Sales Talk for CEOs

Sales Talk for CEOs

Welcome to Sales Talk for CEOs, a show where Alice Heiman interviews successful CEOs who have successfully scaled their B2B sales organizations. In each episode, we get to know the sales background of each CEO, dig into the strategies they've used to build their sales organization and wrap it up with what the future holds. We cover the good, the bad and the ugly of scaling a sales organization in order to deliver to you: value and insights.

Episodes

September 23, 2025 34 mins

What happens when a seasoned marketer reimagines everything she knows about agencies, on a beach, notebook in hand, while her kids play nearby? Brittany Trafis, CEO and co-founder of Soarion Digital, shares how she built an AI-powered agency that challenges everything about traditional marketing models.

In this episode, Brittany walks Alice Heiman through the rapid sales growth of Soarion: from early experiments to real client resul...

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If you’re still posting jobs and hoping A-players apply, you’re already behind.

In this high-impact episode, Alice Heiman sits down with Jamie Crosbie, founder of ProActivate and TEDx speaker with over 1 million views on The Power of Your Mindset, to reveal what every CEO needs to know to hire top revenue-generating talent.

Most hiring processes are built for convenience, not performance. That’s why companies end up with B-players or...

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In this episode of Sales Talk for CEOs, Alice Heiman sits down with Paige McPheely, CEO of Base, to explore how she turned a niche remote executive assistant service into a tech-enabled platform that now supports top leaders across the country.

When Paige and her co-founder first launched, they were fueled by referrals, so much so that they had a waiting list of eager clients. But as demand surged, they hit a breaking point: the ref...

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In this episode of Sales Talk for CEOs, Alice Heiman sits down with Todd Caponi, sales historian and author of The Transparency Sale, to explore the forgotten history of sales and why understanding it could completely change how your company grows revenue.

We’ve moved from serving buyers to selling at all costs and it’s hurting your sales team, your customer relationships, and your bottom line. Todd takes us back to the early 1900s,...

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When Wesley Portegies left the pharmaceutical world to work in automotive, he didn’t expect it to lead him back, but it did. Armed with a new perspective, he returned with a mission, disrupt how pharma companies communicate with doctors.

In this episode, Wesley shares how he co-founded MedComms Experts with no outside funding, no traditional sales team and still built a multi-million dollar agency. He reveals how they landed their f...

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People don’t trust ads. Or brands. Or even experts.
Brian Miller joins Alice Heiman to explain how CEOs can cut through the noise and earn trust, fast.

In this episode:

  • Why the trust recession is killing your pipeline

  • The 3-part message that builds instant engagement

  • How to make your talk (or pitch) follow the hero’s journey

  • The #1 reason your message doesn’t spread and how to fix it

K...

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Vibe selling. AI hype. New sales buzzwords. Alice Heiman isn’t buying it.

In this candid solo episode, she calls out the noise and brings the focus back to what matters most for B2B CEOs: knowing your customer, building the right team, and aligning sales to how your buyers buy.

Looking for clarity in a world of sales chaos? This episode is for you.

Advice to CEOs: “Slow down and think deeply about how your buyers want to buy, then ali...

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Elatia Abate left a successful corporate career to answer one bold question: What do I really want to create? Now a leading futurist, she helps CEOs shift from outdated, past-anchored strategy to future-led leadership that thrives in a world of quantum change.

In this episode, Elatia joins Alice Heiman to share how CEOs can design strategy around what they truly want to build, run simultaneous approaches that balance today’s executi...

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Sumner Vanderhoof, CEO & Co‑Founder of Propensity, shares how he transformed an idea into a nimble, niche-focused account-based marketing platform. In just two years, Propensity achieved remarkable growth and retention by combining founder-led sales, month-to-month agreements, and an “opt‑in” SDR outreach model.

His approach shifted the sales game, targeting only in-market buyers with verified contact data and it’s something any...

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What if your anxiety could make you a better leader? In this episode, David H. Rosmarin Phd., Harvard professor and founder of Center for Anxiety, shows CEOs how to transform anxiety into a hidden advantage.

