Referrals are an often-overlooked yet highly effective way to boost sales. In this episode, Alice Heiman dives into the transformative impact of a formal referral selling process. Learn why referrals outperform cold outreach, how they lead to higher-quality leads, and why they drive stronger customer retention. With real-world statistics and practical advice, you’ll gain the tools to build a referral system that consistently delivers results for your sales team.

Connect with Alice Heiman

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/
Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Dan Pontefract, author of Work-Life Bloom, joins Sales Talk for CEOs to share a groundbreaking approach to leadership. Key takeaways include redefining CEO responsibilities to include care, balancing humanity with execution, and fostering engagement through positive reinforcement. Dan also introduces a unique framework for navigating work-life cycles, offering practical advice for CEOs to inspire their teams and drive sustainable success.


About Guest

My new book, WORK-LIFE BLOOM is a Thinkers50 Top New Management Book for 2024 and won the Gold Medal - Axiom Business Book Awards. Otherwise, I'm a leadership strategist, author, consultant, and keynote speaker. Other award-winning books include LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT & FLAT ARMY. I help leaders realize that the future of work is now.

Dan Pontefract is a renowned leadership strategist, author, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in senior executive roles at companies such as SAP, TELUS, and Business Objects. Since then, he has worked with organizations worldwide, including Salesforce, Amgen, the State of Tennessee, Nestlé, Canada Post, Autodesk, BMO, the Government of Canada, Manulife, Nutrien, and the City of Toronto, among others.

As an award-winning and best-selling author, Dan has written five books: WORK-LIFE BLOOM, LEAD. CARE. WIN., OPEN TO THINK, THE PURPOSE EFFECT, and FLAT ARMY. Dan also writes for Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and other outlets.

Dan is a renowned keynote speaker who has presented at four TED events and has delivered over 600 keynotes . He is an adjunct professor at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business and has received over 25 industry, individual, and book awards.

Dan’s career is interwoven with corporate and academic experience, coupled with an MBA, B.Ed, and multiple industry certifications and awards. Notably, Dan is listed on the Thinkers50 Radar, HR Weekly’s 100 Most Influential People in HR, PeopleHum’s Top 200 Thought Leaders to Follow, and Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers.

About Guest Company
Dan offers a range of options to help you, your team, your entire organization, or your event with various leadership and corporate culture insights. Options include keynotes, workshops, strategic planning sessions, assessments, master classes, and various learning modules. Tailored or off-the-shelf, Dan's repertoire of knowledge and solutions is as wide as his musical tastes. (hint: very wide) Inquire: speak@danpontefract.com

Social Links
https://www.danpontefract.com/content/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpontefract/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-pontefract-group/

Books: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/booksbydan/

Podcast: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/podcast/

Blog: https://www.danpontefract.com/content/blog/

Book recommended by Dan: https://www.danpink.com/books/drive/

Podcast recommended by Dan: https://munkdebates.com/listen/

Connect with Alice Heiman

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/

Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Meta Description
Discover the journey of a CTO turned co-founder who mastered founder-led sales and embraced the power of niche specialization to scale a thriving business. Learn how strategic focus and teamwork drive success.

About Guest
Jamon is a software developer, business owner, husband, father of four, and new grandpa, located in southwest Washington state. He is co-founder of Infinite Red, Inc., a fully remote React Native app consultancy located across the USA and Canada. He learned to code at age twelve in order to make games and that led to a lifelong obsession with coding. He is still making games to this day, and also plays ice hockey (as a goalie) on a Finnish-American team and takes any excuse that he can to drive his tractor around his 3 acres.

Social Links
Jamon (@jamonholmgren) / X

Jamon (@jamon.dev) — Bluesky

(20) Jamon Holmgren | LinkedIn

Jamon Holmgren's Personal Website

https://infinite.red

Book recommended by Jamon: The Culture Code | Unlock The Secrets to the Most Successful Teams

Podcast recommended by Jamon: The Leadership Podcast – We Study Leaders – The Leadership Podcast

Connect with Alice Heiman

LinkedIn Profile: (20) Alice Heiman | LinkedIn

Alice’s Website: Alice Heiman | Sales Consultant and Strategist for CEOs

Discover how CEOs can lead their teams to secure larger corporate deals, transition upmarket, and build strategies for landing transformative accounts with expert insights from Jamal Reimer.


About Guest
Jamal Reimer is an experienced coach, best-selling author, product developer, and ambitious multi-million-dollar Enterprise Seller with more than 2 decades of experience in the field. After closing three 50-million-dollar deals at Oracle, he found his passion in helping others achieve the same. He’s coached hundreds of B2B sellers, teaching them the art of closing mega deals. Jamal has also cultivated a thriving community of more than 600 sellers, all dedicated to supporting and elevating each other’s success.

About Guest Company
Enterprise Sellers is a company that is dedicated to helping sales professionals close mega deals. This company offers training and mentorship to B2B SaaS sellers. They aim to help sales professionals navigate and understand the best strategies to secure large deals with potential customers. The Enterprise Sellers focuses on strategies that have been tested and proven to be effective by experienced industry professionals.

Outboundless, where Jamal is a co-founder, focuses on helping companies scale their sales operations. By offering services like on-demand sales teams and tailor-made growth plans to suit each client.

Social Links
Episode Social Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamal-reimer/
Company Website: https://www.enterprisesellers.com/
https://jamalreimer.com/
Company LinkedIn (Enterprise Sellers): https://www.linkedin.com/company/enterprise-sellers/
Company LinkedIn (Outboundless): https://www.linkedin.com/company/outboundless/
Link to Mega Deal Secrets: https://www.megadealsecretsbook.com/order-587089631679443322419
Book recommended by Jamal: https://heathbrothers.com/books/the-power-of-moments/
Podcast recommended by Jamal: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first

Connect with Alice Heiman
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/
Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

Alice Heiman reveals critical strategies to ensure your sales team is at peak performance before expanding your team.

Connect with Alice Heiman
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/
Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/
Alice Blog: https://aliceheiman.com/want-more-sales-hiring-more-salespeople-may-not-be-the-answer/

01:54 Dave Brock's Entry

Introducing guest Dave Brock, a seasoned sales expert and author, discussing the dynamics of executive involvement in sales.

02:07 The CEO's Role in Sales

Understanding the strategic involvement of CEOs in sales, particularly in early-stage companies.

02:46 Current Roles and Insights

Dave illustrates his current role advising large companies and the unique challenges of early-stage companies.

04:04 The Sustainable Role of CEOs

Discussion on how CEOs should balance their involvement in sales to ensure sustainability and growth.

05:22 Leveraging Executive Presence

Strategies on how and when CEOs should intervene in sales processes to leverage their authority and experience.

06:57 Opening Doors in Sales

Anecdotes on how executive titles can accelerate business development and client engagement.

07:45 Transition in CEO Involvement

Exploring why CEOs might reduce their direct involvement in sales over time and the importance of empowering sales teams.

09:56 Effective Use of Executive Influence

Dave shares how CEOs should be strategically used in sales, not just for authority but for significant business impact.

10:01 Anecdote: CEO as a Symbolic Presence

Highlighting a quirky yet strategic use of a CEO's presence in international negotiations.

11:29 CEO Missteps in Sales Interventions

A discussion on the potential risks and pitfalls when CEOs overstep in sales situations.

16:17 The Importance of Strategic Executive Involvement

Underlining when and why sales teams should leverage their CEOs, with a focus on access and displaying commitment.

19:43 CEO Preparedness and Coordination

Insights into how sales teams should prepare and justify the involvement of senior executives in sales discussions.

23:15 Establishing Organizational Support Structures

How companies should structure executive support to ensure agility and efficacy in sales support.

27:06 Long-term Strategic Engagement

Encouraging CEOs to engage deeply with sales processes to drive organizational success and growth.

44:59 Closing Remarks

Recapping the essential points of CEO involvement in sales and the benefits of strategic executive participation.

