Higgle: The B2B Sales Club

Why do most people believe they're rational when the evidence says otherwise? Mike Mears, a former Cold War spy who went on to run the CIA's Leadership Academy, returns to the podcast in this episode. This time, he's explaining why intelligent people reject changes they know they need to make. We start with the "burning platform," and why a tactic built on fear quietly shuts down the experimentation you were hoping to unlock. Mike then walks through the 4-step sequence he built from studying the 200 best bosses at the CIA, and what happens when leaders run it backwards. He also gets into the part of the brain that makes decisions before we're aware of them. Topics covered during this episode include: Why the brain treats a disapproving boss much like a physical threat. How the burning platform narrows attention and shuts down experimentation. Why AI adoption gets treated as installation rather than human behaviour change. What ceremonial compliance looks like when employees are quietly afraid. Why running Mike's 4-step sequence in the wrong order can make things very bad. What the "auto brain" does before your logical mind gets involved. How a spy opens a conversation with someone they intend to recruit. Don't miss this look inside the brain that's working against your business case! Mike Mears on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-mears-former-cia-chief-hr-4627a889/

What separates persistence that builds relationships from persistence that quietly burns them? In this episode I sit down with Dave Corlett, Growth Director at Shaped By, to unpack the business development principles that have survived nearly two decades of market change. Dave explains how a deliberately low-profile community he built of in-house creative leaders has become one of his most effective routes to new relationships, precisely because nobody in it is ever pitched. We also get into why new business remains an 18-month game, and what that means for anyone under pressure to convert faster. Later, we turn our focus to strategic outbound, which Dave argues will fall apart unless you are clear on what you do and who you do it for. He makes the case that shrinking a prospect list is more powerful than growing one, and shares the kind of approach that gets a response rate most people would struggle to believe. We also talk about what actually happens when high-volume outreach lands with the people you most want to impress. Topics covered during this episode include: Why the fundamentals of business development have not changed. How giving without asking for anything in return builds genuine relationships. Dave's community that quietly turns prospects into clients and advocates. Why 18 months remains the realistic average from first contact to signed deal. How a properly built pipeline machine becomes a tap you can turn. Why persistence pays even when a prospect never replies to anything. How consistency lets you understand what is actually working and what isn't. Why strategic outbound has to start with a solid proposition. The unintended consequences of high-volume email campaigns aimed at your ICP. How shrinking a prospect list creates room for effective personalization. Why community invitations convert far better than trying to show off case studies. What makes LinkedIn commenting effective, and when it becomes cringeworthy. How weighted and unweighted pipeline tracking keeps a board patient and aligned. What it takes to hold your nerve when nothing is converting yet. Don't miss this episode if your board is losing patience with the long game! Dave Corlett on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davecorlett/

Could a survey based on original research be your missing piece in winning high-value B2B deals? This week, I sit down with Becky Lawlor, Founder of Redpoint Insights, to unpack the real power behind survey-based thought leadership. We go far beyond "just sending out a survey" and get into what actually makes original research influential in B2B buying decisions. Becky shares compelling data showing how research shapes high-value deals, especially at the C-suite level, and we explore why authority, trust, and emotional decision-making matter more than most teams realize. We then take a look at the mechanics of doing surveys right. Becky explains how to build a strong hypothesis, design surveys that produce headlines instead of boring statistics, and avoid the common traps that lead to unusable data. She takes us through choosing between email lists and panel providers, handling incentives without attracting fraud, and creative ways to make research affordable. Topics covered during this episode include: The definition of survey-based thought leadership and its strategic purpose. Why original research creates authority and differentiates brands. The emotional role that trust plays in complex B2B buying decisions. The statistical evidence that proves research influences vendor selection. The importance of starting your survey with a clear hypothesis. Why defining goals like PR or lead generation effectively shapes strategy. The danger of collecting data without a narrative thread. How poor survey design can lead to content that serves no purpose. The balance between statistical accuracy and headline-worthy questions. The challenges of using email lists for survey distribution. Why incentives for surveys dramatically improve response rates. The risks of fraud when promoting surveys publicly. The benefits of using vetted B2B panel providers. The value of maturity models and benchmarking frameworks. Realistic budget ranges, all the way from DIY to consultancy-led research. The surprising trust factor behind publishing research under your own brand. Practical first steps you can start today for launching your own research initiative. Listen now and start building research that actually drives decisions. Becky Lawlor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckylawlor

What if the real secret to sales success is in how you handle difficult people? In this episode, I sit down with Alex Sobol, Co-Founder of The Millennium Alliance, to look closely at the real traits that drive success in sales. Alex shares how he went from selling sponsorships straight out of college to building a global C-suite community that's now on track for $100 million in revenue. He believes that sales success has less to do with flashy tactics and more to do with work ethic, resilience, and the ability to handle difficult people without losing momentum. He explains why culture, accountability, and character start in the interview process, plus why he personally speaks to every potential hire. Alex later opens up about navigating uncertainty during COVID, the mindset behind scaling from 4 employees to 250, and the importance of staying relentlessly focused on the goal in front of you. We explore why founder-led selling doesn't automatically mean product-market fit, how to stress-test yourself for a career in sales, and what it really means to reverse-engineer success. Topics covered during this episode include: Why C-suite access is harder to earn than most sellers realize. How the high-impact model of The Millennium Alliance creates valuable conversations. Why private meetings change the way sponsors measure event success. Why sponsorship sales taught lessons to Alex that later shaped his business. How Alex and his other Co-Founder recognized an opportunity others seem to miss. How culture becomes more than a slogan during rapid growth. Why founder-led selling does not always prove a business can scale. How interview questions reveal traits a resume can easily hide. How difficult people can become a lesson instead of an obstacle. Why self-awareness may be the missing ingredient in many sales careers. How other, ordinary jobs can reveal whether someone is built for sales. How trained leaders become the real turning point in company growth. Why the first million is so dependent on blocking out noise and staying focused. Listen now to rethink how you handle pressure, rejection, and difficult people! Alex Sobol on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexsobol

As production gets cheaper and faster, where does real agency value survive? In this episode, I sit down with Claire Lambell, Managing Director at Southpaw, to unpack what's really happening inside creative agencies as AI reshapes the industry. We dig into the pressure coming from automation, platform tools, and procurement, and ask the burning question: where does the strategic moat actually live now? Claire shares why the future isn't about making more creative faster, but about making the right creative, with stronger judgment, sharper storytelling, and deeper brand partnership. We explore why sameness is becoming a real threat and how agencies must rethink their positioning before the market forces it upon them. As our conversation unfolds, we debate whether production is becoming fully commoditized and what that means for pricing, talent, and business models. Claire talks about the tension between testing everything and trusting your gut, along with why craft, taste, and long-term narrative thinking may become even more valuable. We also check out the future of junior talent, the risk of over-relying on AI dashboards, and how agencies can move upstream into growth advisory roles. Topics covered during this episode include: The current fragile but buoyant agency market landscape. How AI advancements are increasing pressure on traditional agency models. The shift from just making more creative to making the right creative. How agencies must own client problem spaces strategically. The risk of descending into an "age of average" driven by identical AI insights. Why human craft and creative judgment remain critical differentiators. The importance of curating insights instead of executing all data. The three-layer model of cockpit, orchestration, and engine. How production commoditization threatens traditional profit centers. Why long-term narrative architecture outperforms disposable campaigns. The growing value of brand expression and consistent tone. How testing everything can undermine instinct and bold creativity. The importance of trusted client partnerships over supplier relationships. What AI can automate versus where humans must stay accountable. The ethical and cultural judgment gaps in current AI systems. Why agencies must evolve from execution partners to growth advisors. Don't miss this deep dive into where real creative value survives in the age of AI! Claire Lambell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-lambell-a934382a/