Longevity in business isn’t built on intensity. It’s built on discipline and consistency.

In this episode, I sit down with Laura Patterson, Founder and President of VisionEdge Marketing, a strategic growth consulting firm she launched in 1999. With more than 25 years of experience helping companies drive measurable growth, Laura shares what it really takes to build a business that endures.

We unpack customer-centric growth, the danger of “random acts,” and how to align sales and marketing around outcomes that actually matter. If you’ve ever felt busy but unsure whether your activity is translating into traction, this conversation will sharpen your thinking.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why defining outcomes in customer terms changes everything
• The difference between performance targets and dashboards
• How to identify and eliminate “random acts” in your business
• What profitable, sustainable growth actually requires
• How to align daily sales activity with long-term strategic outcomes

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!
Pick one specific customer outcome you’re driving toward this quarter.

Maybe it’s acquiring X new clients.
Maybe it’s expanding services within X existing accounts.

Then ask yourself:

What am I currently doing that directly supports that outcome?
And just as importantly —
What am I doing that doesn’t?

If it doesn’t clearly connect, it might be a random act.

And random acts may feel productive… but they dilute profitable growth.

This week, eliminate one random act.

Then reallocate that time toward something that directly supports your defined customer outcome — whether that’s initiating five intentional conversations, deepening relationships with existing clients, or tightening your positioning around a specific niche.

Clarity creates focus. Focus creates traction. And traction creates the foundation for sustainable growth.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about VisionEdge Marketing
• Connect with Laura on LinkedIn
• Find VisionEdge Marketing on YouTube
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event! 
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide
• Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - Book your free strategy call
• Get on the list - Become a SAS Email Insider 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

Sales has never been more automated.

AI can write your emails, personalize outreach, and schedule follow-ups. But as tools multiply, something important is getting lost: the discipline of direct, human connection.

In this episode of Sales as Service, I sit down with Bryan Coble, President of ACC Go to Market Consulting, to unpack why relationship-based business development is not passive — it’s an intentional, structured practice. We talk about the difference between marketing visibility and real pipeline creation, how AI should enhance (not replace) relationships, and why predictable revenue is built over years, not weeks.

If you’ve been waiting for pipeline to “kick in,” this conversation is your reminder: stop waiting. Start initiating.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why automation is increasing noise — and making genuine connection more valuable
• The difference between posting content and practicing business development
• How to build an intentional referral network (beyond just client referrals)
• Relationship-driven KPIs that matter more than vanity metrics
• Why consistent outreach over time creates sustainable, predictable revenue

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Initiate five intentional conversations in the next 7 days.

Reach out to:

• A current client you haven’t checked in with recently
• A past client who loved your work
• A referral partner you should be nurturing
• A potential collaborator
• Or someone you genuinely admire in your space

Your goal is simple:

Reconnect.
Ask what they’re working on.
Look for ways to support them.
Make sure they clearly understand who you help and how you serve.

That’s it.

Build the habit of initiating consistently, and revenue will start to feel more predictable — because you’re no longer waiting for opportunities to appear.

You’re creating them.

Resources & Links

• Learn more about ACC Go to Market
• Connect with Bryan on LinkedIn
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event! 
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide
• Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - Book your free strategy call
• Get on the list - Become a SAS Email Insider

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

Facts tell—but stories sell.

In this episode of Sales as Service, I’m joined by Kendall Cherry, founder and executive ghostwriter at The Candid Collective, for a conversation about what story-driven sales actually looks like in practice. We explore why so many founders are creating content that resonates emotionally but fails to convert—and what’s usually missing when that happens.

Kendall breaks down how stories build trust faster than facts alone, why testimonials are one of the most underutilized sales assets in most businesses, and how founders can use story to initiate conversations without forcing a pitch. We also dig into the deeper resistance many founders feel around selling—and why that resistance has less to do with tactics and more to do with self-belief.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why facts inform, but stories are what drive decisions
• The one story every founder needs to be able to tell
• How to turn testimonials into sales-ready narratives
• What makes content resonate but not convert
• How to use story to attract aligned, ready-to-buy clients

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Turn one client experience into a sales story.

Set aside 30 minutes and pull one testimonial, email, or message from a client where they describe what changed after working with you.

Don’t focus on praise or outcomes alone. Look for:

• What they were struggling with before
• What felt uncertain or messy in the middle
• What shifted as a result of working together

Rewrite that into a short story. Then put it to work:

• Share it in a post
• Include it in a follow-up email
• Or use it as the foundation for a warm outreach message

Finish with a simple invitation:
“If this feels familiar, here’s how I help.”

Selling isn’t about convincing.
It’s about helping the right people recognize themselves in the story.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about The Candid Collective
• Connect with Kendall on LinkedIn 
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide
• Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - Book your free strategy call
• Get on the list - Become a SAS Email Insider 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

Selling isn’t just a skill. It’s emotional. And for many women founders and service-based business owners, that emotional weight shows up as guilt, second-guessing, and a constant fear of “doing it wrong.”

