Welcome back to Lending Leadership!

Today’s episode is all about prospecting with a twist–specifically, how to stop overcomplicating sales outreach and start leveraging authentic relationships to drive real results. We’re thrilled to welcome Michelle Mikel, the dynamic founder of Drivers and Levers, keynote speaker, and coach who specializes in teaching sales professionals (and entrepreneurs like us) how to prospect better online, not just by sending more messages, but by connecting as real people.

From competitive swimming to rewriting the rules of outbound sales, Michelle Mikel brings her unique perspective on discipline, reverse engineering your goals, and making every single connection count. We dive into the psychology of prospecting, the value of knowing your personality profile, and how serving others is at the heart of any successful sales approach, whether you’re a mortgage pro, a CPA, or anyone trying to create new opportunities.

Here’s what we cover in this energizing and real conversation:

• The origin story of Drivers and Levers and why overcomplicating sales is hurting business owners
• The power of reverse engineering your goals (drawing inspiration from swimming a mile, not just running one!)
• Why authentic relationships matter more in prospecting now than ever before and how to move beyond a purely transactional mindset
• The importance of knowing your own (and your clients’) personality profile and tailoring your outreach accordingly
• Integrating faith, purpose, and service into business for a more fulfilling and impactful sales practice

Key takeaways:

1. Simplicity Sells: Reverse Engineer for Results
2. We talk about how Michelle applies the lessons of athletic discipline to sales specifically, by working backward from your end goal to map out the exact steps required to get there. Rather than overcomplicating outreach, knowing what you want and reverse engineering your prospecting keeps you focused and removes the overwhelm (02:40 – 07:13).
3. Relationships Over Transactions, Every Time
4. The common denominator in successful sales isn’t fancy scripts or endless social media hacks. We explore how real connections and community unlock opportunity and why networking, referrals, and genuine conversations will always outpace cold, transactional pitches (09:11 – 14:41).
5. Tailor Your Approach to Your Personality (and Theirs)
6. Not everyone prospects the same way, and that’s okay. By understanding and leveraging your own DISC profile (and those of your team or clients), you can play to your strengths and shore up your weak spots. We swap stories on how Ds, Is, Ss, and Cs all need a different approach to feel authentic and effective in sales outreach (17:23 – 23:28).
7. Service and Faith at the Core of Sales
8. For us, the foundation is service, seeing prospecting as an act of service rather than a hunt for a “kill.” We reflect on how integrating faith and finding purpose in our work leads to deeper fulfillment, genuine impact, and yes, better business outcomes (30:34 – 36:00).
9. Human Connection Beats AI Every Time
10. While AI tools have their place, nothing replaces the human touch in outreach. The most potent prospecting happens when your message sounds and feels like you researched, personal, and real. That’s what stands out in a noisy digital world and wins meetings (and hearts) (39:20 – 41:00).

This episode is a reminder that prospecting isn’t just about numbers; it's about relationships, service, and showing up as your authentic self. Grab your notebook, lean into the simplicity, and get ready to prospect with purpose!

Don’t forget to check out Michelle Mikel’s book “The Black Line,” her social channels, and her podcast. Subscribe, follow, and double-dog dare yourself to try a new prospecting approach this week!