The Sales Machine

Most leaders say they want accountability. But when deals slip, teams stall, or morale dips? They point fingers instead of fixing the root.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I sit down with one of the sharpest minds in GTM—Bryan Elsesser. He’s a two-time VP of Sales, GTM advisor, NYC tech vet, and the kind of guy who’s seen every stage of the sales game—from the trenches to the boardroom.

We talk about:

Let’s be honest, your reps don’t trust your AI tools.

They ignore the scoring. They chase the wrong leads. And they blame marketing when nothing closes.

That’s because most AI feels like a black box. It gives you signals, but no context. And if your reps don’t understand it, they won’t use it.

That’s why I brought on Francis Brero, co-founder of MadKudu, the man behind sales AI tools trusted by Figma, Gong, Dropbox, and more. His approach? Don’t make reps think. Just give them what works.

F...

Let’s be real, most businesses are so focused on closing new deals, they forget about the ones they already have.

But if you’re not keeping your customers, you’re just spinning your wheels. That’s why I brought on Tony Tom, founder of Orca AI, to show you how the smartest B2B companies are flipping the script—using AI to retain customers, reduce churn, and turn customer success into a growth engine.

Tony’s been in the trenches. From engineering to building tech companies, he knows what it takes to win post-sale. And in this...

Listen, I’ve been saying it for years: in today’s world, better doesn’t cut it anymore. You’ve gotta be different if you want to win. And in this episode, I sit down with Kathryn Porritt, one of the best in the game when it comes to building personal brands that don’t just compete, they dominate.

Kathryn went from building a multi-million dollar company to helping CEOs and experts like you create brands that stand out in crowded markets. We talk about why authenticity is your greatest asset, why you’ve got to be hyper-niche...

Most people think they're moving forward, but what they're really doing is standing still while their competition laps them.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I sit down with the legend himself—Brad Lea.

Entrepreneur, investor, CEO, and host of the Dropping Bombs podcast.

Brad’s the guy who built Lightspeed VT, changed the game in online learning, and built a network so powerful it’s insane.

We talk about what it really takes to stay ahead and why if you're not innovating daily, you’re getting left behind.

🔥 Wha...

Let’s be honest…

Most sales outreach is garbage.

It’s lazy, templated, and gets ignored.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I sat down with the guy who’s been rewriting the sales playbook for over a decade—Ryan O’Hara, former VP of Growth at LeadIQ, founder of Pitchfire, and all-around creative prospecting beast.

We dive deep into how to stand out in a crowded inbox, how to use humor, storytelling, and even steak dinners to build real relationships with prospects and why generic templates and cold emails just don’t c...

Let’s be real for a second...

Most companies don’t have a go-to-market strategy.

They have a wishlist, a bunch of “best practices,” and a calendar full of marketing activity that leads nowhere.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I sat down with Juanma Varo—one of Forbes’ Top 100 Most Creative in Business, Head of Growth at Product Hackers, and a growth leader who’s helped scale four startups 10x—to break down what it actually takes to build a go-to-market strategy that performs.

From aligning sales and marketing, to building expe...

Let me ask you something...are you still guessing your way through sales?

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I sat down with someone who’s not just talked about scaling, he’s done it. Kyle Coleman was the 6th hire at Looker, helped grow that rocket ship to a $2.6B exit with Google, then led massive revenue growth at Clari. Now, he's the CMO at Copy.ai, the world’s first GTM AI platform.

We went deep on what it takes to stop shooting blind and start using data to drive real, predictable sales...

AI isn’t coming for your business, it’s already here. And if you’re still relying on outdated strategies, you’re leaving money on the table. The question isn’t whether AI will change the game, it’s whether you’ll be ahead of the curve or left behind.

In this episode, I sit down with Tommy Högström, a tech leader who’s been in the trenches of AI-powered product innovation. From building data science systems at Spotify to acquiring and scaling software businesses, Tommy knows exactly what it takes to use AI as a competitive weap...

Let me ask you something, are you still selling the way you did 10 years ago? Cold calling, manual follow-ups, relying on gut feelings instead of data? If so, you’re already behind.

Sales has evolved, and the top performers aren’t just working harder, they’re working smarter by leveraging AI, automation, and augmented intelligence to close deals faster, build stronger relationships, and eliminate wasted effort.

That’s why I’m sitting down with Mehdi Tehranchi, a serial entrepreneur and sales innovator, to break down:

🔥 Why AI isn’t replacing salespeople, it’s making them unsto...

