In this episode of Leadership that Sells, I’m joined by Joelle Kaufman – bestselling author, CRO whisperer and neuroscience-driven performance coach – and we’re diving deep into one of the biggest leadership superpowers: dealing with curveballs. Whether it’s a surprise customer objection, a missed number, or a life-altering diagnosis, Joelle lays out a powerful, actionable method to turn chaos into clarity.

We unpack her Curveball Method, a science-backed approach that helps leaders stay grounded, activate their strengths, and respond with intention rather than panic. This one’s a masterclass in leading under pressure. If you’ve ever felt the fire alarm go off in your brain mid-crisis (you know the one), Joelle’s got a way to silence it, take a breath, and lead your team through with resilience and purpose. You’ll walk away with tools you can use today.

How to lead through curveballs with clarity, calm and confidence

Name the curveball – The first step is recognising you’re facing something unexpected. Say it: “This is a curveball.”

Turn off the fire alarm – Stress shuts down your thinking brain. Take a deep breath, a sip of water, or close your eyes to calm your system.

Get curious – Don’t panic, pause. Ask questions, gather facts, understand what’s actually happening before you react.

Play to your strengths – What are you or your team good at? Lean in. If needed, tag someone else in. It’s about the win, not the heroics.

Reframe your mindset – Even if it doesn’t go perfectly, there’s something to learn. That’s how you (and your team) grow.

Create “happiness tripwires” – Small, reliable moments of joy (like a sunflower or a kind text) keep you fuelled for the long game.

Practise curveball responses – Build resilience before it’s needed. Run scenarios with your team, reflect on what went wrong, and embed better reflexes.

Timeline summary

[01:14] - Joelle’s Curveball Method explained: “Life throws them. Leaders learn to hit them.” [06:33] - Step one: recognise the curveball, turn off the fire alarm, and breathe [08:44] - “It’s not about being a hero. It’s about winning the game — as a team” [12:34] - Cancer, curveballs and agency: how Joelle applied her method in life and business [17:05] - The power of happiness tripwires: “Little moments of joy that boost your immunity and your mood” [20:10] - Sales leaders, listen up: resilience starts with your battery [24:01] - The one skill we’re not teaching sales managers (but desperately need to) [25:13] - Why you need “batting practice” in your team meetings — not just pipeline reviews

Links & resources 📘 Crushing the Cancer Curveball by Joelle Kaufman 🌐 Learn more about the Curveball Method: gtmflow.com/curveball 📍 Joelle on LinkedIn: Joelle Kaufman 📸 Instagram: @growthandresilience

If you found this episode useful, please follow, rate, review and share Leadership that Sells — it helps us keep bringing you no-fluff, high-impact conversations to help you lead first and sell more.

In this episode of Leadership that Sells, I sit down with serial entrepreneur and business mentor Ral West — a woman who’s scaled multiple businesses (including one sold to Alaskan Airlines), built powerhouse teams, and somehow made it all look effortless. If you’ve ever felt like scaling a business means sacrificing your time, energy, or sanity, you need to hear this.

Ral breaks down her 6 Essential Secrets to Business Success and shows why systems are the single most important thing sales leaders and entrepreneurs can implement — no matter how small your business or how “busy” you are. We talk high-performing teams, reducing stress, and why sharpening the axe (yes, literally) is the smartest move you’ll ever make. Oh, and she’s doing it all from Maui. Dream life? Check.

How to build scalable success with systems (and still live your dream)

Start with systems – If it’s not documented, it’s not repeatable. Systems create clarity, efficiency and consistency.

Get aligned on vision and values – Without a clear direction, your team is just pulling in opposite directions. Cue chaos.

Track performance – What gets measured gets managed. Data beats drama.

Leverage everything – People, automation, education. Leverage multiplies effort and frees up time.

Culture drives results – A strong, values-led culture attracts and retains high-performing people.

Delight your customers – Don’t just meet expectations — exceed them. Delighted customers stay longer, spend more and bring friends.

Timeline summary

[02:21] - The foundation of great leadership: vision, values and a win-win culture [05:06] - Why “systems” are the most valuable thing you can build today [06:15] - Ral’s 6 Essential Secrets to Business Success (and why they all connect) [09:02] - “I don’t have time to build systems” – how to fix that mindset with one story [11:19] - Small tools, big wins: how Ral saves hours a day with simple tech [16:45] - Why she’s building a mastermind and how it helps entrepreneurs actually implement [19:44] - The power of collective intelligence and lifelong learning [20:48] - Where to find Ral and start building your dream life

Links & resources

• Free webinar on creating a smoother-running business: https://www.ralwest.com/get-webinar
• Weekly LinkedIn newsletter with strategies and tools: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ralwest
• Affiliate program for sharing my course with business owners: https://www.ralwest.com/affiliates
• YouTube channel with podcast appearances and interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@RalWest-wv3ou
• More details on my online course: https://www.ralwest.com

If this episode helped you think bigger and lead smarter, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And don’t forget to follow, rate and review Leadership that Sells — it helps us help more leaders like you.

In this episode of Leadership that Sells, I’m joined by Carmen Sederino — performance master, speaking strategist and creator of the Illuminated Story Method — who shows us how to take the stage like a pro and lead from the front with presence, clarity and purpose. If you’ve ever sat through a mind-numbing, forgettable presentation (or worse, delivered one), this one’s for you.

Carmen breaks down how sales leaders and execs can elevate even the most “corporate” moments into compelling experiences. Whether you're running a town hall, delivering strategy updates, or motivating your team through change, you’ll learn how to avoid the biggest presentation pitfalls, and instead connect with impact, intention and theatre-worthy precision. No fluff. Just hard-won insight you can use immediately.

How to deliver unforgettable presentations that lead, not just inform

Stop winging it – Rehearsal isn't the enemy of authenticity. If you think you're better off-the-cuff, you probably just haven't practised enough yet.

Ditch the PowerPoint crutch – You’re the star, not your slides. Cut the clutter and make your deck serve your message, not replace it.

Create a show, not a slide deck – From tone and timing to lights, sound and storytelling, make your message an experience, not an information dump.

Practice like a pro – Amateurs practise until they get it right. Pros practise until it can’t go wrong. Aim for 7 run-throughs, minimum.

Lead with empathy – Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. What do they need to hear, feel and believe?

Timeline summary

[04:28] - How introverts can still own the stage by playing with their authentic range [06:15] - “You must be believable to be trusted — and to be believed, you need confidence and presence” [07:16] - The 3 C’s of speaking: clear, confident, and compelling [11:07] - The #1 mistake leaders make: winging it (and why it’s killing your credibility) [13:18] - Avoid this one word in your speeches that instantly kills momentum: but [15:07] - Why Steve Jobs rehearsed like a theatre actor (and why you should too) [22:00] - “You are so much more interesting than your PowerPoint” — how to own the room without hiding behind slides [25:22] - What Carmen would put on 10,000 billboards: What if it was you? [29:00] - Carmen’s book recommendation: Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger

Links & resources https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-sederino-0788b513/ https://www.instagram.com/illuminatedstory/ https://www.facebook.com/IlluminatedStory

If you got value from this episode, please take a second to rate, follow and share Leadership that Sells. It really helps more people like you lead better and sell more.