Episodes

  • Episode 74 - Follow Up, Adapt, and Win: Cybersecurity & Sales Lessons with Brett Gallant

    Episode 74 - Follow Up, Adapt, and Win: Cybersecurity & Sales Lessons with Brett Gallant
    May 29 2025
    In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with Brett Gallant, a cybersecurity expert and sales pro, to break down how sales and security both rely on trust, consistency, and follow-up. From selling ice cream as a kid to closing cybersecurity deals, Brett shares how his early sales lessons shaped his business success today. We cover: ✅ Why fortunes are made in the follow-up ✅ How to create urgency and problem awareness in sales ✅ The role of storytelling in building trust and closing deals ✅ Why mindset is the key to long-term sales success ✅ How cybersecurity sales relate to every business owner’s survival If you’re looking to improve your follow-up, ask better sales questions, and refine your process to close more deals, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can start using today. Key Takeaways from This Episode 1. Fortunes Are Made in the Follow-Up 🔹 Brett’s first sales job—selling ice cream as a kid—taught him that consistency wins. 🔹 He turned a dead-end sales route into the best route in the city by showing up every day and ringing the bell. 🔹 Sales takeaway: Keep following up, be present, and create demand. 2. Spot the Patterns & Adapt to Win 🔹 Brett saw patterns in customer behavior—kids at pools bought more ice cream, so he parked his bike where the demand was. 🔹 Later in business, he used the same principle—recognizing customer pain points and adjusting his strategy. 🔹 Sales takeaway: Opportunities come when you look for them—find demand, solve problems, and position yourself accordingly. 3. Storytelling Sells, Facts Alone Don’t 🔹 Facts tell, but stories sell—Brett makes cybersecurity real by showing clients how a breach could personally affect their business. 🔹 “What would happen if your systems were locked tomorrow? How would you manage payroll?” 🔹 Sales takeaway: Use real-world stories to make your product relatable and urgent. 4. The Power of Asking the Right Questions 🔹 Brett’s cybersecurity pitch isn’t just about selling—it’s about helping clients realize the risks they didn’t even know they had. 🔹 Instead of dumping stats on them, he asks: “How do you want to manage your risk?” 🔹 Sales takeaway: Great salespeople don’t sell—they help prospects realize their own needs. 5. Sales & Mindset Go Hand in Hand 🔹 Brett’s belief? Mindset is a muscle—you have to flex it. 🔹 Rejection, resilience, and belief in your process separate successful closers from the rest. 🔹 “If you don’t believe in what you’re selling, your prospect won’t either.” 🔹 Sales takeaway: Confidence + mindset + process = sales success. Expanded Insights & Strategies How to Turn a Cold Lead into a Closed Deal Brett lost a client because they didn’t see the value in cybersecurity—but he didn’t give up. Instead, he refined his consultative sales process, followed up, and later closed that same client weeks later. 💡 Try This: If a prospect says no, don’t just move on—stay in their world, educate, and show your value. Making Prospects Problem-Aware (Before It’s Too Late) Most business owners don’t think about cybersecurity until it’s too late. Brett uses strategic questions to make them realize the risks before disaster strikes. 💡 Pro Tip: Instead of telling a prospect what they need, ask: 👉 “If your entire system was locked tomorrow, how would you handle it?” 👉 “How would a two-week shutdown impact your revenue?” These questions make the risk real—and urgency drives sales. Brett’s Advice for Salespeople "Take action. Stop waiting for the perfect plan—just execute. The best salespeople don’t wait for ideal conditions. They adapt, take risks, and go for it." How to Connect with Brett Gallant Brett is dedicated to helping businesses protect themselves from cyber threats while mastering the art of sales and follow-up. 🔗 Website: https://www.theadaptivemindset.ca 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com (DM “15 Ways” for his cybersecurity checklist!) 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com 🎙 Podcast: The Adaptive Mindset – Tackling mindset, business, and personal growth. Call The Damn Leads 🔥 By sales professionals, for sales professionals. Join Drewbie Wilson each week for high-energy stories, proven tactics, and expert insights to help you crush your sales game. 🎙 Want to be a guest? Share your story at https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast 📲 Follow Drewbie for more sales content: ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides ✅ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads
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    23 mins
  • Episode 73 - Less Talk, More Sales: The Power of Simplicity in Closing Deals with Jade Scherr

    Episode 73 - Less Talk, More Sales: The Power of Simplicity in Closing Deals with Jade Scherr
    May 22 2025

    In this episode of Call the Damn Leads, I sit down with marketing strategist and sales pro Jade Scherr, who has mastered the art of keeping it simple in sales—and getting incredible results.

    Jade shares how she uses six words or less to get prospects to spill their pain points and how sending fresh cookies helps her close deals. We also dive into why so many salespeople overcomplicate the process, the power of referrals over paid ads, and the bold move she made by firing half her clients to scale her business.

    If you’ve ever wondered how to streamline your sales conversations, build genuine relationships, and avoid the trap of “racing to the bottom”, this episode is packed with real-world strategies you can implement today.

    Key Highlights

    🔥 Six Words or Less: The Ultimate Sales Hack – Jade shares how keeping messages ultra-short leads to deeper conversations and more closed deals.

    🍪 Cookies and Conversions – Why a simple, thoughtful gesture like sending cookies can be more powerful than any sales script.

    💡 The Power of Referrals Over Ads – Jade explains how her business has thrived on referrals alone, allowing her to fire clients who weren’t a fit.

    📊 Sales & Marketing Alignment – Why marketing should make sales look good, and how most companies fail at connecting the two.

    🔍 Finding the Real Problem, Not Just What Clients Think They Need – How asking the right questions saved a construction company from wasting leads and skyrocketed their sales.

    🚀 Throw Out the Crazy Number! – The power of quoting big numbers and how Jade turned a $20K client into a $100K deal just by offering the right solution.

    📞 Call The Damn Leads Framework – Drewbie breaks down his C.A.L.L.S. framework for qualifying and closing deals effectively.

    👥 The Human Connection in Sales – Why AI and automation will never replace the power of a real conversation.

    Jade’s Advice for New Salespeople

    💡 Be the salesperson you’d want to work with.

    • No one likes being dismissed. Treat your prospects like they matter.

    • Sales isn’t about pushing—it’s about solving problems genuinely.

    • Make sales a daily habit. If you only sell once a week, you’ll struggle.

    • Sales doesn’t have to be slimy—it’s only that way if you make it.

    How to Connect with Jade Scherr

    Want to learn more from Jade and see how she helps businesses grow? Follow her and her agency:
    🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jade-scherr/
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jade_scherr/
    📩 DM Jade for a Free Cheat Sheet – Want to align sales & marketing? Message her on LinkedIn!

    Call The Damn Leads

    “By sales professionals, for sales professionals.” Each week, Drewbie Wilson brings you humor, real-world sales stories, and powerful strategies to help you crush your sales game.

    🔥 Expect a wild mix of:
    ✔ Real Sales Stories – Entertaining, inspiring, and sometimes unbelievable tales from the trenches.
    ✔ Proven Sales Tactics – Practical strategies to boost your numbers.
    ✔ High-Energy & Humor – Keeping it real with fun takes on the sales life.
    ✔ Expert Advice – Learn from top closers and business pros.

    🎙 Want to be a guest? Pitch your story at https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    📲 Follow Drewbie for more content:
    ✅ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides
    ✅ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads
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    22 mins
  • Episode 72 - The One Sales Rule You Should Never Break: Lessons from Ben Brown

    Episode 72 - The One Sales Rule You Should Never Break: Lessons from Ben Brown
    May 15 2025
    “Sales is simple, but it’s not easy. The process will set you free.” – Ben Brown Sales isn’t about winging it. It’s about discipline, patience, and process. If you’ve ever wondered why your deals stall, your prospects ghost you, or your close rate is inconsistent, it’s probably because you’re breaking the rules of sales success. That’s why I was pumped to have Ben Brown on Call The Damn Leads. Ben is a seasoned sales trainer and author of "Master the Art of Closing the Sale". With years of experience across multiple industries, he’s seen every mistake in the book—and more importantly, he’s built a repeatable process to fix them. We cover: ✅ The #1 sales law you should never break ✅ Why buyers are liars—and how to get the truth ✅ The biggest mistake salespeople make when closing ✅ How to turn rejection into fuel for success ✅ Why sales is like martial arts—and how to train for predictable wins If you want to close more deals, increase your confidence, and stop feeling like every sale is a gamble, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode 🏆 The First One Who Talks Loses Ben shares a legendary 11-minute silent close—where he waited over 12 minutes for the prospect to make a decision. “The first one to talk loses. Once you’ve made your pitch, shut up. Let the silence do the work.” Most salespeople talk themselves out of deals because they can’t handle the silence. But if you’ve built your process correctly, your prospect already has everything they need to say yes. 🔥 Your Close Starts at the Beginning A strong close doesn’t happen at the end of the pitch—it’s built throughout the entire process. “Sales is like building a house. If you do the foundation and walls correctly, the close is just the chimney on top.” If you’re using dozens of closing techniques, it means you didn’t build the foundation correctly. A solid sales process removes objections before they even come up. 🎯 Buyers Are Liars—But You Can Get the Truth People lie in sales conversations. Not because they’re bad people, but because they: Don’t want to hurt your feelings Feel pressure to give an answer Aren’t sure what they actually want Ben’s solution? Ask the right questions early to control the process: “When you make a big purchase, do you usually decide quickly or take your time?” “What would need to happen today for you to feel confident moving forward?” “You should never assume a prospect wants to buy—your job is to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, like a lawyer in court.” The Secret to Sales Success: Reps & Process Ben compares sales to martial arts: 🥋 If you don’t train, you’ll get knocked out in the real world. 🥋 If you only study theory, you’ll panic under pressure. 🥋 If you don’t follow a system, you won’t be consistent. That’s why a structured, repeatable process is the only way to win in sales over the long term. “The process will set you free. If you don’t know where you are in your process, you’re being disrespectful to your prospect.” Want predictable success? Master your process and trust it. Connect With Ben Brown Ben helps sales professionals build repeatable, high-performance closing processes. If you want to sharpen your skills, check him out: 📖 Book: Master the Art of Closing the Sale (Available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble) 📺 YouTube: 360 Sales Consulting🌍 Website: 360salesconsulting.com📅 Schedule a Call: MeetWithBenjamin.com Final Thoughts: Are You Playing to Win? The biggest difference between top sales professionals and everyone else? 🚫 They don’t rely on talent—they follow a process. 🚫 They don’t wing it—they know exactly where they are in the sales cycle. 🚫 They don’t fear rejection—they see it as part of the game. If you’re serious about increasing your close rate, take action today: ✅ Audit your process—do you have a repeatable system? ✅ Practice silence—can you handle 10+ seconds of dead air? ✅ Get the truth from prospects—ask better questions early. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 📢 Call The Damn Leads Every week, I bring real-world sales stories, tactical strategies, and no-BS conversations to help you close more deals, build better businesses, and get out of your own way. ✅ Follow Drewbie: 📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides 📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads 📍 Podcast Website: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast 📢 Want to be a guest? Share your wildest sales story: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast 🔥 Now go Call The Damn Leads!
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    30 mins
  • Episode 71 - Why Your Sales Follow-Up Strategy is Failing (And How to Fix It) with Dave Molenda

