Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 7

🛑 Stop Trying to Be Everything to Everyone—Here’s How to Be Unforgettable to the Right People

Stop Trying to Be Everything to Everyone. Start Doing This Instead.

There was a season in my life—both professionally and personally—where I was chasing everything.

Every opportunity. Every deal. Every internal ask. Every person’s approval.

And I’ll be honest: I was exhausted.

Early in my career, I thought being everything to everyone was the key to success. I wanted to be the top performer, the go-to guy, the fixer, the closer, the people-pleaser. It felt noble. But what it actually led to was burnout, distraction, and a diluted version of me showing up everywhere.

It wasn’t scalable. It wasn’t strategic. And it sure as heck wasn’t sustainable.

The moment it all clicked.

It took a hard season—one filled with high-pressure quotas, mounting internal expectations, and personal responsibilities—to finally realize: focus isn’t a luxury. It’s a survival skill.

When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing memorable to anyone.

That was the wake-up call. I remember staring at my calendar, overwhelmed by the swirl of meetings, pings, and asks. I asked myself a simple but powerful question:

“What am I uniquely positioned to do that no one else can?”

That one question changed everything.

I got clear on:

The value only I can bring to the room The problems I solve best The people I’m called to serve Here’s what I started doing instead:

I got obsessed with my lane. If I’m not the best person for something, I either coach someone into that space or I get out of the way. It’s not about ego—it’s about impact.

I became hyper-intentional with my calendar. Every “yes” became a “no” to something else. So I made sure my “yes” was going to the relationships, priorities, and opportunities that aligned with my purpose.

I stopped chasing everyone and started magnetizing the right ones. When you’re clear about your value, the right customers, partners, and collaborators come to you. That’s not arrogance—that’s clarity.

I learned to say no with love and yes with conviction. One of the hardest lessons as a leader, seller, and human is learning that boundaries are a gift—not a rejection.

Here’s what it gave me in return:More energy for the people that matter most—my wife, my kids, my customers, my team.More impact—because I wasn’t running around trying to save the world; I was changing my part of it.More clarity—on who I am, what I stand for, and what I bring to the table.

And yes… more results. Because when your energy is aligned with your purpose, everything flows better.

A quick gut-check:

Ask yourself today:

Am I spreading myself too thin?Am I being intentional—or just reactive?Am I trying to impress… or actually making an impact? Let me leave you with this:

“You don’t get remembered for being everything. You get remembered for being the right thing to the right people at the right time.”

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to say yes to every ask, to juggle every ball, to be the hero in every meeting—I get it. I’ve lived it.

But trust me: when you stop trying to be everything to everyone… You start becoming someone unforgettable to the right people.

Let’s go be that.

#SalesLeadership #FocusMatters #ModernSelling #AuthenticLeadership #BoundariesInBusiness #SalesStrategy #EmotionalIntelligence #LinkedInInfluence #BeUnforgettable

Trust Is the Real Closing Strategy: Why Rapport, Adaptability & Involvement Will Make or Break Sales in the AI Era

“You don’t have a sales problem. You have a trust problem.”

That was the biggest wake-up call from Episode 141 of Mastering Modern Selling — our #1-ranked podcast in the world of social and modern sales.

We had the honor of sitting down with Jake Mannino, Global Sales Director and Executive Coach at Microsoft, alongside my co-host Tom Burton, to pull back the curtain on one of the most overused — and yet least understood — words in sales today: TRUST.

We didn’t just talk theory. We gave frameworks, told battle-tested stories, and unpacked why trust is no longer a nice-to-have — it’s the cornerstone of competitive advantage in today’s AI-elevated, emotionally-depleted sales environment.

The Trust Triangle: The Real Sales Framework You’re Not Using

Jake Mannino opened the episode with what he called the Trust Triangle — a simple yet transformational leadership framework from Harvard’s Frances Frei.

There are three components to earning trust:

Authenticity – “People want the real you, not a performance. But even more than that, they want consistency.”Logic – “You’ve got to make sense. Be competent. Be clear. Be coherent.”Empathy – “If they don’t believe you care, it won’t matter what you know.”

Want to close more deals? Start here. Not with your pitch deck. Not with AI-generated messaging. With YOU. Because your prospect is silently asking: Can I trust this person to understand my world, speak truth, and stick with me?

If any leg of this triangle wobbles — you lose the deal.

“Sellers don’t get ghosted because they lack product knowledge. They get ghosted because they lack trust.”

I see it every day. Sellers who know the product cold. Who’ve read the whitepapers. Who can demo with their eyes closed.

But they can’t close.

Why?

Because they never earned the right to influence.

Trust isn’t a one-liner in your pitch. It’s built through:

Showing up prepared.Asking the questions nobody else is bold enough to ask.Making deposits into the relationship before expecting a return.

If the customer doesn’t trust you, they won’t follow you — no matter how good your solution is.

3 Ways to Drive a 19% Increase in Team Performance

Jake dropped something I’ll never forget. After years of studying high-performing teams — in tech, in history, in the field — his team found three specific leadership behaviors that increase team performance by 19%.

Let that sink in.

Here they are:

Rapport – Do you know your people beyond the role? Do you know what makes them tick? People don’t follow titles. They follow trust.Adaptability – Can you shift your leadership style to fit the moment — and the person?Involvement – When’s the last time your people actually wanted to bring you into a deal? Be so valuable they seek you out.