He breaks down his proven four-step framework to move from paralyzing fear to powerful action and why ignoring your anxiety might be the most dangerous move you can make as a leader.

Listen to learn how to stop fighting your anxi...

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Is your sales team struggling to hit quota? Feeling like your entire sales approach is broken? In this solo episode of Sales Talk for CEOs, Alice Heiman calls out the outdated tactics holding B2B companies back and reveals how CEOs can completely rethink sales for today's complex buying environment.


🔗 Connect with Alice Heiman:
 LinkedIn: Alice Heiman
Website: aliceheiman.com

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In this episode of Sales Talk for CEOs, Prospect Desk CEO Jim Weldon shares how he grew his latest venture by applying lessons from decades of experience, without relying on VC funding.

Jim unpacks the leverage strategies, founder-led sales tactics, and innovation models that drive results. His approach? Build from insight, match customers with value, and use early wins to open doors. This conversation is packed with actionable stra...

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From rookie agent to revenue powerhouse, Barb Betts built her business on one thing—relationships. In this episode, she shares with Alice Heiman the exact system CEOs can use to turn their network into a sales engine. Stop chasing leads and start building trust that scales.

📚 Barb's Book Recommendation: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
🎧 Podcast Pick: The Ed Mylett Show and The School of Greatness...

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How do you turn a simple insight, “that warm introductions close more deals”, into a high-growth tech company?

In this episode of Sales Talk for CEOs, Drew Sechrist shares the journey from being a top enterprise seller at Salesforce (working under Marc Benioff in the early days) to co-founding Connect The Dots. He reveals the selling motion that consistently helped him win big deals and how he transformed it into a powerful sales to...

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Negotiation isn’t about who wins, it’s about reaching agreement. But for CEOs and sales teams under pressure, the idea of hearing “no” can feel like failure.

In this episode, Alice Heiman talks with Jim Camp Jr. and Vladimir Bushin of Camp Negotiations about how a mindset shift can change everything. They share the foundational system used by top dealmakers to negotiate calmly, clearly, and with respect.

Negotiation happens all day, ...

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Should your B2B sales team be using social media to sell? Alice Heiman says - no. The “Connect and Pitch Slap” needs to die a sudden death. In this episode, Alice Heiman breaks down why LinkedIn outreach is failing and what CEOs must change now.

Stop the pitch. Start building real connections. Alice shares how to equip your sales team to engage authentically, spark real conversations, and earn buyer trust.

If you’re a CEO or sales le...

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Manuj Aggarwal hit a wall: too much work, too little time, and no content writer who could capture his vision. That’s when he turned to OpenAI—and everything changed.

In this episode, hear how the founder of TetraNoodle Technologies used AI not just to scale, but to differentiate. Drawing on his backgrounds in neuroscience and cybersecurity, Manuj created a private, secure AI platform focused on storytelling, content synthesis, and ...

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Sales teams keep losing deals not because of product—it's how they frame value. Messaging expert Tim Riesterer shares research-backed insights on how today’s B2B buyers make decisions, and how CEOs can guide their teams to win more by reducing risk and aligning with real buying behavior.

Connect with Tim Riesterer
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-riesterer/

Learn more about Tim's Podcast, The Emblazers Show here https://...

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Samantha McKenna didn’t just start a sales consultancy—she launched it with customers waiting in line. In this episode, she reveals how building an authentic presence on LinkedIn before starting #samsales set her up for immediate success. Learn how she transitioned from being a top rep at LinkedIn to bootstrapping a fast-growing company and how CEOs can do the same.

Listen to how one founder defied convention, ditched traditional sa...

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Most GTM strategies miss the mark—and CEOs are often the reason why. In this episode, Garrett Mehrguth reveals the critical mistake leaders make and how to align sales, marketing, and messaging around the right buyers.


Connect with Garrett Mehrguth

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

(25) Directive: Posts | LinkedIn


Connect with Alice Heiman

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

Alice’s Website: h...

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