81. The Future of Sales is Looking Bright: Meet NISC Finalist and Super Star Nina Iannuzzi!

What do selling gum in the 5th grade and playing defense in hockey have in common with enterprise sales? According to Nina Iannuzzi, everything.

In this episode, I sit down with Nina, a sophomore at the Isenberg School of Management (UMass Amherst) and a top-5 finalist at the recent National Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC). We relive the chaos of "speed selling" in a gym filled with 1,000 suits, discuss how to handle a curveball question from a CFO, and laugh about the moment I rudely interrupted her final sales pitch with a fake phone call.

Nina brings an infectious energy that proves the future of sales is in very good hands. Whether you are a student, a sales leader, or just someone who appreciates the hustle, you will love her take on why "sucking it up" is the only way to win.

Key Highlights & Takeaways:

• The Slime Economy: Nina’s sales career didn’t start at UMass; it started in 5th grade selling slime and gum to classmates.

• Defense Wins Championships: As a hockey player for 16 years (Left D!), Nina treats walking into a sales room like a puck drop: you know your job, now go execute.

• The "Scope" Stumble: Nina shares a vulnerable moment where a buyer kept asking about "scope," a term she wasn't fully sure how to handle in the moment. Her retrospective advice? Don't fake it—ask a clarifying question immediately.

• The Plot Twist: I threw a wrench in her final round by bursting in with a "phone call." Nina stayed so locked in she almost kicked me out of the room before realizing the "emergency" was just a timer on my iPhone!

• The Contract Slide: Nina admits her main goal wasn't just to chat—she literally slid a physical contract across the table at the 4-minute mark. Always be closing!

• Suck It Up, Buttercup: Her coach’s advice for sports and sales: if a lace breaks or a deal stalls, you don't call an Uber. You fix it and keep running.

Memorable Quotes:

• "I’m a very big talker. I’m competitive... I started my first business in like fifth grade, just selling like slime and gum." — Nina Iannuzzi

• "You get in that room and... you sit down and you're like, I am SpotLogic... I almost wanted to act like we were friends." — Nina Iannuzzi

• "Suck it up buttercup or move on to bigger and better things." — Nina Iannuzzi

Closing Thought:If you think the next generation of sales talent is "soft," you haven’t met Nina. Her "suck it up, buttercup" attitude is a wake-up call for seasoned professionals who might have gotten a little too comfortable. Nina proved that you don't need 20 years of experience to have sales instincts—you just need the courage to slide the contract across the table.

Next Steps:

• Challenge Yourself: Take a page out of Nina's playbook this week. Be bold, ask the clarifying question, and don't let a "fake phone call" derail your pitch.

• Get Involved: Want to see this talent in action? Look into judging or sponsoring a collegiate competition like NISC.

• Connect: Follow Nina Iannuzzi on LinkedIn to follow her journey from UMass to the C-Suite.