What if the real reason you’re not closing deals has nothing to do with your leads and everything to do with your process?

In this episode, Sean Samson breaks down the myths around what makes someone great at sales, and why most people fail. Sean shares how he went from average to top 1% by mastering the process, not his ‘sales’ personality. He reveals why decent leads don’t matter if your close rate is broken, how to adjust pricing based on buyer beliefs, and the difference between sales and business development (hint: most people don’t know it). Whether you’re hiring your first sales rep or trying to close more deals yourself, Sean offers insights into creating scalable sales systems.

Topics explored in this episode:

(07:10) Understand the Game of Sales

*Sean knew if he wanted to be a 1% top performer in his industry, he had to know sales.

*First things first, you need to understand why people aren’t buying from you.

*You need consistency, and to have consistency, you need a process.

(9:40) Create a People-First Company

*Sales fall through because the customer didn’t have enough information.

*...and they had the wrong price! You can adjust your price to the needs of the customer.

*You run a sales call to find out what your customer believes and to meet them there.

(19:15) Decent Leads, Horrible Close Ratio

*How are leads coming to you?

*Why are they coming to you?

*You need to track the customer journey through a CRM.

(31:35) Business Development vs. Sales

*What’s the difference between business development and sales? Most don’t know!

*How do you get your sales guys to stay longer?

*Most people fail at sales because they don’t understand there’s a structure and scalability factor to it.

Thanks to Sean Samson for being on the show!

Learn more about Sean here: https://www.seansamsontraining.com/

Connect with Sean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seansamsontraining/

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

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What if real leadership isn’t about being louder, but about being more present?

In this solo episode, Bill Gallagher explores a different lens on leadership: mindful power. Instead of dominating a room with volume or charisma, Bill shares how the most effective CEOs lead through presence, clarity, and intention.

Topics explored in this episode:

(00:00) Power Isn’t Loud

*Real power doesn’t come from dominating the room.

*Before performance, you need presence.

*Bill opens the episode with a mindful exercise.

(04:45) The Mindfulness Formula

*Get Present (notice your body, breath, thoughts, surroundings)

*Practice Gratitude (recognize what brings joy, connection, and abundance)

*Set Intention (what are you showing up for today?)

(09:20) Lead with Intention, Not Reaction

*Whether it’s a client call, event, or family dinner, leadership starts with conscious intent.

*Mindful power isn’t about slowing everything down, it’s about speeding up the right things with presence.

*Bring presence first, before performance.

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u

Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/

Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

What would change in your business if you built it to support people; not just profits?

In this episode, Dean Mathews joins Bill to share how solving one simple, overlooked problem turned into a business serving over 200,000 users a month. As the founder of OnTheClock, Dean opens up about the early scrappy days, how he learned to build a team-first company from the ground up, and why fast learning was his biggest edge. He also reflects on how his leadership style has evolved, the myth of work-life balance, and what it really means to stay committed when both your business and your family need you

Topics explored in this episode:

(04:30) Find a Solution Everybody Wants

*Dean noticed that there was a common problem, and he knew he could figure out how to solve it.

*His business has grown to 200,000 subscribers a month.

*A strong team has been the foundation to his sustained success.

(9:00) Create a People-First Company

*Dean wanted a company that was built to last.

*Building a strong team is Dean’s primary job and focus now.

*Dean really wanted to create a place where talent can prosper.

(15:15) Learn Quick and Wear Multiple Hats

*How did Dean find his first clients?

*Word of mouth is the best form of marketing

*Dean credits the company’s success and growth to his ability to learn quickly, implement fast, and immediately shift focus to the next challenge.

(31:35) How has Dean’s Leadership Style Changed?

*Dean doesn’t understand what work-life-balance is.

*When you’re driven, it’s a challenge to allocate ‘outside work time’.

*Dean has become very intentional to not break his commitments and promises in both work and family life.

Thanks to Dean Mathews for being on the show!

Learn more about Dean here: https://www.ontheclock.com/

Connect with Dean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-mathews-yes/

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ

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What if your schedule isn’t the problem, but the way you’re living it is?

In this solo episode, Bill Gallagher explores the energizing trifecta of Purpose, Power, and Play, and how aligning with all three can transform your leadership, reduce stress, and make even the busiest weeks feel fulfilling.

Topics explored in this episode:

(1:20) What is Your Purpose?

*What’s the most important thing you want people to say about you at the end of your life?

*Your purpose is your emotional center behind work, family, and community life.

(4:15) What is Your Intuitive Power?

*What comes easy to you? Do more of that!

*Notice what drains you? What do you hate to do? Do less of that!

(6:45) Schedule Time for Some Play

*Bill showcases how he incorporates play into his life and the work he does.

*You need to have fun in order to be fresh and sharp.

(9:45) Bringing it Together: Purpose, Power, Play.

*When all three align, even a packed schedule feels energizing.

*All 3 don’t need to happen simultaneously, we just want to touch all of them throughout the week/month.

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u

Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/

Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

How Do You Rebuild After Everything Crashes Down?

In this episode, Mike Chaput joins Bill to share the raw, unfiltered story of what it really takes to recover from business failure. From filing bankruptcy just six months after his son was born to eventually building a stable, resilient business, Mike opens up about the toll stress took on his health, the importance of strong relationships, and how every step forward came from embracing failure.

