Sales as Service

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the things—posting here, showing up there, and still wondering why it’s not translating into sales—this episode is for you.

I’m joined by podcast strategist and founder of iMoves Management, Tahjma VanBuren, for a conversation about what happens when you stop chasing every channel and start showing up with intention.

We talk about how to shift from content overwhelm to focused creation, and why building consistency on one platform—like podcasting—can unlock real traction in your business.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why choosing one platform to master is more strategic than trying to be everywhere
• How podcasting supports your sales process—even before the first conversation
• What “creation over consumption” really looks like in practice
• How to repurpose one piece of content into a week’s worth of visibility
• Why a consistent digital presence can shorten your sales cycle and attract right-fit leads

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

This week, your challenge is to simplify and focus:

• Block 30 minutes to pick your lane.
• Choose one primary platform to focus on for the next 90 days.
• Decide on a realistic content creation schedule you can stick to—whether that’s one post a week or one newsletter a month.
• Then, pick one piece of content you’ve already created and repurpose it.
• Maybe it’s a blog post turned into 3 LinkedIn posts or a social post expanded into an email.

Because clarity comes from action—and consistency is what builds trust before the sale ever starts.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about iMoves Management
• Connect with Tahjma on LinkedIn
• 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.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

Revenue isn’t just about reach—it’s about clarity. In this episode, I’m joined by website messaging expert Krista Walsh to talk about how your website can actually support your sales process.

We explore the shift from “here’s who I am” copy to content that meets your clients where they are—specifically in the moment they’re ready to hire. Whether you’re running a creative agency, coaching business, or service-based consultancy, this is your reminder that a beautiful website isn’t enough. You need words that work.

Key Takeaways:

• Most websites talk at clients instead of speaking to them. The goal is clarity, not cleverness.
• Treat your website like the bottom-of-funnel sales tool it should be—not a static brochure.
• The best content starts with one question: “What does my client need to hear to take the next step

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

Pull up one piece of content—your homepage, your services page, or even a recent email or LinkedIn post—and ask:

— Is this speaking directly to someone ready to take action?
— Does it answer their questions and reflect their mindset?
— Or is it still centered on you, instead of them?

Revise one piece of copy with your ready-to-buy client in mind. Small shift. Big impact.

Learn more about Krista: 

• Krista on LinkedIn
• Krista on Instagram

Links & Resources:

• Join us for the next SAS LIVE Office Hours Event!
• Check out the LinkedIn Lead Generator mini-course 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.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

Revenue looks great on paper—but is it turning into profit you can actually use? 

I’m joined by Chris Ortega, CEO of Fresh FP&A, to unpack the habits and small decisions that make the difference. We dig into the two numbers every owner should watch each week, the sneaky places profit leaks (and how to plug them), and a few simple cash moves you can start this month to pay yourself, support your team, and fund your next smart bet.

Key Takeaways:

• Track your non-negotiables: cash burn and cash runway. If growth isn’t showing up in cash, it’s time to pay attention—track both every week.
• Watch the timing: misaligned payment terms—like paying contractors in 45–60 days while clients pay in 90—choke your cash. Renegotiating terms or using card float can shift the cycle.
• Start with the foundation: people, process, and partnership first. Then scale with tools, performance, and profit optimization. That’s what builds confidence to bet bigger.

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

• Run a margin check. Pick your top 3 clients or projects from last month. Jot down revenue, direct delivery costs, and gross profit %. Circle anything that makes you wince.
• Pick one lever. Tweak your next proposal or renewal: tighten scope, raise a rate, add a minimum, or cap revisions.
• BONUS: Start a monthly money recon. Set up a simple spreadsheet. Compare what’s coming in vs. going out—across checking and credit cards.

Pro tip: Audit your tech stack. Keep what you use, cancel the rest. Optional: mirror your accounting tool in a quick Google Sheet for a better at-a-glance view.

Learn more about Chris:

• Fresh FP&A
• LinkedIn

Links & Resources:

• 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.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

So many of us start our businesses with big hearts and a drive to serve—only to find ourselves uncomfortable (even apologetic) when it comes time to charge for our work. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Reland Logan, founder of Gray Digital Marketing and creator of the Luxe Invite Framework.

