The Art of Sales – Details, episodes & analysis

The Art of Sales

What does it take to run marketing procurement for one of the world’s biggest brands? In this episode, Rachel Wentzel, former Director of Global Marketing Procurement at Adidas, joins us to unpack how the brand balances creativity, efficiency, and collaboration on a global scale.

Rachel shares how Adidas has evolved under CEO Bjørn Gulden’s leadership, why in-house production has grown so rapidly since 2020, and how the brand continues to push for inclusivity and authenticity in every campaign.

We dig into how agencies can build stronger relationships with procurement, what really drives partnership decisions, and why the best agencies are the ones that blend cultural insight with operational efficiency. Rachel also offers a rare glimpse into how Adidas approaches innovation, from virtual production and AI to the role of music and emotion in shaping content.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to get on the radar of a global brand or how procurement can actually be a creative ally, this is worth a listen.

This episode of The Art of Sales features Tom Nation from Sandler, whose career began in hospitality before moving into sales. The conversation highlights how soft skills such as listening, building rapport and reading people remain essential in today’s sales environment.

Tom discusses the outdated stereotypes that still damage the image of sales and explains why it should be treated as a professional craft rooted in psychology and trust. He shares how technology, data and AI are reshaping prospecting, but stresses that sales still depends on mindset, coachability and discipline. Prospecting, he argues, doesn’t have to be loved, but it does have to be done.

The episode closes with a look at the continued importance of in-person events for building connection and community in a digital-first world.

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In this episode of The Art of Sales, Adam Graham sits down with Eniko Tarkany-Szucs, who leads strategic partnerships at LinkedIn, to explore what selling looks like when trust comes before targets. Eniko shares her career journey from early social media roles into SaaS, sales leadership and partnerships, reflecting on how her approach has softened over time as relationships became the real long game.

They unpack why the best sales feels more like theatre than pressure, the importance of reading the room, and how confidence often matters as much as competence, especially for women in sales and tech. The conversation also dives into AI’s growing role in sales, where automation can help and where authenticity still matters most. From partnerships and pitching to culture, confidence and human connection, this episode is a reminder that great sales is rarely about pushing harder, and much more about understanding people better.

In this short end-of-year solo episode of The Art of Sales, Adam reflects on what 2025 really felt like for agencies and founders. Not the highlight reel, but the realities beneath the surface.

He touches on familiar themes from the year: longer sales cycles, tighter budgets, plenty of ghosting, and why being busy didn’t always feel secure. Adam also shares a few thoughts on how AI moved from novelty to normal, and why clear thinking and positioning matter more than ever.

Looking ahead to 2026, he offers a handful of simple principles for navigating what’s next, with a reminder that clarity, consistency and human trust still win.