Closing Conversations

Lincoln Murphy has been in the CS world since before most people knew what “customer success” even meant—and he’s blunt about what actually makes companies grow.

In this episode, we get into:

* Why sales overstuff deals (and what it signals about your post-sale motion)

* How to build trust between Sales and CS so customers don’t feel the seams

* The handoff play that prevents “surprises, unknowns, and repeating yourself”

* Strategic unbundling: holding back the right features so expansion becomes the obvious next step

* Why CS isn’t about making customers happy—it’s about getting them out of their own way

If you’re a founder, CRO, sales leader, or CS leader trying to drive expansion without turning CS into a pushy sales org—this one’s for you.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Lincoln Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lincolnmurphy/ 

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Brian J. Esposito doesn’t do small talk—and neither do I. We sat down, poured a bourbon, and went straight into the stuff most founders and leaders avoid saying out loud.

In this episode, we talk about:

* Why “taking the L” is sometimes protection, not failure

* How work becomes a socially acceptable addiction

* The difference between wanting more and needing more

* Integrity when you’re broke, winning, or rebuilding from zero

* Why the wrong people can’t look you in the eye—and what to do with that

* How pain, setbacks, and pressure season you (if you let them)

This one’s equal parts mindset, leadership, and life—through the lens of business, resilience, and a little hockey.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Brian J. Esposito: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjesposito/ 

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Sarah Hardwick has raised $140M+ and helped spark one of the most passionate communities in crowdfunding. 

In this episode, we get real about:
* Why vulnerability and values beat “slick” every time
* Cadence over quota—building routines that keep you sane and productive
* Saying the unpopular thing (and why “no” is a power move)
* Genius zones, Kairos vs. Chronos, and designing your week to win
* How to build a movement that funds itself—without faking it

Whether you’re coaching a team, leading a round, or trying to sell like a human again, Sarah brings clarity, courage, and zero fluff.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Sarah Hardwick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhardwick/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

This is a solo, year-in-review episode of Closing Conversations.

After a year of conversations with founders, operators, consultants, and sales leaders, certain themes became impossible to ignore. Rather than recap individual guests or moments, this episode pulls together the patterns that showed up again and again—regardless of industry, title, or experience level.

In this reflection, Max shares what hosting Closing Conversations clarified about sales, leadership, and building teams that actually last. From why behavior always beats tools, to how mis-hiring quietly compounds, to why compensation is culture whether you intend it to be or not, this episode is about what actually held up in real conversations throughout the year.

This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a synthesis.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

John Salzinger builds products that matter and the markets around them. As the founder behind MPOWERD’s category-creating solar lights (5M lives impacted, B Corp score 140) and now Haven Lantern, John blends purpose with ruthless practicality.

 In this episode, we get into:
* Why “play to learn” beats “play to win” for founders and sellers
* Lean, founder-controlled go-to-market (and when capital quietly becomes a boss)
* Culture you don’t manufacture—people you actually want to work with
* How category creation really happens (and how it gets cheapened)
* Designing products for hard places first—then winning everywhere else
* Haven Lantern: 1200-lumen solar + USB-C, 10,000 mAh, ~20 nights, SOS—priced for NGOs to scale impact

If you lead revenue, build product, or care about doing good without the fluff, this one hits.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

John Salzinger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsalzinger/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Hope Brick has sat on every side of the table—fashion operator, VP, and now Founder of BRICK Executive Search placing leaders across luxury, fashion, and beauty. 

In this episode, we talk about:

* The 3 hiring signals that never go out of style: hungry, coachable, personable

* Why “work–life balance” as a #1 priority can be a tell—and how to probe it without being a jerk

* Boundaries vs. burnout: on-days, off-days, and protecting your battery so you can win the week

* Remote vs. in-person for “textural” work (color, fabric, fittings) and how to make remote actually work

* Moving fast on elite candidates (and the ROI case for flexibility)

* Retention over transactions: how great hiring cascades through the whole org

Whether you’re scaling a sales team or hiring creative leaders, Hope brings candid, hard-won perspective on what great talent looks like—and how to keep them.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Hope Brick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hopebrick/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Sales compensation should be simple, fast, and trusted—but too often it’s the opposite. Antoine Fort (Cofounder & CEO, Qobra) joins me to break down what really works in 2025 and what to ditch for good. 

We talk about:

* Why spreadsheets and clever-but-confusing plans destroy trust

* The “two KPI” rule for clarity and motivation

* Paying monthly on quarterly/yearly targets (and how pacing actually works)

* Accelerators vs. decelerators—and when they help or harm

* Setting achievable quotas without sandbagging

* The manager’s job: pipeline volume, honest coaching, and removing panic from the sale

Whether you’re a founder, CRO, or RevOps lead, this is a playbook for comp that aligns behavior with outcomes—and keeps your best reps.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Antoine Fort: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoine-fort/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Casie Gillette has spent nearly two decades turning demand gen into pipeline—from agency days and SEO’s rise to leading member & sponsor marketing at The Suite. 

In this episode, we get into:

* Why the last 5 years changed marketing more than the previous 15

* Getting beyond generic content: publish the specifics buyers can’t Google

* True ABM (really contact-based): precision ICPs, lists that actually qualify, and where Clay fits

* Email is saturated—what still works (and where humanity wins)

* Cold calling vs. inbox: Max’s “two-call” tactic and Casie’s counter-take

* Community-led growth: dinners, networks, and playing the long game

* Using BDs as your on-the-street insight engine (tight feedback loops > guesswork)

* Sponsor strategy without the cringe (value to members first, always)

Whether you run demand, carry a bag, or need GTM that compounds, Casie brings a grounded, no-fluff view on what’s working now—and what to stop doing.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Casie Gillette: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casiegillette/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Adam Brown doesn’t run ads. He doesn’t cold call. He doesn’t outsource sales.

And yet, his social agency, Sircle Media, has been growing strong for 13+ years—powered entirely by trust, content, and a daily presence on LinkedIn. 

In this episode, we dig into:

* How Adam built a no-outreach business through consistency and transparency

* Why lazy AI posts actually repel good leads

* The difference between posting for clicks vs. posting for clients

* Tactical tips to make content a real sales channel

* How to sell without “selling”

Whether you’re a founder trying to build inbound momentum or a seller looking to stand out in a noisy feed, Adam brings clarity, simplicity, and a no-BS mindset to all of it.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Adam Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjbrown23/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

Brano Vargic has seen every side of HR—from CHRO at major banks to founder of a fast-scaling HR tech platform. 

In this episode, we talk about:

* Why employer branding starts with the business—not HR

* The danger of building a company people “like” (instead of one people want to work for)

* How to reverse-engineer job ads that actually attract the right candidates

* What e-commerce can teach us about recruiting top talent

* How to convert passive candidates—without wasting a single lead

If you’re building a sales team, hiring at scale, or just sick of copy-paste job descriptions that never land, this episode’s for you.

🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com

Connect with us:

Brano Vargic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/branovargic/

Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/

CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/