Make It Happen Mondays - B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows

This week’s episode of Make It Happen Mondays hits deeper than most—with someone who’s more than just a guest: Roderick Jefferson is family. A globally respected sales enablement leader, keynote speaker, and author of The Stroke of Success, Roderick shares the story of how a relentless hustle nearly cost him everything—after suffering a stroke that left him with just a 2% chance of survival.We unpack what really matters when life slams the brakes on your career, your health, and your identity. From the early warning signs he ignored, to the mental, emotional, and physical battles of recovery, Roderick opens up about the shift from burnout to balance—and how vulnerability, connection, and purpose have taken center stage in his leadership and life.This is not just a conversation about sales or business—this is about perspective, resilience, and redefining success. If you’re feeling the weight of burnout, or just need a moment of clarity in the chaos, don’t miss this one.And if you’re looking for a keynote speaker who speaks with power, purpose, and lived experience—book Roderick. You won’t regret it.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Roderick on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roderickjefferson/Check out Roderick's Website: https://www.roderickjefferson.com/Get Roderick's Book "Stroke of Success": https://www.roderickjefferson.com/stroke-of-success

In this high-energy episode, John sits down with one of today’s most influential voices in sales, Leslie Venetz—author of the USA Today bestselling book Profit-Generating Pipeline, featured in the Wall Street Journal, and the creator behind 100+ million views of sales content online.Leslie brings a no-BS, battle-tested framework for building a healthy, sustainable pipeline—and the conversation hits hard on key topics like territory planning, ideal customer profiles, and owning your patch like a CEO. From her Montana roots to global stages, Leslie shares how her ability to relate across cultures and industries has shaped her sales philosophy.John and Leslie dive deep into tactical tips, strategic alignment, and the shared frustration of overlooked fundamentals in sales. Whether you’re an AE, manager, or just trying to generate more qualified pipeline, this one’s a masterclass in doing the work—smartly.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Leslie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslievenetz/Check out Leslie's Website: https://salesledgtm.com/

Rex Galbraith has worn almost every sales hat over his 20+ year SaaS career, and for the last decade, he’s helped build Consensus into the category leader for interactive demo automation. In this episode, John and Rex dive deep into why traditional product demos are failing today’s buyers—and what to do instead.You’ll hear how Rex and his team use unideal customer profiles (UCPs) to actively disqualify bad-fit prospects, how automating parts of the demo process frees reps to sell smarter, not harder, and why focusing on retention over acquisition is the mindset shift modern sales orgs need.Rex also opens up about leading through tough moments—rebrands, layoffs, even running the company out of a grocery store—and the values that kept him grounded through it all. If you care about sales efficiency, buyer enablement, or becoming the kind of AE who thrives in the AI era, this one’s for you.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Rex on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexgalbraith Check out the Consensus Website: https://goconsensus.com/

Dave Govan is the Founder and CEO of G2 Strategic Advisory Services, with a career that spans $100M+ as a rep and $2.3B+ as a CRO. From early-stage startups to global tech titans, Dave has operated across nearly every stage of company growth — and he’s seen it all.In this episode, we dive into what’s broken in today’s go-to-market (GTM) strategy and how AI is exposing the cracks — especially among lazy leadership and outdated sales execution. Dave breaks down why business acumen, not tactics, is the key differentiator for today’s reps, and how founders often derail their own growth by scaling the wrong way.Whether you’re a CRO, founder, or seller trying to thrive in today’s shifting landscape, this conversation is packed with honest insights and actionable advice from one of the most experienced operators in the field.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Dave on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davegovan/Check out Dave's Website: https://g2strategicadvisoryservices.com/

In this special episode of Make It Happen Mondays, John sits down with Ryan Garland, an Account Executive at Coefficient, to dive into what happens when a rep actually cares about getting better. This isn’t a generic sales success story—this is the real, raw impact of putting in the work, embracing coaching, and taking ownership of your sales career.Ryan shares what drew him to John’s 1:1 coaching program, how he went from solid to standout by applying proven frameworks, and why most reps are leaving massive money on the table by being lazy and reactive. The conversation touches on the current sales landscape, AI’s impact, startup chaos, negotiation tactics that actually work, and what it means to take responsibility not just for results—but for your own personal growth.This is the kind of episode that reminds us why sales is still one of the most rewarding careers—if you show up for it. Ryan did. Now he’s winning because of it.Are you interested in leveling up your sales skills and staying relevant in today’s AI-driven landscape? Visit www.jbarrows.com and let’s Make It Happen together!Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/Connect with John on IG: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/Check out John's Membership: https://go.jbarrows.com/pages/individual-membership?ref=3edab1 Join John's Newsletter: https://www.jbarrows.com/newsletterConnect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjgarlan/