Selling From the Heart Podcast

Richard Vickers is a leadership and communication speaker, author, and coach who helps organizations develop stronger leaders, improve communication, build trust, and create healthier workplace cultures.He is the author of Getting Smarter Every Day: Practical Lessons in Leadership, Communication, and Personal Growth, a book centered on intentional growth, accountability, and the small daily actions that shape who we become.Richard's leadership philosophy emphasizes treating people as "Human Beings, Not Human Doings" and recognizing that effective communication isn't defined by what we say, but by how our message is received.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling From the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Richard Vickers, author of Getting Smarter Every Day, for a conversation about continuous learning, leadership growth, buyer understanding, and staying relevant in an increasingly informed marketplace.Richard challenges sales professionals to put themselves in the buyer's seat. Authentic selling begins with understanding the emotions, experiences, and challenges influencing purchasing decisions—not simply delivering a polished presentation.As AI and digital tools make information more accessible, Richard explains why sellers must continually expand their knowledge and bring perspectives customers cannot easily discover on their own. The same responsibility applies to sales leaders: when leaders stop growing, they risk limiting the potential of the people they lead.The conversation also explores the power of daily learning habits, challenging assumptions, and communicating on the listener's terms. Richard explains how thoughtful questions and genuine curiosity can uncover problems, reveal opportunities, and create more meaningful conversations.KEY TAKEAWAYSPut yourself in the buyer's seat. Understand the emotions, challenges, and perspectives influencing customer decisions before offering solutions.Raise your ceiling to elevate your team. Leaders must continue developing themselves to create opportunities for the people they lead to grow.Get smarter every day. As AI gives buyers greater access to information, sellers must bring fresh insights and meaningful perspectives beyond what customers can research independently.Make learning a daily discipline. Reading, writing, reflecting, and challenging assumptions help you expand your knowledge and strengthen your professional capabilities.Communicate on the listener's terms. Effective communication requires curiosity, active listening, and adapting your message to the other person's experiences and expectations.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESSelling from the heart to me is putting yourself in the seat of the buyer.Make sure you're continually raising your ceiling for the people that report to you.Quiet excellence is admirable, but invisible excellence is expensive.If you want the responses that no one's getting, you gotta ask the questions that no one's asking.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily

Dr. Bobby Low is a mental performance doctor, author, speaker, coach, and Founder of MOTYV8, a platform dedicated to helping athletes, teams, and high performers develop the mental skills needed to thrive under pressure.A former NCAA All-American and professional pole vaulter, Dr. Bobby holds a Ph.D. in Sport & Performance Psychology. He works with athletes at Brigham Young University and elite performers across professional sports, helping them strengthen confidence, focus, resilience, and emotional control.He is also the author of Wiring Intelligence: From Reactive to Proactive, Eight Mindsets to Control Performance Under Pressure, which explores how intentional thinking and consistent mental training can transform performance.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling From the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Dr. Bobby Low, mental performance doctor and author of Wiring Intelligence, for a conversation about overcoming fear, building confidence, and rewiring the mental habits that influence sales performance.Drawing from his work with elite athletes and high performers, Dr. Bobby explains how repeated thoughts shape automatic responses to rejection, pressure, and uncertainty. He challenges sales professionals to recognize their inner dialogue and move from reactive thinking toward intentional, proactive mental habits.The conversation explores why fear often comes from imagined outcomes, how self-awareness helps interrupt negative thought patterns, and why learning is a more productive response to setbacks than self-criticism. Dr. Bobby introduces a practical reflection exercise: identify three things you did well and one thing to improve after each sales conversation.The takeaway is simple: confidence isn't just something you feel. It's something you can intentionally develop through the thoughts, language, and habits you practice every day.KEY TAKEAWAYSAuthentic selling starts with belief. Believe in the value you provide and the difference your solution can make for customers.Train your mind to respond proactively. Recognize reactive thinking patterns and develop intentional habits that support confidence and resilience.Replace fear with learning. Approach rejection, setbacks, and difficult conversations with curiosity instead of allowing imagined outcomes to control your actions.Pay attention to your inner dialogue. Self-awareness and intentional language help you recognize unproductive thoughts and choose more constructive responses.Reflect on three wins and one improvement. Reinforce what worked after each sales conversation while identifying one specific opportunity to improve.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESThe antidote to fear is learning.We get to be the architect or the narrator of whatever story we wanna create in our own life.Even if you absolutely tanked the call, write down what worked, what went well.Instead of saying, 'I'm anxious,' or, 'I'm nervous,' change the language to, 'I'm ready and I'm excited.'ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily

Jeff Davis is an award-winning author of four books, professional speaker, consultant, and mental health advocate specializing in authentic leadership, resilience, and workplace culture.A TEDx speaker and Forbes contributor, Jeff has delivered keynotes internationally and works with businesses, nonprofits, schools, and organizations to promote healthier workplaces and more authentic leadership.Known as "Mr. Mountaintop," Jeff brings a candid, thoughtful perspective shaped by his professional experiences, international travels, and conversations with influential leaders. He holds a master's degree from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and is the author of The Courage to Leave: Breaking Free from Toxic Workplaces.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of Selling From the Heart, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome author and mental health advocate Jeff Davis for a conversation about authentic selling, toxic workplace cultures, mental health, leadership, and the courage to make difficult career decisions.Jeff explains that selling from the heart begins with genuine care, being fully present, and removing the performance layer that can turn meaningful conversations into transactions. He challenges sales professionals to consider whether they truly believe in what they sell and whether their organization's values align with their own.The conversation explores the warning signs of unhealthy workplace cultures, from manipulation and disrespect to chronic stress and burnout. Jeff emphasizes the importance of protecting mental well-being while recognizing that not every difficult workplace situation requires an immediate exit.KEY TAKEAWAYSAuthentic selling starts with genuine presence. Remove the performance layer, care about the person across from you, and prioritize meaningful relationships over transactions.Alignment strengthens authenticity. Believing in your products, organization, and values makes it easier to build confidence and customer trust.Recognize toxic workplace behaviors. Manipulation, disrespect, unhealthy leadership, persistent stress, and burnout can signal deeper cultural problems.Protect your mental well-being. Professional achievement should not require sacrificing your health. Leaders must address unhealthy workplace dynamics before they escalate.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESYou get rid of the performance layer, and you're in the moment.You have to truly believe in what you're selling.Staying at the company could be a very courageous decision.All leadership begins with self-leadership.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily

Darrin DeStasio is a sales leader, author, and Co-Founder of Horizon Five, with more than 25 years of experience helping enterprise organizations turn strategy into measurable business outcomes.As a Transformation Principal at Horizon Five, Darrin works with leaders across Finance, HR, and Supply Chain to bridge the gap between data strategy and execution. His approach brings together technology, governance, and people to drive meaningful, lasting transformation.Drawing on 27 years of experience with companies including Oracle, IBM, Demandware, and Alteryx, Darrin authored Sell the Hole, Not the Drill: What Top Sales Performers Do Differently. His philosophy challenges sales professionals to move beyond product features and focus on understanding customer needs, earning trust, and delivering outcomes that genuinely matter.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of the Selling From the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Darrin DeStasio, author of Sell the Hole, Not the Drill, to explore what top-performing sales professionals do differently.Darrin challenges salespeople to stop selling features and start solving problems. He explains why the best sales conversations begin with curiosity rather than persuasion, how to avoid the demo trap, and why understanding a customer's personal motivations is just as important as identifying their business challenges.The conversation also explores the habits behind consistent sales performance. From researching prospects and asking better questions to establishing mutually agreed-upon next steps, Darrin shares practical ways to make every customer interaction more meaningful.He also reveals how working backward from sales goals, understanding conversion rates, and building a disciplined activity plan helped him predict his own performance with remarkable accuracy.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful reminder: “Amateurs wing it. Professionals plan.”If you want to build stronger customer relationships, improve your sales execution, and become a trusted advisor instead of another product-focused salesperson, this episode offers a practical roadmap.KEY TAKEAWAYSSell the outcome, not the product. Customers aren't buying features. They're looking for solutions to problems that matter to them.Lead with curiosity instead of persuasion. Ask thoughtful questions, listen without rushing, and uncover the real business and personal motivations behind a decision.Preparation is a competitive advantage. Research your prospects before every conversation so you can spend more time discovering what matters and less time asking questions you should already know the answers to.Avoid the demo trap. Show customers only the capabilities that directly connect to their challenges and desired outcomes.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESThe goal is to solve somebody else's problem that matters to them.Care enough to ask better questions, listen long enough to uncover the real challenge, and only recommend something if it truly creates value to them, not to you.Amateurs wing it. Professionals plan.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily

Dr. Stephanie Duguid is a Leadership Culture Strategist, keynote speaker, author, and founder of Do Good Leadership. With three decades of experience in education, leadership, and human performance, she helps organizations strengthen communication, build trust, and create healthier workplace cultures where people feel valued and empowered to thrive.Her work focuses on intentional leadership, emotional intelligence, and the power of relationships to shape organizational culture. Through practical strategies, Dr. Stephanie helps leaders reduce miscommunication, strengthen teams, and lead with greater clarity, authenticity, and purpose.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of Selling from the Heart, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome Dr. Stephanie Duguid to explore intentional communication, emotional intelligence, trust, and the habits that strengthen relationships.Dr. Stephanie defines selling from the heart as service rather than transaction. Instead of focusing on delivering a pitch or closing a deal, sales professionals should listen closely enough to understand what the customer truly needs—and be honest about whether they can help.She explains why genuine listening requires presence, curiosity, and the willingness to stop preparing your response while someone else is speaking. The conversation also explores how to respond rather than react when facing rejection, pressure, or difficult conversations. A pause, a breath, and greater awareness of tone and body language can change the direction of an interaction.Ultimately, Dr. Stephanie emphasizes three practices that strengthen relationships and workplace culture: communication, connection, and consistency. When people feel heard, valued, and safe to speak honestly, trust has room to grow.KEY TAKEAWAYSListen to understand, not to respond. Genuine curiosity helps you understand what customers and colleagues actually need.Give people your full attention. Intentional presence means putting distractions aside and engaging with the person in front of you.Respond instead of reacting. Pause, breathe, and choose your words and body language deliberately when pressure rises.Consistency builds trust. People need to know they can count on how you communicate, especially during difficult moments.Communication shapes culture. Words, tone, body language, and assumptions all influence how people experience a relationship.HIGHLIGHT QUOTESWe’ve got two ears and one mouth, so we can listen twice as much as we speak.Culture really stems from the way that you communicate with one another.How do you communicate when you’re stressed? How do you communicate when you’re under pressure?I don’t listen to respond. I don’t listen to react.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESExplore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at https://culturefromtheheart.com/HomeGet Larry's New Book: Selling Food from the Heart, https://a.co/d/07dzlMx8Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: https://www.youtube.com/c/sellingfromtheheart/Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/daily