In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith is joined by Michael Gallagher, founder of the Stevie Awards and co-founder of two AI-driven companies: Reqsy and ImageShield. Michael shares why recognition matters more than ever in an AI-powered world, how storytelling is the key to standing out, and why building your personal brand is crucial—especially for early-career sales professionals facing automation threats. 🔥 Key Topics: Why Michael launched the "Oscars for Business" in the ...
Aug 12, 2025•43 min•Ep. 19
Cold outreach is broken—and this founder has a plan to fix it. In this episode of The Future of Selling, we explore what happens when you stop spamming inboxes and start respecting your prospects. Our guest is Ryan O'Hara, founder of Pitchfire, a paid-prospecting platform that flips traditional sales outreach on its head. Instead of begging for time, reps pay for responses—and it’s working. With reply rates up to 60% and meetings booked in just 3 pitches, this is not your average cold outreach c...
Jul 29, 2025•52 min•Ep. 18
In this episode of The Future of Selling Podcast, host Rick Smith sits down with Shannon Schaul, founder and principal of SKS Advisory, to explore how sales has fundamentally changed since the pandemic, and what leaders must do to adapt. Shannon brings a unique perspective from years of building go-to-market strategies for growth-stage, mission-driven companies. From empathy-driven selling to the rise of hybrid sales skills, this conversation covers it all. What’s different about selling in 2025...
Jul 15, 2025•45 min•Ep. 17
When a deal closes, the real work begins—but only if sales and client success are aligned. In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with award-winning client success leader Erica Newell to explore the underestimated power of a well-executed sales handoff. Erica brings wisdom from years of customer success leadership, sharing why bad handoffs lead to churn, how “turf anxiety” kills collaboration, and what great teams do to build trust across the client lifecycle. You'll...
Jun 24, 2025•46 min•Ep. 16
What if the key to scaling your company wasn’t a new strategy, but a new way of being ? In this provocative and insightful episode, executive coach and sales transformation architect Townsend Wardlaw joins us to unpack why consciousness, not just systems or hustle, is the most powerful growth lever a founder can use. From his bold take on integrity and mindset to the hidden meaning behind "yes" and "no" in sales conversations, Townsend offers a radical reframe for how leaders can drive revenue, ...
Jun 10, 2025•55 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, Rick talks discusses the evolving landscape of sales enablement with Brian Trautschold, co-founder of Ambition , a leading sales performance management platform. Brian shares his entrepreneurial journey—from coffee runs and copy machines at UBS to co-founding multiple startups and building Ambition into a company that transforms sales teams through coaching, gamification, and trust. If you're a sales leader navigating the complexities of scaling your team or thinking about how A...
May 27, 2025•47 min•Ep. 14
In this high-energy and deeply insightful episode, Rick sits down with Amanda Rubin, Chief Revenue Officer at Wildfire and former EVP of Growth at Enthusiast Gaming. Together, they explore how authenticity is reshaping modern marketing, particularly through Amanda’s groundbreaking work connecting brands with communities on Discord. Amanda explains how Wildfire is helping brands authentically integrate into Gen Z-focused communities—not through ads, but through meaningful dialogue, partnerships, ...
May 13, 2025•47 min•Ep. 13
Unlock the secrets to building high-performing sales teams and staying ahead of the curve! In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith welcomes Phil Hernandez, Global VP of Sales at Taskus, to discuss what it takes to lead winning teams in today's evolving sales landscape. Phil shares practical insights from his 20+ years of experience — from creating strong sales cultures and developing leadership skills, to harnessing the power of AI to scale faster. Whether you're building a new...
Apr 29, 2025•47 min•Ep. 12
In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kara Smith Brown—CEO and Founder of LeadCoverage, Ironman triathlete, and author of The Revenue Engine. Kara shares her no-fluff, practical framework for aligning marketing with business outcomes by measuring volume, value, and velocity. They dive deep into: Why most marketing-sourced data falls flat in the boardroom How to truly align sales and marketing through pipeline velocity The power of intent data, ABM, and programmatic ...
Apr 15, 2025•45 min•Ep. 11
In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith dives into one of the most disruptive shifts shaping sales organizations today: Decentralized Talent (or "DeTal"). Joined by Conquer's Chief Revenue Officer Jim Trimarco (JT) and Chief Financial Officer Demian Costa, the conversation unpacks how companies are rethinking sales staffing, team structure, and global scalability. From JT’s deep experience leading global sales organizations to Demian’s journey from Navy SEAL to CFO, this episod...