Provided: Dave is author of the Sales Manager Survival Guide and the upcoming Sales Executive Survival Guide. He is CEO of Partners In EXCELLENCE, boutique consulting company working with Global 500 technology, industrial product, and professional services company. He is also a highly sought after coach to CEOs, CROs and other executives.

AI: Dave Brock is a seasoned professional with a knack for helping businesses navigate the fast-paced and often complex world of sales. He operates as the CEO of Partners in EXCELLENCE, a consulting firm that aids companies in becoming top performers in their fields. Known for his remarkable ability to analyze data and implement strategies that yield tangible results, Brock is admired by many in the industry. Brock carries with him a rich experience and deep understanding of the corporate environment, which allows him to provide effective solutions to companies struggling to cope with change. His forte lies in simplifying the intricacies of the business world, enabling organizations to seize opportunities and launch effective action plans with ease.

Partners In EXCELLENCE is a consulting firm renowned for its solutions that help business leaders and sales teams deal with today's intricate and dynamic corporate landscape. Their primary aim is to work closely with their clients, helping them innovate, transform and eventually emerge as leaders in their respective fields. Their team of experts provide invaluable coaching and design customized solutions based on the individual needs of each business. According to te

01:06 Guest Introduction

01:13 Dakota's Dual Business Model

02:39 Origin Story of Dakota

03:10 Transition from Employee to Entrepreneur

05:06 Early Days and Initial Client Acquisition

06:37 Growing the Company and Sales Team Development

07:42 Implementing the 'Dakota Way'

09:01 CEO's Role in Sales Process

10:32 Sales Team Expansion and Developing Leadership

12:07 Introducing AI in Sales

13:14 Utilizing AI for Enhanced Customer Targeting

16:03 Cold Outreach Strategies

18:50 Building a Sales Culture Focused on Belief and Persistence

20:28 Importance of the Human Element in Sales

25:07 Final Insights and Advice for CEOs

Gui Costin is an entrepreneur and thought leader with a track record of success in the field of sales and marketing. He is the founder and CEO of Dakota, a sales and marketing company specializing in investment services. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Gui possesses an extensive knowledge of the global economy and investment world. Throughout his career, he has successfully launched and managed numerous businesses in the investment space. His expertise lies in sales strategy, business development, market research and product management.

Dakota is an industry leader when it comes to sales and marketing in the investment services sector. The company was established by Gui Costin with a vision to revolutionize investment sales and marketing efforts through technology. Today, Dakota boasts a comprehensive sales platform – Dakota Marketplace, which is the first-ever search engine for investment strategies. The platform connects asset managers with potential investors. Alongside Dakota Marketplace, the company offers various other services like fund placement, investor research, data sync service that help drive revenues of businesses in capital raising.

Connect with Gui Costin

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guicostin/

Company Website: https://www.dakota.com/

Gui Costin's book 'Millennials Are Not Aliens' on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Millennials-Are-Not-Aliens-Everything/dp/1946633429

Gui Costin’s book ‘The Dakota Way’: Stay Tuned - Scheduled to be released in February 2025!

Dakota's YouTube Channel featuring Gui Costin: https://www.youtube.com/@DakotaLivePodcast

Book recommended by Gui : Amazon management systems The Amazon Management System - Ram Charan - Author, CEO Advisor

Podcast recommended by Gui: Chris Lockhead Podcast : Category Pirates (2) Category Pirates 🏴‍☠️ - YouTube

Connect with Alice Heiman

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/

Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/

00:01 Introduction and Importance of Modern Sales Strategies

01:40 Understanding and Organizing Sales Opportunities

03:16 Differentiating Leads from Opportunities

04:47 Tracking and Managing Opportunities

06:13 The Funnel vs. The Pipeline

07:33 Analyzing Pipeline Health and Sales Quotas

09:02 The Significance of Periodic Reviews

10:51 Avoiding Common Pipeline Review Mistakes

12:24 Conducting Effective Funnel and Deal Reviews

Connect with Alice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliceheiman/

Alice’s Website: https://aliceheiman.com/