If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help —>

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

*The content for the newsletter this week is taken directly from the book, Carry That Quota.

I hope this simple tip helps you gain more time and energy for creativity at work and at home.

Reduce decisions. Each day, we are all asked to make decisions as part of our lives. Reducing the number of decisions you need to make each day will enable you to direct your brainpower to other, more important things. Basic decisions like what you’ll wear to work, what you need to pack for a business trip, or what you’ll be eating for lunch can slow you down and hamper your productivity. I often find myself going out of my way to reduce the amount of decisions I need to make each day. When I buy clothes for business, I’ll find a shirt I like and buy it in two different colors. I’ll do this because if I like the shirt, I’ll know that I’ll wear it each time I see it in my closet. I cannot be bothered having to decide what I’ll wear to work each day. I simply have five to ten work outfits that I cycle through every couple of weeks. The same goes for selecting what to eat for lunch, what hotels to stay in when traveling, what airline to fly, etc. My preference is to spend my time on important projects and tasks that will help me to over-exceed my sales quota or help my organization and clients get better. I’m not interested in spending any additional time having to make decisions that are not mission-critical.

If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

Given the varied experiences involved in a career in sales, a vital element of self-care involves developing a mindset that prioritizes process over outcomes, learning and growth, and finding victory in the struggle.

In sales, it is tempting to look at the leaderboard to see if you are making progress toward your quota. While understandable, this tendency can have a paralyzing effect. I recommend prioritizing the process.

To me, this entails doing as great a job as possible with each incremental step of your job (e.g., every sales call, meeting, follow-up note, etc.). In my experience, if you are able to live in the moment and know that you have done everything you can, the results are more likely to follow. Prioritizing the process leads to outcomes and the comfort of knowing you have done the best you can. Of course, things do not always go as planned even if you are singularly focused on the process. A sale may not go through for any number of reasons, ranging from the economic climate to the company’s fiscal health to the personalities involved. It is inevitable that over the course of a career in sales, deals will not come through. In situations like these, it is natural to be disappointed, but it is imperative to have what Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck describes as a “growth mindset.” As opposed to a “fixed mindset” (which assumes that you cannot get better at a certain task/skill), a “growth mindset” presupposes that we are capable of honing our skills, boosting our intelligence, and accomplishing more.

To me, having a growth mindset also reflects that you as a person and a professional actually want to strive and get better. Not everybody has a growth mindset because not everybody is driven. What’s more, to develop that growth mindset and want to seek another level professionally, you have to know “what is your why” (i.e., what drives you). Of course, this will vary substantially for each person, but you can only strengthen your growth mindset if you know what motivates you.

A final element of a strong sales disposition is “finding victory in the struggle,” a point that former NFL head coach Bill Parcells has emphasized. Similar to having a growth mindset, finding victory in the struggle helps me to realize that the outcome of a specific deal does not reflect on my worth or my abilities. There are many factors outside my control, and more importantly, I can always improve and learn from setbacks. Continuing to look for lessons helps you grow as a salesperson.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

A common mistake I often make as a salesperson is to assume a client’s business problem is the same across the entire organization.

Over the years, I have learned that large organizations often have multiple business problems depending on the size of the company.

It always makes sense to confirm with each stakeholder what the main business problem is that we are trying to solve during each interaction.

The more people involved, the more complex the problem(s)...the greater the opportunity to help.

Sellers who are problem finders > Sellers who are problem solvers

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help —>

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

Wednesday morning thought for the salespeople in my network...

If your current sales manager has not done the current role that you are in, then you need to proactively find colleagues, mentors, and other salespeople that have been in your shoes and have done your role in the past.

Your sales manager can provide perspective and guidance, but conversations with salespeople who have been in your shoes can provide immediate real-world advice.

I advise speaking with these other salespeople a few times a month to discuss ideas, challenges, and opportunities.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

*The content for the newsletter this week is taken directly from the book, Carry That Quota.

Reduce decisions. Each day, we are all asked to make decisions as part of our lives. Reducing the number of decisions you need to make each day will enable you to direct your brainpower to other, more important things. Basic decisions like what you’ll wear to work, what you need to pack for a business trip, or what you’ll be eating for lunch can slow you down and hamper your productivity. I often find myself going out of my way to reduce the number of decisions I need to make each day. When I buy clothes for business, I’ll find a shirt I like and buy it in two different colors. I’ll do this because if I like the shirt, I’ll know that I’ll wear it each time I see it in my closet. I cannot be bothered having to decide what I’ll wear to work each day. I simply have five to ten work outfits that I cycle through every couple of weeks. The same goes for selecting what to eat for lunch, what hotels to stay in when traveling, what airline to fly, etc. I prefer to spend my time on important projects and tasks that will help me over-exceed my sales quota or help my organization and clients improve. I’m not interested in spending additional time making decisions that are not mission-critical.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

The excerpt below is taken from the book, Carry That Quota. Carry That Quota is available on Amazon, Audible, BN.com, and other online channels.

