Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Bits about Books

Neha Raj, known to the literary world as The Book Marketing Girl, is on a mission to ensure no great book goes unread. After leaving the corporate world to pursue her love for books, she co-founded Booknerds in 2015, a thriving community of more than 25,000 passionate readers. Recognising that even exceptional authors struggle with visibility, she began helping writers build powerful personal brands through strategic book marketing. A Top 1 per cent creator on Topmate and one of India’s leading book marketers, she has coached 500+ authors across the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Australia, and Dubai. She was recently named one of the recipients of the Economic Times Edge 40 Under 40. This is Neha’s first book.

• In this episode Neha Raj talks about her book “I Wrote a Book! Now What?” and the crucial aspect of marketing a book. She explains how just writing a book and waiting for it to sell on its own just does not work, and why marketing is absolutely essential to ensure sales and reach.
• Through her experience of helping many authors market themselves via organic methods, she compiled her knowledge to help others reach their target audience. This involves social media and diverse other channels, and her recommendation is to start building a community as soon as the idea of writing a book emerges, long before even a single word has been written.
• Her book is filled with many insights and information, such as hiring social media teams, approaching professional book distribution companies, over and above relying solely upon the publishing house to do the marketing or distribution on behalf of authors.

Run time – 01:11:58 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

R. Scott Gillum has spent his career studying the one variable most sales and marketing strategies ignore: the human being on the other side of the conversation.

As a buyer behaviourist and the founder and CEO of Carbon Design, Scott helps B2B organisations close the gap between how they communicate and how their buyers actually make decisions. His work draws on decades at the intersection of behavioural science, marketing strategy, and enterprise sales — giving him a perspective that is equal parts analytical and deeply human.

Before founding Carbon Design, Scott served as an Office President at gyro (now Dentsu), one of the world’s leading B2B agencies. Before that, he spent more than a decade as a Senior Partner at MarketBridge, advising some of the most recognised brands in technology and professional services.

Scott is a contributing writer for MarTech and serves as a Senior Fellow at the School of Professional Sales at the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas, where he helps shape the next generation of sales and marketing professionals.

He lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife Jennifer and dog Leo.

• In this episode, R. Scott Gillum talks about his book, “The Hidden Buyer Journey”, which is based on observational research with buyers and sellers. It concludes that sellers often miss the most important cues while trying to close deals because they focus on features and functionality, whereas ultimately it is the personality of the stakeholders that drives the conversation.
• The Hidden Buyers are people who do not appear in databases but may be called in during the last phase of a buying cycle. They have huge influence on the final call to close but are not visible to the seller organisation until the last moment.
• Today, technology is set up to detect the wrong kind of signals, which is why effort could be wasted. A website visit or a white-paper download does not indicate intent to buy, yet tools are set up to track these activities. With AI, it is possible to do better by tailoring messaging for exact personas- those that actually matter in making a decision.

Run time – 01:11:32 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Irene F. Lefton is an author, Customer Success strategist, and longtime advocate for the voice of the customer. Recognised multiple times as a Top 100 Customer Success Strategist, she has built and led global professional services, support, and customer success teams across the US, Europe, and Asia — spanning industries, business models, and companies of all sizes.

Her career has been driven by a simple belief: that centring the customer is not just the right thing to do, it’s good business. Today, she speaks, advises, and consults with companies on improving results through outstanding customer experience, including the thoughtful use of AI. She holds a degree in Economics and an MBA from the University of New Mexico.

Irene grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and now lives in the Silicon Valley area of California. She is semi-retired but very much still engaged — writing, speaking at conferences, mentoring professionals at all career stages, and doing selective consulting with early-stage companies. She serves on the boards of two nonprofits, where she leads initiatives focused on community engagement.

When she’s not working, you’ll find Irene cooking, attending the theatre, and spending time with friends and family. She travels whenever possible — for concerts, new places, and the people she loves. She is, at heart, a curious lifelong learner who enjoys sharing hard-earned wisdom.

• In this episode, Irene F. Lefton talks about her book “Who Speaks for the Customer? Improving Results within a Customer Centric Network”. Irene believes that fundamental human connectivity and human attention to customers remain critical even as technology progresses. While every organisation claims that they are customer-centric, the truth is that real customers who deal with them most often do not feel so. The outsider looking in view is therefore very important for companies to get a feel of the customer requirements.
• New departments such as “customer success” do spell progress, but the field has not matured enough, and the right metrics to measure customer success have not been implemented yet. Cultural differences, generational differences and large customer bases make it difficult to cater to everyone with the same messaging, and often companies find it difficult to make the right choices in terms of which requirement becomes critical. This applies even more when the business is scaling, as well as when customers are scaling, leading to shifting goalposts on both sides.
• While AI can help in aggregating and analysing diverse data, it still takes a human to understand which data is relevant and what to do with the data. New roles such as “Forward Deployed Engineers” are fulfilling that role, leveraging their deeper understanding of the customer voice along with their technical knowledge of AI.

