Make It Happen Mondays - B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows

In today's episode, John Barrows sits down with Dustin Crawford, VP of Sales at Otter.ai [http://otter.ai/], for a deep dive into the intersection of sales, psychology, and modern leadership. While Otter.ai [http://otter.ai/] is a sponsor of the show, this conversation goes far beyond the product—it’s about the why behind how salespeople operate and how leaders can unlock their team’s full potential.Dustin shares insights on everything from asking better questions and reading buyer psychology, to navigating the balance between transparency and confidence as a leader. They explore the value of optimistic vs. pessimistic reps, the importance of identifying buyer sophistication, and how to drive urgency without overstepping.If you’re looking to level up your leadership, improve rep performance, or just understand the mental game behind great selling, this one’s packed with actionable takeaways. Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com/] and let’s Make It Happen together! Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 [https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter] Connect with Dustin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincrawford/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustincrawford/] Check out Otter.ai Website: https://otter.ai/ [https://otter.ai/]

In this episode, John Barrows is joined with with Alyssa Merwin, Global VP of LinkedIn Sales Solutions, to unpack the findings from LinkedIn’s brand-new ROI of AI Report—a first-of-its-kind look at how AI is truly impacting sales outcomes, not just activity metrics.With over $1 billion in revenue under her leadership and a rich career path shaped by EQ, adaptability, and grit, Alyssa shares how she’s guiding one of the most innovative sales organizations in tech. The conversation dives into her journey from a liberal arts background to sales leadership, her time at Corporate Executive Board (home of The Challenger Sale), and what she’s seeing as the biggest shifts in modern selling.The takeaway? If you’re not using AI in your sales process every day, you’re falling behind. This episode is a wake-up call—packed with insights, data, and leadership wisdom from one of the top voices in the industry. Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com/] and let’s Make It Happen together! Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 [https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter] Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa1/]

John Barrows reconnects with longtime friend and Pavilion CEO, Sam Jacobs. Sam is the author of the bestselling book Kind Folks Finish First, and he’s on a mission to prove that building with integrity and empathy isn’t just good for the soul—it’s good for business.John and Sam dive into the hard lessons learned from the rollercoaster ride of 2023, how timing and positioning can humble even the best ideas, and why leading with values matters more than ever. They also break down the evolving role of the CRO in today’s AI-driven world, the power of community, and how authenticity is becoming the new competitive edge.This conversation is real, reflective, and packed with insight for anyone trying to do good business—without losing their soul in the process. Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com/] and let’s Make It Happen together! Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 [https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter] Connect with Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samfjacobs/] Check out Sam's Website: https://www.joinpavilion.com/ [https://www.joinpavilion.com/]

Kevin Evers is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of the upcoming book There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift. In this episode, Kevin and John break down what makes Taylor Swift one of the most brilliant business minds of our time. From reclaiming her masters to building an unbreakable bond with fans, Swift’s ability to scale the unscalable, adapt to change, and maintain authenticity offers powerful lessons for sales, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Whether you’re a Swiftie or not, this conversation is packed with insights on vision, branding, and long-term success. Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com/] and let’s Make It Happen together! Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 [https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter] Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-evers1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-evers1/]  Connect with Kevin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/there_is_nothing_like_this/ [https://www.instagram.com/there_is_nothing_like_this/]  Get Kevin's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Nothing-Like-This-Strategic/dp/B0DD2XL7C5 [https://www.amazon.com/Theres-Nothing-Like-This-Strategic/dp/B0DD2XL7C5]

In this special debrief episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John Barrows sits down with Dale Dupree—founder of The Sales Rebellion and one of the standout voices from the recent Sales Play event in NYC. What starts as a post-event reflection quickly turns into a deep, unfiltered conversation on modern sales, personal transformation, and cultural shifts in the industry.Dale and John unpack the bold themes and subtle symbolism behind Glengarry Glen Ross, from gender and race dynamics to toxic sales archetypes. They also explore why Dale believes we’ve lost the “benefit of the doubt” in society—and why it’s time to bring empathy back into business. They also dive into a spicy moment where Dale called AI a “trend”… and the room nearly exploded.This one is raw, thoughtful, and 100% Rebellion. Buckle up. Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com [http://www.jbarrows.com/] and let’s Make It Happen together! Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/] Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/ [https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/] Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 [https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1] Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter [https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletter] Connect with Dale on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/copierwarrior/] Check out Dale's Websites: crumpledletter.com [https://crumpledletter.com], thesalesrebellion.com [https://thesalesrebellion.com], and copierwarrior.com [https://copierwarrior.com]