Sales Against the Odds

AI doesn’t fix broken systems. It accelerates them.In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Sam Sharma, founder and CEO of Elevate AI Tech, to discuss what AI adoption really looks like inside growing SMBs. Sam reveals why most AI initiatives fail, how poor data and broken workflows breed chaos, and why AI is more of a change management challenge than a tech issue. They dig into real examples from sales, operations, and training, including how Sales Xceleration leverages AI to cut admin drag, boost consistency, and plug revenue leaks faster. From AI opportunity mapping to the shift from AI-enhanced to AI-first businesses, this conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on building systems that drive confidence, not just speed.Key takeaways:Why AI tools fail without clean data and connected systemsHow AI opportunity mapping identifies the highest ROI use casesWhy systems build confidence, and confidence drives revenueEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:10) Sam Sharma on 20 years in tech and the human side of AI(03:23) Find workflow gaps with AI opportunity mapping(05:12) Where AI fits in sales for prediction and smarter plays(09:23) Real examples of AI in action from clicks to conversions(12:31) Why AI rollouts stall and how to get real adoption(16:59) How to measure ROI before you buy the next tool(21:41) What is next for AI and personalized sales trainingConnect with the team:Sam Sharma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsconsultant/ Explore Elevate AI Tech: https://elevateaitech.com/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  

If you communicate clearly, you win.In this episode, Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Donald Miller, CEO of StoryBrand and bestselling author of Building a StoryBrand, to break down why clear messaging is the ultimate competitive advantage in sales and marketing.Donald explains why customers tune out most marketing, how the human brain is wired for survival, and why short, repeatable, zero cognitive load messages outperform clever or complex language every time. Together, Lee and Donald connect the dots between marketing clarity and sales execution, from subject lines and calls to action to sales enablement, AI, and owning a single problem in the marketplace.Key takeaways:Why customers only pay attention to messages tied to their survivalHow to create zero cognitive load messaging that sales teams can actually useHow marketing should warm leads before sales ever gets involvedEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:11) Why buyers tune out most marketing messages(02:05) How survival language cuts through noise(04:14) Writing emails buyers actually open and read(07:30) Why clarity wins attention in any market(11:53) Turning marketing clarity into sales momentum(17:47) Where AI helps and where it hurts sales and marketing(20:43) What StoryBrand is focused on next(26:33) Using clear language at work and at home(29:35) One focus every SMB needs to grow(32:47) Owning one problem to drive scalable salesConnect with the team:Donald Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donald-miller-storybrand/ Explore StoryBrand: https://storybrand.com/ Explore Building A StoryBrand 2.0: https://storybrand.com/building-a-storybrand-book-new/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  

The most successful businesses know how to extract hidden value from operations.In this episode, Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Tim Van Mieghem, founder of The ProAction Group, to discuss how uncovering overlooked opportunities can transform a company’s future. Tim explains the importance of replacing judgment with curiosity and shares his unique approach to operational efficiency. He reveals how business owners can uncover significant profit in areas they may not even know exist and why developing a team to sustain that growth is just as crucial as achieving it.Tim dives into the challenges of shifting mindsets within a company, how small operational changes can lead to big wins, and why sales and operations alignment is essential for sustainable growth. He also shares how embracing curiosity over inertia can lead to discovering breakthroughs that would otherwise remain hidden.Key takeaways:How curiosity over judgment drives business transformation and operational successWhy uncovering hidden value in your company’s operations can unlock significant profitThe importance of aligning sales and operations to create a unified, high-performing companyEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:29) How hidden value in operations can unlock untapped profit(03:44) The real power of curiosity over judgment in leadership(06:00) A real-world example of transforming operations in a seafood processing plant(07:46) The key to creating lasting change: ROI and acceptance(10:31) How aligning sales and operations leads to better performance(12:25) The importance of understanding demand patterns to optimize scheduling(15:30) Why the 80/20 rule doesn’t always apply and how segmentation drives profitability(19:29) Rethinking how to manage high-volume, low-mix versus low-volume, high-mix products(26:56) How curiosity and mindset shifts can transform a companyConnect with the team:Tim Van Miegham on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-mieghem-5ba91b/ Explore The ProAction Group: https://www.proactiongroup.com/ Explore Shocking Profit: https://shockingprofit.com/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  Explore EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ 

