『Gen Z Grit: NISC Finalist Nina Iannuzzi on Hockey, Slime & Closing the Deal』のカバーアート

Gen Z Grit: NISC Finalist Nina Iannuzzi on Hockey, Slime & Closing the Deal

Gen Z Grit: NISC Finalist Nina Iannuzzi on Hockey, Slime & Closing the Deal

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 Episode SummaryWhat do selling gum in the 5th grade and playing defense in hockey have in common with high-stakes Enterprise Sales? According to Nina Iannuzzi, absolutely everything.In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, Lee Levitt sits down with Nina, a sophomore at the Isenberg School of Management (UMass Amherst) and a top-tier finalist at the recent National Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC).If you think the next generation of sales talent is "soft," you haven’t met Nina. We relive the chaos of "Speed Selling"—a gauntlet held in a gym filled with 1,000 suits—and dissect the exact moment she won over the judges. From handling a curveball question from a CFO about "scope creep" to sliding a contract across the table, Nina shows poise that many veteran account executives lack. We also laugh about the moment Lee interrupted her final pitch with a "fake phone call" to test her resilience.Memorable Quotes:"I started my first business in 5th grade, just selling slime and gum... I’m a very big talker. I’m competitive." — Nina Iannuzzi"Suck it up, buttercup, or move on to bigger and better things." — Nina quoting her coach."You get in that room and you sit down and you're like, 'I am SpotLogic'... I almost wanted to act like we were friends."3 Actionable Takeaways for Leaders:The "Hockey Defense" Mindset: Nina treats a sales meeting like a puck drop. You can't control the other team, but you can control your positioning. Leaders need to hire for this "athlete's resilience"—someone who doesn't call an Uber when a lace breaks, but fixes it and keeps skating.The "Clarify" Reflex: Nina shares a vulnerable moment where she stumbled on a question about "scope." The lesson? Don't fake it. Teach your SDRs that asking "Can you clarify what you mean by that?" is a power move, not a weakness. It builds trust and prevents you from answering the wrong objection.Physicality in a Digital World: In her final roleplay, Nina physically slid a contract across the table at the 4-minute mark. In an era of Zoom, we often forget the power of tangible "props" to anchor a conversation and force a decision.Key Topics & Timestamps:(00:00) – Introduction: From 5th Grade Gum Dealer to NISC Finalist.(04:20) – The Slime Economy: Early indicators of entrepreneurial DNA.(09:15) – Defense Wins Championships: How 16 years of hockey prepares you for objections.(15:30) – Inside the NISC: Reliving the pressure of the National Intercollegiate Sales Competition.(21:45) – The "Scope" Stumble: How to handle terminology you don't understand.(28:10) – The "Fake Phone Call": Lee’s stress test during the final round.(34:50) – Suck It Up, Buttercup: Why Gen Z isn't "soft."(40:00) – The Contract Slide: The art of the physical close.About Our Guest:Nina Iannuzzi is a rising star in the sales world and a student at the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. A competitive athlete and natural entrepreneur, she recently placed as a Top-5 Finalist at the National Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC), proving that instinct and preparation can outperform years of experience.About the Host:Lee Levitt is the Principal of The Acelera Group and a seasoned sales consultant. With decades of experience in Sales Enablement, RevOps, and Performance Management, Lee helps enterprise organizations build disciplined, replicable sales operating systems. He is the voice behind the Thoughts on Selling™ brand.Related Episodes:Ep 46: Will AI Replace Sales People? w/ Steven Werley: Why human instincts are still the competitive advantage.Resources & Links:Recruit Top Talent: Learn more about the National Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC).Connect with the Guest: Follow Nina Iannuzzi on LinkedIn.Subscribe: Get the newsletter at thoughtsonselling.com.Keywords:Gen Z Sales, Sales Recruiting, NISC, Collegiate Sales Competition, UMass Amherst, Isenberg School, Sales Development, Women in Sales, Resilience, Sales Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Roleplay,
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