If your sales pitch sounds like everyone else’s, you’re getting ignored. The market is oversaturated with the same tired tactics, so how do you break through the noise?

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Dale Dupree, founder of The Sales Rebellion and the man behind some of the most unconventional, high-impact sales strategies out there. Dale’s journey from the Copier Warrior to leading a sales revolution is packed with insights on how to create deeper connections, sell with authenticity, and actually get people to care.

We talked...

Let me hit you with a hard truth…nobody cares about your product! They care about their own problems, their own frustrations, and what’s keeping them up at night. And if your marketing doesn’t speak to that? You’re losing sales.

Today, I’m sitting down with Olga Denisova, a hyper-growth marketing powerhouse who scaled Semrush to a $2.69 billion IPO and is now the CMO of GotPhoto, the go-to platform for business photographers. She’s seen firsthand what works—and what fails miserably—in marketing.

We dive into:

✅ Why most startups get messaging wron...

Most founders dream of building a business that runs without them, but the reality? They’re trapped in sales and can’t break free. If you feel like your business can’t grow without you closing every deal, this episode is for you.

I sit down with Brian Smith, an expert in scaling service-based businesses, to break down:

✅ Why founder-led sales is crucial early on but a growth killer later

✅ The trap of relying on referrals (and what it really says about your positioning)

✅ How to make faster, smarter decisions to accelerate g...

Most businesses post content, but almost none of them have a strategy that actually sells. If you’re putting out content and not seeing leads or revenue, you’re doing it wrong.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Neal Schaffer, a leading expert in B2B sales, marketing, and personal branding, to break down:

✅ Why storytelling is the secret weapon for selling products and services

✅ How personal branding gives sales professionals an unfair advantage

✅ Why content without strategy is just noise (and how to fix it)

...

Most business owners think they’re investing in marketing—when in reality, they’re bleeding money with no results. In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Rachel Pedersen, the 'Queen of Social Media,' to expose the biggest mistake costing you thousands—and how to fix it before it drains your budget.

We break down:

✅ Why most marketing agencies are full of smoke and mirrors (and how to spot the fakes).

✅ The B2B vs. B2C marketing trap—if you don’t know the difference, you’re already losing.

Most business owners and sales leaders don’t realize it, but they’re making a critical mistake that’s stunting their growth—and worse, they refuse to admit it. In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Aaron Ross, the legendary author of Predictable Revenue, to break down exactly what’s holding businesses back in today’s unpredictable world.

We dive deep into:

✅ Why scalable systems always outperform individual rockstars in sales.

✅ The hard truth about AI—it's here, and if you don’t adapt, you're done.

✅ The power of relations...

Most sales teams don’t have a prospect problem, they have a purpose problem. I’ve seen it over and over: companies pushing for numbers without giving their teams something bigger to sell for. And that’s exactly why I brought Lisa Earle McLeod on The Sales Machine Podcast.

Lisa is the author of Selling with Noble Purpose and one of the top experts on purpose-driven sales. In this episode, we break down why sales teams that focus only on quotas burn out fast, while those with a clear mission outperform the competition every time. We talk about...

Outbound sales isn’t broken, most people are just doing it wrong. In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, John Rankins sits down with Collin Stewart, Co-founder and CEO of Predictable Revenue, to reveal the secrets behind creating scalable, predictable revenue through smarter outbound strategies.

Collin shares the lessons he’s learned from years of building sales systems, aligning customer development with sales, and helping businesses nail their product-market fit. Together, they break down the evolution of sales strategies, the power of demand generation channels, and why timing matters more than anything when it comes to go-t...

Think your telesales team is performing at its peak? Think again.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Scott Morse, seasoned entrepreneur and founder of Lamassu Leads, the first enterprise-level call center in real estate. Scott shares his journey from mastering high-ticket sales to building a multi-million-dollar marketing company, offering a no-holds-barred look at what it really takes to lead successful telesales teams in today’s fast-changing landscape.

We talked about:

✅ Why the shift from face-to-face to telesales is harder than you think, and how to adapt.

✅...

Struggling to break into new markets or wondering how to stand out in a crowded industry? You’re not alone.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Maxwell Nee, Chief Revenue Officer at Score App, to unpack the secrets of scaling effectively and creating high-value business models. Maxwell shares his journey from angel investor to driving a quiz marketing platform that achieved over $1 million ARR in just 18 months.

Here’s what we dive into:

✅ Why most go-to-market strategies fail—and how to fix yours.

✅ The power of scoreca...

