Most founders want to sell their business someday.

But very few actually build something that’s sellable.

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown sits down with Alexis Sikorsky — a founder who exited a software business for over $100M — to break down how to prepare for private equity without giving up control.

We cover:

✅ What buyers actually value

✅ How to make your company less dependent on you

✅ When to start preparing (it’s not when you think)

✅ The mindset shift that separates $5M businesses from $50M ones

✅ What it really means to “dress the bride”

This is essential listening if you’re building toward freedom, scale, or a potential exit.

🎧 Full episode + show notes: https://ceosalesstrategies.com/sell-business-to-private-equity

🔔 Subscribe for new weekly episodes

#PrivateEquity #FounderExit #B2BSales #Entrepreneurship #ExitStrategy

Most businesses don’t fail because of bad offers. They fail because they don’t ask enough people to buy.

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown sits down with serial entrepreneur Joe Rare to break down why most businesses plateau — and how to scale sales using the law of averages, daily activity, and compounding consistency.

You’ll learn why fear and ego quietly block sales growth, how to reframe rejection as part of the math, and why 100 days of consistent outreach won’t just grow your revenue — it will change who you are as a seller and leader.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why most businesses don’t ask enough people to buy

✅ How fear and ego quietly sabotage sales performance

✅ Why the law of averages guarantees predictable results

✅ How daily activity compounds into confidence + growth

✅ Why identity change is the key to long-term sales success

🎧 Prefer audio? Full episode here: https://ceosalesstrategies.com/how-to-increase-sales-using-law-of-averages

📈 More sales strategies: https://ceosalesstrategies.com

📩 Questions? [email protected]

How can you sell high-ticket offers without chasing—or losing control of the conversation?

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, host Doug C. Brown speaks with leadership coach and former tech CEO Sue Heilbronner about how to close more premium deals by letting go of the outcome.

Sue introduces the concept of passionate ambivalence—the ability to care deeply about helping the buyer, while staying unattached to whether or not they say yes.

If you're tired of overexplaining, defending your value, or discounting to win the deal, this conversation will help you lead sales conversations with more clarity, confidence, and trust.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How “passionate ambivalence” builds pricing power

✅ Why over-caring creates tension—and kills trust

✅ How early qualification protects your time and brand

✅ What it means to lead a sales conversation without attachment

🎧 Listen to the podcast episode → https://ceosalesstrategies.com/how-to-sell-without-selling

📌 Don’t forget to subscribe for more weekly conversations with high-performing B2B experts.

#salesmindset #HighTicketSales #ConsultativeSelling #FounderSales #EmotionalIntelligence #SalesLeadership #SueHeilbronner #CEO #B2BSales

Most sales objections don’t come from logic. They come from fear.

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, I sit down with Mitch Weisburgh to explore why resistance starts in the brain—and how leaders can shift conversations without pushing harder.

We cover:

✅ The 5 brain-based resistance responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, Habit, Mimicry

✅ Why objections are emotional before they’re rational

✅ How fear hijacks decisions long before logic has a say

✅ Why “certainty” can be a red flag that the brain has stopped listening

✅ Practical ways to reduce fear and build trust in high-stakes conversations

If your business depends on high-ticket, 1:1 conversations, this episode will change how you approach objections and guide your buyers.

🎧 Listen on all platforms → https://ceosalesstrategies.com/sales-resistance-brain-mindset-shift

About Mitch Weisburgh:

Mitch Weisburgh has built and scaled multiple companies, helping leaders and sales professionals rethink how they communicate, build trust, and shift resistance into engagement.

About the Host:

Doug C. Brown is the CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and has helped thousands of businesses scale revenues, working with leaders in 30+ industries worldwide.

Most sales teams don’t have a lead problem—they have a system problem. Here’s how AI can help fix it.

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown speaks with John Long, founder of Thynk.ai, about the real reason most businesses don’t see ROI from sales automation. It’s not the tools—it’s the system behind them.

John breaks down how to apply AI in outbound sales, re-engage cold leads, and stop the follow-up failures that stall your pipeline. If you’re scaling a founder-led sales model or leading a team that sells through 1:1 conversations, this episode offers practical strategy—not just theory.

You’ll learn:

✅ The difference between generative and agentic AI

✅ Why automation often reveals more problems than it solves

✅ The 10-80-10 model for smart AI integration

✅ How AI revives old leads without adding headcount

✅ What sales leaders must fix before they scale

🎧 Prefer audio? Listen to the full podcast here:

https://ceosalesstrategies.com/ai-for-lead-generation-sales-pipeline

📈 More strategies: https://ceosalesstrategies.com

📩 Questions? [email protected]

If your B2B sales strategy relies heavily on cold outreach, you’re missing a bigger opportunity: visibility.

In this episode, host Doug C. Brown speaks with executive strategist Bill Rice about how to use personal branding and platform presence—especially on LinkedIn—to create warm leads that convert faster and scale without paid ads.

🎙 Topics covered:

00:00 – Intro: Visibility vs. outreach in B2B

03:20 – Why cold outreach struggles without credibility

07:45 – How LinkedIn becomes a daily inbound engine

12:50 – Building a personal brand for trust, not fame

16:10 – Using conferences (even without attending) to book meetings

22:00 – Executive visibility as a team advantage

26:35 – The myth of funnels vs. long-term positioning

31:00 – Scaling inbound for high-ticket B2B offers

37:00 – Bill’s top advice to consultants and leadership teams

41:15 – Final thoughts and episode close

#LinkedInStrategy #ExecutiveBranding #B2BSales #CEOVisibility #SalesLeadership #InboundMarketing #ThoughtLeadership

Most salespeople lose the deal before they even make the pitch—because they’re talking to the wrong person.

In this solo episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown reveals why even skilled professionals struggle to close high-ticket deals—and how to shift your strategy to avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes.

You’ll learn how to identify your true decision maker, sell with emotional intelligence, and align your message to what buyers actually value—so you stop pushing and start closing.

Whether you're a founder, sales leader, or high-ticket closer, this episode will sharpen how you qualify, listen, and lead.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

✅ Why most sales conversations fail before they begin

✅ How to identify and speak to the apex decision maker

✅ The hidden emotional risks that cause buyers to stall

✅ How to shift your pitch from logic to personal ROI

✅ What high-trust selling looks like in high-stakes conversations

🎧 Listen to the audio version: https://ceosalesstrategies.com/selling-high-ticket-services-to-decision-makers

📈 Learn more: https://ceosalesstrategies.com

📩 Contact Doug: [email protected]

Most sales hiring failures aren’t about the rep.

They’re about the missing structure.

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown sits down with David Sliman, CEO of Sales Performance, to explore why sales teams underperform—and how to fix it before your next hire.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why KPI clarity is non-negotiable before hiring

✅ How to build onboarding that drives early wins

✅ The 4-part sales execution model that scales

✅ Why great coaching requires structure, not pressure

✅ How to create a system where top producers thrive

If your business depends on 1:1, high-ticket B2B sales—this episode will change how you build and lead your team.

🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform → https://ceosalesstrategies.com/building-sales-team-kpis

📌 Subscribe for weekly insights from top-performing CEOs, strategists, and sales experts.

#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership #KPIFramework #SalesExecution #B2BSales #ExecutiveMindset #CEO #SalesCoaching

What if everything you’ve built… doesn’t translate into a successful sale?

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, Doug C. Brown sits down with Kevon Saber—serial entrepreneur, Stanford MBA, and M&A advisor—to unpack the most common mistakes sellers make when exiting their businesses.

You’ll learn:

✅ The 7 deadly assumptions that cost founders millions

✅ Why private equity buyers ignore your past—and focus on your future

✅ How to build real leverage before you ever list your company

✅ What to ask your advisors—and what they might not be telling you

✅ How deal structure can make or break your payout

Kevon has sold companies to public firms and private equity, scaled valuations by 100x, and now works with founders to exit with confidence and control.

If your business might be sold in the next 1–5 years, don’t miss this one.

🎧 Listen to the full episode + access show notes:

https://ceosalesstrategies.com/how-to-sell-a-business-right-way

Subscribe for weekly insights on B2B sales, leadership, and high-performance growth.

#businessexit #ExitStrategy #EnterpriseValue #PrivateEquity #B2BSales #LeadershipDevelopment #MergersAndAcquisitions #FounderWisdom

How to Align Company Culture with Employee Engagement for Lasting

In this episode of the CEO Sales Strategies Podcast, host Doug C. Brown sits down with blue-collar entrepreneur and bestselling author Ken Rusk to explore a surprising retention strategy:

🔹 What if your company helped employees reach their personal goals?

Ken built a $500M construction business by doing just that—through “timed pathways” and vision boards that turned company roles into life-building platforms.

You’ll learn:

✅ What “timed pathways” are and why they work

✅ How personal goal alignment drives motivation and retention

✅ Why culture-building isn’t about perks—but purpose

✅ How to help your team feel like they’re building something that matters

Whether you lead a team of 5 or 500, this conversation will change the way you think about loyalty, growth, and what it takes to build a culture people want to stay in.

🎧 Full show notes + resources:

https://ceosalesstrategies.com/company-culture-employee-engagement-retention

#CompanyCulture #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #RetentionStrategy #SalesLeadership #HighPerformanceTeams #B2BSales