Apr 01, 2025•37 min•Ep. 10
In this episode of The Future of Selling podcast, host Rick Smith sits down with Andrew "AD" D’Agostino , a sales enablement leader with deep expertise in aligning teams, simplifying processes, and driving revenue growth. With over 14 years of experience , AD has navigated the startup journey, scaled revenue to $50M, led through 10+ acquisitions , and now plays a critical role in sales enablement at Conquer. 💡 Key Topics Covered: ✅ What sales enablement really means and why it’s more than just ...
Mar 18, 2025•42 min•Ep. 9
🚀 What makes a great mentor? How is mentorship different from coaching? And how can sales leaders build a culture of mentorship that drives long-term success? In this episode of The Future of Selling , host Rick Smith sits down with Brian Kludas , a sales enablement and leadership expert, to discuss the transformative power of mentorship in the sales industry. 🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ The key differences between mentorship, coaching, and leadership ✅ The three levels of mentorshi...
Mar 04, 2025•43 min•Ep. 8
Why do deals really fall through? It’s not always about price or features—there’s often a deeper reason. In this episode of The Future of Selling , host Rick Smith sits down with Ron Carson , CEO of Thirdside and an expert in B2B marketing and Win/Loss analysis. 🔎 Key Takeaways from this Episode: ✅ The #1 reason sales teams lose deals (Hint: it’s not price!) ✅ Why sales discovery is more critical than ever —and how to do it right ✅ How Win/Loss reports uncover what CRM data doesn’t tell you ✅ T...
Feb 18, 2025•35 min•Ep. 7
🎙️ Future of Selling Podcast – Episode: Fixing Your B2B Sales Process with Jim Trimarco 📢 Welcome to the Future of Selling Podcast! Hosted by Rick Smith, Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, this podcast dives into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in B2B sales. Whether you’re a sales leader, account manager, or founder, we bring you real-world strategies to navigate the evolving sales landscape. 🎧 In This Episode: We sit down with Jim Trimarco (JT), a seasoned sales leader with ov...
Feb 04, 2025•40 min•Ep. 6
Join Rick Smith, Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, as he sits down with Elizabeth Richardson—a seasoned B2B sales professional and a proud SMU alum—to dive deep into the power of women in sales and the unique qualities they bring to the table. 🌟 Key Highlights: ✨ Why women are outperforming men in sales roles. ✨ Breaking barriers: Overcoming underrepresentation in sales leadership. ✨ Work-life balance: Elizabeth shares her personal journey as a mom and sales leader. ✨ Practical advice for wome...
Dec 09, 2024•36 min•Ep. 5
🎙️ Welcome back to The Future of Selling Podcast! 🎙️ In this episode, host Rick Smith , Chief Customer Officer at Conquer, sits down with Andy Smith , Senior Vice President of Sales at Talk Me Up, to explore the evolving landscape of sales communication. From leveraging AI for best-in-class communication skills to practical strategies for improving empathy, confidence, and engagement, this episode is packed with actionable insights for sales professionals. What You’ll Learn: The "3 R’s of Sale...
Nov 26, 2024•50 min•Ep. 4
In this episode of Future of Selling, host Rick Smith sits down with Jason Forrest, Founder and CEO of FPG (Forrest Performance Group) and one of the world’s top-ranked sales gurus. Jason shares his insights on the future of sales, from leveraging AI to mastering advanced communication skills. They discuss the importance of hiring the right people, creating custom sales training, and building a high-performing team with what Jason calls the “Coachable GUMP” formula—traits every top salesperson n...
Nov 12, 2024•54 min•Ep. 3
Welcome to The Future of Selling podcast with Rick Smith, Chief Customer Officer at Conquer! In this episode, Rick chats with Harris Fanaroff, founder of Linked Revenue, about leveraging LinkedIn to build a personal brand and drive B2B growth. Harris shares insights on sales strategies, creating authentic connections, and the importance of consistency in content. He also offers practical tips for using LinkedIn, including optimizing profiles, using engagement strategies, and how AI may shape the...
Oct 29, 2024•39 min•Ep. 2
In this episode of Future of Selling , Rick Smith dives deep into the evolving B2B buyer’s journey with special guests Julia Yavin and Peter Dean from RenderTribe, a B2B marketing agency specializing in account-based marketing (ABM). Together, they explore key stages of the buyer’s journey, discuss changes in buyer behavior, and share how sales and marketing teams can align to close more deals.
Oct 14, 2024•49 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to The Future of Selling podcast! Whether you're a seasoned sales executive or just starting out, tune in to discover how to refine your approach, engage buyers effectively, and drive more revenue.
Sep 26, 2024•6 min