The fastest-growing companies all share one trait: a CEO who never stops learning from customers.In this conversation, Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Bryan Cressey, Co-Founder and Partner at Cressey & Company, to reveal the traits that set great CEOs and founders apart. Bryan shares why creativity, genuine customer engagement, and the humility to hire exceptional people consistently predict stronger companies. He explains how leaders can evaluate whether a business truly has the potential to scale, starting with new ideas, bold aspirations, and healthy margins.Bryan explains why founders must be their company’s first seller, and how real customer conversations uncover insight no metric can. He breaks down the leadership red flags to watch for, the moments when change becomes the only path forward, and why pairing new technology with real customer needs creates advantage.Key takeaways:What traits distinguish founders and CEOs who can truly scale a companyWhy founders must be the first to sell and validate real market differentiationThe leadership red flags that signal a company may struggle to growEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(03:09) The mindset and traits shared by exceptional founders and CEOs(04:18) Why founders must sell first and test real market differentiation(06:00) Leadership red flags seen  in CEOs who struggle(10:06) How great hiring and team-building fuel long-term growth(13:31) Three indicators to evaluate scalable companies(17:02) Why customer conversations are the key to innovation and clarity(21:24) Tech only wins when it solves real customer problems(25:50) The future of CEO leadership and casting a long-term vision(28:23) Questions to ask before starting a businessConnect with the team:Bryan Cressey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-cressey/ Explore Cressy & Company: https://www.cresseyco.com/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  Explore EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ 

Growth begins to stall long before most leaders recognize the root cause.In this conversation, Lee Brumbaugh chats with Kurt Schneiber, experienced CEO and EOS Implementer, to uncover the two primary obstacles that hold many businesses back: having the wrong people in key sales roles and lacking a repeatable sales process. Kurt shares his expert insights on how to assess whether a sales leader has the right coaching abilities, and why focusing on all the buying influencers, beyond just the champion, is crucial to keeping deals on track.Kurt provides practical steps leaders can use to create clarity, consistency, and trust in the sales organization. From identifying hunters and farmers to building a process the team will follow, this conversation gives founders, CEOs, and sales leaders what they need to improve results with less friction.Key takeaways:Why the wrong people in key sales seats hold companies backHow to assess whether your sales leader can truly coach and manageWhat a predictable sales process should include and why most teams lack oneEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:31) How Kurt found his path to EOS(06:23) The core components every SMB must excel at(10:30) Why sales leadership breaks as companies grow(17:34) How to achieve expertise in the sales trust process(23:21) Understanding who really influences the deal(28:59) Using CRM tools to create consistency(30:57) Coaching and training that elevate a sales team(33:43) Why relationships still matter in modern selling(37:34) Aligning with what customers actually needConnect with the team:Kurt Schneiber on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtschneiber/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  Explore EOS Worldwide: https://www.eosworldwide.com/ 

Most SMBs don’t lose because they lack effort, they lose because they lack structure.In this Challenge of the Day episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh puts Tom Gardner, Chief Community Officer at Sales Xceleration, on the hot seat for a rapid-fire round of five questions that hit at the heart of SMB growth.From embracing AI and building repeatable sales processes to hiring and developing top talent, Tom shares practical insights drawn from supporting hundreds of business owners and sales leaders nationwide. Along the way, he offers stories, lessons, and a few laughs (plus a shot of espresso or two).Key takeaways:Why repeatable sales processes drive predictability and insightHow AI helps SMBs scale smarter and fasterWhy onboarding and coaching separate good teams from great onesEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:37) Question 1: The biggest opportunity for SMBs to grow smarter(02:50) Question 2: The mistake most business owners don’t see coming(04:32) Question 3: How AI is changing the sales game for SMBs(05:38) Question 4: A career lesson every sales leader should remember(07:33) Question 5: What to look for when hiring your next sales rep(09:01) Lee takes the hot seat and shares his biggest takeawayConnect with the team:Tom Gardner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tgardner1/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ 