Run time – 01:11:32 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

David Homan

David Homan is the founder and CEO of Orchestrated Connecting, a global community of connectors; Orchestrated Opportunities, an impact-focused advisory firm; and SOAR CONNECT, a start-up focused on the strength of authentic relationships. He hosts a podcast called Orchestrated, focused on developing relationship value, is an active classical composer, and is a proud father of two. From middle-class beginnings as the son of a college professor father and nonprofit-focused mother, he has built a network reaching into the most private and incredible circles globally while maintaining a code of purposeful community building called Orchestrated Connecting.

Noah Askin

Noah Askin is an Associate Professor of Organisation and Management at UC-Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, where he also serves as Faculty Director of their Leadership Development Institute. An award-winning teacher and researcher, Noah is an expert in organisational dynamics, leadership, and culture, focusing on the informal networks of communication and connection that drive organisational life. Noah’s work has garnered him recognition on the Thinkers 50 Radar list and has been covered by various publications, including the BBC, The Economist, Rolling Stone, NPR, Vox, and Forbes. He lives with his family in Southern California.

• In this episode, David Homan and Noah Askin talk about their book, Orchestrating Connections. The authors believe that meaningful relationships emerge when people are connected through shared values rather than credentials, status, or transactional goals. They propose five principles, namely curiosity, diversity, vulnerability, generosity, and gratitude, that lead to transformative communities.
• Noah Askin approaches relationships through sociology and network science. While many people study the structure of networks, his interest was in what actually creates meaningful connections. As David was already running a community, Noah started interviewing members to get a sense of the on-the-ground reality of connections. He realised that many of the most connected individuals identified as introverts rather than extroverts, and traced their empathy to formative challenges earlier in life.
• These findings challenged conventional assumptions about networking, leading the authors to distinguish between “networking for personal success” and “community building to help others”. Networking is focused on personal success and exchange, while community is oriented toward support, learning, development, and collective growth. Strong communities emerge when people are guided by a clear sense of purpose and create environments where relationships become a long-term source of mutual growth rather than short-term transactions. Trust and reciprocity, rather than transactions, become the foundation.  

Run time – 01:17:38 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

For Authors:

https://orchestrating connection.com

https://noahaskin.com

LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/noahaskin

LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/davidhoman

Anders Boulanger is a professional speaker, performer, and CEO of Engagify. For over 20 years, he has helped organisations across industries capture attention, build trust, and inspire action. Known as “The Infotainer,” Anders has performed more than 5,000 live shows and delivered keynotes and workshops that teach leaders, sales teams, and communicators the art of engagement.

In Engage First, Anders shares his field-tested strategies for creating meaningful connections that drive results — whether you’re leading a team, selling a product, or delivering unforgettable customer experiences.

• In this episode, Anders talks about his book “Engage First,” and its development, along with some of the key ideas from the book. He shares his unique journey from magic performer to engagement expert and, thereafter, author. He discusses how deliberate engagement, storytelling, and authenticity are vital for building trust and standing out in a crowded world.
• He also discusses his process of writing the book, challenges he faced along the way, and why he chose “hybrid publishing” as a delivery platform for the book. Amongst key ideas from the book, he elaborates on creating “aha moments”- that singular point in time between problem state and solution when the customer or audience discovers for themselves the key differentiator or insight.
• Amongst other ideas, he discusses the role of storytelling, simplifying complex ideas to create connections, and establishing authority through performance. He elaborates on the importance of appearances and framing in creating rapport and establishing trust, and focuses on authentic interactions in a world that is increasingly sceptical of AI-generated content.

Run time – 01:03:09 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Resources & Links for Anders Boulanger:

• Engageify – AI for Authentic Interactions
• Book: Engage First by Anders Boulanger
• Anders Boulanger – LinkedIn
• Storytelling and Engagement Strategies

Connect with Anders Boulanger:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Todd Caponi, CSP®, fell into sales and fell in love with the decision science and history behind it. He’s held multiple sales leadership roles, helping build one company into Chicago’s fastest growing, another to an IPO and nearly $3B acquisition, and earning a Stevie Award as Worldwide VP of Sales. Todd is the author of The Transparency Sale, ranked by Book Authority among the best sales books of all time, and the award-winning The Transparent Sales Leader. His latest book, Four Levers Negotiating, was released on January 27th. He now speaks and teaches revenue teams worldwide and hosts The Sales History Podcast.

