Andres has an MSA and MBA from Ohio University and wrote a book called "Persuade: The Four Step Process to Influence People and Decisions"

The most critical element in negotiation is thorough preparation, which not only provides information but builds confidence. Andres emphasizes that "nothing convinces like conviction" and proper preparation creates the confidence needed for effective negotiation.

There's an important distinction between waiting to speak and truly listening.

A fundamental principle is that "negotiation is a process, not an event" 

Andres references Albert Mehrabian's research showing that 93% of communication is non-verbal (tone and body language), with only 7% being the actual words spoken.
 
The overarching philosophy, derived from Ron Shapiro's "Power of Nice" approach, is to "maximize your objectives while satisfying the other side". This win-win approach builds long-term reputation and relationships.  

He recommends asking employees directly about their motivations and "love language" to better understand what drives them beyond just compensation.

We help business leaders buy and sell great companies. Let me know how I can help you.

Chuck Crumpton
[email protected]

At SAF, we help folks buy and sell great companies and build in the process. Most see a 5-7x ROI because of the work we do. Let's set up a call to discuss.

Enjoy my conversation with Harry!

Harry T. Jones describes himself as "living a life of second and third chances" - he's in his third career and second marriage. He spent over 20 years in food manufacturing as a CEO and emphasizes that "the most difficult times in my life have proven to be the richest".  His second business, Blackberry Patch, focused on food manufacturing where they hired people "that nobody else would hire" . 

A key principle Jones applies is defining your niche: "What can your business do better than any company in the marketplace and be rewarded for it"

Harry now helps business founders through "breakthrough groups" with succession planning. His goal is to help 100 founders execute succession plans over 10 years, with 18 already completed or in process. His breakthrough groups provide a confidential environment where "CEOs can come to a group and let their hair down and share some of their vulnerabilities". 

He concludes with his business philosophy: "We must make a profit in order to bless the communities we serve and advance our purpose".

In addition to being one hell of a business leader, Leland is a husband, father, and my friend. I highly recommend you visit his very impressive gallery in Hillsborough, NC. 

LelandLittle.com

The auction business has undergone significant transformation over Little's 35-year career. Market preferences have shifted from 18th and 19th century antiques (popular in the 1980s-1990s) to mid-century modern and contemporary pieces produced after 1970. 

The business has evolved from manual processes with hand-clerked tickets to fully digital operations.  

Leland emphasizes that their competition isn't just other auction houses, but cultural expectations for convenience, citing Amazon's next-day delivery and instant payment systems as benchmarks. The company aims to make auction participation as easy as "going to Starbucks".  
 
Little emphasizes that trust is "critical" in an industry dealing with fakes, forgeries, and condition issues. The company maintains credibility through long-term employees (about half of their 40-person team are career professionals) who have specialized expertise in various departments.  

Leland advocates for daily attention to details, continuous coaching through programs, and maintaining strong cash flow with minimal debt. He emphasizes the importance of personal development, particularly maintaining strong home relationships, as foundational to business success. 

His advice to struggling business owners focuses on three priorities... 

Listen and enjoy!

I help business leaders buy and sell great companies. Let me know how I can help you.

Chuck Crumpton
[email protected]
864.915.0066

Captain Mike Penn flew 87 combat missions until he was shot down and had to eject at 500 miles per hour.

From being a POW at the "Hanoi Hilton" in Vietnam, to becoming the Chief Pilot at Southwest Airlines, to battling addiction, Mike shares his incredible life story. This episode moved me like few have.

You will be drawn to his transparency, humility, candor, and demeanor. 

Please enjoy and let me know your feedback.
Chuck@StrategicAdvisoryForum.com

I help business owners buy and sell great companies. Let me know if I can help you.

John Sterling is a Citadel University graduate (BA in Political Science, 1983) who led Datastream to a $200 million exit. He currently serves as CEO of Sterling Ventures Group, which "buys and grows B2B SaaS companies quietly and intentionally". His portfolio includes Sterling Sales (sales coaching and training). John's sales training approach addresses multiple components beyond just training salespeople, including lead generation, pricing correction, and most importantly, developing the right "avatar" or ideal salesperson profile. 

Sterling openly discussed his journey with alcohol addiction, describing how he initially justified his drinking because he was successful professionally. With the help of a therapist he's been seeing for six years, he eventually stopped drinking and found life "10 times better without it".   

John advocates talking to advisors quarterly and working on business value even if an exit is 10 years away. He recommends maintaining realistic optimism, expecting good things while accepting that "out of 10 great things, one of them going to go sideways".