Grit isn’t just about working harder, it’s also about building smarter.In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Nick Friedman, Co-Founder of College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving, to explore what it really takes to turn a side hustle into a national brand. Nick shares how a beat-up cargo van and a bold idea became a $300M business, why every founder should be their company’s best salesperson, and how culture, consistency, and continuous improvement fuel long-term success.From defining what “Always Be Branding” truly means to developing resilient teams and scaling with purpose, this conversation offers practical lessons for leaders navigating growth. Whether you’re a founder, executive, or sales leader focused on building a brand that lasts, this episode will challenge how you think about grit, culture, and leadership in business.Key takeaways:How grit, resilience, and consistency create a “20-year overnight success”Why every founder must be their brand’s biggest salespersonTurning a catchy idea into a culture that scales across hundreds of locationsEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:25) How a beat-up cargo van turned into a 20-year overnight success(04:04) Learning to sell by helping people, not pitching to them(07:46) Building a memorable brand that redefined what “H.U.N.K.S.” means(11:10) Scaling culture and consistency across hundreds of franchises(14:40) Non-stop training is about continuous improvement(18:18) The power of purpose-driven motivation and removing self-doubt(21:12) The “Four F’s” framework for evaluating your next business(25:02) Taking entrepreneurial leaps and the story behind “Flying Junk”(29:09) Why focusing on the gain, not the gap will lead to successConnect with the team:Nick Friedman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collegehunkshaulingjunk/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  Explore College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving: https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com/

Too many founders think the solution to growth is hiring a salesperson. In this episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh sits down with Dave Parker, Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, and Managing Partner of DKParker, LLC. They explore the real challenges of startup growth, the power of storytelling, effective pricing strategies, and scaling a business without losing sight of what truly drives enterprise value. From establishing your first sales process to understanding ideal customer profiles and revenue models, this conversation uncovers the key factors that set apart the 8% of startups that succeed from the 92% that don’t.Whether you’re a founder, CEO, or sales leader working to build structure and scalability into your sales organization, this episode delivers actionable takeaways you can use today.Key takeaways:Why 92% of startups fail and how to avoid their mistakesThe danger of outsourcing sales too earlyBuilding enterprise value through focus and processEpisode highlights:(00:00) Introduction(01:13) From startup founder to ecosystem builder(04:11) What separates successful founders from the rest(06:41) Selling the story, not the software(10:27) Growth strategies for product and service companies(13:00) The danger of no pricing and no call to action(16:25) Ideal customer profiles and staying focused(21:21) Scaling starts with focus, not more ideas(24:27) Five metrics that prove you have product-market fit(31:29) Navigating the "messy middle" of startup scaling(34:36) Why AI won’t replace the human side of selling(35:32) Building a business that can thrive without youConnect with the team:Dave Parker on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveparker/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/  Explore DKParker, LLC: https://www.dkparker.com/ Buy Trajectory: Startup: Ideation to Product/Market Fit: https://a.co/d/72IQVYh 

AI should make sales more human, not less.Host Lee Brumbaugh sits down with John Hirsh, Sales Xceleration advisor and AI strategist, to talk about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the sales landscape, from the tools we use to the way we connect with customers.John shares how he went from mechanical engineer to sales leader, and why that technical mindset helps him see AI as more than just automation. It’s an opportunity to elevate the human side of selling. Together, they discuss how SMBs can start using AI responsibly, the difference between personalization and automation, and why a broken process will stay broken, no matter how much tech you layer on top.Key takeaways:Start small with AI and build from solid sales fundamentalsClean, personalized data drives connection, not just clicksThe best sales teams blend human authenticity with smart automationEpisode highlights:(00:00) Intro(01:51) AI tools for SMBs and how to implement them(05:42) Personalization in sales with AI(07:57) Smarter targeting starts with human insight(11:35) Balancing quantity and quality in lead generation(15:32) Why quality outreach wins every time(20:06) Hyper-personalization strategies that convert(22:08) Avoiding the potential pitfalls in AI adoption(28:01) Where AI can take sales in the futureConnect with the team:John Hirsh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-h-38041b22/ Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/ SalesXceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/ Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/

Sales Against The Odds is the podcast for SMB leaders working to grow their business, even when the odds feel stacked against them.Hosted by Lee Brumbaugh, we get into the unpolished reality of leading sales teams in small to mid-size businesses. From the grind of lead generation and pipeline development to comp models, onboarding, and accountability, each episode brings you relatable stories and proven strategies that go beyond theory.If you’re a business owner or sales leader facing stagnant sales, competing priorities, or the challenge of building the right team, this show is for you.Resources:Check out SalesXceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/ SalesXceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/