The Sell Like A Leader Podcast

Hosted by David Kreiger

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the essential podcast for revenue leaders who are on a mission to cultivate a high-performing sales team within their organization. Each episode is packed with invaluable insights and strategies designed to help you lead your organization to sales success. What sets the Sell Like A Leader Podcast apart is our commitment to bringing you diverse perspectives from the front lines of sales leadership. Each episode features seasoned sales leaders, innovative strategists, and top performers – who share their real-world experiences and tactics. These are the leaders who are shaping the future of sales, and they're here to offer you direct insights into how they're building successful, winning teams in their organizations. Whether you're a seasoned sales leader, a newly appointed VP, or aspiring to step into a leadership role, the Sell Like A Leader Podcast is your mentor in podcast form. Tune in to transform your approach, inspire your team, and achieve new heights in your sales career. Join us on this journey to redefine sales leadership and empower your team towards unparalleled success.

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41 recent

August 12, 2026Episode 4148 min

The Science of Scaling: The 3 Steps to Knowing You're Ready with Mark Roberge – Ep 41

David Kreiger sits down with Mark Roberge, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Stage 2 Capital, founding CRO of HubSpot, and senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, to break down the three-step framework behind his new book, The Science of Scaling — a data-driven answer to the question most founders never rigorously address: when to scale. In this episode, they cover: Why the metrics most founders use to "prove" product-market fit are actually the wrong ones The three-variable formula for building your own leading indicator of retention The real reason churn gets blamed on customer success and product, when the sales team is usually the root cause Why hiring in a "lump sum" after a fundraise breaks companies, and the pacing model Mark recommends instead Two moats built for the AI era: an AI-native org chart, and a "trust moat" in the vertical markets everyone else is ignoring If you've told your board you're ready to scale without a defensible reason why, this conversation gives you the full framework to get one. All proceeds from Mark's new book, The Science of Scaling , go to mental health research at McLean Hospital. Sell Like A Leader is giving away 15 copies — DM David Kreiger on LinkedIn to grab one. Connect with Mark Roberge: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markroberge/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

July 8, 2026Episode 4033 min

Do the Opposite: The Contrarian Playbook for Outbound Sales with Justin Michael – Ep 40

David Kreiger sits down with Justin Michael, creator of the Justin Michael Method and author of over 10 books, to explore why doing the opposite of what feels natural is the real key to winning in outbound. His central premise is simple and uncomfortable: whatever thousands of sellers are doing right now is probably the wrong move. In this episode, he breaks down: Why permission-based openers make buyers want to hang up How dating psychology explains why availability and neediness kill your pipeline The three walls every seller hits, and why most people never get past the first one How to build a semi-automated tech stack without losing the human edge that closes deals If you're a sales leader still coaching your team on what feels safe, this conversation will change how you think about outbound entirely. Connect with Justin Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljustin/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

May 27, 2026Episode 3927 min

What Most Inside Sales Leaders Get Wrong and How to Fix It with Lynn Hidy – Ep 39

David Kreiger sits down with Lynn Hidy, Founder of Up Your Telesales, to explore the most common mistakes inside sales leaders make and what it actually takes to build a team that performs consistently over time. Lynn spent over two decades on the inside sales floor and made the unconventional choice to step back from management and stay a seller. That decision gave her a rare, ground-level view of what leadership gets wrong and what it takes to get it right. In this episode, they cover: Why the skills that make a great individual contributor rarely transfer to leadership How redefining success inside a sales org keeps your best sellers doing what they're actually good at The bell curve reality that most leaders are ignoring The shift from product talk to problem talk, and how it makes your team less transactional almost overnight If you're a sales leader trying to build a durable inside sales team without burning out your best people, this conversation will challenge how you think about promotions, performance, and coaching in 2026. Connect with Lynn Hidy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnhidy/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

May 6, 2026Episode 3838 min

Your Prospecting Problem Is Actually a Playbook Problem with Tom Stearns & Peter Cleary – Ep 38

David Kreiger sits down with Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary for a rare two-guest episode inspired by their newly released book, Graphic Sales: How to Build a Prospecting Playbook for Sales Leaders. Together, they turned decades of real client work and hard-learned lessons into a sales book unlike any other. In this episode, they cover: Why most sales leaders are misdiagnosing their biggest problem What a sales manager's day actually looks like once a real playbook is in place The evergreen fundamentals that have driven pipeline for decades and will still matter How the "Hell No" list transforms SDR performance, protects AE time, and stops your team from chasing wrong leads If you're a revenue leader who's been putting out fires instead of building a system, this episode is for you. And if you want to start applying these ideas right away, you don't have to wait for the episode to sink in. You can actually get your hands on the material behind it. Download the first two chapters of Graphic Sales for free, along with the templates and tools behind the book here: https://www.stearns.io/ And if you want to go a level deeper, there are also paid kits available. Use code PODCAST for 30% off. Connect with Tom Stearns: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstearns/ Connect with Peter Cleary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterecleary/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

April 22, 2026Episode 3735 min

What Private Equity Really Looks for in Your Sales Org with Jason Mironov – Ep 37

David Kreiger sits down with Jason Mironov of TA Associates to unpack how growth-focused investors evaluate sales organizations. With over a decade of experience leading investments in tech-enabled services, Jason brings a rare "outside-in" lens to what revenue leaders must do to build an investment-ready business. In this episode, he breaks down: Why gross vs. net retention tells the real story of your repeatability and why you should be tracking 10-15 key data points from day one Why spending an extra month upfront on sales education pays the biggest long-term dividends for rep productivity Why vibe coding your way into an enterprise customer base is a myth, and how AI is leveling the playing field for analytics What founders and revenue leaders should be building right now if they ever want institutional investment If you're a revenue leader who wants to understand how world-class investors evaluate talent, culture, and the "direction of travel" for your revenue, this conversation is for you. Connect with Jason Mironov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmironov/ https://www.ta.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