These don’t just boost morale — they unlock performance, loyalty, and creativity.

“The best leaders I’ve worked with? They knew me. They believed in me. And they walked the floor with me.”

The Pattern and System Framework That Will Change the Way You Sell

Jake also introduced a game-changing framework: Patterns vs. Systems.

Patterns are repeatable, predictable customer behaviors. ➤ Budgeting cycles, fiscal years, decision-making rhythms.Systems are the operating frameworks that drive the org. ➤ Culture, rituals, internal language, priorities.

Great sellers study both. They don’t just quote the 10-K or show up with surface-level “AI-powered” insights.

They immerse themselves in how the customer thinks, behaves, and decides.

Magic, Shackleton, and the Green Path

This episode had range. From Arctic expeditions to magic shows to used car buying — every story drove home this point:

“You’re either leading with fear, or with belief.”

Too many sellers — and leaders — are stuck in what Jake calls the Red Path: doubt, fear, ego, scarcity.

But elite sellers live on the Green Path: belief, resilience, preparation, service.

“Even if you don’t believe in magic anymore, you can still create it for someone else.”

I got chills hearing that.

What AI Can’t Replace

Yes, we talked AI.

But we didn’t worship it.

We exposed the truth: AI is a tool, not a substitute for trust.

The future belongs to those who blend human connection with machine precision. Use AI to:

Uncover patterns.Summarize systems.Personalize outreach.Identify customer pain points faster.

But don’t let AI become a crutch.

As Jake said:

“I can use AI to write a brilliant answer. But will I remember it tomorrow? Can I teach it to someone else? That’s the gap.”

The next-gen seller is a connector, a translator, a student of humanity. Not a bot.

You’re Not in Sales — You’re in the Trust Business

I don’t show up like a salesperson anymore.

I show up like a strategist. A partner. A trusted resource. A storyteller.

And yes — I close deals. But it’s because I built something first:

Credibility. Confidence. Connection.

You want to win in this new era?

Stop trying to be impressive. Be real. Be prepared. Be present.

“You don’t earn trust with tactics. You earn it with time, consistency, and care.”

Practical Takeaways You Can Use Today:

Audit your trust triangle: authenticity, logic, empathy.

Build real rapport — with your team, your customers, yourself.

Learn your customer’s buying patterns and cultural systems.

Practice involvement and adaptability with your team.

Use AI to research smarter — not sell harder.

Watch for red path language: “I can’t,” “It won’t,” “It’s impossible.”

Show up differently than every other seller in their inbox.

Coach yourself to believe before you expect anyone else to.

Tell stories that instill belief — even in the face of doubt.

What’s one way YOU build trust in your customer relationships?

Fist Bump Brandon Lee Tom Burton Jake Mannino Salesman on Fire Salesman on Fire LLC

#TrustBasedSelling #SalesLeadership #ModernSelling #EmotionalIntelligence #SocialSelling #AIInSales #LeadershipDevelopment #AuthenticSales #SalesStrategy

The Modern Sales Leader’s Dilemma: Coaching in an AI-Powered, Burnout-Prone World

If you’re leading a sales team right now, you’re in the pressure cooker.

Quotas are going up. Deals are taking longer. Teams are exhausted. AI is rewriting the rules.

And somehow, we’re expected to be coaches, culture builders, performance drivers, mental health advocates, and technologists—all at once, while not even knowing what our job will look like in the future.

“You don’t lead with pressure. You lead with presence.”

I’ve made every mistake in the book—pushing too hard, focusing only on pipeline and metrics, assuming everyone’s motivated by the same things I am. But what helped me transform from a pacesetter to a people developer wasn’t more dashboards—it was deeper empathy.

Here’s the reality:Most sales reps today aren’t failing from lack of tools—they’re drowning in them.Emotional fatigue is real, especially for hybrid sellers who feel disconnected.AI is both a gift and a gap—it saves time, but it doesn’t coach character or build confidence.

So what do we do as modern sales leaders?

We evolve.

How I Coach for Performance and Preservation

One of the most pivotal moments in my leadership journey came during a particularly tough quarter. We had missed targets, morale was low, and one of my top reps—usually a rock—called me and said, “I’m not sure I can keep doing this.”

That shook me. So I changed everything.

I stopped leading with numbers. I started leading with need.

“Your job isn’t to fix every problem—it’s to see the person in the pressure.”

Here’s what I began implementing—and what you can do today:

Modern Coaching Moves for AI-Era Sales Managers

Daily Gut Checks, Not Just Dashboards Ask: “What’s the biggest stressor in your world right now?” before you talk about pipeline.

Make AI Their Assistant, Not Their Replacement Help reps use AI to prep smarter, analyze faster, and reframe objections—but remind them the real magic still happens human-to-human.

Normalize Rest as a Performance Tool Burnout kills more careers than bad quarters. Coach your team to create non-negotiable recovery time.

Co-Create Success Metrics Everyone’s “why” is different. For some, it’s President’s Club. For others, it’s getting home for dinner with their kids. Align to their finish line.

Host 1:1s That Go Beyond the Job I don’t just ask how they’re performing—I ask what they’re learning, feeling, fearing, and hoping for. Because how they are outside of work is how they’ll show up inside it.

What This Looks Like in Practice

In one quarter, by integrating this emotionally intelligent, AI-supported model, we:

Increased rep satisfaction scores by 32%Decreased burnout-related attrition to zeroHit 122% of team quota—because people who feel seen show up stronger

The biggest difference? I stopped trying to be the smartest person in the room. I started trying to be the most curious.

“Great sales leadership isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about listening better.”

If you’re feeling this pressure too, I see you. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Because when you coach the human, not just the seller—you don’t just hit numbers.

You build legacies.

What You Can Do Today: Start your next 1:1 with “What’s one thing you wish I better understood right now?” Set up a 20-min AI upskilling session—help them see it as an ally, not a threat. Encourage one mental health micro-habit this week (walks, journaling, digital detox).

Lead with empathy.

Coach with precision.

And never forget that the most important thing you manage isn’t your CRM—it’s the capacity of your people.

#Leadership #SalesManagement #SalesCoaching #BurnoutRecovery #HybridWork #AIinSales #EmotionalIntelligence #ModernSelling #PeopleFirst

10 Books That Changed the Game for Me in Sales & Leadership the Last 2 Years

(And Why Every Seller, Leader, and Legacy-Builder Should Read Them)

Over the last two years, my career and life have gone through a transformation.

To evolve, I had to unlearn, rethink, and rebuild from the inside out.

These 10 books weren’t just good reads—they were wake-up calls. Course correctors. Catalysts. If you’re serious about scaling your influence, building something that matters, and becoming the leader your people deserve, these are the books I believe in with every fiber of my being.

1. The JOLT Effect – By Matthew Dixon & Ted McKenna

This changed the way I look at closing deals—forever. It’s not about beating the competition anymore. It’s about beating indecision. This book taught me how to guide customers through fear, not push them past it. I now equip my teams with JOLT so they don’t just sell—they lead buyers forward, especially when the stakes are highest.

Game-Changing Insight: Customers aren’t afraid of the wrong decision. They’re afraid of any decision.

2. Leaders Eat Last – By Simon Sinek

This one stopped me in my tracks. It made me examine whether I was building a culture that empowered people… or exhausted them. It reminded me that leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge. I started listening more. Celebrating more. Coaching more intentionally. My team got stronger, and so did I.

Game-Changing Insight: The best leaders build circles of safety. And they protect them at all costs.

3. WINNING – By Tim Grover

Grover pulls no punches, and neither should we. This is not a book for people who want balance—it’s for people who want to be elite. WINNING showed me that victory has a cost, and that staying on top takes obsession, not motivation. It validated the way I work—but also made me reflect on the toll. And it’s helped me channel the fire in healthier, more sustainable ways.

Game-Changing Insight: Winning is everything they say it is… but also nothing like they say it is.

4. Relentless – Also by Tim Grover

This one doesn’t just describe elite performers—it defines them. Reading this book, I saw every trait of my past self as a closer and my present self as a leader. The pursuit of excellence is lonely, uncomfortable, and unrelenting—but it’s also liberating. Grover helped me own the mindset of a Cleaner and teach others how to find that version of themselves.

Game-Changing Insight: Be unapologetically obsessed with greatness—and teach others to want it for themselves.

5. Eleven Rings – By Phil Jackson

Phil coached Jordan and Kobe—and still let them be themselves. This book helped me drop the need to control every outcome and instead trust the team. Phil’s blend of Zen philosophy and competitive grit became my blueprint for how to lead high-performers: with patience, humility, and purpose.

Game-Changing Insight: The best leaders create the conditions for greatness… and then get out of the way.

6. The Sales Acceleration Formula – By Mark Roberge

If you’re building a modern sales org, this is required reading. Roberge made me re-think hiring, enablement, and forecasting—scientifically. It helped me transform my instincts into repeatable systems. This book gave me the blueprint to scale with precision, while still leaving room for passion and people.

Game-Changing Insight: Sales success isn’t magic. It’s math—multiplied by culture.

7. Can’t Hurt Me – By David Goggins

Goggins taught me that the real battle is in the mind. I read this during a time when I needed resilience, not rah-rah. Sobriety. Discipline. Reinvention. I lived these words. This isn’t a book—it’s a mirror. It forced me to confront my limits—and blow past them.

Game-Changing Insight: Most people quit at 40%. You have more to give—a lot more.

8. The Infinite Game – By Simon Sinek

This is one I revisit often. Especially in the nonprofit world, it reminded me that the mission is bigger than the scoreboard. Short-term wins are fine, but infinite players build legacies. I started measuring success differently: less about deals closed, more about people elevated, missions supported, impact multiplied.

Game-Changing Insight: Great leaders don’t play to win. They play to keep playing—with purpose.

9. Atomic Habits – By James Clear

This is the operating system for change. While everyone else is focused on goals, Atomic Habits taught me to focus on identity. Who do I want to become? What do I need to do daily to embody that? From fitness to focus to how I run meetings—this book helped me build habits that actually stick.

Game-Changing Insight: You don’t rise to your goals. You fall to your systems.

10. Solve for Happy – By Mo Gawdat

This book recalibrated my entire mindset. Mo was a Google exec who lost his son—and still found peace. Reading this book helped me detach from outcomes, embrace presence, and focus on what truly matters. It’s deeply personal. And it’s been one of the most powerful tools in my leadership toolkit.