Scaling your business is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a leader and most fail before they even get started.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Siv Sivanesan, CEO of Volenday Group and a master at scaling businesses across industries like tech and staffing. Siv shares the hard truths about why so many businesses fail to scale, from poor foundations to misaligned talent, and how you can avoid the same pitfalls.

We tackle the critical questions:

✅ Are you scaling without truly understanding your product-market fit...

Think your sales message is working? If it’s not focused on solving pain, it’s probably falling flat.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Ben Kniffen, co-founder of LinkedSelling and an expert in lead generation and sales development. Ben shares his journey from working with diverse industries to becoming a leader in B2B marketing and omnichannel strategies. Together, we uncover why most sales messages fail to connect and what it takes to build campaigns that resonate.

We talk about:

✅ Why pain-based messaging is your most powerf...

Think one cold call is going to close the deal? Think again.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Nick James, a sales leader who’s cracked the code on scaling B2B sales teams and turning cold leads into hot opportunities. We break down the real reason your pipeline is stuck: you’re not nurturing your leads. One touchpoint won’t cut it—you need multiple, consistent, value-driven interactions to guide prospects through the funnel.

Nick shares his proven techniques for leveraging LinkedIn to generate leads, understanding buyer intent, and usin...

Struggling to balance technology and human connection in your sales leadership? You're not alone.

In this episode of The Sales Machine Podcast, I sit down with Alan Versteeg of Growth Matters, a sales leadership expert who’s spent over a decade helping CEOs and Sales Directors transform their teams into high-performance engines. Alan breaks down how to simplify communication, coach effectively, and use Socratic leadership to empower your team.

We tackle the tough stuff:

Think sales automation is too risky or too impersonal? That mindset might be the very thing killing your growth.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I’m sitting down with Jeremy Basset — a sales leader who’s evolved from driving growth at Unilever to helping businesses streamline their sales processes through AI and automation. We’re diving deep into the challenges of moving from founder-led sales to team-led growth and how AI tools like Super Benji can simplify and supercharge your sales efforts.

We break down why resilience, understanding your client, and adopting smart automati...

Struggling to hit your sales targets or feel like your pipeline is stuck? You’re not alone. But here’s the thing — the problem isn’t your team, it’s your approach.

In this episode of The Sales Machine, I’m sitting down with Ken Cheo, the President of Our Sales Coach, who’s been transforming sales teams for over two decades. We’re diving into the real reasons why sales teams fail to scale — from unclear sales processes and weak CRM systems, to missing out on strategic partnerships and targeting the wrong decision-makers.

If you're ready to st...

Want $1billion in new pipeline? Don't miss out on this episode with Joel Graber CEO OF Modern Outbound.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into the art and science of outbound. Joel’s breaking down what most companies get wrong about sales, like underperforming SDR models, weak email deliverability, and the lack of systems that actually scale. But don’t worry—he’s got the playbook to fix it.

We’re also getting into how AI is shaking up prospecting, why discovery is everything before the pitch, and the one thing every sales team should focus...

I’m excited to welcome Kelly Shaw to the show! Kelly’s not just a sales legend—he’s a best-selling author, a dynamic speaker, and someone who’s been transforming sales teams and careers for over 40 years. You might know him from his incredible book, The Greatest Sale Ever Made, or his talks that have fired up audiences worldwide (yes, even in Forbes).

In this episode, we’re getting into it all—what makes great salespeople truly great, the magic of storytelling, and how belief in yourself and your product can change the game. Kelly’s got this way of...

I’m thrilled to have Oscar Chavez, the brilliant mind behind Growthly Group, joining us. Oscar’s a powerhouse in B2B sales, with $80 million in revenue under his belt and a knack for transforming teams with some seriously sharp sales strategies.

In this episode, he’s here to tackle the biggest pain points we all face in B2B sales: efficiency, demand generation, and yes, those frustrating silos that can slow deals to a crawl. Oscar’s going to break down his EMPOWR methodology, a game-changing approach that digs deep into customer pain points, helping you close de...

In this special episode, we’re celebrating The Sales Machine’s first anniversary by bringing you a “Greatest Hits” on one of the hottest topics in sales: AI. I’ve pulled together some of our best conversations on how AI is transforming sales—from boosting productivity to making data-driven decisions.

Think of this as a highlight reel of our top picks. We’ve got insights on using AI as a co-pilot to drive performance, why data-driven strategies matter more than ever, and how AI can revolutionize your time management.

This is one packed episode...

In this anniversary special, we’re celebrating a year of The Sales Machine by spotlighting the marketing experts who delivered invaluable insights and strategies. In this “Greatest Hits in Marketing” episode, you'll hear from Jeff Hunter on leveraging AI to drive sales, Victoria Hadjar on mastering niche marketing, Matt Clark on avoiding costly LinkedIn mistakes, Gloria Chou’s go-to CPR Pitching Framework, and Ken Okazaki’s powerful video marketing blueprint.

Get ready for a jam-packed episode filled with strategies you can implement today to boost your marketing impact.

Episode Highlights

"One of the things tha...

In this special episode, I’m bringing together some of the sharpest sales minds to share their best strategies: Ian Koniak, Joe Ingram, John Barrows, and Scott Leese. From closing deals with ease to understanding client needs, these pros reveal what it really takes to drive sales success.

We’ll dive into the importance of accountability in sales teams, why ongoing training matters, and how focusing on solving client problems can transform your approach. Plus, you’ll hear about the unique challenges of enterprise selling and the power of the 'Addiction Selling Model.'

This is one...

In this special episode, I’m sharing a collection of the best sales tips from five of the top names in the industry: Richard Harris, Marcus Chan, Mark Roberge, Jeffrey Gitomer, and Keenan. These are powerhouse experts, and each one has dropped incredible insights on The Sales Machine podcast.

From mindset shifts to tactical sales strategies, we’ve pulled together their top advice to help you sharpen your skills, close more deals, and take your sales game to the next level.

Don’t miss this!

Chapters

(01:52) - The Role of Scripts in Con...

In this episode, Jon Alwinson and I will be sharing what it really takes to build a high-performance sales team and why automating your sales process can change the game. It’s not just about how many calls or emails you send—it’s about the quality of the activity. We’ll talk about why customizing your sales system for your industry is crucial, and how the right automation can give your team more time to focus on what matters: closing deals.

Don’t miss out on these proven methods to elevate your sales team’s performance!

Episod...

Ever wonder how passion can fuel your business journey? In this episode, I chat with Jorge Fonseca, an inspiring entrepreneur who's turned challenges into stepping stones for success. From overcoming physical obstacles to growing his business globally, Jorge shares how passion, grit, and smart strategies have helped him carve out his path.

We dive into some game-changing sales techniques, explore the power of direct sales and guerrilla marketing, and talk about why building a solid team is key. Jorge also opens up about the lessons he’s learned along the way—whether it's about persistence, the psychology of s...

Ever wonder what it really takes to build a killer sales team these days? In this episode, I chat with David Dulany, the CEO of TenBound and host of a top sales development podcast, to get the inside scoop on how AI, automation, and smart pipeline management are changing the game for sales teams everywhere.

David shares his journey, including why he created a sales technology directory to help companies navigate the endless options out there, and why sales training is more important now than ever. Plus, he breaks down the biggest challenges companies are facing and...

What does it take to succeed in sales today? Join me as I chat with Mafalda Johannsen, Commercial Director at Wonderway and a true sales powerhouse. In this episode, we dive into the exciting world of sales training, the game-changing role AI is playing, and how to stay ahead in the rapidly shifting sales landscape.

Mafalda shares her insights on why time management is key for sales success, how AI tools can act as the perfect co-pilot for sales reps, and why personalized training matters more than ever. Plus, she gives us a sneak peek into her...

Ready to take your business remote and boost productivity? In this episode, I sit down with Deniero Bartolini, founder of Remote CEO Academy, to explore how businesses can build their own internal marketing agencies and generate leads. Deniero breaks down his proven strategies, including organic outreach, cold email tactics, and podcasting to help you grow your brand and connect with clients.

We also dive into his book Smart Business and a Better You, discussing how to close high-ticket sales and avoid common mistakes when hiring agencies. From using AI tools to streamline your marketing to empowering your...

Curious about what it takes to build high-performing sales teams and stay ahead in a competitive market? Join me as I sit down with Cory Bray, a powerhouse in sales coaching and the co-founder of Coach CRM.

In this episode, Cory also gives his take on the future of sales, discussing how AI might replace some sales roles while still leaving room for the human touch that gives businesses a competitive edge.

Whether you’re looking to refine your sales strategy or stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market, this conversation with Co...

Ever wondered how to tap into the demand that already exists in the market and turn it into a powerful engine for growth?

In this episode, I sit down with Solomon, a sales and marketing expert, to reveal the secrets of focusing on the 20% of customers who drive 80% of your revenue. We discuss the importance of aligning your marketing efforts with business goals, finding overlooked opportunities, and simplifying the sales process with customizable solutions.

If you're aiming to refine your sales strategy and stand out in a crowded market, this episode is...