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This quote is attributed to baseball Hall of Fame legend Leroy “Satchel” Paige.  Country singer Toby Keith included a similar phrase, “Ask yourself how would you be If you didn’t know the day you were born,” in his ballad “Don’t Let The Old Man In.”1 Baseball legend Satchel Paige and country singer Toby Keith both expressed the idea that mental age matters more than your actual years. While our bodies age every year, we shouldn't let that define how we live.  We cannot defy Father Time, but we do not need to give in to aging, as long as we can. In...

11 December, 2025

When I was a teenager, I always hoped a young woman would answer the telephone when I rang her at home. Years later, when I made cold calls as a sales professional, I hoped for the same outcome—this time, for business reasons. I wanted the decision-maker to answer so I could introduce myself and request an in-person meeting, the objective of the call. As every salesperson knows, this rarely happens. However, I learned something valuable: I had a higher success rate when the prospect answered the phone—even if their initial response was that they were too busy to talk. Why? Because if...

09 December, 2025

The Myth of Uniqueness: Understanding Buyer Perceptions of Uniqueness When selling accounting systems to mid- and large-sized corporations, I made it a point to start every engagement with a conversation—not a presentation. My goal wasn’t to sell features; it was to understand how the buyer’s business operated, what challenges they faced, and how they measured success. These early discovery sessions were invaluable. I would begin by asking a series of probing, open-ended questions, such as: What type of business do you operate, and what’s your typical transaction volume? How many people are involved in your accounting processes? What are your biggest challenges...

01 December, 2025

Why the Modern Sales Professional Must Trade Pressure for Partnership For generations, sales pros have been trained to “close hard.” Countless books, seminars, and workshops have preached the art of the perfect close—how to overcome objections, neutralize resistance, and push the prospect over the finish line. While those methods may have worked in an earlier era, they are increasingly ineffective—and unacceptable—in today’s sales environment. I’m on a personal mission to retire manipulative, high-pressure closing tactics in 2025 and 2026. Modern buyers are better informed, empowered, and skeptical of any sales approach that feels coercive. They have access to detailed comparisons, independent reviews, and peer...

17 November, 2025

Sales pros, meet your opponent – decision anxiety. This condition may be defined as the persistent, overwhelming stress and fear associated with making choices and the potential negative consequences.  It is your silent deal killer! The key decision-maker in your deal is paralyzed by fear that she will make a bad decision, which will harm her career, and, even worse, make her appear incompetent to the CEO and her peers—potentially leading to public humiliation. Or perhaps the committee making the decision is afraid of making the wrong recommendation to the executive sponsor.  Again, the fear is related to consequences for their...

06 November, 2025

Introduction A seventy-five-year-old Florida grandmother, Donna Adelson, has recently been convicted of the murder of her ex-son-in-law. This prominent law professor was involved in a custody battle with his ex-wife, Donna’s daughter, and was sentenced to life in prison. Despite overwhelming evidence, she continues to claim her innocence. Her claim is hardly unique. Across the United States, a significant number of incarcerated individuals assert their innocence — a phenomenon that raises important ethical and psychological questions about accountability, truthfulness, and moral responsibility. The Broader Context As of 2025, approximately 1.9 million people are incarcerated in the United States1: about 155,000 in federal prisons,...

03 November, 2025

Understanding the Buyer's Perspective Many sales pros lack insight into what truly happens on the buyer’s side during the sales process. They often wonder what the buyer is thinking, what steps they are taking, and what their overall process looks like. Questions arise about who else the buyer is considering, when a decision will be made, and where their own proposal stands in the evaluation. Without clarity on these critical aspects, salespeople may find themselves navigating in the dark, unsure of how to effectively position their offering or address the buyer’s needs and timeline. Adapting to the Buyer’s Process: How Sales Pros Can...

27 October, 2025

Penguins and Vertical Market Strategy Penguins are aquatic, flightless birds native to the Southern Hemisphere, living in both warm and cold climates. They are highly social creatures. Many people have seen them in documentaries, movies such as March of the Penguins or Happy Feet, or at zoos. Penguins spend most of their lives in water hunting for food, but when on land, they gather in large colonies. Emperor penguins, for example, may march in single-file lines thousands strong toward breeding grounds. It is very interesting to note that when the first penguin dives into the water, others quickly follow—a chain reaction...

20 October, 2025

Sales professionals often ask for my perspective on social media. The landscape now includes platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, Tumblr, Quora, WhatsApp, and YouTube—each offering distinct advantages and disadvantages. However, ignoring social media is no longer an option. Every sales professional should evaluate which platforms align best with their target audience, sales objectives, and brand strategy. In today’s digital environment, a complete absence from social media can severely limit visibility, credibility, and professional growth. On the other hand, one can get consumed trying to maximize usage of many social media platforms. This...

13 October, 2025

In addition to being an avid sports fan, I have a deep interest in history, particularly American history and its wars. One powerful episode from the Civil War offers a lesson that resonates far beyond the battlefield. The Gettysburg Battle and Dedication of the Cemetery The deadliest battle of the Civil War took place at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from July 1 to 3, 1863. Around 170,000 troops fought, with approximately 51,000 killed, wounded, captured, or missing. The Union’s decisive win forced Lee’s Confederate army to retreat. Four months later, in November 1863, a large crowd gathered at Gettysburg for the dedication of the battlefield...

07 October, 2025
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