Salesology® - Conversations with Sales Leaders – Details, episodes & analysis

Guest: Mike Kochenderfer

Guest Bio:

Michael Kochenderfer is a seasoned sales leader with a proven track record of driving growth and building high-performing teams. As Regional Sales Manager at RECO Equipment, Inc., he is recognized not only for increasing revenue but also for his mentorship and coaching skills. Michael is dedicated to fostering professional development within his team, creating a positive and supportive work environment. His leadership has been instrumental in managing complex projects, including overseeing the most intricate commercial installations in DIRECTV's history. Michael's commitment to excellence and his ability to build strong relationships make him a respected figure in sales management.

Key Points:

Backstory & Entry into Sales

Michael didn’t originally see himself in sales due to negative stereotypes. Started as a part-time employee and unknowingly excelled in sales by simply helping people. Realized that sales is just helping people achieve what they want. Created a personal sales model based on fishing: F + L + P = Success

o Fish = Prospect

o Location = Where you find them

o Presentation = How you engage them

Career Growth

Held various sales and sales management roles, growing from retail to B2B and outside sales. Learned cold calling, refined targeting, became top salesperson, and began training others. Gained confidence through servant leadership and authenticity from mentor Evan.

Leadership Style

Key philosophy: He supports, removes roadblocks, and leads by doing. Authenticity: This means being the best version of yourself and not pretending to be someone you’re not. Team integration: Prioritizes relationships and alignment rather than authority.

Hiring Philosophy

Core values come first. Look for loyalty, professionalism, and hard work. Uses tools like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter. Prefers candidates with equipment-adjacent experience and a stable job history. Wants long-term team members who see the company as a place to retire from.

Managing Existing Teams

Challenges of managing people already in place when you’re new. Focuses on building trust through authenticity and helpfulness rather than authority. Believes in empowering the team, not controlling it.

Performance Management

Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs): Custom, supportive, and hands-on. Rooted in detailed effort and results analysis. Requires a heavy coaching commitment from him. Goal: fix performance issues collaboratively before considering termination. Terminations: The most difficult part of leadership, handled with empathy and responsibility.

Training & Onboarding

Critical to success: structured, immersive, and cross-functional. Includes vendor trainings, internal team shadowing, and real-time coaching. Believes great onboarding sets the foundation for long-term success.

Guest Links:

Connect on LinkedIn

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus, and revenue generation experts.

Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and check out our website at https://gosalesology.com/. 

Guest: Tom Wardach

Guest Bio:

​After serving for a few years as an officer in the US Army, I ventured into the business world, and that wasn't even my original plan! After almost 35 years in my current industry, I never thought that I would be in it for that long. And yet after more than 3 decades, here I still am. I have had the capacity to work for some great companies and wonderful teams in sales, personnel, customer service, product, and information management.

Key Points:

Background and Career Path

· Tom attended a military college in South Carolina and served in the Army. Leadership and discipline learned there laid the groundwork for his career.

· Transitioned to sales through a connection his wife had with Georgia-Pacific, where he began as an inside salesperson.

· Emphasizes the importance of connections, not burning bridges, and seizing opportunities.

Military Lessons Applied to Sales

· Experience in leading teams in the military helped him lead sales teams.

· Military discipline translates well to self-motivation and accountability in sales roles, especially in remote work settings.

Egger Wood Products Role

· Initially hired for a key account manager role, was later promoted to lead the U.S. sales team as part of a succession plan.

· Tasked with building the U.S. sales team essentially from scratch.

Building a Sales Team

· Before hiring, he and the company identified what traits they were looking for in candidates.

· Uses a collaborative approach to hiring, incorporating feedback from other team members and HR.

· Emphasizes collaboration, input from colleagues, and a structured onboarding process.

Hiring Philosophy

· Candidates must have a proven sales background.

· Prefers candidates with a short learning curve on the product side due to immediate business needs.

· Ideal hires have both sales and some industry familiarity (e.g., OEM experience).

· Doesn’t hesitate to make quick decisions when it’s clear a hire isn’t a good fit, unlike companies that wait too long.

· Acknowledges the emotional difficulty of letting people go, even when necessary.

Sales Team Expectations

· Key account managers are expected to both acquire new business and grow existing accounts.

· Sales at Egger involve long sales cycles and complex conversions (e.g., product switching or manufacturing changes).

· A key priority is expanding Egger’s brand presence in the U.S. since its local manufacturing started in 2020.

Guest Links:

Connect on LinkedIn

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus, and revenue generation experts.

Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and check out our website at https://gosalesology.com/. 

Guest: Ron Koenigsberg

Guest Bio:

Ron Koenigsberg is an award-winning commercial real estate broker with over three decades of experience and the founder of American Investment Properties, Inc.

Recognized as a top-performing broker nationwide, Ron has successfully navigated countless transactions, establishing himself as an industry leader and trusted advisor. As the author of "Power Broker: How to Succeed in Life and Business", Ron shares his proven insights into sales excellence, relationship-building, and personal growth. Known for his engaging style and practical advice, Ron leverages humor, warmth, and real-world experience to empower others to achieve greater professional success and personal fulfillment.

Key Points:

Dyslexia and Overcoming Challenges:

Ron shares his experience of being born with dyslexia, a condition that went undiagnosed during his childhood. Despite struggling with reading and comprehension, he found his strength in "human engineering," which led him to sales. His father's influence, especially through Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People, helped him realize that 85% of success is due to people skills, not technical knowledge.

Sales and Human Connection:

Ron emphasizes that sales success relies on building relationships, not just knowledge. He shares that the key to success is understanding people and communication, which is more important than expertise in a specific field. He mentions that 85% of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders start their careers in sales because it builds essential people skills.

Teaching Sales to His Team:

Ron adopts a "watch, do, teach" approach with his sales team. He emphasizes leading by example and actively teaching his team, building their skills through practical experience. He fosters a supportive environment, always looking to guide and encourage his salespeople, focusing on making them better rather than criticizing them.

Streamlining the Prospecting Process:

Originally, Ron tried to contact a large number of property owners (around 10,000), but eventually realized that focusing on a smaller group of 800 key individuals worked better. This "narrowing down" approach allowed for deeper, more meaningful connections, and ultimately led to more successful relationships.

Persistence in Sales:

Ron emphasizes the importance of persistence in sales. He shares that 80% of sales happen after the fourth ask and encourages his team to keep pushing and not be discouraged by rejection. He uses a CRM to manage and track relationships, remembering personal details about prospects, as he believes in the power of personalization.

Building Resilience:

Ron believes resilience is crucial for sales success and business leadership. Despite setbacks and rejections, resilience helps maintain motivation and drive. He practices what he preaches by remaining calm in tough situations and sharing his own experiences with his team to help them develop emotional resilience.

Hiring Challenges and Social Media:

Ron admits that recruiting talent has been his biggest challenge in growing his business. He has recently focused more on social media, growing his LinkedIn following from 1,000 to 14,000 in a year, using it to attract talent and build his brand.

His Book, Power Broker:

Ron wrote a book titled Power Broker, focusing on success in sales and business. It’s particularly aimed at aspiring commercial real estate brokers. The book was written with his sons in mind, sharing his knowledge and lessons for them to use in their lives. The book has resonated with a wider audience and is available in various formats, including Audible and Amazon.

Family and Legacy:

He shares his desire for his children to be involved in his business, though they are still young. He wants to build a successful company that attracts his sons to work with him in the future.

Overcoming Dyslexia:

Ron reflects on the impact of dyslexia on his life, acknowledging that it has shaped his resilience and approach to challenges. He stresses that dyslexia taught him how to overcome obstacles and build resilience, which is key to thriving in sales and business.

The interview highlights the power of resilience, human connection in sales, persistence, and the importance of teaching others as a key to leadership and success.

Guest Links:

Connect on LinkedIn

www.aiprops.com

www.RonKoenigsberg.com

Power Broker on Amazon

Power Broker on Audible 

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus and revenue generation experts.

Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an underperforming sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check out our website at https://gosalesology.com/.

Guest: Dave Valentine

Guest Bio:

Dave owns 7 businesses which have generated over a billion dollars collectively for over 1000 clients, including major brands and fortune 100 companies like Target, Time Magazine and American Express.

When his doctor asked him at the age of 29 “Are you prepared for your heart attack?” He realized he needed to learn how to scale businesses without the stress killing him. Dave now runs his companies from the mountains next to a river and 3 waterfalls.

Using a conscious capitalism and unconventional marketing approach, he was able to rapidly grow his businesses by investing money into his people instead of paid advertising.

After selling his first business, he acquired 3 companies and has invested $3 million into companies this year. His mission is to employ over 200,000 people and revolutionize the way we reward good talent.

Guest Links:

https://avadel.agency/

https://davevalentine.co/oo

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest: Bill Hellkamp

Guest Bio:

Bill Hellkamp has dedicated the past 30 years to helping professionals maximize their capabilities. A noted facilitator, executive coach and speaker, Bill is able to captivate audiences with his entertaining and insightful perspective on individual and team development. Through interactive activities and thoughtful questioning, he is able to increase the participant’s awareness of where they need to grow. He then gives them practical tools to accomplish that evolution. He has published hundreds of motivating articles and videos that can be accessed on his website at www.reachdev.com

Guest Links:

https://www.reachdev.com/newsletter-articles/informational-videos/

Winning at Selling podcast at www.winningatselling.com

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest: Todd Giannattasio

Guest Bio:

Todd Giannattasio is a veteran marketing expert who has been featured by Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Huffington Post for his proven systems to grow brands online and build engaged audiences in our constantly evolving, digital world. His combination of fundamental principles and modern marketing strategies are what creates a force multiplier for businesses.

Todd has been working in digital communications and marketing since 2003. Over that time, he’s worked with some of the biggest companies in the world from Universal Records to BASF, and with growing startups and small businesses.

Guest Links:

https://tresnicmedia.com/beatyourcompetition/

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest:  Kim Speed

Guest Bio:

Kim Speed is a brand visibility expert, business mentor, speaker, recipient of the Most Influential Business Woman in Brand Development, and Amazon best-selling author of Branding on a Shoestring. How to recreate your small business identity and increase sales results in 83 days or less.

During her years in the corporate world Kim worked in advertising as a Creative Director for some of the biggest global brands including Coca-Cola, TD Bank, Ford, and Molson Coors.

After leaving the world of advertising, Kim started her own business, Purple Moon Creative, Brand and Marketing Boutique, where she helps budding and building entrepreneurs courageously step into their own spotlight to create brands that stand out and attract clients.

Guest Links:

https://kimspeed.lpages.co/client-attracting-brand-checklist/

Free Brand Assessment Gift

Get a copy of Branding on a Shoestring book

Books:

Branding on a Shoestring: How to Re-Create Your Small Business Identity and Increase Sales Results in 83 Days or Less

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest: Laura Posey

Guest Bio:

Laura Posey is an internationally-recognized speaker, author, and consultant. 

She is known as The Simple Planning Specialist for her unique ability to simply and easily laser-focus her clients to get dramatic results.

Her Simple Success Roadmap is used by over 3000 companies from startups to Fortune 100. 

She is the author of "How to Plan Your Entire Year On One Sheet Of Paper", and co-author with Jack Canfield of "Mastering The Art Of Success".

Guest Links:

https://simplesuccessplans.com/daily/

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest: Alice Heiman

Guest Bio:

As Chief Sales Energizer, Alice is internationally known for her expertise in elevating sales to increase valuation for companies with a B2B sale that have exceptional growth potential. Spending her time strategizing with CEOs, company leaders and their sales leadership to build the strategies that find new business and grow existing accounts is her passion. Her clients love her spirit and the way she energizes their sales organization. She’s the host of the popular podcast, Sales Talk for CEOs. Alice dedicates time to local entrepreneurs by teaching at the University of Nevada in the entrepreneurship minor which she helped inspire. Alice also serves on the board of several growing companies to energize and elevate their sales. When she is not guiding CEOs to elevate their sales, she can be found hanging out with her family, walking, snow skiing, sailing in Lake Tahoe, volunteering in the community, or reading a book in her backyard.

Guest Links:

https://aliceheiman.com/podcast

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Download your free gift, The Salesology® Vault. The vault is packed full of free gifts from sales leaders, sales experts, marketing gurus and revenue generation experts. 

Download your free gift, 81 Tools to Grow Your Sales & Your Business Faster, More Easily & More Profitably. Save hours of work tracking down the right prospecting and sales resources and/or digital tools that every business owner and salesperson needs.

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com

Guest:  Bill Prater

Guest Bio:

Founder & CEO of Business Mastery & the Creator of Scaleology, Bill earned his reputation as America’s Business Alchemist™ by helping business owners and entrepreneurs break free of inertia and accelerate into the future they dream of.

He loves nothing better than sharing what he has learned by working with those who are dissatisfied with the status quo and eager to transform themselves and their business.

He created Scaleology® and the Business Mastery System™ as the core foundational principles of dynamic and continuous business growth.

A typical client of his sees their company rising to a position of preeminence and is not satisfied with just “getting to the next level”.

Guest Links:

Interactive Workshop: “Produce A Full Day’s Results In One Hour”

Books:

Business Mastery: Dominate Your Market: How to Quadruple Revenue in Four Steps (Business Mastery Series Book 1)

About Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders

Watch the demo of the Salesology® Prospecting Method, A Simple, 3-Step Method That, On Average, Increases Qualified Appointments & Sales By 73%.

If you are a business owner or sales manager with an under-performing sales team, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a time.

Please, subscribe to Salesology®: Conversations with Sales Leaders so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!

To learn more about our previous guests, listen to past episodes, and get to know your host, go to https://podcast.gosalesology.com/ and connect on LinkedIn and follow us on Facebook and Twitter and checkout our website at http://www.gosalesology.com