Game-Changing Insight: Happiness is not a destination—it’s a design problem. And it can be solved.

I didn’t just read these books. I let them change me.

They’ve influenced how I build teams, show up for my family, create value for customers, and pour into the mission.

Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, a quota-carrying seller, or an executive trying to leave a legacy, this list will transform you—if you let it.

Your turn: What’s the book that redefined your mindset the last 2 years? Drop it below—I want to hear what changed your game.

#SalesLeadership #GameChangerBooks #PersonalGrowth #ModernSelling #LeadershipDevelopment #ReadingList #WinningMindset #Goggins #SimonSinek #AtomicHabits #SalesAcceleration #RelentlessPursuit #LegacyBuilders #TheShowMustGoOn

Igniting Impact: Revolutionizing Nonprofit Growth Through LinkedIn and Personal Influence

There was a point in my career—after leading teams that generated over $1 billion in revenue, closing high-stakes deals, and mastering every facet of the sales cycle—when I realized I had more to give than just driving commercial success.

I stepped away from the traditional grind of corporate selling not because I’d burned out, but because I wanted to burn brighter—for something more meaningful. I made a conscious and intentional pivot: I brought the fire from the sales arena to the nonprofit world.

That shift wasn’t about slowing down. It was about scaling impact.

Selling and getting the attention of a potential buyer is the same as attracting a donor.

The principles are the same—create value, build trust, tell a compelling story, and follow up with intention. What changes is the currency. In the for-profit world, it’s revenue. In the nonprofit space, it’s mission. But both require precision, influence, and a relentless pursuit of connection.

In the last year alone, I’ve personally raised over $100,000 for nonprofits using LinkedIn—not through ads, not through flashy campaigns, but through strategic, intentional relationship building. That’s my Salesman on Fire mentality applied to social good: taking the tools of influence, branding, and outreach that close Fortune 100 deals and applying them to fuel missions that feed the hungry, house the vulnerable, fund critical research, and empower communities.

Let’s talk tactics.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is your nonprofit growth engine. This tool is not just for quota-crushing salespeople—it’s for every nonprofit executive, development officer, or mission-driven leader who wants to identify donors, partners, corporate sponsors, or volunteers.

I’ve built prospecting lists that mirror sales territories, categorized warm leads based on affinity, and used filters like “Past Donor,” “Board Member,” or “Chief Giving Officer” to uncover hidden gems who are aligned with the cause and have the capacity to contribute. If you’re not leveraging it for donor development, you’re leaving mission impact on the table.

Your personal brand is your nonprofit’s secret weapon. The best salespeople know that people buy from people. That’s no different in philanthropy.

Potential donors and volunteers aren’t just giving to a cause—they’re buying into you. If you’re a nonprofit executive, your LinkedIn profile isn’t a resume—it’s a living, breathing call to action. It should tell a story of transformation, of community, of urgency, of vision. Your content, your voice, your consistency—those are your touchpoints. When you lead with authenticity, vulnerability, and clarity of mission, you don’t need to cold call donors. They find you.

Social selling = social serving. I’ve coached nonprofit leaders to post stories that showcase the people behind the impact—not just statistics or year-end reports. A photo of a child receiving care. A volunteer’s perspective. A video of a CEO talking about why they care. These moments build emotional connection. And emotion is what opens hearts—and wallets.

Why I chose this path: I left behind the high-octane world of revenue generation not to escape, but to repurpose my fire. I realized that my superpower wasn’t just selling—it was scaling belief. Convincing an enterprise CEO to trust a multi-million-dollar tech stack is one thing. Convincing a donor to give their hard-earned money to a mission they can’t yet see is another. It takes trust, vision, storytelling, and relentless follow-up. And I live for it.

Because I want to be a tiny cog in the wheel that makes the world better. That’s it. My daughters, my faith, my values—they’ve all pointed me in this direction. And the more I pour into nonprofit leaders, the more I realize that we don’t just need heart—we need strategy, we need presence, and we need fire.

If you’re a nonprofit executive, board member, or mission-driven changemaker reading this, let me be clear: You don’t need to become a salesperson. But you do need to think like one.

Build a pipeline of aligned connections.

Nurture those relationships with value.

Share stories that spark emotion and action.

Ask boldly. Follow up relentlessly.

Measure what matters—and iterate.

That’s how we shift from survival to scale. That’s how we move from scarcity to abundance. That’s how we leverage the tools of commerce to drive compassion.

Those who master influence, connection, and storytelling will lead.

And when you combine that with a mission that matters, the sky’s the limit.

#NonprofitLeadership #SocialSelling #LinkedInForGood #SalesNavigator #PersonalBranding #MissionDriven #DonorDevelopment #FundraisingStrategy #SalesmanOnFire #CarsonHeady

Mental health isn’t a luxury — It’s a daily discipline.

Mental health isn’t a luxury — It’s a daily discipline. What would you say to someone you really cared about who asked how to protect their mental health?

Had a really impactful conversation recently with Daniel Theobald, and here is the truth we shared:

You don’t maintain mental health by accident. You commit to it with non-negotiables.

Just like you wouldn’t ignore pipeline building in sales, you can’t ignore your well-being and expect to thrive.

