn:Why student debt is now a business issue, not just a personal oneHow shame around debt stops employees from engaging in benefitsThe ROI companies are seeing when they address financial stressHow Candidly helps employers reduce turnover by up to 76%Laurel’s philosophy on risk, resilience, and the real cost of prideWhat it means to lead during wartime—and how her team stays agileHow AI is powering the next phase of financial wellnessTimestamps:00:00 – Laurel’s personal student debt story 01:28 – Why she founded Candidly 03:24 – The shame around student debt—and how it affects families 05:33 – Why debt is a workplace issue and not just a personal one 06:54 – What employers are missing in their benefits stack 07:46 – The staggering ROI of Candidly’s solution for employers 09:44 – Tax-free employer contributions and new retirement match rules 11:57 – How the sales cycle for Candidly evolved from 2016 to today 13:32 – Distribution through major financial services firms 15:01 – Laurel’s story of quitting Dell after one day 17:53 – “I have nothing to lose but my pride”: Laurel’s mindset shift 19:52 – How loss shaped Laurel’s perspective and mission 23:07 – Her framework for overcoming fear and taking risks 27:16 – Leading through chaos: student loan reform and AI adoption 29:40 – The real-time complexity of student loan programs 31:10 – Wartime CEO: how her team thrives through rapid change 32:36 – A three-week offsite to prototype AI-powered personalization 34:41 – Candidly’s next wave: AI + wealth creation at scale 36:47 – How to run a purposeful, high-impact team retreat 39:04 – Why ignoring student debt is no longer an option for CEOs 41:51 – Student debt and the retirement gap 42:56 – Candidly’s mission for the next decade: from debt to wealthAbout Laurel:Laurel Taylor is the CEO and Founder of Candidly. Laurel previously led a global business unit at Google and holds her MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an undergraduate degree from Texas State University. Laurel has experienced, first hand, the impact of missing out on two decades of compounding interest on wealth while paying down debt, between she and her highly educated mother. Thus, her path and purpose to solve the student debt, savings, and retirement savings crisis was born. As the market-leader, Candidly has generated over $1.2B of student debt impact as a workplace benefit, serving thousands of employers with an average population of 22,500 employees, distributed by the largest financial services companies in the world.Resources & Mentions:Learn more about Candidly: https://getcandidly.comConnect with Laurel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ltmit/ Secure 2.0 Act info: https://www.usbank.com/retirement-planning/financial-perspectives/saving-for-retirement-secure-act.html#:~:text=The%20SECURE%202.0%20Act%20mandates,basis%20to%20a%20Roth%20accountConnect With Us:Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Apr 24, 2025 • 49min
158: How To Reinvent Your Career And Find Success | Steve Delsohn
What happens when your lifelong career ends overnight? Most people panic. Steve Delsohn got to work. After 16 years at ESPN, multiple journalism awards, and a career-defining body of investigative work, Steve found himself laid off, just one day after winning two prestigious honors. In this episode, Steve opens up about the emotional and professional toll of being let go, how he transitioned into the world of PR without sacrificing his values, and why saying “no” to big opportunities is sometimes the most powerful move you can make. Whether you're facing a layoff, rethinking your next move, or trying to lead with more integrity, this conversation is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and doing meaningful work. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Steve went from journalism to building a purpose-driven PR firm The secret to pitching powerful stories that get noticed How to ask better questions (for interviews or leadership) What sports journalism taught him about truth, ethics, and standing firm Why networking is your greatest career asset His best advice for anyone transitioning careers Timestamps: 00:20 – Winning two awards… then getting laid off the next day 03:40 – The identity crisis after leaving ESPN 05:04 – Grieving the loss of a career you loved 07:45 – Ageism, niche jobs, and what really blocked new opportunities 09:39 – The almost-job at a PR firm repping Harvey Weinstein 11:42 – Launching Delsohn Strategies 12:19 – The ethical line Steve refuses to cross in business 14:22 – Why he turned down work with Daniel Snyder 16:01 – Where Steve’s values came from—and why he won’t compromise 18:06 – The biggest transferable skill from journalism to PR 20:55 – How Steve builds trust with high-profile clients 22:43 – The art of asking the right question 24:11 – What interviewers and leaders can learn from Joe Paterno 27:42 – Steve’s first book deal with John Matuszak 28:50 – The wild inside stories of Emmitt Smith and Jerry Jones 31:15 – Co-authoring a book about Sam Kinison 32:34 – How Steve prepared for investigative stories on giants like Penn State and UNC 36:18 – Stories of institutional betrayal and survivor justice 39:18 – Social media, journalism, and the danger of speed over truth 41:07 – Did he ever regret a published story? 42:05 – The Joe Paterno text message Steve caught on camera 47:14 – Advice for having difficult conversations 48:51 – Who Steve will and won’t work with at his PR firm 50:43 – Purpose, values, and building a client roster you’re proud of 51:02 – The underestimated power of networking 54:02 – Is he happier now than at ESPN? About Steve: During his 30-plus years in journalism and communications, Steve Delsohn has built a national reputation as a network television reporter, nonfiction author, documentary producer, and strategic communications consultant. Steve worked 16 years as an investigative reporter for ESPN TV’s Outside the Lines, the news magazine show which examines substantial issues in the sports world. In 2013 he won a Peabody Award for a story on the concussion crisis in the NFL. In 2009 he earned an EMMY nomination for a story on Joe Paterno’s morally-decaying Penn State football program. He did other high-profile investigations of improper medical care in high school football; the dangers of 15-seat passenger vans which transport small-college athletes; the academic fraud scandal at the University of North Carolina; corruption in the youth football helmet industry; a college football coach who sold meth on the side; and a female teenage athlete sexually assaulted while competing against boys during a high school water polo game. Steve has written 12 nonfiction books, including The Fire Inside, an oral history of American firefighters which inspired a History Channel documentary (Into the Fire) and was used as source material for the fictional film Ladder 49. He has also written or co-written books on John Wayne, Bobby Knight, Sam Kinison, Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, Notre Dame football, the 1985 Chicago Bears, the Los Angeles Dodgers and USC football. He has co-produced one documentary on college basketball (Guru of Go) for ESPN’s esteemed 30 for 30 series, and the aforementioned documentary on firefighters for History Channel. Steve is a native of Chicago now living just outside Los Angeles. His passions are reading, fitness, movies, politics...and above all his wife and three children. Resources & Mentions: Steve Delsohn’s PR Firm: https://www.delsohn.com/ Follow Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delsohnstrategies/ Cruisin’ with the Tooz by Steve Delsohn and John Matuszak: https://a.co/d/iBShV4M Jim Brown: Out of Bounds by Steve Delsohn: https://a.co/d/80SiLlu Connect with Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Apr 23, 2025 • 10min
157: What Happened When I Said No to the Thing Everyone Says Yes To | Damon Lembi
When host Damon Lembi quit drinking, it had nothing to do with hitting rock bottom. Instead, it had everything to do with the future he wanted to create. In this episode, you’ll learn:Why Damon gave up alcohol (without hitting a dramatic low)The moment he realized he wasn’t showing up as the person he wanted to beA 5-step framework for making lasting change in your lifeHow to handle discomfort in social situations after a big changeWhat life felt like two weeks, two months, and nine years after quittingHow letting go of one habit helped Damon become a sharper leader, father, and authorTimestamps:00:00 – Damon’s personal story: why he quit drinking without a rock-bottom moment01:00 – The role alcohol played in his personal, professional, and social life02:00 – The turning point: noticing the impact on his health, energy, and finances03:00 – Reflecting on family: longevity, legacy, and leadership04:00 – Step 1: Get curious—books, conversations, and quiet exploration04:50 – Step 2: Journal—getting fears and hopes onto the page05:30 – Step 3: Tell someone—why accountability changed everything06:00 – Step 4: Commit—picking a date and making it real06:45 – Early challenges: awkward parties, AA meetings, and finding his own path07:50 – Step 5: Lean into discomfort—navigating social pressure and anxiety08:45 – What changed: sleep, clarity, confidence, and sharper decision-making09:30 – Why alcohol used to be a coping mechanism—and how Damon replaced it10:00 – The long-term impact on his career, health, and creativity10:45 – A final challenge for listeners: what’s holding you back?Connect With Us:Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram

Apr 22, 2025 • 1h 7min
156: The Buyer Confidence Gap That’s Costing You Millions | Brent Adamson
Business-to-business commerce is broken. Today’s customers find themselves overwhelmed by too many options, too much information, and too many obstacles. The result is often an inability to execute any but the safest of purchase decisions, frequently resulting in no decision at all. Today’s guest is Brent Adamson, he’s a world-renowned researcher, author, presenter, trainer, and advisor to B2B commercial executives around the world. He’s here to argue that the real key to B2B sales success is to focus on boosting customers’ confidence in themselves and their ability to make large-scale, collective decisions on behalf of their company rather than sticking with how traditional sales have worked. In this episode, you will learn: Why sales success hinges on buyer self-confidence, not seller expertise How “frame making” helps reduce decision friction in complex buying groups What to do when content marketing becomes part of the customer’s confusion How emotional calibration can humanize your pitch and build trust faster How to coach customers through their own internal process using a simple audit Timestamps: 00:16 – The surprising origins of The Challenger Sale 01:30 – Why segmentation research gave way to selling insights 02:51 – The seller crushing quota in the middle of a recession 05:07 – How Neil Rackham predicted Challenger’s longevity 06:21 – Pushback: “Relationships still matter!” 08:12 – From product to solution to insight as the competitive edge 10:18 – Why leading with “you’re selling wrong” fails 11:20 – Framing the shift: Selling must evolve because buying has 12:46 – The rise of buyer indecision in a world drowning in content 15:06 – “Smartness arms race” and the downfall of content overload 16:05 – 20-person buying groups that don’t know how to decide 17:38 – Why decision fatigue is killing commerce 20:30 – The real opportunity: Making buyers confident in themselves 21:55 – Coach vs. expert: The power of preserving buyer agency 24:35 – How younger or newer sellers can still bring massive value 25:58 – Use this phrase to add instant credibility as a new seller 26:09 – Playing the role of connector, not expert 29:08 – Personalizing outreach through social proof and curation 30:05 – Adding subtle emotional language to increase engagement 33:41 – The Frame Making model: Establish, Engage, Execute 36:11 – “It turns out that…” audit: Avoiding surprise buyer stalls 38:26 – Build a customer-facing “sequence of events” map 40:15 – Expedient’s frame making mindset: Win by helping customers decide faster 42:26 – “If we’re going to lose, let’s lose early” 44:00 – The most powerful thing a customer can feel after a sales call 45:56 – Teaching empathy through language and emotional calibration 49:45 – Hypothesis-led empathy: How to learn what customers feel 51:18 – The overlooked ROI of solving for what customers feel Resources Mentioned: Buy The Frame Making Sale: https://www.amazon.com/Framemaking-Sale-Boosting-Customer-Confidence/dp/1541705823/ HBR article on the Sense Making for Sales: https://hbr.org/2022/01/sensemaking-for-salesFollow Brent on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentadamson/ Watch Brent’s Frame Making Sale YouTube series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HKcZiOSrso Connect with Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonlembi/ Follow Damon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonlembi/

Apr 17, 2025 • 45min
155: How to Build Customer-Obsessed Cultures (That Don’t Burn Out Your Team) | Van Battle
“73% of customers say experience is a key factor in their purchasing decisions just behind price and product quality,” according to a report from PwC. Customer experience is no longer just a support function of your business... it’s a leadership strategy. In this episode, we’re joined by Van Battle, a seasoned customer experience leader who has first hand experience on how it can improve a company’s success based on his career working with brands like Jamba Juice, Urban Remedy, and The Sharper Image. In this episode you will learn: The real difference between customer service and customer experience How to turn your support team into your company’s most strategic asset Why empathy is a leadership skill How “minor league” development programs can retain top talent What most companies get wrong when using AI in customer experience How to empower reps to resolve issues without escalating every time What leaders must do to instill a culture of ownership Timestamps: 00:16 – Leading through stewardship: what it looks like 01:09 – Lessons from the restaurant world: empathy starts on the frontlines 03:26 – The invisible value of busboys and call center reps 05:18 – Why Van sends reps into stores and orders their own products 06:58 – Customer service vs. customer experience 08:46 – Anticipating issues before they happen 10:23 – Turning reps into “insight engines” 12:32 – Avoiding burnout: how to distribute workload fairly 13:40 – Baseball, development, and team balance 14:57 – The “minor league program” for career growth 17:11 – Upskilling with Learnit: real examples that worked 19:03 – Creating a culture of learning and mobility 20:04 – Training teams to own the resolution 22:45 – Building confidence through empowerment 23:39 – When the customer isn’t right—and how to respond 25:22 – Tracking patterns to prevent abuse 26:52 – Balancing trust between customer and employee 29:36 – How to turn customer data into internal action 32:01 – Getting specific: “friendly” means what exactly? 33:18 – How customer expectations have evolved 35:52 – Humanizing digital experiences in a tech-first world 37:49 – What Southwest’s shift says about customer loyalty 39:14 – What AI should never replace 41:04 – Will AI replace frontline workers? 42:47 – Van’s biggest leadership lesson about customer experience Resources & Mentions: Follow Van on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancbattlejr/ Urban Remedy: https://urbanremedy.com/ Jamba Juice: https://www.jamba.com/ Connect With Us: Website: www.learnit.com Email: podcast@learnit.com Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for show updates

Apr 16, 2025 • 8min
154: When Trust Breaks: How to Lead After Betrayal | Damon Lembi
We’ve all paid the price of believing in someone who let us down. But what if that “cost” isn’t a failure, but it’s a necessary for greater connection, creativity, and leadership? It's a mindset shift for leaders who want to build stronger teams, healthier relationships, and resilient organizations. If you’ve ever been burned by someone at work or in life, this one’s for you. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the “Trust Tax” is and why you should choose to pay it The four-part framework to lead with trust (without getting walked on) How trust impacts culture, growth, and emotional energy Simple mindset shifts to reframe betrayal into progress Real-world ways to lead with belief in work, parenting, and friendship Timestamps: 00:00 – Why trust gets broken—and why Damon still believes in it 01:10 – The story of betrayal that inspired the Trust Tax concept 02:40 – “I just paid for my own betrayal” — the personal and professional fallout 03:20 – What is the Trust Tax? 03:56 – Why leading from control doesn’t work 04:30 – Trust builds stronger teams, belonging, and creativity 05:05 – The 4-step Trust Tax Playbook begins 05:10 – Step 1: Trust First – Why Damon chooses to lead with trust by default 05:48 – Step 2: Trust Smart – Awareness without cynicism 06:28 – Step 3: Reframe the Cost – Learning from letdowns without shutting down 07:10 – Step 4: Lead by Identity – Becoming someone who trusts and grows 08:00 – Real-life ways to apply this in parenting, leadership, and friendship 08:50 – Emotional regulation: labeling feelings to reduce their intensity 09:30 – Reframing betrayal as a leadership learning moment 10:15 – Final Challenge: Choose to trust someone this week, even if it’s risky About Damon Lembi: Damon Lembi is a 2x bestselling author, the host of The Learn-It-All Podcast, and CEO of Learnit – a live learning platform that has upskilled over 2 million people. Drawing from his prior baseball career, Damon brings an athlete’s perspective to leadership. Through his journey, he has gained invaluable insights into what helps organizations grow, how great leaders learn, and why learn-it-all companies outpace their competitors every time. Connect With Us: Upskill yourself or your team: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn for more leadership insights

Apr 15, 2025 • 41min
153: How to Use Sales Skills to Become a Leader People Actually Follow | Mark Hunter
Sales is not just about closing deals. Leadership and sales are, at their core, both about helping people achieve what they didn’t think was possible. But in order to effectively help people, you need to master the skill of sales. In this episode, we’re joined by Mark Hunter, renowned sales strategist, speaker and author known as The Sales Hunter, to explore the timeless overlap between selling and leading. In this episode you will learn: Why trust is the foundation of every sale (and how to build it) How discovery calls are being misused (and what to do instead) The connection between value, risk, and decision-making Tips for prospecting in the AI era The three most important assets every sales professional should protect How great leaders show up for their people Timestamps: 00:16 – Sales and leadership: Eisenhower's D-Day message 01:50 – The real purpose of the discovery call 03:57 – Authenticity over slide decks 04:52 – Will AI replace salespeople? 06:28 – Risk, value, and the importance of trust 07:38 – How trust combats indecision 09:15 – Mapping customer problems upstream and downstream 10:41 – Selling with insight into your customer’s customer 11:33 – Using AI to personalize sales outreach 13:41 – Tips for expanding access to stakeholders 16:10 – Happy talkers vs. true decision makers 18:04 – The role of social media and personal brand equity in sales 19:24 – Why every rep needs a personal brand 21:24 – How to build content discipline in B2B sales 22:24 – Great leadership traits in sales managers 24:44 – Leading with integrity and taking ownership 28:06 – The leadership lesson that shaped Mark’s career 31:56 – Supporting reps during tough quarters 33:00 – Time: your most valuable asset 33:46 – Mark’s 3 most important career assets: time, mind, and network 35:16 – Diversifying your network like an investment portfolio 37:29 – Can virtual onboarding work for sales reps? 39:44 – Simple KPIs: Mark’s “5 conversations” rule 41:10 – Why sales is a lifestyle, not a job 42:47 – The importance of continuous learning 44:25 – Charlie Munger’s mindset on lifelong learning 44:37 – Final takeaway: why you owe it to prospects to reach out Resources & Mentions: The Sales Hunter Website: https://www.thesaleshunter.com/ The Sales Hunter Podcast: https://thesaleshunter.com/podcast/ Sales Logic Podcast: https://www.saleslogicpodcast.com/ Follow Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhunter Connect With Us: Uplevel yourself and your team with our trainings: www.learnit.com Email us: podcast@learnit.com Follow Damon on LinkedIn and Instagram for more updates!