• Todd Caponi, in his book “Four Levers Negotiating”, emphasises that transparency builds trust and consistency. In other words, negotiation should not rely on tactics or keep information hidden from the buyer. Instead, openly sharing how pricing has been calculated, as well as the applicability of the product, builds trust and reduces anxiety amongst customers. In the era of abundant information, transparency and AI, opaque or manipulative negotiation approaches simply do not work.
• Negotiations should be anchored on four business levers, which are core drivers: volume, timing of cash, length of commitment, and timing of the deal. All pricing and negotiation should revolve around these levers. By grounding discussions on these levers, sellers can move away from arbitrary discounting towards structured, value-based negotiation, enabling customers to co-create fair deals.
• Many negotiation methods still mirror 1970s-era tactics focused on win-lose dynamics and psychological manoeuvring. The author believes these are incompatible with today’s “as-a-service” economy, where long-term relationships matter. Modern negotiation must prioritise collaboration, service, and long-term customer value over short-term wins, and thus reject such outdated negotiation tactics.

Run time – 00:49:34 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Todd Caponi’s links:

LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/toddcaponi

Twitter – https://twitter.com/toddcaponi

Todd Caponi’s Sales History Podcast – https://podcast.link

Fred Copestake is the founder of Brindis. Over the last 25 years, he has travelled around the world 14 times, visiting 38 countries, working with 10,000 salespeople. Using this to understand the challenges salespeople face, he has taken what makes a difference in modern selling and explored this in his book ‘Selling Through Partnering Skills’. These ideas form the basis of his work with sales professionals involved in complex B2B sales to develop their approach and ensure it is up to date and has maximum impact. Aware of the unprecedented speed of change in the world of sales in his second book, Hybrid Selling, he addressed how salespeople can adapt and evolve their approach to avoid becoming irrelevant. This quickly went to number one on Amazon after its launch.

Fred’s third and latest book is ‘Ethical Selling’, which we are here to talk about today. He also hosts the popular “Sales Today” podcast. When Fred is not delivering training to UK or international clients, he can be found enjoying rugby, cricket and time with his wife and cats.

• Fred Copestake reveals that rapid change in buyer behaviour—accelerated by the pandemic has ensured that customers are further along the buying cycle before engaging sales, and they increasingly distrust traditional “salesy” tactics. The core issue is poor selling practices that fail to add value. Buyers are better informed, less patient, and therefore expect meaningful, insight-driven conversations rather than superficial persuasion attempts from salespeople.
• Fred positions “ethical selling” as practical, tactical behaviour—not abstract morality—focused. His principle focuses on a “win-win-win”: for the customer, the company, and also the personal conscience. Transparency, active listening, and collaboration are effective techniques for building trust and improving outcomes. Rather than reinventing sales, he emphasises returning to proven fundamentals to create better conversations, stronger relationships, and more sustainable commercial success.
• The author believes that sales have “stretched the elastic too far” by overusing clever tactics, eroding trust and relevance. To recover, sellers must demonstrate value through curiosity, insight, and honesty—even leading with flaws to build credibility. Trust and collaboration form more quickly when sellers prioritise helping customers think clearly rather than pushing solutions, ultimately making sales more human and thereby more effective.

Run time – 00:45:29 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Donna McGeorge is a speaker, bestselling author and productivity provocateur who has spent her career helping people and organisations stop drowning in complexity and start focusing on what really matters.

Donna’s journey is as eclectic as it is impactful. She began her career managing theatre and concert tours across the UK, where she learned the art of engaging audiences, telling compelling stories and keeping the show moving no matter what. From there, she shifted to the corporate stage, leading organisational development for global giants like Ford in Shanghai. It was here she saw first-hand how leaders and teams overload themselves with unnecessary effort, systems and processes that do little more than drain energy.

Today, Donna works with organisations around the world, with a trademark blend of no-nonsense practicality and good humour. She has a knack for making complex ideas feel not only simple but also irresistibly doable.

She is the author of more than a dozen books, including her acclaimed It’s About Time series, the bestselling ChatGPT Revolution, and her latest work, “Red Brick Thinking”. 

Donna’s insights have been featured on Channel 9’s Today show, Channel 7’s Sunrise, and in respected publications including Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, Smart Company, The Age and Boss Magazine.

