The Sales Hunter Podcast

Uncertainty and change are shaking up the sales world at an unprecedented pace, but what if disruption could be your greatest advantage? Meridith Elliot Powell, global keynote speaker and authority on navigating uncertainty, joins Mark Hunter to demystify how top performers and organizations succeed in times of chaos. Meridith draws on years of in-depth research and the lessons of history to reveal why so many well-known companies fail, and how a select few turn adversity into opportunity. Listeners will also hear Mark and Meridith tackle tough questions around short-term sales thinking, shifting industries, and the damaging myth of price sensitivity. The episode teases actionable tactics for focusing on people, adapting sales approaches, and staying present when customers need you most—all without revealing all the secrets. Remain tuned for powerful takeaways that help today's sales professionals find stability and success in any market. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Meredith Elliott Powell is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and business strategist focused on helping organizations thrive in times of uncertainty and change. Meredith has written multiple books and co-hosts Sales Logic Podcast with Mark.

Is your sales process built around the seller's journey or the buyer's journey? Frank Kitchen, CSP and acclaimed sales leader, joins Mark Hunter to unpack exactly why understanding the buyer's intent is what separates average performers from top-tier salespeople. Frank draws from his extensive experience leading sales and customer service teams, illustrating how genuine relationship-building and strategic timing are the keys to getting ahead of the competition. Together, Mark and Frank challenge the common approach of chasing endless leads and instead reveal how to filter prospects using smarter questions and targeted research. They tease a practical framework that flips traditional sales scripts, emphasizing the art of asking, active listening, and mapping outreach to the customer's real buying window. 💡Read the BLOG this this episode. 👤 About the Guest Frank Kitchen is a keynote speaker, author, and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) who helps organizations and individuals create positive cultures and achieve peak performance. Frank delivers engaging presentations and training focused on leadership, personal growth, and workplace culture.

Is your sales strategy lost in translation between the boardroom and the sales floor? Tim Ohai, author of "The Zen of Strategic Execution," joins the show to illuminate where most companies stumble in turning strategy into action. Tim shares lessons learned from a global career with giants like Shell, Microsoft, and Walmart, giving listeners an inside look at why well-crafted strategies often fall apart when people get involved. The conversation dives into the true meaning of execution, unraveling myths about planning and highlighting the hidden obstacles that can sabotage growth. Mark and Tim share vivid stories, including a $300 million NASA mishap, to show how clarity and alignment make or break success. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that will challenge sales managers and executives to rethink how they communicate strategy and foster a culture of high performance. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Tim Ohai is a consultant, author, and speaker specializing in strategic execution and leadership development for global organizations. Tim co-founded the Ubuntu Mission nonprofit, authored 'The Zen of Strategic Execution,' and hosts the How to Not Execute Your Strategy podcast.

What's the blueprint for sustainable sales performance leadership? In this episode, Mark welcomes sales leadership expert and author Steven Rosen. Steven shares the hard truths about why sales managers and leaders often get stuck in cycles of endless firefighting and what really happens when enforcement and discipline are missing from the system. Their conversation unpacks the pitfalls of spreadsheet management and highlights the necessity of adopting a coaching mindset to truly develop sales teams. Mark and Steven explore how observational coaching separates high-impact managers from those who just check the boxes. They examine the roles that questioning, accountability, and consistency play in transforming overwhelmed sales managers into focused sales leaders. This episode challenges leaders to rethink old habits. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Steven Rosen is an executive sales coach, speaker, and author dedicated to transforming sales leadership and performance. Steven is the founder of STAR Results, has over 30 years of experience, and most recently authored the book Focused: A Leadership Discipline for Sales Managers Under Pressure.

Integrity is easy when times are good, but what happens when adversity strikes? Anton Gunn, renowned advisor and leadership expert, steps into the Sales Hunter Podcast to discuss the true meaning of sales leadership and integrity. Anton shares powerful stories from his career, including personal tragedy, to reveal why authenticity matters most when challenges arise. The conversation uncovers why leaders must own their decisions and tackle the temptation to pass blame, especially when the pressure is on. Mark and Anton examine the real costs of compromised integrity, from damaged reputations to lost trust among customers and team members. Together, they tease out strategies for building and sustaining loyalty with the Affinity Trinity, a framework that sales professionals won't want to miss. Discover why quick apologies and meaningful actions are critical to repairing your credibility when things go wrong. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Anton Gunn is a leadership expert, keynote speaker, and former senior advisor to President Barack Obama focused on building high-performing, inclusive organizations. Anton is the author of multiple books and frequently consults with Fortune 500 companies on leadership, culture, and social justice.

Is there anything in life that you couldn't improve by 5% over 90 days? Gene McNaughton, veteran sales consultant, joins The Sales Hunter Podcast to unpack the concept of the "aggregation of marginal gains." Gene shares his extensive experience helping companies achieve explosive growth, not through chasing silver bullets, but through small, strategic improvements at every stage of the sales process. Mark and Gene dive into the practical mindset shifts required for sales leaders who want to level up. Their conversation teases how to pinpoint the most impactful KPIs, examine the underlying factors that influence conversion rates, and foster sustainable record-breaking growth. Listeners will learn how incremental change can transform both teams and individual sellers. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Gene McNaughton helps companies build predictable, scalable, and repeatable growth systems. He's the President at GrowthSmart Consulting and Elite Concepts Business Growth Consulting.

Your own brain is your worst enemy. With a coach, you have a second brain. Jeb Blount Jr., of Sales Gravy joins Mark Hunter to uncover what it really means to have a competitive mindset in selling. Together, they investigate how the philosophy of competition shapes both your professional and personal life. The discussion pushes listeners to examine the standards they set for themselves and challenges them to consider whether true accountability can exist without an external partner. Listeners will hear actionable stories about finding effective accountability partners and learn why coaching is much more than simple cheerleading. Jeb shares insights from his leadership journey and personal experiences with competitive sports and figure skating, paralleling these lessons to elite sales performance. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Jeb Blount Jr. is a sales trainer for Sales Gravy and host of the Sales Gravy Podcast.

There is something distinctly human that is within every successful sales process. In this eye-opening episode, Mark Hunter sits down with sales performance leader Jeff Bajorek to challenge surface-level assumptions about success. Together, they examine why repeatable, high-profit pipelines and genuine customer relationships are harder to define than most leaders think. Jeff shares fresh perspectives on why longevity in business does not always equal consistent excellence and why uncovering the real differentiators within your sales team might require asking tougher, deeper questions. Mark and Jeff unravel whether "good" is defined by process, mindset, or the people behind the methods. Their discussion tackles the impact of automation and AI, cautioning companies against losing the personal touches that built their customer loyalty in the first place. The episode promises actionable insights for leaders who want to discover their unique "secret sauce" and achieve consistent high performance, all while putting the voice of the customer at the heart of their definition of success. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Jeff Bajorek is a speaker, sales leader, and trainer intent on helping sales organizations perform better. Jeff has authored three books and hosts the podcast Rethink the Way You Sell.

What does it really mean to lead with energy, purpose, and integrity? In this compelling episode, Mark Hunter welcomes Brent Pohlman, CEO of Midwest Laboratories and author of "Leading with Zest," for an insightful exploration into the intersection of leadership and sales. Brent shares personal stories that reveal his journey from self-doubt and reactive leadership to discovering the transformative power of values-driven action. His approach isn't just for leaders in title—anyone striving for greater impact will find valuable takeaways in their discussion. Listeners get a glimpse into practical strategies for inspiring teams and building trusted relationships in and out of the workplace. Brent and Mark delve into why authenticity matters more than ever, how to navigate rapid change, and the habits that sustain positive momentum. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Brent Pohlman is the CEO of Midwest Laboratories and author of 'Leaders Look Within,' as well as 'Leading with Zest.'

Is your CRM system working for you, or are you working for it? CRM expert Taylor Payne joins Mark Hunter to demystify the true purpose of CRM tools and challenge the perception that they exist only to monitor sales teams. Taylor sheds light on the big disconnect between sales leadership and salespeople, and breaks down why most organizations treat their CRM as an overpriced spreadsheet instead of a growth engine. This episode uncovers common mistakes that leave CRM investments wasted and reveals how culture, customization, and clarity all play a role in transforming CRM from a "gotcha" tool into a "getcha" tool. Mark and Taylor also explore how designing the right process and getting sales team input can turn a CRM into a daily road map to more deals and deeper client relationships. The episode is packed with thought-provoking anecdotes and actionable steps for anyone ready to finally see ROI from their CRM system. 💡Read the BLOG for this episode. 👤 About the Guest Taylorr Payne is Co-founder and President of Quantum Forest, which turns brand stories into high-engagement video games as marketing assets.

If you think hiring top sales talent is hard, you're not alone, because the process is fundamentally broken. Alice Heiman, renowned sales leader and advisor to CEOs across the tech world, sits down with Mark Hunter to expose the pitfalls lurking inside today's sales hiring routines. Drawing from conversations in the C-suite, Alice shares her front-line view of why so many salespeople aren't succeeding and how outdated approaches fail to meet today's transformed customer journey. The episode uncovers why the classic practices of the 1980s and 1990s don't stack up to modern buyers who are armed with information and high expectations. Listeners are in for a reality check on what it truly takes to build a high-performing sales team. The discussion explores the expensive cost of hiring the wrong people, the dangers of focusing on volume over quality, and the importance of aligning your sales hiring process with the needs of current buyer personas. 💡Read the BLOG for this week's episode. 👤 About the Guest Alice Heiman as a consultant guides CEOs and sales leaders to build the strategy they need to increase their sales, and is also a keynote speaker and the host of the Sales Talk for CEOs podcast.

Self-awareness is a superpower. What if ROI meant something entirely different in your sales strategy? Jamie Diglio, founder of The Win Room and former leader at Microsoft and Gartner, stops by to challenge the traditional view of ROI. Instead of focusing on return on investment, Jamie introduces the concept of "return on interactions" and shares how this subtle mindset shift can make every conversation more profitable. Together with Mark Hunter, she reveals why being memorable and present is more vital than ever in a world shaped by AI and information overload. Listeners will get a preview of Jamie's unique frameworks that help sellers and leaders decode how prospects and team members listen. The episode teases practical ways to heighten self-awareness, adapt your style, and break through the noise by tailoring your approach. 💡Read the BLOG for this week's episode. 👤 About the Guest Jaime Diglio is a Harvard Sales Coach and TEDx Keynote Speaker. She's also the author of 'Moneyball Leadership,' and Founder of The Win Room.