The Chat - Conversations with Leaders of Marketing and Sales

Tired of chasing leads while your pipeline dries up?

In this episode, John Karsant (Co-Founder, Level Up Leads) shares what’s actually working in outbound sales right now.

• Why 80% of sales meetings come from one channel• Why email is getting crushed (and how to pivot fast)• The real reason cold calling is making a comeback for B2B sales• Lessons from building an SDR engine that actually converts• How to scale before you have product - channel fitThis isn’t theory. This is what’s converting right now, in the trenches.🧠 Hosted by Terry Wilson, founder of ChatMetrics with Guest - John Karsant of https://levelupleads.io/📍 Get more sales insights at https://www.chatmetrics.com/podcast/

In Part 2, James gets brutally honest about burnout, bad clients, and why his outbound agency had to die for his next level of success to be born. He breaks down the systems that didn’t scale, the lessons that almost broke him, and the smarter, more sustainable path he's built through strategic ghostwriting and high-leverage client work. If you've ever felt stuck doing it all yourself, this is your blueprint for breaking out and scaling up.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

✅ The Rep-to-Leader Pipeline

Why reps shouldn’t wait to “become someone” before building their brand.

James explains how content turned him into the magnet - so jobs, clients, and deals came to him.

✅ Why Posting on LinkedIn Is a Power Move (Even If You’re Not a Founder)

It’s not about being an “influencer.”

It’s about building visibility and credibility before you need it.

✅ Common Misconception: "Posting is only for marketers."

James dismantles this fast.

Most of his pipeline - and biggest career jumps - came because of consistent posting, not cold outreach.

✅ Turning Conversations Into Content

How to turn your sales convos, client questions, and even job interviews into daily, high-leverage content.

✅ The Myth of “Cringe Content”

Why worrying about judgment is costing you deals, reach, and relevance.

✅ Selling Without Selling Out

James shares how to stay authentic while still driving pipeline - without becoming a content clown.

🎯 Who Should Listen:

• Sales reps ready to build personal leverage

• Founders trying to attract instead of chase

• SDRs/AEs who want compounding credibility

• Anyone sick of low-quality inbound and high-effort outbound

From Cold Calls to Calendars on Fire with James Hanzimanolis

Guest: James Hanzimanolis - Outbound pro turned content-led sales strategist and author of Savage Outbound

Host: Terry Wilson - Co-founder at Chat Metrics, Host of The Chat

🔥 Episode Overview:

James Hanzimanolis went from running a high-intensity outbound agency to building a scalable, inbound sales engine powered by content – and it all started with a cold call to Seth Godin.

In this episode, James unpacks how that one conversation transformed his entire approach to sales and pipeline building. He shares the exact systems he used to book 300+ demos, close deals while he sleeps, and why content-led growth is no longer just a “marketing thing.”

You’ll walk away with practical strategies to layer your pipeline, escape founder-led chaos, and start building a revenue engine that actually scales.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• Why inbound leads convert 3x faster than outbound (and how to get them)

• The story behind James’ infamous call with Seth Godin

• How to build a layered pipeline that doesn’t rely on one channel

• The problem with most founders delegating sales too early

• Why you need to test outbound yourself before you hire

• What “content-led growth” really looks like in practice

• The simple framework James uses to audit and improve outbound results

🧠 Key Quotes by James:

“You need to find a way for people to come to you instead of you going after them.”

“Outbound works – but it breaks when you try to scale without systems.”

“Every sales channel should be a layer, not your lifeline.”

“Your pipeline problems are just strategy problems wearing sales clothes.”

📌 Episode Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & James’ outbound roots

2:45 - The call that changed everything (Seth Godin story)

4:30 - From cold outreach to inbound traction

6:20 - How James layered his sales channels for scale

8:15 - Why content isn’t just for marketers anymore

10:40 - Founders, don’t skip the early sales trenches

13:05 - What’s wrong with most outbound strategies today

16:40 - The early mistakes that nearly tanked James’ agency

19:30 - Wrap up & Part 2 preview

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Connect with James Hanzimanolis on LinkedIn

• Grab his book: Savage Outbound (search on Amazon or LinkedIn)

• Learn more about Chat Metrics at chatmetrics.com

• Follow host Terry Wilson on LinkedIn

• Subscribe to The Chat for weekly episodes with top B2B sales and marketing leaders

🎙 Episode Description:

Whatif everything you’ve been taught about B2B marketing is… wrong?

In this episode of The Chat, we sit down with Juliana Pereira, a B2C-turned-B2B growth leader who’s built revenue engines at some of the fastest-scaling SaaS companies. She breaks down what B2B marketers can steal from the DTC playbook - and how applying consumer marketing tactics to the B2B funnel can dramatically accelerate results.

We cover everything from attribution myths and sales/marketing alignment to pipeline velocity, SDR strategy, and the real KPIs that matter.

