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  • S6E20 - Chris Cicconi - Freelance Hustle: Navigating all the Ups and Downs

    S6E20 - Chris Cicconi - Freelance Hustle: Navigating all the Ups and Downs
    2025/04/14
    Chris Cicconi joins the Surf and Sales Podcast to discuss what it was like to officially cut the W2 cord and go out on his own. Topics include... Importance of focusing on revenue-generating activities vs. getting bogged down in branding/marketing tasks when starting a consulting business Strategies for building a sustainable client base through networking, partnerships, and leveraging your personal brand Challenges of scaling a consulting business too quickly and the risks of over-hiring/overhead Benefits of maintaining multiple income streams and not being overly reliant on a single client or project Differences in approaches between "jumping in" full-time vs. building a consulting business gradually alongside a day job
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    40 分
  • S6E19 - Sean Tepper Navigating Sales and Investing in Turbulent Times

    S6E19 - Sean Tepper Navigating Sales and Investing in Turbulent Times
    2025/04/14
    In this episode of the Surface Sales Podcast, we sit down with Sean Tepper, the founder of Tykr, a SaaS platform that helps investors make informed decisions in the stock market. Sean shares his expertise on building a successful SaaS business, as well as his insights on the current state of the market and how investors can navigate the turbulence. Key Takeaways: Sean discusses the importance of focusing on product-market fit and churn rates as key metrics for SaaS growth. He shares his strategies for building partnerships and leveraging channel sales to scale a SaaS business. Sean provides valuable advice for both experienced and novice investors on how to approach the current market conditions, including the importance of compound interest and long-term thinking. The conversation also touches on the psychology of investing and overcoming the fear of the unknown.
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    39 分
  • S6E18 - Shawn Sease Fixing Cold Calling in the SDR Industrial Complex

    S6E18 - Shawn Sease Fixing Cold Calling in the SDR Industrial Complex
    2025/04/14
    The orofessor of prospecting reveals why cold calling isn't dead but your approach might be killing you. The founder of INeverAnswer.com, Sean Sease, shares his deep expertise on effective outbound prospecting and why the traditional cold calling approach fails for most companies. Key topics covered: Why there's no "secret sauce" in prospecting—it's about doing the work properly The surprising data on follow-up calls generating 2-12x more meetings than first-time connects How to rethink your first-call objectives to build a pipeline of follow-ups Sean's innovative "Round Table" approach that transforms cold outreach effectiveness Why making SDR roles a stepping stone to AE positions is "one of the most egregious errors in sales today" The talent challenges in outbound teams and how to address them Whether you're a sales leader struggling with outbound results or an SDR looking to improve your approach, Sean's human-centered philosophy on prospecting will change how you think about cold calling forever.
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    47 分
  • S6E17 - Eric Iannello - Surf's Up, Prospects Down: Riding the Waves of Relationship-Driven Sales

    S6E17 - Eric Iannello - Surf's Up, Prospects Down: Riding the Waves of Relationship-Driven Sales
    2025/03/31
    In this episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, hosts Richard, Scott, and special guest Eric Iannello, Head of Sales at Commsor, dive deep into the evolving landscape of sales outreach. The discussion covers a range of topics, including: Eric's journey from experiencing consecutive layoffs to embracing a network-driven sales approach, and how that shaped his perspective on the value of relationships. The pros and cons of leveraging AI and automation in the sales process, particularly when it comes to managing warm introductions and preserving the human element of prospecting. The panelists' predictions on the future of outbound sales tactics, with insights on the gradual decline of traditional cold calling and emailing, and the rise of more personalized, referral-based strategies. Thought-provoking perspectives on the ethics and challenges of scaling a network-driven sales model, including the potential pitfalls of over-automating relationship-building. Don't forget to join us at the next Surf and Sales event, www.surfandsales.com
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    36 分
  • S6E16 - Kevin Hopp - How AI Will Destroy Sales Reps (But Make Them Superheroes)

    S6E16 - Kevin Hopp - How AI Will Destroy Sales Reps (But Make Them Superheroes)
    2025/03/31
    Richard and Kevin go head-to-head in an epic battle of sales tactics, AI hype, and generational warfare. Discover the secret to booking meetings on Discord and why email will never die (no matter how hard we try). And how the future of the top of funnel will begin in Reddit more than Google This episode has it all - don't miss out!
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    39 分
  • S6E15 - Anis Bennaceur - Finally, A Founder Who Got it Right

    S6E15 - Anis Bennaceur - Finally, A Founder Who Got it Right
    2025/03/24
    In this episode of Surf and Sales, Richard Harris and Scott Leese interview Anis Bennaceur, CEO and co-founder of Attention.com, a platform revolutionizing sales with AI agents that automate sales conversations. Anis shares his journey from hacking web servers as a kid to working at Tinder in its early days, and then founding his own startups. The most fascinating revelation? He joined forces with his biggest competitor to create Attention.com after years of "waging war" against each other. Key highlights: Why Attention.com's AI was able to identify the exact reason a six-figure deal was stalling (and how they fixed it) The surprising use case from dental implant sales teams that pushed their platform beyond what B2B clients typically do Why founders should sell their first $300K in ARR themselves before hiring sales reps The controversial take on equity for founding sales reps (Anis reveals exactly how much they offered) Scott's passionate rant on why LinkedIn desperately needs a competitor Plus: Why hiring two founding AEs creates the perfect competitive environment, and Scott's counterargument for why three is the magic number
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    44 分
  • S6E14 - Mark Ackers - How to Know Your Sales Leader Doesn't Care

    S6E14 - Mark Ackers - How to Know Your Sales Leader Doesn't Care
    2025/03/24
    Scott Leese and Richard Harris talk with Mark Ackers, founder of My Sales Coach, about the massive disconnect in sales coaching today. Mark reveals shocking stats from his 1,600-person survey showing 38% of reps rarely or never receive coaching, while 90% of leaders claim they coach monthly. Mark also shares his personal journey from mediocre sales rep to successful founder, including the brutal first coaching session that changed everything. The hosts also explore the future of coaching with AI and why human coaches will remain essential for accountability and relationship building. Key topics discussed: Why top performers often make terrible managers and how to bridge this skills gap The "random acts of coaching" approach that creates real improvement How Mark discovered he was "crap" at sales for 8 years until proper coaching transformed his career The critical importance of accountability that AI can't replace The challenge of "letting reps crash the car" during live call coaching
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    44 分
  • S6E12 - John Karsant - Being Honest Being Good in Sales

    S6E12 - John Karsant - Being Honest Being Good in Sales
    2025/03/17
    In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris are joined by John Karsant, Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, an appointment setting and sales development agency. Key Topics Covered: How Level Up Leads helps companies implement sales campaigns and book more demos Why only 8% of companies report positive experiences with outsourced sales development The importance of setting realistic expectations with clients How to stand out in a commoditized industry Latest effective cold calling tactics that are working in 2025 The debate on permission-based openers vs. natural conversation starters How AI tools are transforming SDR training and coaching John's journey from tennis coach to entrepreneur The power of authenticity and honesty in sales conversations Why tone and pace matter more than the actual script What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at John Karsant is the Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, a sales development agency that has been helping companies book more demos since 2021. Find him on LinkedIn or Twitter, or visit . Sponsored by Winn.AI - Always be winning. Close more deals by making your phone faster, smarter, and smoother.
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    34 分