Here’s my personal blueprint — not theory, real life:

Start your day with space.

Before the world starts spinning — before family needs, client fires, and the inbox avalanche — I create margin. That means:

Walking or lifting weights

Reading, praying, journaling

Getting outside to think and breathe

Get a balcony view.

Mental clarity = better decisions. I unplug early so I don’t start reactive. I step above the chaos and ask:

What really matters today?

Practice “forest bathing.”

It’s not woo-woo. It’s science.

The Japanese studied the healing power of simply being outside in nature — and they were right. Even a short walk has real effects:

Lowers stress

Boosts immune function

Restores focus

Take intentional breaks.

Yes, even in back-to-back meeting culture. Step outside. Walk the dog. Breathe deeply. Think deeply. Reset your mind.

Replace work-life balance with work-life rhythm.

Balance is static. Rhythm is flow.

Every area of life is like your investment portfolio — what you neglect will deplete, what you nurture will grow.

So every single day, I invest in:

Therapy

My marriage

My kids

My core friendships

You cannot allow one neglected area to sink your entire ship. I’ve learned that the hard way.

So — what are your non-negotiables?

Mental health isn’t weakness. It’s strength. It’s sustainability. It’s leadership.

Let’s normalize this conversation.

#MentalHealthMatters #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #WorkLifeRhythm #Wellbeing #DailyHabits #MindsetMatters #BalanceNotBurnout #LinkedInCommunity

How I Closed $1B From LinkedIn: The Real Social Selling Playbook in the Age of AI

Are you building real relationships in your sales process—or just blasting “pitch slaps” into the void?

If you’re like most, you’ve noticed that the sales world has taken a dangerous detour:

Mass messaging with no relevance

False flattery that’s easy to spot

Cringe-level inauthenticity

And sometimes outright disinformation

We’ve forgotten that all selling is social.

And I’m living proof that when you go the other way—when you lead with value, relationships, and consistency—you don’t just get replies… You get multimillion-dollar deals. Like the $120M+ healthcare transformation I helped lead… starting with a single LinkedIn message.

So grateful to my friend Bill McCormick for our recent conversation where I was able to tell my story.

Nobody Cares About Your Product

I didn’t close that deal because of shiny product brochures or clever features. I closed it because I focused on:

The quality of my message

The quantity of strategic outreach

And the consistency of human connection over two years

That’s it.

No secret sauce. Just a system. A repeatable, scalable, people-first system.

From “Accidental Seller” to Social Selling Evangelist

I didn’t dream of being in sales. I stumbled into it through a friend’s aunt who landed me an interview I wasn’t even qualified for.

I thought it was a customer service job. Turned out it was a call center sales gauntlet. Twelve people started training. Only two made it out. I was one of them—because I had no plan B.

All I had were three things:

I could talk fast.I could type fast.And I listened.

That last one? It’s everything. Listening is what makes you dangerous.

Fast forward to today—I’ve helped generate over $1B in revenue, led enterprise deals through recessions and pandemics, and built the playbook that others now follow.

But the core has never changed:

Relationships.

Process.

Discipline.

The Anatomy of a $120M+ Deal (That Started on LinkedIn)

How do you go from cold outreach to a deal of that magnitude?

It started with a message…

But not just any message. I led with value—not product.

“Here are some resources your team is already entitled to…” “Here’s an insight I noticed from your CEO’s recent interview…” “This might help your team right now—no strings attached.”

That’s how you earn the right to a second date. Not by asking for time. But by giving it.

Then came the outreach…

I didn’t message 5 people. I messaged over 500 directors and above across that one organization.

That’s right. Five. Hundred. Not spam. Strategic. Every message thoughtful. Every one a chance to serve.

Then came the follow-up…

I stayed in touch through:

Executive briefings (even virtual during COVID)Sharing personalized insightsHighlighting ways to eliminate risk and drive outcomesInvolving partners, vendors, and internal experts across security, HR, and nursing

And yes, every single executive they hired during those two years? They were introduced to me and my team. Because we had become the constant—the ground zero for strategic transformation.

AI Is the Accelerator—Not the Answer

Let’s talk about AI.

I use it. Every day. But I don’t rely on it. Here’s what it can (and can’t) do for you:

3 Dangers of AI:Feels robotic and impersonal (unless you finesse it)Makes mistakes (don’t trust it blindly)Turns you into noise if you don’t add the human layer 3 Game-Changing Benefits:Instant research: find executive pain points in secondsConversation companion: real-time prompts during meetingsScale content and follow-ups that still sound like you

Example: I once fed real-time meeting notes into Copilot and got 10 strategic insights to guide the conversation—on the spot.

Would I Do It Differently Today?

With today’s tools—Sales Navigator, Copilot, ChatGPT—I could speed up the same outcome. But the heart of the approach would remain identical:

Listen deeplyKnow their legacy goalsFocus on derisking their decisionStay present for the long game

Want the truth? Most customers aren’t afraid of missing out. They’re afraid of messing up.

So I obsess over how I can be their safest bet—not their flashiest pitch.

Carson’s Selling Playbook

Lead with value, not product

Obsess over process, not quota

Relationships are earned, not assumed

Consistency beats cleverness

Use AI—but make it sound like you

Sell like a human. At scale.

For my entire career and $1B Moneyball sales engine playbook, check out “The Show Must Go On”

What’s Your Next Move?