You’ll learn:

• Why B2B attribution is broken - and what to measure instead
• How to shorten long sales cycles using B2C-style testing and feedback loops
• The new definition of “qualified” - and why MQLs don’t cut it anymore
• How top companies are aligning sales and marketing into one revenue team
• The hidden gold in your funnel drop-offs, live chat, and chat data

Whether you're a demand gen leader, RevOps strategist, or GTM marketer - this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately.

👉 Listen now and learn how to rethink the funnel, rebuild trust with sales, and. turn marketing into the growth engine it’s supposed to be.

🎧 Episode Title: Building Trust in the Digital Agewith Ellza Malok

Description:

If you're a marketing leader constantly fighting to hit pipeline targets, defend your budget, and prove ROI to skeptical execs - this episode will feel like therapy.

In this conversation, Ellza Malok and Terry Wilson go deep into the real reasons high-intent buyers bounce... and why trust is quietly becoming your biggest competitive advantage.

You'll discover:

• Why 96% of prospects drop off the moment you ask for an email

• How over-relying on internal data is killing your conversion strategy

• Why human connection is outperforming AI in sales conversations

Whether you're battling sales over lead quality, explaining numbers to the board, or just wondering why your funnel is leaking - this episode gives you the clarity, confidence, and strategy to fix it.

No fluff. Just hard-earned insights you can use right now.

🎧 Hit play. This might be the most important 25 minutes of your week.

In this episode, Ellza Malok shares her unique perspective on theintersection of technology, psychology, and business leadership. Sheexplores how companies can leverage AI and automation while maintaining humanconnection and why empathy remains a competitive advantage in today'sdigital landscape.

From her experiences growing up in Kosovo to her career in datascience and marketing, Ellza’s journey offers deep insights into howbusinesses can build more meaningful, people-first experiences.

Key Takeaways

🚀 1. The Power of Human-Centered Leadership

🏆 2. Why AI Can’t Replace Human Connection

🔥 3. B2B Must Learn from B2C

🎭 4. Balancing Automation & Empathy

🎙 The Chat: Why Fast Live Chat Response TimeMatters for B2B

Ever been hit with a chatbot demanding your email before you can even ask a question? 🤨 You’re not alone -  and it might be costing businesses more than they realize.

In this episode, Andy and Tahlia dive deep into the do’s and don’ts of chatbot design, uncovering why prioritizing trust over transactions leads to higher engagement, better leads, and stronger customer relationships. They explore:

✅ Why asking for an email too soon kills trust and conversions
✅ The "Value-First" approach that makes chatbots actually work
✅ How blending AI + human support creates a seamless experience
✅ Why humor and personality might be the missing ingredient in chatbot design

If your business uses live chat, AI, or chatbots - this episode is a must-listen 🎧.

Learn how to build a chatbot experience that engages, converts, and keeps customers coming back!

🔗 Listen now & level up your chatbot game!

Podcast Notes: The Chat – Ellza Malok (Part 3)🎙 Episode Title: Understanding Customer Behavior & Speed to Lead🗣 Guest: Ellza Malok🎧 Host: Terry Wilson📅 Series: Part 3 of the conversation with Ellza Malok 🔹 Key Topics Covered:1️⃣ Data Overload: How to Identify What Really Matters2️⃣ The Science of Gut Feelings & Decision-Making3️⃣ The Hidden Power of Anomalies in Data4️⃣ Fast Decision-Making vs. Rigorous Research5️⃣ Speed to Lead: Why Fast Responses Matter in Marketing6️⃣ Marketing & Sales Alignment for Better Resultshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ellzamalok/https://bluemonarchgroup.com/ @BlueMonarchGroup ​

In this episode of The Chat, we continue our deep dive with Ellza Malok on how behavioral science is transforming marketing, leadership, and business strategy.

We discuss the predictable irrationality of human behavior, how to apply psychology in business decision-making, and the challenges mid-sized businesses face in profit optimization, succession planning, and return-to-office policies.

From fractional leadership to employee retention strategies,this episode is packed with actionable insights for business leaders looking to drive sustainable growth.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellzamalok/

Marketing is No Longer About JustBeing Loud - It’s About Being First and Being Right

In today’s digital world, buyers are more informed than ever before. Theyresearch, compare, and consult peers long before they even engage with a brand.This shift has completely redefined marketing and sales strategies. On TheChat podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ellza Malok,founder and chair of the Blue Monarch Group (BMG), who sharedgroundbreaking insights on buyer psychology, the power of speed to lead, andwhy marketing is shifting from ego-driven to empathy-driven strategies.

From her unique Alice in Wonderland-style curiosity to herexperience in psychology-driven marketing, Ellza brings a fascinatingperspective on how brands should approach modern marketing, sales, and customerintelligence.