If you like the content on this podcast, you may want to look into our 6-month Leadership Lab (virtual mastermind) Sales Track course that can definitely help you grow the sales arm of your business. Call me and let's discuss it. Enjoy the conversation!



Chuck Crumpton   864.915.0066

John Sterling is a Citadel University graduate (BA in Political Science, 1983) who led Datastream to a $200 million exit. He currently serves as CEO of Sterling Ventures Group, which "buys and grows B2B SaaS companies quietly and intentionally". His portfolio includes Sterling Sales (sales coaching and training). John's sales training approach addresses multiple components beyond just training salespeople, including lead generation, pricing correction, and most importantly, developing the right "avatar" or ideal salesperson profile. 

Sterling openly discussed his journey with alcohol addiction, describing how he initially justified his drinking because he was successful professionally. With the help of a therapist he's been seeing for six years, he eventually stopped drinking and found life "10 times better without it".   

John advocates talking to advisors quarterly and working on business value even if an exit is 10 years away. He recommends maintaining realistic optimism, expecting good things while accepting that "out of 10 great things, one of them going to go sideways".

If you like the content on this podcast, you may want to look into our 6-month Leadership Lab (virtual mastermind) Sales Track course that can definitely help you grow the sales arm of your business. Call me and let's discuss it.

Schedule a call with Chuck

Thanks, enjoy the show!
Chuck Crumpton 
864.915.0066

Most of my clients have a HUGE question for me - What is my business worth? Scott, a subject matter expert in valuations, sheds some interesting light on the topic.

If I can help you get some real numbers on your business, let me know. It's a big deal.

Scott emphasizes that business valuation is both a science based on accepted principles and an art involving numerous assumptions. He notes that five different appraisers could provide the same dataset and produce different valuations ranging from $1.8 million to $2.2 million due to varying assumptions. Value also changes over time and depends on the purpose of the valuation.

Key valuation methods discussed include:

• Income approach methods like discounted cash flow and multiples of discretionary earnings.
• Market approach methods including comparable sales and guideline public company methods.
• Asset approach for companies with minimal revenues or profits 

Main street companies typically sell for 2-3 times discretionary earnings, while middle market manufacturing companies sell for 4-8 times adjusted EBITDA, and public companies trade at 25+ times after-tax profits according to Scott.

Let me know how I can assist your business in growth and preparing for exit. Enjoy the show!

[email protected]

Karl emphasizes that leaders often assume everyone thinks and is motivated the same way they are, which he describes as the "human condition". He advocates moving from the "golden rule" (treat others as you want to be treated) to the "platinum rule" (understanding what motivates each individual).

When asked about the biggest organizational breakdown, he identifies trust as the primary issue. Karl notes problems when leadership teams don't trust each other or when employees fear bringing their authentic selves and real organizational challenges to leadership due to uncertainty about consequences.

I help business owners 2x their company's value before exiting. Let's talk.

Chuck 
864.915.0066

Thanks for listening. Enjoy the show!

Todd emphasizes the importance of authenticity in leadership and speaking, sharing that he strives to be genuine rather than polished, making fun of himself and discussing failures rather than just successes. Todd also vulnerably shares that his wife died five months ago, describing how he relied on his team during this difficult period. 3 big takeaways from his book "Dancing with Monsters"

1. Fear drives growth when you choose to believe it - Todd explains that facing fears and inadequacies can become a catalyst for improvement, using public speaking as an example of how confronting fear can transform it into usable energy.
2. Talent matters, but chemistry matters more - He argues that communication skills and teamwork often outperform pure intelligence, citing an example of a brilliant nuclear engineering student who struggled in MBA group work.
3. Leaders help teams discover greatness - This involves building relationships, mentoring, and finding ways to validate team members rather than just managing expectations.

 More info in the conversation...enjoy :)

Let me know how we can help your business. 2x your company's value.

Chuck
StrategicAdvisoryForum.com

The pivotal moment came when Chris analyzed his father's retirement situation in 2005. Despite his father doing "everything right" - contributing to his 401k, paying off all debt including his house, and being completely debt-free at 61 - Chris calculated that his father would run out of money in 5-6 years if he retired. This realization led Chris to question the traditional financial advice he was giving clients.

The Work Optional Blueprint:

Chris strongly believes a major market correction is inevitable, not just probable. He points to historically high valuations, with companies requiring 25 years to pay back investments, and notes that Warren Buffett has been selling stocks and holding over $381 billion in cash.  

He unpacks his approach in this interesting conversation with me.

Please let me know how I can help you and your business. We help companies 2x their value. Ask me how.

Chuck 
StrategicAdvisoryForum.com