We unpack what it looks like to build a sales funnel where every step is paid, why confidence is often the missing link in pricing, and how to reframe your first offer as a preview of your brilliance—not a giveaway of your time.

If you’ve been stuck in the free consult > custom proposal > fingers crossed loop, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarity builds confidence—and confidence builds trust.
• Charging for the first step in your funnel creates buy-in, not barriers.
• The right funnel should feel like a guided invitation—not a performance or a pitch.

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!
Audit your sales process and identify one place where you’re giving too much away for free.
 
Ask yourself:

• Could this step be positioned as a paid strategy session or workshop?
• Can I offer to credit this back toward the full engagement if they move forward?

This small shift can protect your time, reinforce your value, and build trust before the sale even closes.

Learn more about Réland:

• graydigitalmktg.co
• Connect with Réland on LinkedIn
• Explore the Luxe Invite Framework

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

If you've been telling yourself you'll "get serious about email marketing" someday—this is the episode to make that day today.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Tracy Beavers, Visibility & List Growth Strategist and host of the Create Online Business Success podcast. Tracy helps business owners build simple, organic systems that grow their email list and generate leads every day—without relying on paid ads or complicated funnels.

We dig into the why behind list building, what’s actually working right now, and how to take the overwhelm out of email marketing with systems that run in the background of your business.

Key Takeaways:

• Why your email list is still one of the most valuable assets in your business—and how to treat it like one
• The difference between showing up online and actually being visible to the right people
• What’s working right now for organic list growth
• How to build background lead flow that works even when you’re not actively selling
• Tips for re-engaging a quiet list without overcomplicating the process
• The mindset shift that makes visibility feel more sustainable—and less like a chore

Find the complete show notes here → https://studiothree49.com/podcast/simple-organic-ways-to-grow-your-email-list-with-tracy-beavers

Sales as Service Challenge — Start Now!

1. Choose one quick-win problem your ideal client is already trying to solve.
2. Write a short, helpful email sharing a tip, story, or simple framework to address it.
   Pro tip: Look at your last social media post. Instead of starting from scratch, repurpose that content into an email.
3. Add a clear call to action—or better yet, ask a question to boost engagement.
    It could be as simple as asking them to hit reply and share their biggest challenge around the problem you solve.

Learn more about Tracy:

• FB Business: facebook.com/tracybeaverscoaching 
• FB Personal: facebook.com/tracy.l.beavers   
• FB Group: facebook.com/groups/beaconfidententrepreneur  
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tracy-beavers-b650449/  
• YouTube:  youtube.com/@tracybeaverscoaching 
• Website: tracybeavers.com

Links & Resources:

• 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 free 5-Minute Sales Audit for a quick scan to show what’s working, what’s not—and one thing you can improve right away.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

Most small business owners wrestle with the same question: is it a sales problem or a marketing problem?

I recently recorded our very first Sales as Service LIVE office hours - and Shannon Kinney, Founder & CEO of Dream Local Digital, joined me to dig into exactly that. Shannon brings more than 30 years of leadership experience building scalable digital strategies for brands like LinkedIn, Google, eBay, and Microsoft. Since founding Dream Local Digital in 2009, she’s helped thousands of small businesses and media companies develop marketing strategies designed to grow and scale.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Do I need more leads, or do I just need to get better at closing the ones I have?” - this conversation will give you a clear way to answer that.

Key Takeaways

• The simple way to know if you have a sales problem or a marketing problem - and why the fix is rarely “do more of everything”
• Why marketing generates attention, but sales is what turns that attention into revenue
• The risks of relying only on referrals and inbound interest (and how to break the waiting game)
• Practical first steps to build consistency without a full sales and marketing team
• The small, repeatable actions that keep your pipeline full month after month

Learn more about Shannon:

• Dream Local Digital
• LinkedIn

Sales as Service Challenge — Join Now!

This week, run a quick 30-day audit to find out if you’re facing a marketing gap or a sales gap:

Look back at the past 30 days:

• How many new leads or opportunities came in?
• Where did those leads come from?
• Of those leads, how many converted into paying clients?

Diagnose the gap:

• Low new leads? That’s a marketing problem. Time to revisit your audience, offer, or messaging.
• Lots of leads, low conversions? That’s a sales problem. Focus on follow-up, qualification, and guiding prospects to a decision.
• Stuck waiting on referrals or the occasional inbound? That’s not a growth strategy. Make space for intentional, proactive outreach.

Run this audit monthly and use what you find to focus your efforts where it matters most.

✨ Share your audit results or next step with the hashtag #SalesAsService so I can cheer you on.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

You don’t need more leads - you need the right ones. 

In this episode, I sat down with Jamie Cox, a Nashville-based brand and marketing strategist who helps B2B service providers get off the content hamster wheel by getting crystal clear on who they serve - and just as importantly, who they don’t.

Jamie’s approach to brand strategy isn’t about logos or color palettes. It’s about making your brand a filter. One that calls in the work you actually want to do and creates enough of a point of view to repel the rest. Because when your brand is built to be felt - not just seen - it naturally supports your sales process.

If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling over your messaging or stuck trying to “do it all” on social, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Key Takeaways

• Why brand clarity isn’t just about visuals - it’s the foundation of a sales strategy that attracts the right people and repels the wrong ones
• How to define your not-for list to get clearer on your actual niche
• The referral engine that clarity creates - and how to make it easier for people to talk about your work in rooms you're not in
• A simple mindset shift that makes visibility feel more like connection and less like performance
• The rhythms and systems that help solopreneurs stay consistent—even when client work takes over

SaS Challenge — Join Now!

This week, let’s focus on filtering for fit - so your brand can do more of the heavy lifting in your sales process.

1. Pick one platform where you want to build a more consistent presence—whether it’s LinkedIn, your email list, or your website.
2. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Jot down 3 characteristics of your best-fit clients - and 3 warning signs that someone’s not for you.
3. Publish one piece of content this week that speaks directly to the client you want more of.

✨ Share with the hashtag #SalesAsService, so I can cheer you on.

Links & Resources:

• 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. 
• Download the VIP Power Hour free guide.
• Learn more about Jamie: jamiercox.com; newsletter.jamiercox.com; linkedin.com/in/jamiercox13
• Resources mentioned in this episode: Jamie’s Brand Clarity Lab: jamiercox.com/brand-clarity-lab 

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

You don’t need more leads - you need the right ones. 

In this episode, I sat down with Jamie Cox, a Nashville-based brand and marketing strategist who helps B2B service providers get off the content hamster wheel by getting crystal clear on who they serve - and just as importantly, who they don’t.

Jamie’s approach to brand strategy isn’t about logos or color palettes. It’s about making your brand a filter. One that calls in the work you actually want to do and creates enough of a point of view to repel the rest. Because when your brand is built to be felt - not just seen - it naturally supports your sales process.

If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling over your messaging or stuck trying to “do it all” on social, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Key Takeaways

• Why brand clarity isn’t just about visuals - it’s the foundation of a sales strategy that attracts the right people and repels the wrong ones
• How to define your not-for list to get clearer on your actual niche
• The referral engine that clarity creates - and how to make it easier for people to talk about your work in rooms you're not in
• A simple mindset shift that makes visibility feel more like connection and less like performance
• The rhythms and systems that help solopreneurs stay consistent—even when client work takes over

Sales as Service Challenge — Join Now!

This week, let’s focus on filtering for fit - so your brand can do more of the heavy lifting in your sales process.

1. Pick one platform where you want to build a more consistent presence—whether it’s LinkedIn, your email list, or your website.
2. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Jot down 3 characteristics of your best-fit clients - and 3 warning signs that someone’s not for you.
3. Publish one piece of content this week that speaks directly to the client you want more of.

✨ Share your chosen platform with the hashtag #SalesAsService, so I can cheer you on.

Links & Resources:

• 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. 
• Learn more about Jamie: jamiercox.com; newsletter.jamiercox.com;
  linkedin.com/in/jamiercox13
• Resources mentioned in this episode: Jamie’s Brand Clarity Lab: jamiercox.com/brand-clarity-lab 

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram and let me know.

Connect with Tam!

