AI Is Not a Strategy: How to Lead Real Transformation with Julie Averill

How to Stay Calm, Focused, and Resilient When the World Speeds Up with Ishan Shivanand

The world is getting faster, but your nervous system still has to make the decision. In this episode, John sits down with Ishan Shivanand, a yogic scholar, Vedic educator, and mental health researcher born into a 21-generation lineage of yogis, to talk about stress, focus, resilience, meditation, and what it really takes to stay regulated under pressure. From growing up inside a monastery to building research-backed protocols for modern life, Ishan brings a very different lens to performance than the usual sales playbook. If you are in sales, leadership, or any high-pressure role where the pace of change is starting to wear on your focus, this conversation gives you a practical way to think about breathwork, awareness, curiosity, and the human component that still matters in an AI-driven world. Want to build more resilience before the market moves even faster? Visit www.jbarrows.com and learn how you can Make It Happen. What You’ll Learn * Why real joy is different from temporary achievement-driven happiness * How unresolved experiences can shape fear, behavior, and decision-making * Why the human component is still the failure point in any system * Why breathwork can help train the nervous system before pressure hits * How stress can become a reverse meditation if you repeat it long enough * Why curiosity matters more than chasing one final answer Ishan Shivanand is a globally recognized yogic scholar, Vedic educator, and mental health researcher born into a 21-generation lineage of yogis. He is the creator of Yoga of Immortals, a set of evidence-based meditation protocols designed to help people build resilience, reduce stress, and improve mental well-being. If you want to go deeper into the King's meditations and ancient yogic wisdom, grab Ishan's book The Practice of Immortality at https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Immortality-Discovering-Unlimited-Positivity/dp/0306834561 [https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Immortality-Discovering-Unlimited-Positivity/dp/0306834561] — your entry point into breathwork, meditation protocols, and the philosophy behind it all. Connect with Ishan Shivanand: Website: https://ishanshivanand.com/ [https://ishanshivanand.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ishan.shivanand/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/ishan.shivanand/?hl=en] Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishanshivanand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishanshivanand/] Fb: https://www.facebook.com/IshanShivanand [https://www.facebook.com/IshanShivanand] X: https://www.facebook.com/IshanShivanand [https://www.facebook.com/IshanShivanand] YT: https://www.youtube.com/c/IshanShivanand/featured?app=desktop [https://www.youtube.com/c/IshanShivanand/featured?app=desktop] John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment. Connect with John Barrows: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBBemdVT2pBZ1dhY0szYzlzOGUzYURaekEtUXxBQ3Jtc0trNkZEWVBuS3dOOWZaZ0pZVFNrOGtNNHpuNjZWdGx0aVBhX2dNODRTdjVKVG1tS0xnRlJXWk5WOUpVdzk1YzQ1R3ZoTFhRZ3pxeFFibXU5WnFlVGJtVXl5dDUzM1JqdnkwRGRMaC05VTZ2YmNFLTFiSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjohnbarrows%2F&v=bULevYtP1Ds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows] Check out John's Membership: https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast [https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter]

How Fear Controls the Way We Lead, Sell, and Parent with Bryan Post

Stress is shaping more of your decisions than you realize. In this episode, John sits down with Bryan Post, one of America’s foremost child behavior experts and co-founder of The Post Institute, to talk about fear, love, stress, trauma, parenting, leadership, active listening, and why people often react from survival instead of clarity. If you are a sales leader, manager, parent, or anyone trying to communicate better under pressure, this episode gives you a practical look at how stress affects the brain, why discipline should be taught instead of punishment, and how slowing down can help people move through fear and make better decisions. Want to lead better conversations before fear takes over the room? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com] and learn how you can Make It Happen. What You’ll Learn * Why fear and stress shape how people respond at home, at work, and in sales conversations * How early experiences can influence behavior, emotional regulation, and relationships * Why physical presence is not the same as emotional presence * How breathing and self-awareness can improve active listening * Why discipline should mean teaching, not punishment * How slowing down can help people move through fear and indecision * How Bondify is using AI to give parents in-the-moment support without removing the human lens Bryan Post is one of America's foremost child behavior experts and the co-founder of The Post Institute. For more than 20 years, The Post Institute has provided education and support to parents and professionals involved in the lives of children who have experienced trauma. Bryan specializes in a love-based treatment approach focused on understanding fear, stress, and the power of love to bring peace and healing. If you are a parent who needs support at the moment, check out Bondify — free 24/7 parenting support built on 30 years of Bryan Post's expertise. Text it like you're texting Bryan himself. Visit bryanpost.com to learn more. Bondify: https://bondify.ai/ [https://bondify.ai/] Bondify Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bondifyofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/bondifyofficial/] Bondify FB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Bondify/61571882300625/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/Bondify/61571882300625/] Connect with Bryan Post: Website: https://bryanpost.com/ [https://bryanpost.com/] Fear to Love: https://feartolove.com/ [https://feartolove.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanpostofficial/ [https://www.instagram.com/bryanpostofficial/] Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanpost1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanpost1/] Fb: https://www.facebook.com/people/Bryan-Post-Official/61585577754101/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/Bryan-Post-Official/61585577754101/] John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment. Connect with John Barrows: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBBemdVT2pBZ1dhY0szYzlzOGUzYURaekEtUXxBQ3Jtc0trNkZEWVBuS3dOOWZaZ0pZVFNrOGtNNHpuNjZWdGx0aVBhX2dNODRTdjVKVG1tS0xnRlJXWk5WOUpVdzk1YzQ1R3ZoTFhRZ3pxeFFibXU5WnFlVGJtVXl5dDUzM1JqdnkwRGRMaC05VTZ2YmNFLTFiSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjohnbarrows%2F&v=bULevYtP1Ds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows] Check out John's Membership: https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast [https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter]

AI Is Not a Strategy: How to Lead Real Transformation with Julie Averill

AI will not fix a business that does not understand itself. In this episode, John sits down with Julie Averill, founder of Gold Thread and former CIO of lululemon, to talk about real transformation, AI adoption, technology leadership, and what companies need to understand before they rush into the next big platform shift. Julie also shares lessons from her time leading technology through major growth at lululemon, digital transformation at Nordstrom, and the early signals that told her when a system problem was really a culture problem. If you are leading sales, technology, enablement, or go-to-market strategy, this episode gives you a practical look at why AI has to serve the business, why trust still drives innovation, and why the companies that win will understand what makes them truly different before the market decides for them. Want to build the kind of team and operating model that can keep up with where business is heading next? Visit www.jbarrows.com and learn how you can Make It Happen. What You’ll Learn * Why AI strategy needs to start with business strategy, not technology experiments * How the dot-com shift mirrors what companies are experiencing with AI today * Why AI is changing how customers discover, compare, and choose brands * What a 20-hour website outage revealed about culture, ownership, and escalation * Why innovation depends on trust, candor, and teams that can take risks together * Why AI reveals organizational dysfunction instead of magically fixing it * Why real transformation requires human intelligence, not just artificial intelligence Julie Averill is the founder of Gold Thread and former Chief Information Officer of lululemon, where she led the technology transformation that helped scale the company from $2 billion to over $10 billion in revenue. Prior to lululemon, she led omni-channel and digital transformations at Nordstrom and REI. Today, she advises boards, CEOs, and founders at the intersection of AI capability and organizational readiness, and her book Chief Impact Officer comes out June 16. Connect with Julie Averill: Website: https://goldthreadllc.com/ [https://goldthreadllc.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieaverill/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieaverill/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_averill_/ [https://www.instagram.com/julie_averill_/] Grab Julie's new book Chief Impact Officer, out June 16 — connect with her on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/julieaverill [http://linkedin.com/in/julieaverill]) or visit goldthreadllc.com [http://goldthreadllc.com] John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment. Connect with John Barrows: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBBemdVT2pBZ1dhY0szYzlzOGUzYURaekEtUXxBQ3Jtc0trNkZEWVBuS3dOOWZaZ0pZVFNrOGtNNHpuNjZWdGx0aVBhX2dNODRTdjVKVG1tS0xnRlJXWk5WOUpVdzk1YzQ1R3ZoTFhRZ3pxeFFibXU5WnFlVGJtVXl5dDUzM1JqdnkwRGRMaC05VTZ2YmNFLTFiSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjohnbarrows%2F&v=bULevYtP1Ds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows] Check out John's Membership: https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast [https://learn.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-packages?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=podcast] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter]

How AI Agents Are Rewriting Sales with Kris Billmaier

AI agents are not just changing sales tools. They are changing the job of the seller. In this episode, John sits down with Kris Billmaier, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Agentforce Sales and Growth Products at Salesforce, to talk about Agentforce, headless software, AI-native sales workflows, and what happens when sellers start managing teams of agents. If you are in sales, sales leadership, enablement, or GTM strategy, this episode gives you a practical look at where humans still matter, how agents can support pipeline and qualification, and why AI adoption needs clear use cases, measurement, and training. Want to stay ahead of where sales are heading next? Visit http://www.jbarrows.comwww.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com] and learn how you can Make It Happen. What You'll Learn * Why product-led growth is moving toward agent-led growth * How Salesforce is thinking about headless software and conversation-first AI * Why AI-first SaaS is not just a front-end feature or branding exercise * How agents are changing SDR and BDR work at Salesforce * Why successful AI adoption starts with a narrow use case and a real training plan * What sellers need to become as agent teams take on more busy work Kris Billmaier is Executive Vice President and General Manager of Agentforce Sales and Growth Products at Salesforce, where he leads the product strategy and vision for Agentforce Sales. With more than 20 years of experience across productivity software, search, and enterprise technology, Kris has launched category-defining products, scaled startups, and is now building a future where agents and sellers work together to grow revenue. Connect with Kris Billmaier: Website: https://www.salesforce.com/ap/ [https://www.salesforce.com/ap/] Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisbillmaier/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisbillmaier/] John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment. Connect with John Barrows: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBBemdVT2pBZ1dhY0szYzlzOGUzYURaekEtUXxBQ3Jtc0trNkZEWVBuS3dOOWZaZ0pZVFNrOGtNNHpuNjZWdGx0aVBhX2dNODRTdjVKVG1tS0xnRlJXWk5WOUpVdzk1YzQ1R3ZoTFhRZ3pxeFFibXU5WnFlVGJtVXl5dDUzM1JqdnkwRGRMaC05VTZ2YmNFLTFiSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjohnbarrows%2F&v=bULevYtP1Ds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows] Check out John's Membership: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGZxSnNVNDNhZU1zTGlfUHNWX19ZemtTLTM3QXxBQ3Jtc0tuY0sxajVtV1ZsdW5TMGtlV2tWTmNDTGVtUUZ6a1J6VmlMVi1DdU5uQ1cwRjRqdjF2ZlVqcXFveUtBWkp1WnZXSEZqQzA1TnJUclAxRVZWNm9fRjFxSlllYjdoTEd1VHFUUEFJbDdCSkR4SEU4TVgzTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.jbarrows.com%2Fpages%2Findividual-membership%3Fref%3D3edab1&v=bULevYtP1Dshttps://go.jbarrows.com/ [https://go.jbarrows.com/] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter]

Be the Mentor Who Mattered: How Mentorship Drives Real Revenue with Colleen Stanley

IQ is a commodity now. AI can out-think, out-research, and out-process almost anyone in the room. So what is left? In this episode, John shares a conversation with Colleen Stanley, bestselling author and founder of Sales Leadership Development, to talk about the two things that AI cannot replicate — emotional intelligence and meaningful mentorship. Colleen has spent decades proving that EQ is not a soft skill, it is a revenue skill. And her new book, Be the Mentor Who Mattered, makes the case that the next generation of leaders cannot go it alone. They get into why self-awareness is the mega skill every sales leader needs to develop, how to give feedback without triggering defensiveness, and why the best mentorship rarely comes from a formal program. If you lead a team, coach reps, or are trying to figure out what your competitive edge looks like in a world of AI, this one is for you. Want to build the skills that hold up in any market? Visit www.jbarrows.com and learn how you can Make It Happen. What You’ll Learn * Why self-awareness is the mega skill and how to actually develop it * How to give feedback using empathy followed by assertiveness * Why the best mentorship happens informally, not through assigned programs * How one conversation from the right person can change your entire trajectory * Why mentorship cultures produce two times the profit of those without them * How to find a mentee instead of waiting to be asked to be a mentor Colleen Stanley is president of SalesLeadership, a sales development firm specializing in the integration of emotional intelligence, sales, and sales leadership skills. She is the author of three books, Emotional Intelligence For Sales Success, now published in eight languages, Emotional Intelligence For Sales Leadership, and Growing Great Sales Teams. Connect with Colleen Stanley: Website: https://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com/ [https://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenstanleysli [https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenstanleysli] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ColleenStanleySalesLeadership [https://www.youtube.com/@ColleenStanleySalesLeadership] Grab your Free Corporate Sales Training Resources: https://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com/resources/ [https://www.salesleadershipdevelopment.com/resources/] John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment. Connect with John Barrows: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnBBemdVT2pBZ1dhY0szYzlzOGUzYURaekEtUXxBQ3Jtc0trNkZEWVBuS3dOOWZaZ0pZVFNrOGtNNHpuNjZWdGx0aVBhX2dNODRTdjVKVG1tS0xnRlJXWk5WOUpVdzk1YzQ1R3ZoTFhRZ3pxeFFibXU5WnFlVGJtVXl5dDUzM1JqdnkwRGRMaC05VTZ2YmNFLTFiSQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjohnbarrows%2F&v=bULevYtP1Ds Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows [https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows] Check out John's Membership: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGZxSnNVNDNhZU1zTGlfUHNWX19ZemtTLTM3QXxBQ3Jtc0tuY0sxajVtV1ZsdW5TMGtlV2tWTmNDTGVtUUZ6a1J6VmlMVi1DdU5uQ1cwRjRqdjF2ZlVqcXFveUtBWkp1WnZXSEZqQzA1TnJUclAxRVZWNm9fRjFxSlllYjdoTEd1VHFUUEFJbDdCSkR4SEU4TVgzTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.jbarrows.com%2Fpages%2Findividual-membership%3Fref%3D3edab1&v=bULevYtP1Dshttps://go.jbarrows.com/ [https://go.jbarrows.com/] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter]