Make It Happen Mondays - B2b Sales Talk With John Barrows

In this special crossover episode, John Barrows is joined by Doug Landis and Jen Allen-Knuth for the one and only recorded session of a pilot project called Authenticated—a podcast experiment designed around unscripted, authentic conversations with inspiring leaders.The guest? None other than David Cancel, Founder and former CEO of Drift. David drops incredible insight on sales, marketing, leadership, and strategy—backed by decades of hard-won experience. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to learn directly from one of the best in the business, this is that moment. This is Authenticated. Unfiltered. Unpolished. Unmissable.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?re

Steve Lucas is a seasoned enterprise software executive and the CEO of Boomi, leading AI-driven digital transformation. In this episode, he and John Barrows dive deep into the evolving role of AI in business, sales, and leadership.They explore insights from Steve’s book, Digital Impact: The Human Element of AI-Driven Tech Transformation, and discuss how AI can actually bring back human connection instead of replacing it. Steve shares why companies and professionals must integrate AI into every aspect of their work—and what happens if they don’t. If you’re wondering how to stay relevant in an AI-powered world, this is the conversation you need to hear.Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nstevenlucas/&

Larry Kim is the founder and CEO of Customers.ai and the visionary behind WordStream, which he scaled to a $150M exit. In this episode, John and Larry dive into the battle between product-driven growth and go-to-market strategy, exploring why Larry believes a strong product trumps traditional sales tactics.Larry shares lessons from scaling two companies, including his experience hiring (and firing) sales leaders, the power of founder-led sales, and how he slimmed down his team while tripling revenue. If you’re building a business, selling in a competitive space, or struggling with product-market fit, this episode is packed with game-changing insights.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages

John Shulman is the Founder and President of Alignor, a negotiation expert with Harvard credentials, and a consultant to business leaders worldwide. This episode is all about the art of negotiation—from handling tough procurement conversations to defending price in a world of price-focused buyers.Learn about the interest-based negotiation approach, where it aligns (or conflicts) with today’s high-stakes sales environment, and how AI is reshaping the way we negotiate. If you are looking for sharpen your negotiation skills and close better deals real with world strategies and insights, this episode is a must-listen.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Ne

Elina Teboul is a leadership expert, former attorney, and author of Feminine Intelligence: How Visionary Leaders Can Reshape Business for Good. In this episode, Elina and John dive deep into the balance between logic and empathy in leadership, the flaws in modern capitalism, and how embracing feminine intelligence—not feminism—can drive business success.They discuss the importance of values, “awake” capitalism vs. “woke” capitalism, and how businesses can thrive by integrating emotional intelligence with traditional business strategy. Plus, they explore AI’s potential impact on leadership and the future of work. This conversation is a wake-up call for anyone looking to lead with impact.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membe

Shari Dunn is a polymath—an accomplished journalist, attorney, CEO, news anchor, and university professor—who brings a wealth of experience to this powerful conversation. She joins John Barrows to discuss her book, QUALIFIED: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work.Shari explores the hidden biases in hiring and promotion, the concept of “competency checking,” and the importance of seeing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a strategic imperative for business success. This insightful conversation offers actionable steps for redefining how we evaluate talent and building workplaces where everyone can thrive.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join Jo

Sydney Sloan is a seasoned marketing leader and the CMO at G2, the world’s largest software marketplace. In this episode John and Sydney discuss the evolving relationship between sales and marketing, the rise of AI, and how businesses can stay ahead. Sydney shares her personal experience with burnout, the importance of energy management, and how taking a step back helped her gain fresh perspectives. They also dive into AI-driven intent data, hyper-personalization, and what sales reps must do to stay relevant in an ever-changing landscape. If you want to future-proof your sales and marketing strategy, this is a must-listen conversation!Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref

Alex Buckles is back! As the CEO of Forecastable, Alex helps sales teams drive more qualified leads by tapping into their partner networks. In this episode, John and Alex dive deep into the tactical strategies reps and sales leaders can use to activate their company’s ecosystem—partners, investors, advisors, and employees—to generate real revenue.John is so impressed with Alex’s approach that he’s incorporating it into his own strategy and launching a free webinar on February 20th to help sales teams start seeing results within 60 days. This conversation is packed with actionable insights—if you want to differentiate yourself and drive sales through partnerships, don’t miss it! Check the show notes for webinar details.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!SIGNUP TO THE WEBINAR: https://my.demio.com/ref/8sxvVCvt8n1REFrIConnect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows

John Barrows is joined by Jonathan Lister, COO of Vidyard and former VP of Global Sales Solutions at LinkedIn. With over 25 years of experience in B2B tech and SaaS, Jonathan shares his journey of building billion-dollar organizations and explains the critical role of curiosity in leadership and hiring.Jonathan breaks down the evolving role of sales in the AI era, emphasizing the shift from quantity to quality in personalized selling. If you’re ready to unlock talent, embrace change, and shape the future of sales, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterCon

John Barrows sits down with Alex Newmann, founder and CEO of Newmann Consulting Group. Alex specializes in helping B2B companies transition from founder-led sales to scalable, repeatable sales systems. Together, they unpack the challenges founders face when building a sales team, share actionable strategies for avoiding common pitfalls, and discuss the realities of entrepreneurship. If you’re a founder looking to scale your business, this is the must-listen conversation to kickstart your journey.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Alex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexnewmann/Chec

