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What An MBA Didn’t Teach You About Sales

The sales profession is challenging. You need to work hard at it to succeed. You need to learn from the best. You need to improve your skills continuously. If you think you can sell since you are a hit at parties and have a lot of friends, you may soon find that you are a failure as a salesperson. Blunt truth:

because the sales profession is so hard, you have to focus on doing everything in sales very well, or you will be considered a failure.

I call this blog, Skinned Knees because I try to relate all of the learning that I have done over the past 4+ decades (while skinning my knees in the learning process).

I hope that you learn from my mistakes so that your business will grow!


Stop Researching, Start Connecting: An AI-Powered System for Warm Introductions

Most sales teams begin the week by opening a dozen browser tabs and grinding through scattered research, LinkedIn, Google News, company websites, and databases. Hours later, they emerge with a few generic talking points and a cold list that still feels cold. The deeper issue isn’t inefficiency; it’s invisibility. Warm introductions already exist across your company’s network, in email histories, calendars, and executives’ LinkedIn connections, but you can’t see them on Monday morning.

The Relationship-First approach changes that default. Before a single cold call or email, you perform a deliberate “Warm Path Check.” You ask, “Who do we know who knows them?” This question transforms prospecting from random outreach into a repeatable, data-driven process that prioritizes relationships. When you start as a referred conversation rather than an interruption, skepticism drops, credibility rises, and the sales cycle compresses dramatically.

The Hidden Network You’re Not Using

Every organization has an untapped network, a web of past colleagues, vendors, and clients who could open doors to your dream accounts. The problem is that this network is hidden in plain sight. It lives in the collective memory of your company’s communication patterns, but there’s no easy way to access it manually. That’s where KnowledgeNet comes in.

KnowledgeNet serves as your organization’s “relationship intelligence” layer. It analyzes communication data (emails, meetings, messages) to reveal who knows whom, and how strong those connections really are. Instead of guessing, you can instantly see that a colleague in engineering once worked closely with the CFO of a target account. That’s a warm path waiting to be used.

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Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – No Leads, No Problem: Sales Strategies to Reignite Momentum – Episode 148

When your sales pipeline hits a wall—or worse, goes completely flat—it can feel like you’re spinning your wheels. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into what to do when your sales team is facing a revenue generation stall. This is a fast-paced, actionable conversation focused entirely on what sales leaders can do to recharge a stalled pipeline—without relying on marketing. Whether you’re in B2B… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – No Leads, No Problem: Sales Strategies to Reignite Momentum – Episode 148

Level Up Your Sales Prospecting with Advanced Research Techniques

A shoutout to Chris Spanier and Episode #85 of the Practical, Actionable Marketing Podcast

Sales prospecting has always been a grind. What if you could cut your research time in half and dramatically improve your outreach results?

In Episode #85 of the Practical, Actionable Marketing podcast, host Chris Spanier delivers a masterclass on how to do just that. Titled “Advanced Prospecting Research Tools,” the episode is packed with time-saving techniques and tools that help sales professionals build sharper prospect profiles faster.

As someone with over four decades in sales and sales management, I believe this kind of tactical insight makes a difference. If you haven’t already, listen to the episode. Then, come back here for a quick breakdown of what Chris covered—plus a few of my thoughts.


Why Prospect Research Matters More Than Ever

In a market saturated with sales messages, relevance is your only competitive advantage. The days of blasting generic emails to massive lists are over. Today, the winners are the ones who personalize their outreach with precision—and that begins with better research.

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Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Fixing the Funnel – Building a Sales Pipeline That Actually Works – E130

Welcome back to Two Tall Guys Talking Sales with hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey. In this episode, the tall guys dive deep into one of the most critical yet commonly broken elements in any sales organization: the sales funnel. Whether you’re stuck with a clunky three-stage process that tells you nothing or overwhelmed with 35 micro-stages that only confuse your reps, Sean and Kevin offer a practical guide to rethinking and rebuilding your pipeline… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Fixing the Funnel – Building a Sales Pipeline That Actually Works – E130

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Amy Connor discusses Salespeople vs. Lead Generation: Are You Using Your Team Wisely? – E125

How do you measure the success of your sales and marketing efforts? If you’ve ever wondered whether your marketing dollars are driving revenue or if your sales team is making the most of their leads, this episode is for you.  Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey sit down with Amy Connor, founder of CMO on Loan, to discuss how marketing and sales should work together for growth. Amy brings her extensive experience from Procter & Gamble,… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Amy Connor discusses Salespeople vs. Lead Generation: Are You Using Your Team Wisely? – E125

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Slumps & Hot Streaks: How to Build a Predictable Pipeline – E122

Sales is a game of ups and downs, but what separates top performers from the rest is their ability to keep the funnel full—even when they’re closing deals. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive into the art and science of building a consistent pipeline. They discuss strategic approaches to prospecting, leveraging data tools, and the importance of curiosity in sales conversations. Whether you’re starting fresh in… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Slumps & Hot Streaks: How to Build a Predictable Pipeline – E122

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – The Death of Cold Calling and the Rise of Relationship Selling – E119

Cold calling is dead—or so claims our guest, Ben Victorica, in this thought-provoking Two Tall Guys Talking Sales episode. Hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep with Ben into the challenges of modern sales pipelines and explore why traditional outreach methods are no longer effective. Together, they uncover how relationship selling, fueled by emotional intelligence and strategic connections, is reshaping the future of sales. Whether you’re a seasoned sales professional or just starting out,… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – The Death of Cold Calling and the Rise of Relationship Selling – E119

Boosting Business Performance: Integrating Sales and Marketing Efforts

The symbiotic relationship between sales and marketing is more crucial than ever. This dynamic duo drives the revenue generation engine, which is especially crucial when businesses are keen to set a positive trajectory. Marketing’s influence cannot be understated. It often shapes the business’s success months in advance. Strategies implemented by marketing today can significantly impact revenue streams later in the year. Therefore, it’s essential for sales and marketing to align and integrate their processes to… Boosting Business Performance: Integrating Sales and Marketing Efforts

Crafting a Sales Process Flowchart: Visualize the stages in your sales process for consistency – Driving New Sales: Transforming Small Businesses into Sales Powerhouses – Episode 9

Today’s episode with Sean O’Shaughnessey has armed you with the knowledge to construct a Sales Process Flowchart that is the backbone of a successful sales strategy. Implementing the discussed actionable strategies will refine your sales process, making it a powerful engine for business growth. Stay tuned for more insightful episodes to further empower your journey to becoming a sales powerhouse.