Clients who trust Donna with their people include L’Oréal, Unilever, Jetstar, Ernst & Young, Seek, Xero, and the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. 

• “Red Brick Thinking” emerged serendipitously from her LEGO bridge workshop, where participants instinctively added a brick to fix an uneven structure instead of removing one. This revealed a deep “addition bias”—the reflex to solve problems by adding more. The red brick became a metaphor for questioning that instinct and asking: what could we remove instead, to solve problems?
• The author positions Red Brick Thinking as a mindset manifesto rather than a traditional how-to guide, organising the book into emotional, structural, and cultural “red bricks”. Each chapter invites readers to examine hidden habits shaped by consumerism, inherited scarcity, and workplace norms, and to rethink how subtracting entrenched behaviours can solve problems, restore energy and balance through intentional living.
• Donna believes that subtraction is at one level simple to contemplate, but perhaps harder to execute, especially with “big red bricks” embedded in identity, systems, and relationships. She recommends starting with small removals to build momentum, creating space for transformational change. Ultimately, the movement aims to help people reclaim time and meaning—making decisions today that their future selves will thank them for.

Run time – 00:51:02 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Links for Donna McGeorge:

d@donnamcgeorge.com

www.donnamcgeorge.com

• Donna McGeorge – LinkedIn
• Red Brick Thinking Book
• The One-Day Refund Book

• LinkedIn

Marco Barozzi is the Founder of Expo Consulting, with experience of over three decades in the exhibitions and events industry. His journey began with key roles in prestigious companies like the Blenheim Group, Miller Freeman, and Reed Exhibitions. Later, he founded Expo Consulting, helping organisations succeed in the complex and dynamic world of trade shows and events.

Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous public institutions, SMEs, and event planners, sharing his expertise in trade show promotion, marketing strategy, project management, and exhibitor training. As the Country Manager of Fira Barcelona for the Italian market until 2022 and a faculty member of ICE/ ITA, he mentored numerous businesses and individuals, helping them navigate the intricacies of the event marketing landscape.

When not immersed in the world of events, Marco enjoys travelling, reading, listening to music, and spending quality time with family and friends. Macro says that these experiences inspire and fuel his curiosity for discovering new ideas and perspectives.

• In this episode, Marco Barozzi talks about his book “Event Marketing At Your Fingertips” and topics from the book that can help exhibitors and organisers of trade shows to realise better returns from trade show participation.
• Marco explains many of the issues that exhibitors need to understand before planning or embarking upon participation in a trade show or event. These include actions such as setting objectives, researching the pros and cons of particular events, and training staff to have the correct approach in the booth.
• Exhibition organisers are often too obsessed with spaces and dimensions in a trade show, and do not pay enough attention to creating value for the exhibitor and the attendee. Exhibitors should get better education about trade shows and take the help of consultants and specialists to create better engagement at trade shows.

Run time – 01:11:36 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Links for Marco Barozzi:

E-mail: mbarozzi@expoconsulting.it

Company website: www.expoconsulting.eu

X: @marco_mbarozzi

IG: @event_marketer57

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcobarozzi/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/marco.barozzi.39

Link to book – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8VN4ZZQ?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Lynn Hidy, founder of UpYourTeleSales.com, helps inside sales leaders build confident, high-performing virtual teams without losing their minds (or their humour). Known for her clarity, candour, and results-driven style, her book Mastering Inside Sales Leadership delivers practical strategies that actually work in today’s inside sales world.

• Lynn Hidy identifies a core industry paradox: while inside sales has become a dominant force in global business, especially with the rise of virtual selling, it remains a neglected and often misunderstood discipline. She notes that the role is frequently treated as a transient starting point in a sales career rather than a strategic function, leading to teams that feel undervalued and lack structured support.
• There is a necessity for inside sales leaders to move from reactive fire-fighting to proactive, vision-driven leadership. The author contends that planning is often seen as a “luxury” or “fantasy” due to constant external changes, but it is precisely because of this volatility that a clear structure is essential. Hidy advocates for establishing a 12-month vision—the “picture on the puzzle box”—and then methodically working backwards to define quarterly, weekly, and daily priorities.
• The author criticises metrics-driven cultures that track “everything” but value nothing, advocating instead for key performance indicators centred on genuine “customer connection” as the foundation for revenue. True leadership, she suggests, involves allowing room for mistakes and conducting constructive debriefs rather than blame-oriented reprimands.

Run time – 00:49:10 mins.

Links for Subhanjan 

subhanjan@pitch.link 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar