Negotiation Made Simple

Hosted by John Lowry

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Latest episode

Apr 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Negotiation Made Simple where we help you master the art of negotiation and win your next deal. Over the last 15 years, John Lowry has helped thousands of people in Fortune 500 companies master the art of negotiation. Now, he wants to help you. Through this podcast, he will teach you the skills you need to become a master negotiator. Every episode, explore practical tips that will help make negotiation easier, give you more confidence, and ensure you win the deal not just in your professional life, but in all corners of your life. We’ll also have some fun along the way with Q&As, interviews, and coaching sessions. Whether you know it or not, there’s too much at stake for you not to master negotiation, so tune in every other week here on Negotiation Made Simple.

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60 recent

June 16, 2026Episode 6443 min

What NFL Legend Stephen Gostkowski Can Teach You About Negotiation

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.What can a three-time Super Bowl champion teach us about negotiation?In this episode, NFL legend Stephen Gostkowski shares lessons learned from nearly 15 seasons with the Patriots dynasty alongside Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. From performing under immense pressure to negotiating contracts, knowing your worth, and staying focused when everything is on the line, Gostkowski reveals the mindset that helped him become one of the most successful kickers in NFL history. Whether you're closing a deal, leading a team, or facing a high-stakes decision, this conversation offers practical insights on confidence, preparation, leverage, and why pressure should be viewed as a privilege.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

April 7, 2026Episode 6353 min

The Hidden Rules of Negotiation: Stop Leaving Money on the Table

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.Most people think negotiation is about tactics, pressure, or getting the last word. It’s not.In this episode, we unpack the hidden rules that actually determine who wins deals and who quietly leaves value on the table. From pricing with confidence and handling procurement pressure to navigating tough conversations, stalled deals, and difficult personalities, this is a practical guide for founders and leaders who negotiate every day, whether they realize it or not.If you’re building a business, leading a team, or making high-stakes decisions, this conversation will change how you think about negotiation—and how you show up in it.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

March 24, 2026Episode 6248 min

How to Negotiate Your Salary Like a Fortune 500 Executive (Featuring Jacob Warwick)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.Most people think negotiation starts when the offer hits the table. In reality, it starts long before that and the highest performers understand how to build leverage, shape perception, and position their value well ahead of the final conversation.In this episode, John sits down with executive negotiation advisor Jacob Warwick, who has helped senior leaders negotiate compensation packages against some of the largest companies in the world. Drawing from years of experience working with Fortune 500 and C-level executives, Jacob breaks down what actually drives successful negotiations and why so many talented professionals leave money (and opportunity) on the table.They explore how to move beyond salary benchmarks and focus on value creation, why negotiating for yourself is fundamentally different than negotiating for a company, and how timing, positioning, and communication can dramatically shift outcomes. Jacob also shares practical strategies you can apply immediately, from handling early compensation questions to creating leverage, slowing down the process, and navigating high-stakes conversations with confidence.Whether you’re negotiating your first offer or a senior executive contract, this conversation will challenge how you think about negotiation and give you a clearer path to getting what you’re truly worth.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

March 10, 2026Episode 6151 min

The 5 Forces of Negotiation Leverage: Blake McDaniel

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.What really determines who wins a negotiation?In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple, John Lowry sits down with veteran talent agent Blake McDaniel, who has spent decades negotiating deals for some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Alabama, Run-DMC, and many others. Through years of high-stakes dealmaking, Blake discovered that great negotiations aren’t just about persuasion or tactics—they’re about leverage.Blake shares the simple but powerful framework he learned early in his career called TICO: Time, Information, Communication, Confidence, and Options. These five elements determine who truly holds the advantage in any negotiation—from major entertainment contracts to everyday business decisions.Along the way, Blake offers behind-the-scenes stories from the music industry, lessons from mentors at Creative Artists Agency, and practical strategies for building leverage before a negotiation even begins. You’ll learn why patience can be your greatest asset, how silence can reveal critical information, and why having real options may be the most powerful negotiating tool of all.Whether you’re negotiating deals, leading teams, or simply trying to get better outcomes in everyday conversations, this episode provides a clear framework you can use immediately.Key Takeaway: If you want better deals, don’t focus only on tactics. Focus on building leverage.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

February 24, 2026Episode 6038 min

Why You’re Stuck (and How to Get Unstuck)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.When goals stall, deals freeze, and ideas go nowhere, most people push harder and get more stuck. In this episode, John Lowry shares a simple framework for getting unstuck by shifting from positions to interests, from convincing to connecting, and from pressure to progress. This is a must listen for leaders who want momentum in 2026.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

February 10, 2026Episode 5951 min

How a Producer of American Idol Wins High-Stakes Deals (Featuring Simon Lythgoe)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.In this episode, we sit down with a Producer of American Idol to unpack how one of the most successful shows in television history almost never happened and what that teaches us about high-stakes negotiation.From getting rejected by networks, to reworking the pitch, to stacking the right pieces at the right moment, this conversation reveals that great deals aren’t won through persuasion alone they’re won through preparation, timing, and strategic positioning.Drawing from decades of experience negotiating with talent, agents, networks, and global brands, a Producer of American Idol shares how to create leverage when you don’t have it, how to manage ego without burning relationships, and why timing matters more than brilliance. You’ll hear real stories from behind American Idol, Netflix, Disney, and beyond, along with practical lessons leaders can apply to any high-pressure deal.If you’ve ever had a great idea that stalled, a deal that fell apart, or a negotiation that felt out of your control, this episode will change how you approach the process. Because the biggest lesson is simple: the best negotiators win before the meeting ever starts.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

January 26, 2026Episode 5837 min

How to Win When You’re Supposed to Lose: 5 Lessons from Curt Cignetti and Indiana University

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.What do you do when the odds are stacked against you and losing feels inevitable?Most negotiators hit a point where deals dry up, leverage disappears, and confidence starts to slip. It’s in those moments that most people play defense… and slowly lose their edge.In this episode, we break down an unlikely source of negotiation wisdom: the coach who took one of college football’s most overlooked programs and turned it into a national champion fast. His turnaround wasn’t luck. It was a system.You’ll learn the five lessons elite negotiators use to win in difficult environments, including how to build confidence when you don’t feel it, how to stack the deck before talks begin, and why process matters more than power at the table. If you’ve been stuck in a tough market, a hard deal, or a losing streak, this episode is your reset button.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

January 13, 2026Episode 5759 min

Negotiating With Yourself: How to Manage Anxiety Under Pressure (Nick Wignall)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple, we explore one of the most overlooked skills in negotiation and leadership: managing the negotiation happening inside your own head.Clinical psychologist and mindset coach Dr. Nick Wignall joins the conversation to unpack why anxiety, fear, and pressure show up so strongly in high-stakes negotiations — and why trying to eliminate those emotions often makes things worse. Together, we break down the difference between anxiety, stress, and worry, and explain how unexamined emotions can quietly drive bad decisions, unnecessary concessions, and missed opportunities Nick introduces a simple but powerful framework that helps leaders stay grounded and make clear decisions even when emotions are running high. We also discuss practical tools like “scheduled worry,” why high achievers are especially prone to anxiety, and how assertiveness rooted in values (not emotions) becomes a strategic advantage at the negotiating table If you’ve ever felt pressure push you toward a deal you knew wasn’t right — or found yourself trying to negotiate just to relieve discomfort — this episode will change how you think about leadership, negotiation, and emotional control.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

December 16, 2025Episode 5654 min

The Unfair Advantage of Being Fair: Why Win-Win Isn't Just a Cliche (Barry Stowe)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.Is the goal of a negotiation to gain a "distinct unfair advantage"? In this episode, host John Lowry sits down with global insurance executive Barry Stowe to dismantle that Wall Street myth and reveal a more profitable path.Stowe, who led Prudential Corporation Asia through a season of unprecedented growth, shares the counter-intuitive strategies that helped him close deals across the globe—from India to Japan. You’ll hear why he warns against being the "ugly American" and how a simple mistake with a traffic signal in Vietnam taught him a profound lesson about leadership and perception.Tune in to discover:The Renegotiation Paradox: Why Stowe voluntarily offered to quadruple a partner's revenue mid-contract—and how that "generosity" secured 20% of his company’s regional profit.The 13-Hour Dinner: The extreme length Stowe went to—flying a CEO from London to Singapore just for one meal—to prove respect and save a deal with a family-owned bank.The "George Washington" Rule: Why the most brilliant move a leader can make is knowing exactly when to walk away.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn

November 22, 2025Episode 5542 min

The Deal Maker’s Will: 7 Rules Every Negotiator Should Know (Featuring Walker Thrash)

Need help with a negotiation? Text us and we'll feature your question on the show.In this episode of Negotiation Made Simple, John sits down with Walker Thrash, commercial real estate deal maker and author of The Deal Maker’s Will. Through a mentor–mentee story, Walker distills years of experience into seven powerful rules that help negotiators simplify complexity, understand self-interest, use authority wisely, and keep deals moving forward.Walker shares how activity—not perfection—is the real engine behind learning, why “gifting ideas” transforms conversations, and how acknowledging someone else’s expertise can open the door to better outcomes. He also gives practical examples from high-stakes real estate deals, public–private partnerships, and the tough lessons learned from deals that fell apart.Whether you’re negotiating a major contract or just trying to get better at reading the room, this episode delivers clear insights that will help you think differently, prepare smarter, and walk into every negotiation with confidence.Get My Book: Negotiation Made SimpleSchedule a Live WorkshopSchedule a Private WorkshopGet Private Coaching from MeGain Access to My Online CourseFollow Me on LinkedIn