    Episode 71 - Why Your Sales Follow-Up Strategy is Failing (And How to Fix It) with Dave Molenda
    May 8 2025
    “If you don’t sell something, your company is out of business. Done. No questions asked.” – Dave Molenda Most salespeople think they have a follow-up system. The reality? Almost half of all salespeople never follow up after their initial conversation. And the ones that do? Most give up after two attempts—when the majority of deals close between the 5th and 12th contact. That’s why this episode of Call The Damn Leads is a must-listen. My guest, Dave Molenda, is the founder of Positive Polarity, a business coach, and the host of the Positive Polarity Podcast. Dave built a multi-million-dollar construction products company during the 2008 recession—not by selling harder, but by selling smarter. In this episode, we dive into: ✅ Why most follow-up systems are broken ✅ The difference between the customer journey and the prospect’s journey ✅ How to follow up without being annoying ✅ Why "if they like me, they’ll call me" is the worst strategy in sales ✅ How to take control of the follow-up process before your prospect ghosts you If you’ve ever lost a sale because the prospect “needed time to think about it” and then disappeared, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways from This Episode 🎯 Your Follow-Up Should Be About Them, Not You Most salespeople make follow-up calls about themselves: “Hey, just checking in to see if you’re ready to move forward.” “I wanted to follow up on our last conversation.” The problem? That’s about YOU. Instead, follow up in a way that adds value to your prospect’s life: Send an article relevant to their industry. Connect them with a potential referral partner. Share insights based on your last conversation. “Imagine if instead of saying, ‘Just following up,’ you said, ‘Hey, I saw this article about your industry and thought of you.’ It shifts the conversation from being about you to being about them.” – Dave Molenda 🚀 The Biggest Mistake Salespeople Make: No Clear Next Step Ever heard a prospect say, "I’ll think about it and get back to you”? If you leave it at that, you’ve already lost the sale. Instead, get permission to follow up. Ask: “What’s the best way to follow up with you?” Lock it in: “Let’s put something on the calendar so we don’t have to chase each other down.” Send a calendar invite to confirm the follow-up. “If you don’t control the follow-up process, the deal is already dead.” 🔥 Order Takers vs. Sales Professionals Most businesses are filled with order takers, not sales professionals. What’s the difference? 🚫 Order Takers: Wait for prospects to “get back to them” Rely on marketing to bring in leads Get frustrated when deals don’t close ✅ Sales Professionals: Proactively set next steps Follow up with intention Build long-term relationships “Order takers say, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ Sales professionals know how to influence decisions.” The Real Reason You’re Not Closing More Deals Most salespeople stop following up after two calls. But research shows: 📌 80% of deals close between the 5th and 12th follow-up. 📌 Only 10% of salespeople ever make more than three follow-up attempts. That means 80% of the deals are being closed by just 10% of sales professionals. Are you in that 10%? “Sales isn’t about luck—it’s about consistency. The people who follow up the most, win.” Connect With Dave Molenda Dave is an expert at helping businesses grow through sales, leadership, and follow-up strategies. If you want to learn more, check him out: 🔗 Website: https://www.positivepolarity.com 🎙 Podcast: Positive Polarity Podcast (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube) Final Thoughts: Are You Following Up Like a Pro? Your competition isn’t better than you. They just follow up more and better than you do. Take action today: ✅ Stop making follow-up calls about YOU—add value instead. ✅ Set clear next steps before the conversation ends. ✅ Commit to following up at least 5-12 times. And most importantly… 📞 Go call the damn leads! ____________________________________________________________________________ Call The Damn Leads “By sales professionals, for sales professionals.” Each week, Drewbie Wilson, a sales vet with 20+ years in the game, brings you humor, real-world stories, and powerful strategies to help you excel in your sales career. Expect a wild mix of: Real Sales Stories: Tales that entertain and inspire Proven Tactics: Practical tips for boosting your sales game Humor and Energy: Fun takes on the ups and downs of sales life Expert Advice: Learn from seasoned pros across different fields Whether you’re in sales, an entrepreneur, or just looking to grow your business skills, don’t miss out on these invaluable lessons and entertaining stories. Want to be a guest? Pitch your story at https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast. Follow Drewbie on Facebook - https://...
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    30 mins
  • Episode 70 - How to Build a Business You Can Actually Sell with Anthony Franco

    Episode 70 - How to Build a Business You Can Actually Sell with Anthony Franco
    May 1 2025

    Building a business is one thing. Building an asset that someone will actually buy? That’s a whole different game.

    In this episode, serial entrepreneur and business exit expert Anthony Franco shares the real truth about scaling, selling, and why most business owners are the reason they can’t get out of their own way.

    🚀 Inside This Episode:
    ✔️ Why a Fortune 100 company wasted 6 hours on the wrong problem
    ✔️ The #1 mistake business owners make when trying to scale
    ✔️ How to remove yourself as the bottleneck in your company
    ✔️ What makes a business valuable—and what kills its worth
    ✔️ The ultimate test: Can you leave for two weeks without chaos?

    If you’ve ever thought about selling your business one day, or you just want to stop being the only person who can keep things running, this episode is for you.

    Key Highlights

    📉 The Simple Fix That Increased Sales by 35% – A Fortune 100 company wasted six hours in a meeting trying to fix sales—until a single off-hand comment solved the problem instantly.

    💡 The #1 Mistake Business Owners Make – Overcomplicating everything before sales even start. Stop waiting for the perfect CRM—just call the damn leads!

    🛑 Why YOU Are Your Business’s Biggest Problem – If everything still runs through you, your business isn’t an asset—it’s a prison.

    📊 What Buyers Look for in a Business Exit – The four pillars that determine the value of your company when it’s time to sell.

    🏆 The Secret to Scaling – How to actually let go, train others, and build a repeatable process—even when you think no one else can do it as well as you.

    💡 Actionable Takeaways

    1️⃣ Speed to Lead Wins Deals – If you’re not following up instantly, you’re losing sales—period.
    2️⃣ Build Systems That Work Without You – If you can’t step away, you don’t have a business—you have a job.
    3️⃣ Keep Your Revenue Diversified – A business built on one big client is worthless to a buyer.
    4️⃣ Clean Up Your Books – Buyers don’t want a financial mess. If your numbers aren’t organized, your exit price drops—fast.
    5️⃣ Stop Making Excuses—Just Do the Work – Overcomplicating things is just a way to avoid taking action. Simplify, sell, and scale.

    🔗 How to Connect with Anthony Franco

    🎙️ Podcast: https://howtofounder.com
    💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyfranco

    📢 Call The Damn Leads

    Every week, I bring real-world sales stories, tactical strategies, and no-BS conversations to help you close more deals, build better businesses, and get out of your own way.

    ✅ Follow Drewbie:
    📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides
    📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads
    📍 Podcast Website: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    📢 Want to be a guest? Share your wildest sales story: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    🔥 Now go Call The Damn Leads!
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    26 mins
  • Episode 69 - How Visual Storytelling Closes More Deals with Emily Schneider

    Episode 69 - How Visual Storytelling Closes More Deals with Emily Schneider
    Apr 24 2025

    In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with visual storytelling expert Emily Schneider to talk about the power of design, simplicity, and psychology in sales.

    Emily shares how she helped turn a simple pitch deck into a $300,000 investment (in less than 24 hours!) and why less is more when it comes to closing deals.

    If you're still bombarding prospects with data, boring slides, and long-winded pitches, this episode will show you how to make an instant impact with high-converting visuals.

    Key Highlights

    🎯 The $300K Pitch Deck Transformation – How a 17-slide presentation turned a Word document into massive investor buy-in overnight.

    🧠 Why “Less Is More” in Sales – Over-explaining kills deals. Emily shares how to simplify your message for max impact.

    🎨 Visual Psychology in Sales – How the right font, colors, and layout can make or break a sales pitch.

    🚀 The "Outsider Advantage" – Why most people are too close to their own message—and how hiring an expert can 10x conversions.

    💡 Marketing vs. Sales: The Key Difference – Marketing is one-to-many. Sales is one-to-one. Learn how to balance both for bigger results.

    💡 Actionable Takeaways

    1️⃣ Simplify Your Message – If your pitch deck needs 20+ slides, you’re doing it wrong. Strip it down to the core message that sells.

    2️⃣ Use Visual Storytelling – Data alone won’t close deals—but showing the story behind the numbers will.

    3️⃣ Trust Outside Experts – If you’re too close to the mess, you won’t see the message. Get an expert to refine it.

    4️⃣ Know Your Audience – Some buyers love data while others need visual context. Learn to present in a way they understand.

    5️⃣ Ask This Before Any Sales Pitch – "If my prospect only remembers one thing from this presentation, what should it be?"

    🔗 How to Connect with Emily Schneider

    🌎 Website: https://iamemilyschneider.com
    💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/emily-schneider

    📢 Call The Damn Leads

    Each week, I bring you real-world sales stories, tactical strategies, and a no-BS approach to winning in sales.

    ✅ Follow Drewbie:
    📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides
    📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads
    📍 Podcast Website: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    📢 Want to be a guest? Share your wildest sales story: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    🔥 Now go Call The Damn Leads!
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    30 mins
  • Episode 68 - The White Belt Mentality: Leadership, Sales, and the Power of Persistence with Branden Hudson

    Episode 68 - The White Belt Mentality: Leadership, Sales, and the Power of Persistence with Branden Hudson
    Apr 17 2025
    “Once you start seeing people, once you start recognizing people, once you start making them feel important beyond just a paycheck or a sale—man, at that point, you got them bought in.” – Branden Hudson Sales is about so much more than just closing deals. It’s about influence, leadership, and most importantly, helping people believe in themselves. That’s what makes it one of the greatest careers on the planet—you can carve out an amazing life for yourself, no matter where you started. On this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sat down with Branden Hudson, Director of Agent Success at EXP Realty’s Maryland and Delaware Group, owner of SBY MMA, and a man who has lived and breathed resilience. From coaching young fighters to mentoring real estate agents, Branden breaks down the raw truth about leadership, sales, and personal growth. If you’re in sales, business, or any leadership role, this episode will hit home. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Key Takeaways From This Episode 🔥 Sales is Leadership, Leadership is Sales Sales and leadership go hand in hand. You’re selling ideas, confidence, and belief—whether it’s to a prospect, a new team member, or even yourself. Branden highlights how coaching fighters in the gym is no different from mentoring real estate agents—both require understanding psychology, motivation, and human behavior. “Our real estate team is built on training brand-new agents. They come in thinking it’s going to be easy, but they get punched in the face—just like in MMA. The real question is, can they recover?” 🏆 The Carrot or the Stick? Knowing What Drives People Not everyone is motivated the same way. Some need tough love (the stick), while others need recognition and encouragement (the carrot). Branden shares that today’s younger generation—“carrot kids”—thrive on positive reinforcement and being incentivized, while older generations might respond better to hard, direct feedback. Knowing which approach to use is the difference between building a high-performing team or pushing them away. 🤝 The Power of Being in the Trenches Great leaders don’t just give orders—they lead from the front. Whether it’s stepping into the ring to spar with fighters or making calls alongside his agents, Branden proves that being willing to do the work with your team earns their trust and respect. “When my fighters are two weeks out from a match, I’m in there with them, taking my lumps. The same goes for sales. If I expect my agents to make calls, I better be willing to make some myself.” 👊 Punching Through Fear: What Separates The Winners So many people hesitate in sales and business because they’re afraid of rejection or failure. But the best in the game—whether in real estate, MMA, or sales—understand that getting hit is part of the process. “The reality is, you’re going to get punched in the face. In sales, in fighting, in life. It’s the ones who get up and keep going that make it to the top.” The White Belt Mentality: Always Be Learning One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is Branden’s “White Belt Mentality”—a mindset of staying humble, always learning, and never thinking you’ve got it all figured out. “I’ll always be a student. Just because I’m a coach doesn’t mean I know it all. If I can learn something from a brand-new fighter, why wouldn’t I? The same applies to sales.” No matter how much success you achieve, staying open to learning keeps you ahead of the game. Connect With Branden Hudson If you’re in the Maryland/Delaware area and want to join a winning real estate team, or you’re looking to train at a top-tier MMA gym, here’s where you can connect with Branden: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com Podcast: Champ Talk with Branden Hudson (Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube) Final Thoughts: Are You Ready to Step Up? This episode was packed with raw, unfiltered wisdom about leadership, sales, and success. Whether you’re an agent, entrepreneur, or sales professional, the lessons here apply across the board. So here’s my challenge to you: Are you operating with a White Belt Mentality? Are you in the trenches with your team, willing to take the hits and keep moving forward? If this episode resonated with you, share it with your crew and send Branden a message—he’s the real deal. ____________________________________________________________________________ Call The Damn Leads “By sales professionals, for sales professionals.” Each week, Drewbie Wilson, a sales vet with 20+ years in the game, brings you humor, real-world stories, and powerful strategies to help you excel in your sales career. Expect a wild mix of: Real Sales Stories: Tales that entertain and inspire Proven Tactics: Practical tips for boosting your sales game Humor and ...
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    30 mins
  • Episode 67 - Sales, Fitness & Referrals: The Key to Lasting Success with Devan Gonzalez