In this episode of Sales as Service, Tam Smith sits down with Dr. Nadia Brown for a candid conversation about what really holds women back from consistent revenue. Together, they unpack why selling your own work feels so personal, how money stories quietly influence decision-making, and what it looks like to sell with dignity instead of pressure.

This isn’t about scripts or hard closes. It’s about courage, leadership, and building a sales practice that actually feels like you.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why selling your own work triggers guilt and self-doubt—even for experienced sellers
• How perfectionism and overgiving quietly derail revenue
• The reframe from “closing” to making a clear invitation
• Why rejection feels personal—and how to recover without spiraling
• How courage, not confidence, becomes the real growth lever in sales

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Practice Courage. Not Perfection

Over the next seven days, choose one courageous sales action and take it without trying to make it perfect.

That might look like:

• Following up with a lead you’ve been avoiding
• Making a clear invitation instead of hinting
• Stating your price and stopping yourself from over-explaining

Afterward, write down two things:

1. What emotions came up for you?
2. What actually happened—separate from the story you told yourself about it?

This isn’t about getting the yes.
It’s about building the muscle to show up consistently.

Selling is a practice.
And courage counts.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about The Doyenne Agency
• Connect with Dr Nadia on Instagram and LinkedIn
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide
• Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - Book your free strategy call
• Get on the list - Become a SAS Email Insider

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

As founders, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to attract clients—offers, messaging, pipelines, and conversion. But what often gets overlooked is the internal foundation that makes sales sustainable in the first place.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Brooke M. Dukes, Founder of BMD Consulting, to explore why culture isn’t a “later” problem and how leadership, communication, and internal alignment directly impact sales performance and growth.

Together, we unpack what it looks like to prepare your business to scale successfully instead of working backwards to fix misalignment, burnout, or breakdowns inside your team.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why internal culture shows up in every client interaction
• How outdated leadership and communication systems quietly stall sales
• The connection between culture, trust, and consistent revenue
• What founders can do early to avoid fixing problems later
• How to build a sales foundation that supports sustainable growth

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Block 30 uninterrupted minutes on your calendar and take an honest look at your internal culture.

Ask yourself:

• Does my team understand and believe in our vision?
• Are we hiring and partnering for culture fit—or just filling seats?
• When was the last time I checked in on how people actually feel about working here?

Write down what you discover, not what you hope is true, but what’s happening right now.

If you’re a solopreneur working with contractors, this applies to you, too. Your contractors are your internal clients. How you show up for them directly impacts how they show up for your external clients.

Culture isn’t something you earn the right to focus on later. It’s the foundation everything else is built on.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about BMD Consulting. 
• Connect with Brooke on LinkedIn. 
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide. 
• Book your free strategy call and learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week. 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

For a long time, sales has been framed as persuasion—pitch harder, prove value, create urgency. But modern buyers don’t want pressure. They want confidence, clarity, and a partner who understands their risk.

In this episode of Sales as Service, I’m joined by Travis Pomposello, former media executive turned advisor, to explore the mindset shift creative agency owners must make to move from vendor thinking to trusted strategic partner. Drawing from decades in media, building and selling his own agency, and his work inside the Creative Agency Accelerator, Travis breaks down how agencies can win high-value clients without compromising integrity.

This is also a personal conversation. I share how a simple LinkedIn DM led to mentorship, collaboration, and becoming a student inside Travis’s program—proof that when used well, relationship-first outreach can change your business.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why persuasion is losing power—and partnership is replacing it
• The Four Pillars of Modern Buying and how they show up in real sales conversations
• How to stop selling services and start selling outcomes
• What it actually means to de-risk the decision for your clients
• Why trust is built in the process, not the pitch

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Pay attention to how you’re showing up in your sales process—not just the outcome you want, but the experience you’re creating.

On your next discovery call, networking conversation, or DM exchange:

• Slow yourself down and listen longer than you pitch
• Lead with questions that help the other person feel seen and understood
• Replace urgency with proof—a case study, example, or part of your process that shows how you protect client success

The best closers don’t rush decisions. 
They remove uncertainty and help clients feel safe moving forward.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Creative Agency Accelerator. 
• Connect with Travis on LinkedIn. 
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide. 
• Book your free strategy call and learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week. 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

You’ve built the thing. The offer works. Clients are saying yes. But behind the scenes, the business feels heavier than it should.

In this episode of Sales as Service, I’m joined by Gary Fredericks, CEO and Co-Founder of OnPoint Partners, to talk about what happens after early traction—when internal structure becomes just as important as external sales and marketing.

We explore how founders and service-based business owners can borrow the right lessons from bigger businesses—things like clarity, ownership, and disciplined processes—without adding unnecessary complexity or losing flexibility. Because when roles are blurry and everything still runs through you, your clients feel it. Your team feels it. And growth quietly slows.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why growth plateaus are often internal—not sales problems
• How unclear roles and processes show up in the client experience
• What “enterprise discipline” really means for small businesses
• Why founders become the bottleneck without realizing it
• How simple structure creates more time for revenue-generating work

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Identify one “five-minute task” you keep holding onto.