Tam Smith is a Sales Growth Strategist and founder of Studio Three 49, where she helps creative agencies and service pros 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.

She also hosts live Sales as Service Office Hours, where she shows up as the perpetual student—sharing what she’s testing, learning, and uncovering, while answering real questions about sales and sustainable business growth.

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.

When Studio Three 49 shifted from all-things digital to a focus on sales systems, I ran right into the same inconsistency many of my clients face - a thin digital footprint.

Blogging felt like a slog. Video was a hard no. But talking? That I could do.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jess Milanes, founder of KNWN, a boutique agency that helps founders turn one recorded conversation into a full content ecosystem. She’s also our podcast producer - and the person who helped me shift my mindset from “podcasting is a heavy lift” to “podcasting is my content engine.”

Eleven episodes later, this show anchors every piece of marketing I create. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain so you can see how a lean, doable launch puts your voice in your buyers’ earbuds - long before the discovery call.

Key Takeaways

• Why podcasting is more than a visibility tool - it’s a sales strategy
• How to go from concept to confident launch
• The lean gear stack that gets the job done
• A simple roadmap that makes podcasting feel doable
• The mindset shifts that help founders get out of their own way

Sales as Service Challenge — Join Now!

1. Pick one platform you can realistically commit to: podcast, LinkedIn articles, weekly newsletter, or short-form video.
   
   
2. Brainstorm three anchor pieces that answer your buyers’ biggest questions or pain points—timer set for 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Block time on your calendar and ship the first piece this week. 

Share your chosen platform with the hashtag #SalesAsService, so I can cheer you on.

Links & Resources:

• 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. 
• Learn more about Jess: 
• Website: theknwn.com 
• Instagram: @jessmilanes
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jessmilanes
• Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Gear Recommendation: Audio-Technica ATR2100x Mic
Recording Platform: Riverside.fm
Hosting Platform: Buzzsprout

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram and let me know.

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.

When we talk about scaling a service business, we often focus on tactics, funnels, and conversion rates. But what if the real lever for growth was… gratitude?

In this episode of Sales as Service, I’m joined by Sloane Scott—Chaos Pilot and strategic advisor to 80+ founder-led businesses, including more than 30 that scaled to exit. We talk about what it actually looks like to weave gratitude into your customer journey from first touch to long-term retention.

This is more than saying “thank you.” It’s about building a business where appreciation, generosity, and intention are part of the system—not just the sentiment.

Whether you’re crafting a go-to-market strategy, revisiting your onboarding process, or trying to deepen client loyalty, this episode will help you rethink the way you show up in every step of your sales and delivery experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Why gratitude is not just a personal value—but a strategic advantage in business
• How to incorporate appreciation at every stage of the customer journey: from first outreach to renewal or offboarding
• Simple, repeatable ways to make gratitude part of your sales process
• The “pre-posal” approach: a low-pressure, collaborative way to co-create client solutions
• How gratitude and generosity can increase referrals, improve retention, and strengthen your brand reputation
• The mindset shift from short-term revenue to long-term relationship building
• Why leading with curiosity (and care) always creates more traction than trying to “sell”

Sales as Service Challenge - Join Now!

Choose one moment in your sales or client experience where you can intentionally express gratitude.

Whether it's a handwritten note, a simple thank-you voice memo, or a check-in that doesn’t try to sell - let it be genuine. Then notice how it changes the relationship.

Links & Resources:

• Join us for the next SAS Office Hours Event!
• Check out the LinkedIn Lead Generator to learn how to turn simple daily actions into real conversations with potential clients. 
• Learn more about Sloane: sloane-co.com
  linkedin.com/in/sloanescott
• Resources mentioned in the episode:
  Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Have an episode idea? DM me on LinkedIn or Instagram and let me know. 

Tam Smith is the founder of Studio Three 49 and a professional conversation starter. She helps service-based founders stop waiting for referrals and start creating opportunities through genuine conversations.

Your next client - calculate what it takes.

Learn how to consistently book 3–5 sales-qualified meetings each week - book an Alignment Call. 

Connect with Tam on LinkedIn. 

Produced by KNWN Media. Executive Producer: Jess Milanes.