March 25, 2026Episode 3639 min

Predictable Revenue in Unpredictable Times with Aaron Ross – Ep 36

David Kreiger sits down with Aaron Ross, author of the bestselling Predictable Revenue , to revisit the principles that reshaped how the SaaS world thinks about sales, and examine what those principles mean in today's high-noise environment. Aaron brings two decades of perspective on outbound, specialization, and pipeline building, and he challenges revenue leaders to stop chasing the playbook and start developing the instincts the current climate demands. In this episode, he breaks down: Why the tactics from Predictable Revenue may have changed, but the core principles are more relevant than ever How AI is accelerating buyer attention fragmentation, and why ICP focus is now a non-negotiable The case for even deeper sales specialization as AI agents take on more of the SDR and AE workload Why the corporate world's hunger for stability is colliding head-on with a fundamentally non-linear era How emotional agility, intuition, and creativity are becoming the true competitive differentiators in sales leadership Aaron's outside-in perspective will challenge how you think about building predictable revenue in 2026. Connect with Aaron Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronross Serendipity Sheet (new projects): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gCSfmPJRKzwl_1g2z5nxoEEOWDBAXojGglEUGU6yIp8/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 www.freshair.substack.com www.IronCrown.co www.Delphi.ai/airzilla http://www.fromimpossible.com/talk Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

February 25, 2026Episode 3528 min

The Human-First Prospecting Playbook for Landing C-Suite Meetings with Caryn Kopp – Ep 35

David Kreiger sits down with Caryn Kopp, Chief Door Opener at Kopp Consulting, to explore why today's prospecting landscape is stacked against sellers, and what sales leaders need to do differently to break through. Caryn brings a human-first philosophy to prospecting built on 27 years of opening C-suite doors, and she challenges some of the most common assumptions. In this episode, she breaks down: Why executive buyers ignore outreach that "feels" AI-generated How precision targeting and disciplined ICP selection outperform volume The structural shift sales leaders must make to build a predictable pipeline The difference between using AI for research vs. outsourcing your thinking Why prospecting requires a different DNA than closing, and why most AEs shouldn't own both If you're a revenue leader trying to balance AI efficiency with real pipeline results, this conversation will challenge how you think about prospecting in 2026. Connect with Caryn Kopp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carynkopp/ https://koppconsultingusa.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

February 11, 2026Episode 3442 min

The People-First Approach to Revenue Leadership in the Age of AI with Chris Bondarenko - Ep 34

David Kreiger sits down with Chris Bondarenko, Chief Revenue Officer at 360 Learning, to explore what it really takes to build and scale high-performing revenue teams in today's rapidly evolving sales environment. Chris brings a people-first approach to sales leadership that emphasizes the strategic importance of hiring the right personas, developing talent through continuous learning, and understanding where AI actually creates value versus where it falls short. In this episode, he breaks down: Why top sales reps need to think like quarterbacks The three specific ways AI helps top performers win How to define clear success personas for each sales role and hire against these personas The two core revenue processes that must be clearly defined before any SaaS company can scale effectively You'll also hear Chris's perspective on why people will always be the differentiator in sales, the dangers of rushing to automate without considering brand impact, and why leaders need more time to simply think about their business. Connect with Chris Bondarenko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbondarenko/ https://360learning.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

January 28, 2026Episode 3333 min

Leading Sales Through AI with Justin Shriber: What Works, What Fails, and Why – Ep 33

David Krieger sits down with Justin Shriber, CEO and co-founder of Terret, to explore the dividing line between sales organizations that thrive with AI and those that don't. With three decades of leading teams through major technology transformations at Oracle, LinkedIn, and high-growth startups, Justin has a front-row seat to how AI is reshaping sales. In this episode, Justin breaks down: Which sales roles are most vulnerable How AI should act as a thought partner for sales reps Why most AI initiatives fail and how leaders can set the right scope to win early How AI is shifting sales from volume-driven lead generation to quality-driven engagement What "closed-loop revenue" looks like and why it's the future of forecasting, execution, and decision-making You'll also hear how great sales leaders are using AI to transform rep behavior, improve deal quality, and expand margins without adding headcount. This episode will challenge how you think about talent, tools, and what sales really looks like going forward. Connect with Justin Shriber: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinshriber/ https://terret.ai/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/

December 10, 2025Episode 3224 min

How Analyzing Your Buyer Data Can Unlock Your Next Growth Opportunity with Thomas R. Leidigh - Ep 32

David Kreiger sits down with Thomas R. Leidigh, CEO and founder of Infinity, to unpack one of the most overlooked growth levers in sales: the buyer data hiding in your existing customer base. After 30 years of building high-performing inside sales teams, Tom has seen the same pattern repeat itself—companies chase new logos while leaving millions in untapped revenue sitting inside their own accounts. In this episode, Tom breaks down how analyzing your buyer data can reveal: Which customers are primed for upsell and cross-sell What unmet needs exist that your customers haven't voiced yet Where your true revenue potential is (and how much of it you're missing) How to build the sales talent and structure to actually capture that opportunity You'll also hear how Tom's Buyerlytics® framework helps teams turn these insights into actionable, measurable growth. If you want a clearer path to ROI-driven, sustainable revenue—starting with the customers you already have—this episode is your roadmap. Connect with Thomas R. Leidigh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasleidigh/ https://www.infinitydelivers.com/ Connect with David Kreiger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger/ https://salesroads.com/ Subscribe to the podcast and follow our Podcast LinkedIn page so you don't miss any episodes! https://www.linkedin.com/company/sell-like-a-leader-podcast/