“One critical facet of taking control of your professional development is owning your training. This means that you should make use of all of the resources that are at your disposal and not expect anyone else to drive this forward except for you. In particular, do not wait for internal learning and development/human-resource departments to organize a training session on your behalf. I find that most companies have sales enablement teams to help train and develop the sales teams, but I have yet to find a sales enablement team that provides value. Rather, having worked for companies both large and small, I have found that the best way to make yourself better is to be proactive and own the learning and development process itself. This starts with delegating the time to make the task happen. I personally work to schedule four to six hours each week into my calendar which could be defined as “training ”or “personal development.”

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

What habits will you look to build in 2026?

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help —>

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

Sales is a vehicle to tell a story that can help others solve problems that they may or may not realize they are dealing with in some shape or form.

People remember stories: it is one of the earliest forms of communication dating back to the Stone Age. Most salespeople do not tell stories, so by telling stories, you stand out. It is also worth emphasizing that stories are better when the client knows that you have done your homework. In particular, telling a story about their business that they have not heard will help to boost your credibility. It shows you have done your research. It also helps them to build credibility within their company. If they like and remember your story, they will repeat it internally with other colleagues. This will enable the story to be retold, and your message will get amplified as others tell it over and over again. Finally, keep in mind that stories told in the form of pictures are easier to remember than text. This again dates back to our childhood. We initially learned to digest facts in the form of pictures, not words.

So remember, during every customer interaction - think about your story and make sure that it will be memorable for your customer.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

The methodology provides structure and a framework for how to think about solving a problem that the customer is dealing with...

But, let’s not forget, the methodology does not work unless the salesperson has a repeatable process to source quality information about what is happening within the organization they are trying to sell into.

In my experience, as a seller, the best intelligence comes from other people within the organization.

How you get in the door, source information, and attach yourself to crucial company initiatives enable you to put the sales methodology into practice.

Referrals, sharing content, and consistent networking are important pieces to the overall puzzle to make the sales methodology work.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

I hang up the phone and take about 5 minutes to process what just happened. I then called my wife and let her know that the company is in the process of being dissolved and the staff has been let go. I turn the car around and begin driving back to New York City. I’m still in a state of shock.

I was one of the first employees at the company. I was managing the Northeast region for the company and was building a business, and a brand, and enjoying the experience each and every day. The fact that I just lost my job was sinking in as I drove mile by mile back home. Working for a start-up company has its ups and downs. This was one of the downs…for sure.

I had no idea what I was going to do and I was extremely surprised that the company lost funding so quickly. Nevertheless, it was all happening and I needed to figure out what I was going to do next.

Would I find another job? How long would it take? Do I want to stay in sales? What else do I have an interest in? My mind was racing in different directions.

I made a phone call to a friend and a mentor. He and I talked about the current situation, some ideas I had related to other career opportunities, and most of all he gave me some great career advice. My mentor said,

“You’ll be fine because whatever business you get into, you’ll be able to turn it into a people business.”

I’ve gone back to this advice on countless occasions throughout my career. The currency of any business is people and that will never change. My friend and mentor helped me realize that the industry, the job, and circumstances may change, but the fact that making it a people business was the key.

Understanding people, what makes them tick, and working with them is super rewarding and, in my opinion, the best part about being in business. Whenever I’m having a rough day, whenever I need a little jolt, I always find myself going back to this simple piece of advice.

Find a way to make it a people business and the rest will take care of itself.

If you or other sales team members are looking to become better at the craft of sales, please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

I’ve always struggled to find ways to speed up the sales cycle during slow times throughout the year.

I’m always on the lookout to figure out ways to get to a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as quickly as possible.

Over the years, I’ve worked with thousands of salespeople and sales leaders across the world and I have observed a lot of techniques and tactics on how to speed up the sales cycle.

The one consistent theme that I’ve seen —>

Beginning a sales cycle via a referral often enables the seller to get to a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ more quickly.

Doing the work upfront and taking the time to start a sales cycle with a referral is one way to speed up the sales cycle that seems to consistently work for salespeople.

If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help —>

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.

If you or other members of your sales team are looking to become better at the craft of sales, then please let me know.

Here are a few ways that I may be able to help:

1) Grab a copy of the book or audiobook, Carry That Quota. You can order it here on Amazon or Audible.

2) Take a look at the Carry That Quota Digital Workshop Series. Here is a link to all of the online workshops.

Each workshop is less than 40 minutes and has been designed to help salespeople get better at the craft of sales by focusing on the fundamentals of the sales profession. Salespeople and sales leaders can access these workshops on their phone, their computer, or tablet.