If you’re still pitch-slapping and waiting for replies, stop. Start listening. Start serving. Start building. And you just might find yourself closing your biggest deal yet.

What’s the most surprising deal you’ve ever closed—and how did the relationship start?

Drop it in the comments.

#SalesStrategy #SocialSelling #LinkedInSelling #AIinSales #RelationshipSelling #B2BSales #ModernSelling #CustomerCentric #SalesLeadership #CarsonHeady

The Power of Seeing Others: How My Life Changed When I Stopped Needing to Be the Focal Point

“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” — Often attributed to various sources, but one truth remains: people crave to be seen, heard, and validated.

Over the years — through therapy, study, faith, parenting, and the relentless refining fire of life experience — I’ve come to a deep and humbling realization:

So much of human interaction, communication, and connection boils down to one fundamental desire: to be seen, to feel heard, and to know we matter.

That desire is universal. It’s true for me. It’s true for you. And it’s true for everyone we cross paths with — our partners, kids, teammates, customers, even the strangers we brush shoulders with at the airport or on a video call.

And yet, here’s where the rub lies: Too often, we’re so busy trying to be heard ourselves — to win the conversation, to prove our value, to make our point — that we miss the quiet, sometimes desperate needs of the other person.

And when both people in a conversation are clamoring to be understood first?

Nobody is.

Therapy, Reading, and the Shift Toward Secure Connection

In recent years, I’ve spent a lot of time with my wife reading books on secure love and secure parenting. I’ve been to therapy. I’ve listened more than I’ve spoken (or tried to). And I’ve come to recognize how deeply the human psyche is wired to crave safety, connection, and understanding.

Whether in a sales conversation or a bedtime chat with one of my daughters, what I’ve learned is this:

Validation doesn’t mean agreement. Being heard doesn’t mean being right. And connection isn’t built by force—it’s built by presence.

A secure relationship—at home, in business, or in friendship—isn’t about who speaks the most or who wins. It’s about creating space for others to feel seen, safe, and significant.

The Fatherhood Fork in the Road

Before I became a dad at 28, I’ll be honest — I was intensely focused on me. My goals. My income. My brand. My ambitions. My spotlight.

And don’t get me wrong — ambition can be a good thing. But unchecked, it becomes a gravitational force that pulls everything in its orbit inward.

When my first daughter was born, something profound shifted. That selfish gravitational center collapsed. In its place emerged a desire I never expected: to serve something bigger than myself.

It didn’t happen overnight. But gradually — day by day, diaper by diaper, bedtime story by bedtime story — I realized the most powerful thing I could do was be fully present for someone else.

And not just at home. Everywhere.

In every room I walk into now, my first question isn’t: “How can I be impressive?” It’s: “How can I make this person feel valued?”

The Pendulum Swing: From Self-Focus to Others-Focus

I’m not here to say I’ve got it all figured out — far from it. But I can tell you this:

My life changed for the better when I stopped needing to be the focal point.

I began to experience deeper relationships. Stronger professional partnerships. Healthier dynamics with my children. More peace internally. And paradoxically, more impact than when I was trying to be center stage all the time.

It’s not that I don’t have a voice. I do. It’s not that I don’t share my values. I do. But now, I share them through the lens of serving others — not to get validation, but to create it for someone else.

What This Means for Leadership, Sales, and Life

In my career at Microsoft and across decades in sales and leadership, I’ve realized this philosophy is more than just a personal conviction — it’s a competitive advantage.

In sales? The rep who makes the customer feel understood wins the deal.

In leadership? The manager who listens intently builds loyalty and trust.

In family? The parent who is emotionally present raises confident kids.

When you shift your mindset from “How do I get what I want?” to “How do I help others get what they need?” — something beautiful happens:

Your influence expands. Your impact deepens. Your fulfillment skyrockets.

How to Make People Feel Seen and Heard

Here’s what I strive to do daily — at home, in meetings, on calls, and in life:

Pause before you speak. Ask: Is what I’m about to say adding value to them, or just making me feel better? I pick very few battles at this point. I don’t need to get the last word. I don’t even care about being right. Having been down just about every road I can go down, it serves nothing to argue small points when the reality is someone else is upset because they don’t feel seen or valued or heard. Period.

Mirror and validate. Reflect back what they’re feeling. “It sounds like you’re really frustrated by this delay — that makes sense.” You’d be surprised how often people just need that.

Ask better questions. Not just, “How are you?” but “What’s on your mind today?” “What’s your ideal day look like and how can I help you make that happen?” “How can I best support you?”

Be willing to sacrifice the spotlight. Let others shine. Elevate their contributions. Give credit. Celebrate them. If you lift up everyone you touch, you’ll rise, too.

Rewire your reward system. Don’t measure success by applause or attention. Measure it by how seen, heard, and lifted others feel after being in your presence.

It’s Not About Being the Hero—It’s About Being the Hero-Maker

That’s the shift that’s changed my life the most.

I don’t need to be the hero anymore. I’m here to be the hero-maker. To create platforms, not just stand on them. To light torches in others, not just hold the flame myself.

And wouldn’t you know it? In doing so, I’ve found more meaning, purpose, joy, and success than I ever did trying to climb the ladder of self-interest.

