In this episode of Warm-Blooded Founders, Chris Sherrick sits down with sales leader Sean Malone for a real, no-BS conversation about authenticity, burnout, and what it actually takes to sell without losing yourself in the process.

The conversation opens with Chris unpacking the meaning behind “warm-blooded”, a deliberate pushback on the outdated idea that leaders need to be cutthroat to succeed. Instead, he shares why vulnerability, honesty, and human connection are essential traits in today’s founder journey. This isn’t about being soft, it’s about building trust and staying real, even when the pressure’s high.

Sean brings raw honesty to his story. He opens up about his early years in sales, making 2,400 cold calls over six weeks without landing a single appointment. The failure was brutal. But it was also the beginning of something better. That experience pushed him to rethink everything he knew about sales and start learning the systems and strategies that actually work. Over time, he built a framework rooted in three core beliefs: you need 100% conviction in what you're selling, consistent practice through reps, and persistence, even when it sucks.

From there, the conversation goes deeper into what happens when you're selling something you don’t believe in. Sean and Chris talk about the inner conflict that creates, and how it shows up as what Sean calls “commission breath”, that desperate, hollow energy that kills trust. On the flip side, when you're truly sold on what you're offering, sales feel effortless. You're no longer convincing people, you’re connecting with them.

But sales success isn’t the whole story.

Sean shares a powerful, personal account of hitting a wall while running multiple businesses. Despite the success, the pressure nearly broke him. He opens up about the moment he contemplated suicide and how that crisis became a wake-up call. It forced him to ask harder questions, about his values, his boundaries, and what actually matters in life. With the help of coaches, he rebuilt how he works. Not harder. But smarter. More human.

They talk about what it looks like to build a business that doesn’t own you. For Sean, that starts with defining your values, setting real boundaries (like start and stop times), and making your mental and physical health non-negotiable. And yes, having coaches who challenge you and hold up the mirror. Because even the best founders need support. Just like elite athletes, entrepreneurs do better with a team of specialized coaches guiding the way.

Throughout the episode, Sean drops practical tools and hard-earned wisdom, on sales, on mindset, and on what it really means to grow something sustainable. From how to overcome imposter syndrome to why “done is the new perfect,” this one’s packed with insight you can actually use.

Some standout quotes from Sean:

“If you treat sales like a sport, it'll pay you like an athlete.”

“What do I need to see to believe that I’m the person I want to be?”

“Done is the new perfect.”

Whether you're in the trenches of startup life or rethinking how you lead, this episode will leave you with real tools—and a reminder that you're not alone in the messy middle.

Because being a founder isn’t just about execution. It’s personal. And staying warm-blooded? That’s the real edge.