In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kristie Jones, startup sales coach, author of Selling Your Way In, and creator of “Kristie-isms.”

Kristie shares how she helps early-stage SaaS founders scale from founder-led selling to real revenue teams and why most reps fail not from lack of training, but from lack of discipline. She breaks down how to spot top 10% performers, why your circle matters more than your résumé, and what leaders get wrong when hiring for sales.

💡 Whether you’re a founder, a sales leader, or just trying to hit quota without burning out, this episode will challenge how you think about performance and coaching.

📘 Grab her book Selling Your Way In: https://www.kristiekjones.com
🔗 Connect with Kristie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristiekjones/
🔗 Connect with Rick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
🔗 Learn more about Conquer: https://conquer.io

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith continues his conversation with Roderick Jefferson—bestselling author of Sales Enablement 3.0—to explore how AI, coaching, and culture are reshaping modern sales.

Roderick lays out the evolution of enablement, the rise of “Sales 3.0,” and why the best leaders today combine IQ, EQ, and AI. He shares six practical ways AI is transforming sales teams and makes the case for using technology to make reps more human, not less.

He also shares what most managers get wrong about coaching, how to build a sales process around the buyer’s journey, and how to design sales kickoffs that actually drive change.

📘 Learn more at roderickjefferson.com
🔗 Connect with Roderick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson
🔗 Connect with Rick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
🔗 Learn more about Conquer: https://conquer.io/

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith talks with Roderick Jefferson, bestselling author of Sales Enablement 3.0 and the upcoming Stroke of Success.

Roderick shares how a near-fatal stroke transformed his outlook on leadership, success, and life itself. He opens up about rebuilding from zero—physically, mentally, and professionally—and the four principles that now guide everything he does: faith, family, friends, and fun.

He also breaks down how those same lessons translate into modern sales leadership—where empathy, authenticity, and enablement are just as essential as technology.

Key Topics:
• How surviving a stroke led to a complete redefinition of purpose and success
• Why fun and vulnerability matter more in leadership than ever before
• The origins of Sales Enablement 3.0 and the evolution of enablement itself
• Turning adversity into momentum—and using it to help others grow
• Practical advice for leaders balancing high performance with humanity

💡 Whether you’re leading a team, building your career, or rethinking what matters most, this episode will inspire you to lead (and live) with intention.

📘 Preorder Roderick’s new book, Stroke of Success, at https://www.roderickjefferson.com/
🔗 Connect with Roderick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson
🔗 Connect with Rick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
🔗 Learn more about Conquer: https://conquer.io/

If your “ABM” is just targeted demand gen, you’re leaving revenue on the table. Kristina Jaramillo breaks down a true account-based approach—a cross-functional, revenue-owned motion that prioritizes stage progression, win rates, deal size, expansion, and churn reduction. We cover building predictive ICPs (beyond revenue/headcount), crafting 1:1 content that speaks to a “party of one,” aligning sales, marketing, CS, and product, and the right metrics to prove business impact. Includes a real enterprise case study and a practical monthly operating rhythm.

Connect with Kristina Jaramillo https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinajaramillo/
https://www.personalabm.com/

Connect with Rick Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
Connect with Conquer https://conquer.io/

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with Julie Hansen—actor-turned-sales pro, coach, and author of Look Me in the Eye, Act Like a Sales Pro, and Sales Presentations for Dummies. Julie breaks down the specific, learnable on-camera behaviors that increase credibility, engagement, and executive presence in Zoom/Teams meetings, sales demos, and leadership presentations.

You’ll learn why “feeling comfortable” on camera isn’t the same as making an impact, how to read “resting business face,” and simple ways to get more interaction without turning your meeting into a monologue. Julie also shares her six-stage model for virtual presence, common mistakes even tech leaders make, and a few actor tricks to keep your energy, authenticity, and connection high—especially when your audience’s cameras are off.

If you lead a sales team or want to convert more meetings to second calls, this conversation is a masterclass.

Connect with Julie Hansen https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliehansensalestraining/
https://juliehansen.live/

Connect with Rick Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
Connect with Conquer https://conquer.io/

If every rep had a digital coworker to prep calls, update CRM, and draft perfect follow-ups—what would your team do with the time back? Robert Henderson (Head of Revenue, AskElephant) breaks down AI orchestration for sales & CS, why “proactive AI” beats prompt-and-pray, and how leaders can coach in near-real-time.

What you’ll learn:

• What an AI orchestration platform actually does for sellers, CS, and leaders
• How custom agents (“digital workers”) automate prep, notes, CRM hygiene, and follow-ups
• Building a deal-intervention agent that alerts managers when a call goes sideways
• The future: proactive AI that acts before you ask
• The leadership system Robert uses: a Personal Priority Roadmap aligned to company goals
• Big mistakes teams make rolling out AI—and how to avoid siloed chaos

Key takeaways:

• AI should make humans more human: deepen connection & decision-making.
• Treat agents as digital workers you hire/train to your playbook.
• Move from reactive “prompting” to proactive AI aligned to your customer journey.
• Align leadership with a public personal roadmap to enforce focus.

Resources mentioned:

Multipliers by Liz Wiseman

Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

Connect with Robert Henderson https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-henderson/
Connect with AskElephant: https://www.askelephant.ai/

Connect with Rick Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
Connect with Conquer https://conquer.io/

#Sales #CustomerSuccess #AIinSales #RevenueOperations #SalesLeadership #SalesAI #ProactiveAI #DigitalWorkers #AIAgents #CRMAutomation #RevOps #AskElephant

In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith is joined by Michael Gallagher, founder of the Stevie Awards and co-founder of two AI-driven companies: Reqsy and ImageShield.

Michael shares why recognition matters more than ever in an AI-powered world, how storytelling is the key to standing out, and why building your personal brand is crucial—especially for early-career sales professionals facing automation threats.

🔥 Key Topics:

Why Michael launched the "Oscars for Business" in the shadow of Enron

How AI is changing sales recognition—and how to use it wisely

How to tell a story that gets noticed (and wins awards)

Advice for sales reps who want to future-proof their careers

💡 Whether you’re a seller, a team leader, or just curious about the future of recognition and AI, this conversation will leave you with clear, practical takeaways.

Connect with Michael Gallagher https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gallagher-a8b785/
Nominate a Sales Pro for a Stevie Award: https://stevieawards.com//sales

Connect with Rick Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
Connect with Conquer https://conquer.io/

Cold outreach is broken—and this founder has a plan to fix it.
In this episode of The Future of Selling, we explore what happens when you stop spamming inboxes and start respecting your prospects.

Our guest is Ryan O'Hara, founder of Pitchfire, a paid-prospecting platform that flips traditional sales outreach on its head. Instead of begging for time, reps pay for responses—and it’s working. With reply rates up to 60% and meetings booked in just 3 pitches, this is not your average cold outreach conversation.

🎯 We cover:
– Why reply rates have plummeted and how to turn the tide
– The difference between buying a meeting vs. buying a response
– How creativity (like sending piano songs!) builds trust
– What “zero-click marketing” and personal branding mean for sellers
– Why paid prospecting could actually be more ethical
– The future of B2B sales, AI, and buyer-led deal rooms
– A real story about how a cold call led to a life-changing conversation

Whether you lead a sales team or carry a quota, this conversation will challenge the way you think about outreach.

Connect with Ryan O'Hara https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmohara/
Connect with Pitchfire https://www.pitchfire.com/

Connect with Rick Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b
Connect with Conquer https://conquer.io/