Let people be seen. Hear their story. Feel their heartbeat. And lift them up.

The more people you help feel significant, the more significant your life becomes.

How do you strive to make others feel seen and heard in your life or work?

#LeadershipWithHeart #EmotionalIntelligence #HeroMaker #ParentingLessons #PeopleFirst #ModernSelling #ServeToLead #SalesWithPurpose #BeTheLight

“The Only Constant is Change” – How I’ve Learned to Evolve Through the Highs, the Lows, and the Unthinkable

“The only constant is change,” or so the old adage goes.

But nobody ever tells you what that really means until your whole world gets flipped upside down—sometimes right after the greatest moment of your career.

This article is about those moments. The wins. The rug-pulls. The pivots. The evolution. The relationships that hold you steady. The reputation that keeps you moving forward.

Let me take you on a ride—a ride that might feel a lot like yours.

The Highest Highs…

It was a Thursday.

I was notified that I’d won the biggest award in the company—a moment that validated years of relentless effort. The reps. The reinvention. The relationships. The late nights and early mornings. The sacrifices. I had poured my heart into the mission, into people, into the process.

That feeling was euphoric. I took a moment to breathe it in. I thought about my family, my daughters, my mentors, the people who took a chance on me—and the people who didn’t. It all felt worth it.

And then—just days later—my role ceased to exist.

Gone.

Same week. Same job. Same guy. Two radically different realities.

…And the Lowest Lows.

Let me be crystal clear.

This isn’t a sob story. It’s a growth story. Because here’s the truth I want to shout from the mountaintop:

❝ Nothing good or bad lasts. Enjoy the good times you’ve earned and stay focused and disciplined whether you’re up or down. ❞

I’ve been laid off. Twice.

I’ve gone from earning top awards to starting over in a completely new organization. I’ve had record-breaking quarters and quarters where nothing seemed to work.

I’ve experienced the feeling of “making it”… and the emptiness that comes when “it” changes.

But every time, I made a choice. A conscious choice.

When the rug got pulled out, I didn’t act on impulse or emotion. I didn’t blame. I didn’t spiral.

Instead, I took a breath. And then I landed the step right in front of me.

Adapt. Pivot. Evolve.

Too often, we get married to our current situation. We mistake a role for a purpose. A season for a calling.

But the truth? Titles are temporary. Conditions change. Leaders come and go. Strategies shift.

And the people who thrive?

They pivot. They evolve. They adapt.

That doesn’t mean you stop caring. It means you stop clinging. It means you hold your mission tightly, but your circumstances loosely. It means you stay fluid, not frozen.

When I moved from one team to another, or stepped into leadership, or rebuilt after a layoff, I didn’t let the discomfort of change define me—I let it refine me.

❝ Do your best to do the next right thing as best as you can. ❞

That’s the secret sauce.

Humility. Grace. Perspective.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned—especially in leadership—is this:

❝ Approach every situation with humility and grace and realize that there are others impacted by the change as well. ❞

Whether you’re the one impacted, or the one announcing the change, or just someone watching from the sidelines—treat people like people. Not metrics. Not job functions. Not obstacles.

Every “reorg,” every tough conversation, every unexpected shift… involves human beings with families, aspirations, and identities.

Grace matters. Humility matters. Empathy matters.

You don’t have to agree with every decision. You just have to lead with character.

What Can We Control?

We can’t control corporate decisions.

We can’t control changing markets, shifting goals, or unexpected shakeups.

But here’s what we can control:

Where we invest our timeWhere we invest our energyHow we treat our relationshipsHow we protect our reputation

I’ve built billion-dollar sales engines. I’ve spoken all over the globe. I’ve helped train thousands of sellers. But the only reason I get to keep doing what I love—even in the face of massive change—is because I invested early and often in two things:

Relationships and reputation.

Your performance gets you noticed. Your character keeps you in the room.

So What Does This Mean For You?

If you’re riding high right now—enjoy it. You’ve earned it. But stay humble. Be grateful. Don’t let comfort dull your edge.

If you’re in a valley—you’re not alone. You’re not done. Land the next step. Do the next right thing. Keep showing up with heart.

And if you’re facing uncertainty—don’t panic. Don’t react. Reflect. Get quiet. Get clear. Then move.

Because the truth is…

Change isn’t just inevitable. Change is the invitation to your next level.

I’m still here. Still showing up. Still building. Still learning.

God willing, I get to do what I love tomorrow.

But even if that changes?

I’ll evolve. I’ll adapt. I’ll pivot. And I’ll show up for others going through the same thing.

Because the show must go on.

And if you’ve invested in your relationships and reputation, the world won’t just remember what you did—they’ll remember who you were when it all changed.

For my entire $1B Moneyball sales blueprint and career playbook step-by-step how I became the #1 social seller in tech, check out The Show Must Go On:

#LeadershipThroughChange #EvolveOrDie #ReinventionJourney #GrowthMindset #AuthenticLeadership #SalesLeadership #CareerResilience #InvestInPeople #TheShowMustGoOn

How I Became a Top 1% Seller (And Why I Still Show Up Every Day)

So grateful to Meridith Elliott Powell, CSP, CPAE and Mark Hunter for everything they do for our noble profession and for the opportunities they give me to share my story!

I didn’t plan to be in sales.

In fact, I didn’t even declare a major until I was a junior in college. My journey into the world of sales was accidental—one of those classic “friend of a friend” stories. I thought I was interviewing for a customer service phone job. Turned out it was pure cold calling—pound the phones, smile and dial. There were 12 people in that training class. Only two of us made it out. I stayed because I had nowhere else to go.

But I found something.

I learned that I had a couple of gifts: I could talk fast and type fast. I started listening—really listening—to customers and weaving their pain points into a narrative that solved their problems. That became my way in. That became my edge.

Fast forward. I built a successful career in telecommunications and advertising sales. I wrote some books along the way. For the last 11 years, I’ve been at Microsoft—now known as the #1 social seller in tech. That sounds flashy, but it’s been a long, winding road of reinvention.

Knockdowns Are a Part of the Climb

I’ve been laid off twice. Once, at what I thought was my absolute peak. I applied for over 1,000 jobs before landing one where I made half of what I had in my last role. I lasted a year. Got laid off again.

My first year at Microsoft? Brutal. I had a manager who didn’t get social selling and wanted me gone. I had one foot out the door. Then, the following year, new leadership came in. I won the company’s top award—two years in a row. Got promoted six times after that.

Let me be real: I’ve won the biggest award in the company, only to have my role eliminated a week later. I’ve watched titles and org charts change like shifting sands. But every time I got knocked down, I got back up. I pride myself on being the Rocky Balboa of sales. I take the punches. I keep moving forward.

What’s Changing in Sales—and What Never Will

Sales is evolving. Fast.

Buyers today are armed with more data than ever. They don’t need us to sell them something—they need us to solve something. That’s a critical shift. We have to earn the right to be their trusted advisor. Not just a vendor.

But here’s the flip side: because it’s easier than ever to reach out to customers, there’s more noise than ever before. A customer exec told me recently, “I get a thousand sales emails a month. I don’t read them.”

If you’re just using AI to write vanilla prospecting emails talking about how great your product is—congrats, you’re blending in with the noise.

I use AI to stand out. I use it to write subject lines that increase open rates. I use it to generate content quickly—but I always finesse it, because authenticity matters. I don’t let the machine take the wheel. I steer.

My 3 Social Selling Non-Negotiables

I’ve built my entire approach to social selling around three simple truths:

Message Quality – If your outreach doesn’t resonate, it won’t land. It’s not about your product—it’s about their legacy.

Message Quantity – When I went after the biggest deal I ever closed, I reached out to 500+ directors and above. One responded. That’s all I needed.

Consistency Over Time – I once commented on a prospect’s LinkedIn posts every day for six months. He got promoted to CEO. I got the meeting. He never met with vendors—but he met with me.

I treat LinkedIn like the world’s biggest coffee shop. Every person I want to meet is there—whether it’s a customer, a partner, a future boss, or a mentor. Why wouldn’t I use that to my advantage?

My Relationship With AI

I work for a company at the forefront of AI innovation, and I use the tech daily—but I use it wisely.

It helps me research accounts and write relevant, respectful emails.

It saves me time—what used to take 30 minutes now takes 5.

It never replaces me—it augments me.

AI should be your co-pilot, not your replacement. The real secret? It’s all in the prompt. You have to guide the machine to help you do what only you can do: build relationships.

Disciplined. Ruthlessly So.

My kids say I’m boring because I do the same thing every day.

They’re not wrong.

Every morning, I’m up before the sun. Gym. Reading. Podcast. Audiobook. I knock out my “daily non-negotiables” before the chaos of the day begins. These are the things that define whether the day was a success—no matter what else happens.

I ruthlessly block time for what matters most.

I review my pipeline and must-win deals daily.

I prospect every day—even if we’re stacked.

I keep my family time sacred. Always.

Discipline gives me peace. It gives me clarity. And it gives me the freedom to weather any storm.

The Top 1% Mindset

The top 1% don’t chase what’s easy—they chase what works. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Commit to your strategy—even when it’s uncomfortable.

Study the best. Borrow what works. Build your own playbook.

Focus on process, not outcome. If your process is right, the results will follow.

Don’t obsess over being the hero—make others the hero. That’s how you win.

I’ve been rejected 3,500+ times for jobs I didn’t get. I’ve lost deals that should’ve wrecked me. But I’m still here—because I’ve learned how to keep getting up. I’ve learned how to make myself invaluable.

Why I Still Do This

Motivation changes.

In my early years, I just wanted to make my parents proud. I wanted to prove the doubters wrong. Later, it was about the money. The prestige. The trophies.

But today?

I do it because I love it. Because it matters. Because I get to help nonprofits access technology that fuels their mission. Because I get to help people win.

I met my wife in sales. I’ve built a life and a legacy through this profession. And now, I give back as much as I can. I coach. I mentor. I build community. I tell my story so others can write theirs.

And I’ll keep doing this—for love of the game.

Thanks for letting me share my story. If any part of this resonated with you—reach out. I’m always looking to connect, to grow, and to help others win. Because when you lift everyone around you, you lift yourself too.

Let’s go win.

If you would like to get my entire $1B Moneyball sales playbook, check it out here:

#SalesLeadership #SocialSelling #AIInSales #DisciplineWins #Top1Percent #ProspectingStrategy #SalesProcess #LinkedInSelling #MindsetMatters