What happens when 25 years of corporate procurement experience meets elite business school teaching? You get Giuseppe Conti—a world-class negotiation expert with a gift for turning complex tactics into everyday skills.In this episode, Giuseppe shares his journey from growing up in a family of teachers in Southern Italy to teaching negotiation and influence at institutions like Oxford and Cambridge. His new book, Negotiation + Influence = Success, distills a career’s worth of hard-earned wisdom into actionable strategies—and we break several of them down in this conversation.We cover tactical topics like:Who should make the first offer in a negotiation?How to handle procurement teams obsessed with price.How to influence internal stakeholders when you don’t have authority.Giuseppe blends humility, academic insight, and battle-tested experience in one of the most practical negotiation discussions we’ve had on the podcast. Whether you’re negotiating with a client, a boss, or your own team—this episode will sharpen your skills and change how you think about influence.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Giuseppe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppeconti/Check out Giuseppe's book: https://www.amazon.com/Negotiation-Influence-Success-Lessons-Corporate-ebook/dp/B0FNSKZ9F5/
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Eugene “Blue” Bowen: Inside G2’s AI in Sales Report
Eugene “Blue” Bowen joins John Barrows to unpack one of the most important AI sales reports of the year—straight from G2’s research desk. As a Research Principal focused on sales, tech, and AI, Blue co-authored G2’s latest study exploring how sales teams are actually using (or not using) AI in their day-to-day.Together, they dig into:Why most pipeline numbers are a lieThe myth of “fully automated” sales cyclesHow AI’s most powerful use case might be coaching—not prospectingThe real reason RevOps should be at the table (not in the backroom)What reps need to learn now before AI makes them irrelevantThey also explore the future of the SDR role, the strategic rise of RevOps, and why data quality is still the biggest thing holding teams back. If you’re trying to separate AI hype from real-world impact, this episode is your guide.Whether you’re in sales, RevOps, or leadership, don’t miss this insight-packed episode—and make sure to check out G2’s full report for even more data-driven takeaways.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Blue Bowen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-blue-bowen-42958713b/Check out the G2 Report Here: https://company.g2.com/news/ais-net-impact-on-sales Check out the G2 Website: https://www.g2.com/
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Lori Richardson: Betting on Yourself When It Matters Most
Lori Richardson is a powerhouse in the sales world—and one of John’s favorite humans, period.In this deeply personal and insightful episode, Lori opens up about her incredible journey: escaping an abusive relationship at 19, raising a child on her own, and diving headfirst into a 100% commission sales role with no safety net. Her story isn’t just inspiring—it’s a masterclass in resilience, grit, and self-belief.Today, Lori is the founder of Score More Sales, a sales strategy and training company that starts with data—not guesswork—to help companies build truly effective sales teams. She’s also the host of the Conversations with Women in Sales podcast and one of the most impactful advocates for women in the profession.In this conversation, John and Lori discuss:What it takes to bet on yourself when the odds are stacked against youWhy sales fundamentals still matter more than everThe real role of data in driving sales performanceHow far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go—for women in salesWhy the sales world needs fewer “bros” and more authentic leadershipWhether you’re just getting started in your sales career or you’re leading a team, this one is packed with perspective, purpose, and practical advice.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scoremoresales/Check out Lori's Website: https://www.scoremoresales.com/
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Marcus Chan: $950M in Sales and the Grit Behind It
Marcus Chan is a walking masterclass in disciplined growth. As CEO of Venli Consulting, he’s helped sales teams uncover $2M–$10M+ in hidden revenue through what he calls a Revenue Operating System—a system that’s generated $950M+ in results (and counting).In this episode, John Barrows reconnects with Marcus Chan to explore the grit, strategy, and mindset behind high-performing sales orgs. From his early days working in his family’s Chinese restaurant to turning underperforming teams into market leaders at Cintas, Marcus shares the frameworks that built his legacy—and are helping companies win big today.They dive into:How to diagnose revenue leaks and plug them fastWhy most sales teams are leaving millions on the tableThe power of direct feedback in a world that avoids itSwitching gears between B2B and B2C modelsWhy “not being in sales” is often the biggest sales lieIf you’re ready to challenge soft habits, sharpen your process, and uncover revenue you didn’t even know existed—this episode delivers.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Marcus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcuschanmba/Connect with Marcus on IG: https://www.instagram.com/therealmarcuschan/Check out Marcus's Websites : https://venliconsulting.com/ and https://venliconsulting.com/teams-book-your-call-489379Check out Marcus's Youtube Channel: https://urlgeni.us/youtube/channel/marcuschan
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Vince Beese: Red Zone Selling and the Enterprise Edge
Vince Beese knows how to close. As a fractional CRO and author of Red Zone Selling, Vince helps early-stage startups and fast-growing sales teams stop spinning their wheels and start running the plays that actually move deals across the finish line.In this conversation, John and Vince ditch the fluff and dive straight into what separates elite sellers from the rest. From his days in enterprise sales to building scalable GTM systems, Vince shares hard-earned insights on:Why sales has swung too far into science—and what it takes to bring the art backHow top reps lean into friction instead of avoiding itWhy false confidence from a bloated pipeline is killing your forecastThe power of disqualifying early and oftenWhat sales leaders should focus on instead of just top-of-funnel metricsThey also unpack Vince’s Red Zone Selling framework, breaking down how to qualify faster, sell smarter, and finish stronger—no matter your deal size or sales cycle.If you’re in enterprise sales, trying to move upstream, or just tired of chasing unqualified leads, this is the episode to get you back to the fundamentals that win.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Vince on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vbeese/Check out Vince's Websites: https://www.vincebeese.com/ & http://redzoneselling.co/Get Vince's Book "Red Zone Selling: The Ultimate Playbook for High-Performing Enterprise Sellers" here: https://a.co/d/cbkoWT1
About Make It Happen Mondays - B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows
John Barrows is a leading B2B sales trainer and founder of JBarrows Consulting. His clients include Salesforce, LinkedIn, and Okta. Each Week he gives you actionable sales tips to close more business and brings on industry leaders.
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