In this episode, John Barrows sits down with Fabiana Lacerca-Allen, a global compliance expert with over 30 years of experience leading Fortune 100 companies through complex challenges. Fabiana shares insights from her new book, Crisis Capable: Building Your Capacity to Survive and Succeed in Every Environment.They discuss practical strategies for navigating unexpected crises, aligning objectives with values, and avoiding common leadership pitfalls during times of chaos. With personal stories of successes and missteps, this conversation offers invaluable lessons on resilience, adaptability, and the power of a deep breath when the pressure is on.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual

In this episode, Geoff Coutts, SVP of Sales and Customer Operations at Unbounce, shares his unique journey from leading sales in global corporations like HP, Verizon, and Samsung to scaling startups through transformative growth. Geoff reveals what drove him to pivot to the startup world, the lessons he’s learned in hiring and scaling teams, and his strategies for navigating mergers and acquisitions. We also explore the evolving role of sales professionals in the AI era and how business acumen and timing are essential for staying relevant. Packed with actionable insights, this conversation is a must-listen for growth-focused professionals.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2025! To kick off what promises to be a pivotal year for innovation, we’re revisiting John’s favorite episode of 2024—a conversation with none other than Guy Kawasaki.Guy is a legend in Silicon Valley, known for being Steve Jobs’ right-hand man at Apple, launching the iconic Macintosh, and writing 17 incredible books, including his latest, Think Remarkable. In this unforgettable episode, John challenges Guy in a way no one else has: by pitting him against Kawasaki GPT, an AI trained on every word Guy has ever spoken or written.John asks Guy the question at the end of this podcast - If he can get better answers from the Guy’s GPT than from Guy himself - what’s the point of this conversation? Listen to the full episode to find out and check out the link below to see the comparison between the two.For more details on the Guy Kawasaki episode, visit: https://www.jbarrows.com/guykawasakiElevate your sales game with the JB Sales Membership that includes monthly live training by J

Topaz Adizes, founder and CEO of the Emmy award-winning experience design studio The Skin Deep, joins John Barrows for a thought-provoking discussion about the transformative power of human connection. As an expert in asking better questions, Topaz shares insights on how relationships are shifting in the digital age, the art of listening, and the importance of practicing authentic connection. From personal experiments with his kids to bridging professional and personal relationships, this episode dives into how we can all connect better in an increasingly AI-driven world.Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Topaz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/topazadizes/

Adam Carroll, founder of Carroll Sales Consulting, specializes in helping clients adopt actionable sales playbooks and accelerate growth. With 12 years of leadership experience in SaaS sales, Adam has built sales teams from scratch, spearheaded international expansions, and driven revenue growth resulting in multiple successful exits. In this episode, Adam shares his four-step deal health check, tips for eliminating “story time” in forecast reviews, and strategies to identify key deal opportunities. This conversation is packed with insights for sales professionals aiming to elevate their performance.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: http

Christina Brady, CEO of Luster AI and former Chief Strategy Officer at Sales Assembly, brings a unique blend of artistry and strategy to this episode. Growing up immersed in the arts—learning piano at age two and majoring in theater—Christina shares how her creative foundation shaped her problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. Tune in as we explore her career journey, insights on AI’s role in sales enablement, empathy in training, navigating career transitions, and strategies for personal and professional growth.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Christina on LinkedIn: https:/

David Chevalier, CEO of Surfe.com, is at the forefront of revolutionizing sales with a tool that streamlines CRM data entry and enhances data quality. In this episode, David shares his journey from Germany to France, the rapid growth of his startup, and the lessons he’s learned about relationship-building in sales. Explore how to navigate early-stage challenges, the future of AI in sales, and the resilience needed to succeed in entrepreneurship. Packed with actionable insights, this is a must-listen!Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterCheckout David's website:  https://www.surfe.com/Connect with

Alexandria Ott is the Founder & CEO of Chrome City Creative Studio, Co-Founder/Producer of San Diego’s underground dinner series, “The Blank Table”, and Host of the Wild x Wise Podcast. Alexandria delves into her unique entrepreneurial journey, navigating male-dominated spaces, and the importance of authenticity. She also shares valuable tips on the power of manifestation, innovative PR strategies, and creating impactful, curated experiences.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Alexandria on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-ott-68526a28/Check out Alexandria's website: 

Chris Bogue is a sketch comedy writer, improv trainer, and host of the “Chris Sells His Soul” podcast on Spotify. Chris coaches individuals to create concise, impactful video content for business and is the creator of the “Complete Guide to Selling on Video.” In this episode, discover the power of personalized storytelling, the nuances of video communication, and how to use authenticity to elevate your sales approach.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bogue/ Check Out Chris's Website: https://christopherbogue.com/

In this episode, Jaime Diglio—TEDx speaker, high-performance coach, and top 1% seller at Gartner and Microsoft—dives into insights from her new book, "Moneyball Leadership". Discover transformative sales strategies, the impact of self-awareness, and how aligning personal values can redefine success. Jaime shares practical advice to enhance authenticity, boost client engagement, and lead with purpose. Don't miss this conversation packed with actionable tips for sales leaders and teams.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Jaime on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimediglio/Check out Jaime