The thing you tell yourself is easier to just do yourself. The thing that interrupts your focus more than you realize.

Then:

• Write a simple SOP for it (not perfect—just clear)
• Define what “done well” actually looks like
• Decide whether it should be delegated, simplified, or removed

This isn’t about giving up control. It’s about protecting your time, your energy, and your role as the growth driver in your business.

Because just because you can do the thing doesn’t mean you should.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about OnPoint Partners
• Connect with Gary on LinkedIn
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide. 
• Book your free strategy call and learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week. 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

Your next client has already Googled you.

That’s the core message personal brand strategist Darren Mass drives home in this high-impact episode. We explore how your digital footprint shapes perception long before discovery calls, and why personal brand is the invisible hand that accelerates (or derails) sales.

If you’ve ever hesitated to post or wondered if your brand voice really matters—this is your episode. Darren and I dive into:

• Why “building in public” accelerates trust and shortens the sales cycle
• The four content pillars every founder should define—and how to find yours
• What most people get wrong about visibility and timing
• The mindset shift required to write like you speak (and why that matters)
• A real-world example of a founder who pivoted after a branding gut-check

Darren shares battle-tested insights from two decades in entrepreneurship and exits, plus practical tools you can start using today. You’ll walk away seeing content not as a chore—but as a conversation starter with your next best client.

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Review  your own digital presence.

Google yourself. Look at your LinkedIn profile and read your last three posts. Ask yourself:

• Does this sound like me?
• Is my point of view clear?
• Would I want to take a meeting with me?

If the answer isn’t a strong yes, pick one small action:
 ✅ Update your headline
 ✅ Share one POV post
 ✅ Clean up your profile summary

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Brand Built.
• Connect with Darren on LinkedIn.
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide. 
• Grab your 5-Minute Sales Audit for a quick scan to show what’s working, what’s not—and one thing you can improve right away.

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

Welcome back to Sales as Service—and happy new year. To kick off Season 2, I’m sharing a special episode: my guest appearance on Melissa Snow’s Powerful Women Rising podcast.

In this conversation, we unpack the relationship between marketing and sales—why they’re not the same thing, why marketing alone can leave you waiting, and what it looks like to create opportunity proactively without falling into pushy, transactional tactics.

If you’ve been showing up consistently but still wondering why it’s not translating into revenue, this episode offers a grounded path forward.

In this episode, we cover:

• Marketing vs. sales: “building the room” vs. “starting the conversation”
• Why referrals are great—but not predictable or scalable
• The mindset shift that makes sales feel human (not “salesy”)
• The difference between building awareness and actually inviting people to work with you
• The 90-day rule for sales results (and why you’re probably giving up too soon)

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

The 3–2–2 Method (30-Day Outreach Practice)

For the next 30 days, build proactive outreach into your day using this simple rhythm:

• 3 thoughtful comments on posts from people you genuinely want to build a relationship with (Not “Great post!”—add something real.)
• 2 outbound messages to new connections
   (No pitch. Lead with a real reason you’re reaching out.)
• 2 touch points to your existing network
   (Past clients, collaborators, referral partners—stay visible and supportive.)
• Track it. Don’t overthink it. Watch what happens. 

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Powerful Women Rising 
• Listen to the Powerful Women Rising Podcast
• Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Simply sales with the VIP Power Hour - download the FREE guide
• Book your free strategy call and learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.

We’re closing out Season 1 with a minisode that’s part reflection, part field notes. When I launched this show, I didn’t realize how much it would shape my own consistency and confidence—especially after seeing how hard sales gets when you don’t have an online footprint you can lean on.

For this wrap-up, I pulled one question I asked every guest: “What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about sales and business development?” Their answers were surprisingly aligned—six themes came up again and again, no matter their niche or business model.

If you’re heading into a new year thinking you need a brand-new strategy, start here instead.

Links & Resources:

• Apply to join Jamie Cox inside the Brand Clarity Lab
• Holiday special offers for SAS Listeners
• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Check out the LinkedIn Lead Generator to learn how to turn simple daily actions into real conversations with potential clients. 
• Grab your  5-Minute Sales Audit for a quick scan to show what’s working, what’s not—and one thing you can improve right away. 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn and let me know!

—
Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of ST49 Sales Growth Marketing, where she helps female agency owners and service-based founders ditch feast-or-famine cycles with sales systems that actually feel good to use.

With 15+ years in sales leadership, Tam’s work focuses on building genuine relationships, crafting smart outreach strategies, and creating consistent client pipelines—no pressure tactics required.

When she’s not helping clients build reliable sales systems, you’ll likely find her rock climbing or mapping out her next adventure with her Supermutt, Ila, in Durham, NC.