    Episode 67 - Sales, Fitness & Referrals: The Key to Lasting Success with Devan Gonzalez
    Apr 10 2025

    In this episode of Call The Damn Leads, I sit down with fitness entrepreneur and sales expert Devan Gonzalez, founder of a revolutionary gym model that combines personal training, boot camps, and no-class schedules. We dive deep into his journey from selling Cutco knives (for about a week) to building a thriving fitness business and a fast-growing franchise.

    Devan shares some wild sales stories—including a late-night call from a jealous husband—and breaks down how relationship-based selling, referrals, and social proof have helped him scale his business. Whether you’re in sales, fitness, or any service-based industry, this episode is packed with real talk, tactical strategies, and mindset shifts you can use to level up today.

    Key Highlights

    💥 Crazy Sales Story – A midnight phone call from a husband convinced his wife’s trainer was up to no good… until he ended up signing up for training himself!

    🔪 From Cutco Knives to Fitness Empire – Devan’s journey from an unenthusiastic knife salesman to a six-figure fitness entrepreneur.

    💡 The Power of Authenticity in Sales – Why knowing (and believing in) your product is the #1 key to closing deals with confidence.

    📈 The Referral System That Scales Businesses – How Devan built a six-figure training business without online ads, just by leveraging handshake marketing, referrals, and community engagement.

    🏋️‍♂️ Gamifying Fitness & Sales – How his gym uses heart rate monitors, body scans, and competition to boost retention, increase client results, and generate word-of-mouth referrals.

    🛠 Know Your Metrics! – Why lifetime client value, cost per acquisition, and retention rates should be the foundation of every sales strategy.

    🚀 The Shift to Social Media Marketing – How integrating DMs, personal branding, and content marketing helped Devan attract even more clients to his gym.

    Actionable Takeaways

    1️⃣ If You Don’t Believe in It, Don’t Sell It – Customers can smell BS a mile away. Know your product inside out and use it yourself.
    2️⃣ Master the Referral Ask – Every happy customer is a walking testimonial. Always ask: "Who do you know that could use this too?"
    3️⃣ Track Your Business Like a Trainer Tracks Progress – Your sales KPIs (cost per lead, retention rates, referrals) are just as important as a client’s fitness results.
    4️⃣ Use Social Media as a Tool, Not a Crutch – Digital marketing is powerful, but relationship-building is irreplaceable. Leverage both.
    5️⃣ Find Your Sales Style – Not every script or strategy works for everyone. Develop your own unique approach to closing deals.

    How to Connect with Devan Gonzalez

    🔗 Website: https://devangonzalez.com
    📍 Gym Locations: Los Angeles (with franchises launching in Tampa & Dallas in 2025!)

    Call The Damn Leads

    By sales professionals, for sales professionals. Each week, I bring you humor, real-world stories, and powerful strategies to help you dominate in sales.

    ✅ Follow Drewbie:
    📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drewbierides
    📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callthedamnleads
    📍 Podcast Website: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    📢 Got a wild sales story? Pitch your episode here: https://callthedamnleads.com/pages/podcast

    💥 Now get out there and… Call The Damn Leads!
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    22 mins
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