This week, we’re recording together in London for a rare in-person episode, which naturally means things go slightly off the rails before we even get to the topic.

We kick things off with a story about hiring event security, where we learned the hard way that ticking qualification boxes doesn’t always mean someone can actually do the job. Turns out “having the badge” and “being able to climb stairs without needing a lie down” are apparently separate competencies.

From there, we dive into the world of complex selling and executive selling — and why most big deals are won (or lost) long before the final proposal lands.

We explore:

• Why executive selling is more than just presenting to senior leadership
• How to use your own executives as part of the sales strategy
• The importance of coaching leadership teams before customer meetings
• Why one uninformed stakeholder can derail an entire deal
• How to tactfully expand conversations to include hidden decision-makers
• The role of context, repetition, and preparation in complex sales
• Why executives need exposure to real customer conversations

Along the way, we also accidentally turn the conversation into relationship advice and realise that executive communication skills might be just as useful at home as they are in the boardroom.

It’s a practical, slightly chaotic conversation about influence, credibility, preparation, and the human side of complex deals.