It’s been about three months since my co-host, Ben Sardella, and I started the Stories From the Sales Floor podcast. We’ve had a blast, and there’s plenty more to come. There have been many unforgettable stories from today’s sales thought leaders and front-line practitioners, and we’ve drawn some invaluable lessons along the way.
You can find and listen to the most recent episodes on iTunes:
Here’s a look back at the first 13 episodes:
Episode 13: “Why I Almost Quit Sales”
Being in sales is exciting. But let’s face it — it can be a real kick in the teeth sometimes. If you’re anything like us, the thought of quitting has crossed your mind at least once. In this episode, Matt Heinz, Peter Kazanjy, Sally Duby, Donald Kelly and Tim Sanders recount times when they struggled and wanted to throw in the towel.
Episode 12: “My Most Embarrassing Sales Story” [Explicit]
We were left blushing and slightly uncomfortable after pressing the “publish” button for this episode. Let me explain: this time, we revisited one of our more popular questions and asked our guests Garth Moulton, Mark Hunter, and J. Ryan Williams to reveal their most embarrassing sales stories.
Episode 11: “How I Got My Start In Sales”
Even sales superheroes like Jeb Blount, J. Ryan Williams, Jon Ferrara, Jill Rowley and Sean Sheppard had to learn to crawl before they could walk. So this time, we asked our guests to recall and recount how they started in sales. From paper routes and cookies to selling weapons to kids, the stories did not disappoint!
Episode 10: “Using My Sales Skills Outside of Work”
“With great power comes great responsibility.” If it’s true for Spider-Man, it’s true for our guests this week. We asked Steli Efti, Mike Cabot, Lars Nilsson and Ryan Leavitt about using their superior sales skills outside of work. From disputes with the government to negotiations with wedding vendors, our guests’ stories offer a glimpse into the minds and everyday lives of sales greatness.
Episode 9: “Outtakes”
In this shorter show, we wanted to illustrate just how hard it is to record an episode before you’ve had your first cup of coffee. On this unluckiest of days (we published on Friday the 13th; listen at your own risk), we offer a quick clip of “Outtakes from the sales floor.”
Episode 8: “Obstacles That Impacted My Ability to Sell”
We all hit roadblocks in life, both personally and professionally. So this time, we asked our guests to reveal the obstacles that threw them for a loop and affected their ability to sell. From accounting scandals to dating the wrong person, the stories from sales pros like Saad Shahzad, Craig Elias, Brian Birkett, Jon Ferrara and Steli Efti are sure to entertain.
Episode 7: “What I Learned Loosing to My Competitor”
One of the great minds of our generation, Ice-T, once said: “Winners have to absorb losses.” And that’s especially true for sales reps who watch competitors steal hard-earned deals. So we asked Miles Austin, Mark Hunter, Jon Ferrara, Jill Rowley and Sean Sheppard to confess a time they had a deal ripped away at the last minute, and how it made them stronger sellers.
Episode 6: “My Big, Bold Predictions for the Future of Sales”
In this show, we asked our guests to look forward in time and tell us what they think the future of sales has in store. You’re not going to want to miss the answers from prophets of profit like Mark Hunter, Saad Shahzad, Steve McKenzie, Craig Elias, Max Altschuler and Phil Keene.
Episode 5: “What Pisses Me Off About Sales”
This question really got our guests fired up. Everyone has a pet peeve that, if triggered, reveals a different side. From sales rep’s attitudes to sales technology, you’re not going to want to miss our answers from Steli Efti, Sean Sheppard, Heather Morgan & Mark Hunter.
Episode 4: “My Most Embarrassing Sales Story”
We’ve all been there: the ill-placed coffee stains, the foot-in-mouth moments. If you’re in sales long enough, it’s bound to happen to you. You won’t believe the stories Jill Rowley, Peter Gracey, Kyle York and John Barrows shared with us.
Episode 3: “Advice For My Younger Self”
If only we knew back then what we know now, we could have closed that deal, made that promotion or avoided that rejection. Some of the best and brightest in the sales world look back and offer some invaluable advice that we can all learn from hearing. Class is in session, and today’s instructors are Juliana Crispo, John Barrows, Kype York, Andy Paul, and Jill Rowley.
