Host: Tony Johnson
Guest: Geoffrey Reid
Author: The Revenue Catalyst: Mastering the Art of Sales

In this episode, I sit down with Geoffrey Reid, a globally recognized sales leader with a rare blend of academic depth and real-world execution. Geoffrey's journey from public policy and mediation to sales leadership gives him a unique lens on how selling really works and why so many organizations struggle to teach it well.

We dig into why customers want to buy but hate being sold, how sales has become a full business discipline rather than a single function, and what leaders must do to build sales teams that last.

• Customers want to buy, but they do not want to be sold

• Sales today requires an all-fronts, fifth-dimension approach across the business

• Intentional hiring matters if you want teams that stay through tough cycles

• Training, coaching, and development are not optional for sales excellence

• KPIs should be embedded across the entire sales journey, not just at the close

This conversation is practical, grounded, and especially relevant for leaders who want sales to feel less transactional and more connected and intentional.

Book time with me to learn about our speaking, training, and consulting services: https://calendly.com/thetonyjohnson/strategy

Links & Resources:

📌 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-johnson-ccxp/

📌 Order my book Together We Serve: https://amzn.to/4pwGvPL

📌 Book hospitality training for your team today: https://www.igniteyourservice.com/summits

📌 Order my book Proof Positive: https://amzn.to/3LWtP5l

📌 Connect with Geoffrey Reid: https://geoffreymreid.com/

Tony Johnson is a Customer Experience + Hospitality Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Author with a wide background including higher education, restaurants, retail, travel, city government, chambers of commerse, and leisure. He regularly speaks and coaches organizations to IGNITE THEIR SERVICE using his common sense approach to Customer engagement and retentions. Tony has spoken to government agencies, airlines, universities, and many Fortune 500 companies to unlock their amazing capacity for excellence.

As the year winds down and the holiday rush kicks into high gear, leaders face a critical question: Are you coasting… or closing?

In this Thanksgiving-themed leadership check-in, I break down how to keep your team sharp, energized, and aligned during the toughest stretch of the year while positioning your organization to win in 2026.

Whether you lead a frontline team, a regional operation, or an entire organization, this conversation gives you the tools to finish 2025 strong and start 2026 with purpose. You could be a CEO, VP, Owner, or Entrepreneur - there is something in here for everyone who leads teams or serves customers.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the "last mile" of the year exposes the strengths and cracks in every organization
• How to keep your team sharp, rested, and focused through the holiday crunch
• How to deliver consistent customer experience when demand, emotions, and fatigue are highest
• What leaders must prioritize to win customer experience, employee experience, and loyalty in the new year
• Why execution, empathy, and presence will define the leaders who succeed in 2026
• How to leverage AI and technology to support planning and performance without losing the human touch

Perfect for: hospitality leaders, business owners, CEOS, COOs, CX/EX professionals, operational managers, retail and service teams, training and development leaders, and anyone responsible for people and performance during the busiest season of the year.

If you're ready to close the year with intention and launch into 2026 with clarity, confidence, and momentum, this episode is your Thanksgiving checkpoint.

Book time with me to learn about our speaking, training, and consulting services: https://calendly.com/thetonyjohnson/strategy

Links & Resources:

📌 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-johnson-ccxp/

📌 Order my book Together We Serve: https://amzn.to/4pwGvPL

📌 Book hospitality training for your team today: https://www.igniteyourservice.com/summits

📌 Order my book Proof Positive: https://amzn.to/3LWtP5l

Tony Johnson is a Customer Experience + Hospitality Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Author with a wide background including higher education, restaurants, retail, travel, city government, chambers of commerse, and leisure. He regularly speaks and coaches organizations to IGNITE THEIR SERVICE using his common sense approach to Customer engagement and retentions. Tony has spoken to government agencies, airlines, universities, and many Fortune 500 companies to unlock their amazing capacity for excellence.

Check out my FREE Resources and Training Tools:

Web: https://www.igniteyourservice.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTonyJohnson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_TonyJohnson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/THE_TONYJOHNSON/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@igniteyourservice

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjohnsoncx/

Artificial Intelligence is changing everything about customer service and leadership, but only if we use it wisely. In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Dean, Founder and CEO of ManoByte, who's been leading AI-driven business transformation since 2007.

Kevin and I dig into what it really means to combine AI and humanity to create better experiences, not just faster ones. We explore how organizations can audit their data, prepare their people, and adapt their leadership playbooks to keep up with the accelerating rate of change.

You'll walk away with practical ideas to strengthen your data foundation, keep humans in the loop, and lead your team through the AI revolution with confidence.

Key Takeaways:

• Great customer experiences balance needs, wants, and emotions. AI can't replace empathy.

• Good data is the foundation of any AI solution. Start by auditing what you have and where the gaps are.

• Always keep humans in the loop. AI should enable connection, not eliminate it.

• The real opportunity is using AI to solve problems faster, scale knowledge, and free up teams for deeper service.

• Leaders must reskill, adapt, and rewrite the playbook for a new era of service and speed.

• The pace of change isn't slowing down and those who adjust quickly will thrive.

If you want to understand how to balance human empathy with AI efficiency and set your business up for consistent, scalable service, this episode will give you the playbook.

🎧 Tune in and discover how to align your people and process to serve customers with excellence.

Book time with me to learn about our speaking, training, and consulting services: https://calendly.com/thetonyjohnson/strategy

Links & Resources:

📌 Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-johnson-ccxp/

📌 Order my book Together We Serve: https://amzn.to/4pwGvPL

📌 Book hospitality training for your team today: https://www.igniteyourservice.com/summits

📌 Learn more about Kevin and ManoByte: https://kevinjdean.com/ + https://www.manobyte.com/

Tony Johnson is a Customer Experience + Hospitality Consultant, Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Author with a wide background including higher education, restaurants, retail, travel, city government, chambers of commerse, and leisure. He regularly speaks and coaches organizations to IGNITE THEIR SERVICE using his common sense approach to Customer engagement and retentions. Tony has spoken to government agencies, airlines, universities, and many Fortune 500 companies to unlock their amazing capacity for excellence.

Check out my FREE Resources and Training Tools:

Web: https://www.igniteyourservice.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTonyJohnson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/The_TonyJohnson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/THE_TONYJOHNSON/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@igniteyourservice

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonyjohnsoncx/