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In this, the 50th episode of The Sales History Podcast, I step into the role of prosecuting attorney to put one bold claim on trial: that the sales profession has changed dramatically in the past decade. My case? The evidence shows otherwise. Drawing on over 140 years of books, magazines, and other artifacts, I attempt to prove that the foundational principles of selling are the same today as they were over 100 years ago. Decide the verdict for yourself.

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 - Four Levers Negotiating - chock full of history quotes, too...pre-order now. 

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I got "lit up" by a social media troll...and it turns out, the troll was right! I was complaining about my seat on a plane; a metal tube traveling 500 mph 35,000 feet above the earth. Me, sitting comfortably in a cushiony chair sipping a Diet Coke and enjoying a Stroopwafel. 

Uncle Charlie Terry shared his travel stories from the 1800s...and (a) it made me realize what a wimp I was by complaining, but (b) opened my eyes to what traveling salespeople sacrificed and dealt with to make a living in the 1860s-1920s. 

Enjoy this take on sales and sales travel from the 1800s. 

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 - Four Levers Negotiating - chock full of history quotes, too...pre-order now. 

Support the show

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Imagine: it's spring 1893. You're a salesperson for the National Cash Register Corporation (NCR). Your ultimate boss? Oh, it's just the founder of the modern sales profession...John H. Patterson. 

The person responsible for almost everything about sales today, back in the 1890s, wrote a newsletter to his salespeople across the country on a regular basis. In this episode, we explore some of the thoughts, tips, and rules for the NCR team.

Trust me - they're amazing, and still applicable today.

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 - Four Levers Negotiating - chock full of history quotes, too...pre-order now. 

Support the show

Send us a text

Is AI coming for the sales profession? Will "everything change"? Turns out, history can help us predict the future of the sales profession in the face of the rise of AI.

Because, as I read all of the commentary, they mostly all say the same thing…
…the same thing as was said throughout history every time there was either (a) a significant shift in the world of business, or (b) a significant downturn.

In this episode, I attempt to answer the question, "Will AI kill the sales profession? What history tells us..."

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 - Four Levers Negotiating - chock full of history quotes, too...pre-order now. 

Support the show

Send us a text

What would it be like to be a salesperson during a World War? Well, it's happened twice, and in this episode, we explore the lens by which salespeople were asked to do their jobs during World War I. 

It's an incredible example of selling with a higher purpose beyond just hitting a quota and receiving a commission check...

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

COMING IN JANUARY OF 2026 - Four Levers Negotiating - chock full of history quotes, too...pre-order now. 

Support the show

Support the show

Send us a text

In the January 1918 edition of Business Philosopher Magazine, a story by William W. Woodbridge was printed. It's the story of a down-and-out salesperson, John Bradford, who essentially fired himself! 

It’s a story of getting right with yourself. I fell in love with it, and wanted to share it with you.

"Bradford, you're fired!"

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

Support the show

Send us a text

The beginnings of the modern sales profession (1890-1920) were associated with trust, respect, and even admiration. 100 years later, the sales profession sits at the bottom of Gallup's annual listings of ethical professions...along with politicians.

What happened? Where did it all go wrong?

I put my finger on it. In this episode, I diagnose the specific period where it all went bad, explore the many justifications and debates around high-pressure versus low-pressure selling, and why we may still have hope to return to those trusted roots.

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

Support the show

Send us a text

Some individuals from sales history moved mountains - and nobody knows about them today! This time, I wanted to highlight one from the 1970s & 1980s - Barbara Pletcher. She noticed a void in the development of women for the boardroom, and it started with sales skills.

I found her story really compelling. The way she thought about raising the bar for all is brilliant. Here's her story...

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

Support the show

Send us a text

The way we live today wasn't defined just via the invention itself. Things like the steam engine, telegraph, reaper, highways, the telephone, the automobile...and just about every other revolutionary advancement was met with extreme skepticism. They all HAD TO BE SOLD.  The incredible inventors had to be ingenious salespeople, too.

Here are their stories. 

In this episode, which I really enjoyed researching, I take you through the stories of so many things we just assume have always been around - and must have sold themselves...but didn't.

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership includes several quotes and lessons from past sales.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

Support the show

Send us a text

The early 1900s were made up of the foundation layers for our great profession. Incredible ideas. Great Writing. Things we all use still today.

 However, there were a few odd ideas out there, too.

Here’s a collection of ten of those odd quotes on everything from bowel movements, your thyroid, and your ability to fight that made up these fine individuals’ thoughts around what led to success in sales.

@saleshistorian on Instagram - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
@saleshistorian on X - daily quotes, pics & comics from the past
The Transparent Sales Leader - The book on revenue leadership, which includes several quotes and lessons from sales' past.
The Transparency Sale - the first book, (ironically) named one of the top 100 sales books of all time.

Support the show