Episode 2: “The Most Ridiculous Objection From A Prospect”
Just when you think you’ve heard it all, a prospect throws an objection you didn’t see coming. They continue to amaze us with the absurd reasons why they won’t buy. Sometimes, the past comes back to haunt you, yet other times political and military tensions (i.e., war) get in the way. Andy Paul, Juliana Crispo, Miles Austin, and Peter Gracey walk us through how they handled the situation.
Episode 1: “How I Closed the Biggest Deal of My Career”
We all have that deal that was so big, we’ll never forget it. From closing eight-figure deals to landing prized accounts to moving mountains for clients, these stories are sure to inspire. And you might learn a thing or two along the way. In this show, we hear how Andy Paul, Kyle York, Juliana Crispo, Saad Shahzad, John Barrows and Peter Gracey hunted and caught their whales.
Episode 0: “Why We’re Doing This”
If you want to hear a little behind the scenes action, listen in to Ben and me as we chat about why we decided to launch this podcast and what our vision is for it.
Make sure you don’t miss any episodes by heading over to SalesFloorStories.com and subscribe to our updates.
We’re always eager to hear from our listeners, so please tweet us or send emails to Brandon@SalesFloorStories.com
If it’s hard for you to find best sales enablement solutions, let me help you.
Interested in getting an email contact from you for a guest suggestion. Thank you very much in advance.
Hi there, ?
My name is Nicole Guevarra, Marketing Specialist for Leadfeeder (https://www.leadfeeder.com/).
We are big admirers of Stories from the Sales Floor, especially the episode discussing the guests’ moment they fell in love with sales.
As a leader in SaaS, we would love to share our insights on your podcast.
Would you be open to a guest collaboration?
Our CMO, Andy Culligan, has been interviewing leading salespeople in our B2B Rebellion videos.
Our CRO, Jaakko Paalanen, has spoke at SaaStock and shares his insights on Sales Hacker.
And, our Head of Content & SEO (also Assistant Editor at SEJ), Anna Crowe, is speaking at SEJ eSummit on how we doubled our organic traffic in less than 6 months with content pruning.
We’re all fans of your podcast and would love an opportunity to share our experience with your listeners.
Let us know what you think.
Thank you!
Interview Opportunity: Cherilynn Castleman, author of What’s in the CARDS? 5 Proven Strategies to Connect with Clients for Sales Success, is available to share tips from her new book about driving success in a post-pandemic economy.
WHAT: As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, modern consumers expect more out of their salespeople. Everything we knew about clients and consumer behavior in 2020 has changed, and to drive success in a post-pandemic economy, our approach must change as well.
It is all about taking the sour lemons of 2020 and turning them into the best lemonade that 2021 has to offer, for this year and beyond.
No matter what challenges people have to overcome, or obstacles life throws in their way, Cherilynn’s new book will teach readers how to take their lived experiences and channel them for success.
WHO IS CHERILYNN CASTLEMAN? For more than 20 years, Cherilynn Castleman has been helping Fortune 500 clients as a global sales executive. She has oversaw C-level sales for complex healthcare and life sciences SaaS solutions, drawing on her decades of experience as a sales executive, executive coach, and entrepreneur. She prides herself on changing mindsets as well as instructing and inspiring others to action.
Her clients and experiences include United Healthcare, Anthem, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (38 independent BCBS companies), Merck, Wyeth, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, Eli Lilly, T-Mobile, Pinterest, Justworks, Salesforce, and LinkedIn – with extensive experience in major global markets within diverse industries.
WHY YOU WANT TO BOOK CHERILYNN?
Now more than ever, people may be discouraged and many are out of a job or looking for new jobs due to the pandemic. Cherilynn can share her personal story and discuss how adversity and loss are not liabilities to a successful sales career—they are assets. She can discuss how she has taken her own life experiences and used them to succeed in sales.
HOW AND WHY SHE WROTE THE BOOK: “When I launched my coaching business, I started sharing some of the wisdom I’ve gained from my 25 years of sales experience on my blog. My content resonated with so many people that I decided to adapt my blog and turn it into a book. Throughout this process, my daughter, Jálynn, has been one of my biggest supporters. A gifted writer and storyteller, she has been my co-writer and copy editor for my forthcoming book, What’s in the CARDS? Her ability to work magic with my stories made the book what it is today. Working together on this project has truly been a labor of love, and there’s no one else I’d rather partner with on this project.”