Topics explored in this episode:

(03:00) Mike’s Entrepreneurial Start

*Banks and private equity lent him money at 24, but he didn’t understand what a profit/loss statement was.

*With no experience, Mike is surprised how he survived during such an economically uncertain time.

*After starting his second business, it still took Mike 8-9 years to have a stable business.

(11:00) Life is a Fail Forward Thing

*Mike filed for bankruptcy 6 months after his son was born and his wife had quit her job.

*Mike didn’t have the skills to cope with that kind of stress and developed horrible heath side effects during that time.

*In life, you need to struggle in order to learn the skills needed to survive and to ascend to new heights.

(18:35) People are the Glue to Your Success

*Despite these hardships, Mike is still married to his wife and he is still business partners with his college roommate.

*There’s something to be said for really sitting down and working through the problems with those that are closest to you. To collaborate, to listen, and to problem solve.

(21:15) After a Big Failure, How Do You Start Again?

*After declaring bankruptcy, Mike was back at the drawing board for his next business idea.

*Mike was on the ground looking for new opportunities, new inspiration.

*Mike knew how to sell and he knew how to network; Mike believes this is why he didn’t file for bankruptcy sooner.

(38:25) No Matter What, Bad Luck Will Happen

*Bad things will happen in your business, expect to play it out strategically.

*Slowly, you’ll start banking on good luck because you have enough experience with bad luck.

Thanks to Mike Chaput for being on the show!

Learn more about Mike here: https://www.endsight.net/

Connect with Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchaput/

Free Ebook: https://get.endsight.net/hubfs/Endsight%20Ebook%20-%20Embrace%205%20Vital%20Steps%20to%20Upgrade%2C%20Mend%2C%20or%20Transform%20Your%20IT%20Service%20Partnerships%20(2).pdf

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

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What if your exit plan never arrives?

Most founders treat their exit like a far-off dream; something they’ll figure out someday. But that vague timeline sabotages your team, your business, and your freedom. In this solo episode, Bill breaks down the real cost of waiting too long to plan your exit.

Topics explored in this episode:

(0:25) The Exit Date is Uncertain

*Time creeps up on you faster than you think.

*One day, you’ll realize you want to retire and there’s no one who can take on the business.

(1:15) Client Case Study

*When you untangle a founder from the business, the team suffers.

*The founder and team have decades of ingrained habits that make a succession difficult.

*It took this client 6 years to properly sell.

(3:15) ‘Someday’ Timelines Hurt Everybody

*You can think about exit plans as early as the first year of business.

*This allows you to build a company culture around the ‘exit strategy’.

*The team gets a chance to be excited about their individual ownership in the company.

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u

Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/

Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

What Can You Learn About Scaling from the Very Early Days of Amazon?

In this episode, Bill sits down with John Rossman, former Amazon executive, author, and expert in leadership strategy, to uncover the secrets behind Amazon’s remarkable scalability. From launching the Amazon Marketplace in 2002 to writing The Amazon Way, John shares leadership lessons and operational principles that any business can adopt. This conversation is a masterclass in customer obsession, high standards, and building mechanisms that scale.

Topics explored in this episode:

(02:00) Playing Bigger is Actually Safer

*How John Rossman went from traditional consulting to shaping one of Amazon’s most successful platforms.

*The unique operating tempo and mindset inside Amazon.

*Why high standards are scalable, and low standards are not.

(11:20) Scaling Is Just a Series of Experiments

*You never want to have all your eggs in one basket.

*If you’re trying to juice your business for -today’s profitability-, you’re setting yourself up for a big risk.

*After being let down by Fedex during the holidays, Amazon knew they had to take their delivery network in-house.

(19:00) Stay in the Problem-Solving Headspace a Little Longer

*Find small ways to test solutions to big customer problems.

*Don’t go all-in or spend big $$ on customer problems without testing the available options.

*Study history and past patterns from other companies to understand how problems get solved in a smart way.

(31:15) Reinventing the Business Model: The Amazon Way

*John shares examples of Fortune 500 companies and how they failed to scale.

*How Amazon out-thought competitors with better models, not bigger teams.

*The mindset shift leaders must make to scale.

(39:15) Leadership Isn’t a Trait. It’s a System.

*Don’t wait for a profit decline. Amazon doesn’t.

*Don’t leave your leadership up to chance.

*How to build culture by design, not by accident.

Thanks to John Rossman for being on the show!

Learn more about The Amazon Way: https://the-amazon-way.com/

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up...

What if stepping away from your business is the most productive move you could make?

In this solo episode, Bill Gallagher explores the strategic importance of taking time away from the business in order to work on the business. Drawing from his own experiences and the breakthroughs of top leaders.

Topics explored in this episode:

(02:03) The Brain Needs a Break

*Breakthroughs happen after breaks.

*Stories from clients who saw massive clarity after they stopped grinding.

(03:42) Executing vs. Leading

*Constant doing keeps you reactive.

*When you always work in the business, you stop working on it.

(05:02) Trusting the Team

*Getting away tests your systems and your people.

*If things fall apart when you're gone, it's not a vacation problem.

(08:03) Breaks Create Capacity

*When you return, you’re sharper, more creative, and more useful.

*Distance gives you perspective and perspective gives you power.

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

Did you enjoy today’s episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.

Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJ

Subscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00u

Bill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/

Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall