Hiring a great salesperson shouldn’t feel like gambling.

In this episode of Speaking With Authority, I talk with Jamie Crosbie (Founder & CEO, ProActivate) about why the traditional sales recruiting model is fundamentally misaligned—and how to fix it. We unpack how contingent recruiters get paid on placements, not performance, why many candidates are coached to “ace” interviews, and what a results-tied, flat-fee model looks like when you optimize for ROI instead of résumé volume.

What you’ll learn

• The hidden incentives that break the traditional recruiting model
• How candidate “scripting” leads to bad hires and fake interviews
• Why the best reps are usually working and winning (and how to reach them)
• A rigorous, sales-specific qualification process: skillset, mindset, simulations
• Calculating ROI on a sales hire (and the real cost of a bad one)
• Why proactive, always-on recruiting is revenue insurance
• Early warning metrics (30–90 days) and the formula top reps can articulate

About Jamie

Jamie Crosbie leads ProActivate, a recruiting firm specializing in go-to-market roles (sales, marketing, revenue leadership). Their model focuses on measurable outcomes and deep behavioral interviewing tailored to sales performance.

Culture isn’t a poster—it’s behavior. Jim Koetting interviews Bronson Taylor (Workplace IO) on using AI and NLP to measure six culture metrics—burnout, psychological safety, conflict, engagement, alignment, execution risk—so leaders can design, track, and even forecast culture with the rigor of BI. Practical, ethical, and immediately actionable.

Join TEDx speaker and global educator Michelle Machado as she shares her transformative journey across four continents, exploring the shift from performance to presence in a digitally distracted world. Discover how her multicultural experiences have shaped her understanding of connection and identity, and learn practical insights on fostering authentic human connections in today's fast-paced environment.

https://michelledmachado.com/

Tune in to this engaging episode to uncover the secrets of balancing technology with meaningful human interactions. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation!

I help organizations measure and close productivity gaps that silently erode profits and burn out top performers.

My process starts with a Leadership and Culture Audit—using data, digital exhaust, and observation—to expose the leadership patterns causing inefficiency. Then, through speaking and consulting, I help transform those insights into a more productive, scalable culture.

If your company hires keynote speakers, you’re my ideal client.

I’m not a motivational speaker—I’m a leadership catalyst.

I help executives identify the hidden productivity gaps that kill growth,

starting with a measurable Leadership & Culture Audit

that reveals how leadership behaviors impact your bottom line.

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🔥 CONNECT WITH JIM KOETTING

Website: https://www.ceomconsulting.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkoetting/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.koetting.2025/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkoetting1/

Twitter (X): https://x.com/jkoetting

TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/_ZMUUgufLvM?si=WqkFZzFo4jWfaDaN

Free 5 Voices Assessment: https://ceomconsulting.giantos.com/store/5-voices

Schedule a Call: https://calendly.com/jkoetting/30min_zoom

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🎙 PODCAST – Speaking With Authority

Learn from top leaders on culture, influence, and team performance.

Listen on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

#LeadershipDevelopment #CompanyCulture #TeamProductivity #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipTraining #JimKoetting #SpeakingWithAuthority #CEOMConsulting

*What does it really take to build leaders worth following in today’s distracted world?*

In this episode of Speaking With Authority, host Jim Koetting sits down with Jeremie Kubicek—author of The Voice-Driven Leader, co-creator of The 5 Voices and 100X Leader, and co-founder of GiANT Worldwide.

Jeremie’s leadership journey started in the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, living above a mafia boss and surviving a coup attempt. Those experiences shaped his core belief: true leadership is about liberation, not domination.

*We cover:*

--Jeremie’s near-death experiences and how they shaped his leadership philosophy.

--Why most organizations fail at developing leaders—and how to fix it.

--The Four Stages of Development (and how to keep your team out of the “pit of despair”).

--How the 5 Voices Framework unlocks communication and team performance.

--The role of trust, apprenticeship, and personal growth in scaling businesses.

--What to expect at the upcoming Voices 2025 Conference in Oklahoma City.

--If you’re a coach, consultant, executive, or team leader, this conversation will give you practical tools and a roadmap to multiply healthy leaders.

*Voices 2025 Event*

https://5voices.com/voices-25

*What's My Voice?*

https://ceomconsulting.giantos.com/store/5-voices

*5 Voices Certification*

https://5voices.com/certification?source=ceomconsulting

In this episode of the Speaking with Authority podcast, join Jim Koetting as he sits down with Erika Glenn, a trailblazer in the corporate world known for her transformative work in technology and healthcare. Erika shares her journey from a challenging childhood to becoming a leader who champions empathy and resilience. Discover how her promise to never let her family struggle again shaped her leadership style, emphasizing the importance of empathy and connection in today's fast-paced world. Tune in to explore how authentic leadership can drive meaningful change and foster a culture of care and innovation. #Leadership #Empathy #Podcast

What's My Voice?

https://ceomconsulting.giantos.com/store/5-voices

5 Voices Event

https://5voices.com/voices-25

In this conversation, Jim Koetting and Steve Cockram delve into the intricacies of leadership, focusing on the Five Voices framework. They discuss the evolution of leadership tools, the importance of self-awareness, and the dynamics of personality types in professional settings. Steve shares insights on the necessity of simplicity in leadership tools, the limitations of personality assessments, and the interplay of nature, nurture, and choice in shaping individuals. The discussion also covers the significance of mature versus immature voices in leadership and offers practical coaching scenarios for conflict resolution. Finally, they highlight the upcoming Voice Driven Leader book launch and the importance of community in leadership development.

takeaways

The Five Voices framework simplifies personality assessments for leaders.

Self-awareness is crucial for effective leadership.

Mature leaders create safe environments for collaboration.

Understanding personality types can enhance team dynamics.

Simplicity in leadership tools is essential for effectiveness.

Nature, nurture, and choice all play roles in personality development.

Conflict resolution requires understanding different perspectives.

Leaders should focus on long-term development of their teams.

The Five Voices framework can complement other personality tools.

Community and connection are vital for leadership growth.

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Personalities

02:07 The Genesis of the Five Voices

05:01 The Importance of Simplicity in Leadership Tools

07:49 Complementing Other Personality Tools

10:37 The Role of Self-Awareness in Leadership

13:49 Navigating the Digital Age as Leaders

16:24 Understanding Personality Types and Hiring Practices

19:25 The Complexity of Personality Assessments

22:14 Mature vs. Immature Voices in Leadership

31:13 The Importance of Diverse Perspectives

33:08 Maturity in Leadership: Winning Through Others

35:17 Communication Styles: Pioneers vs. Guardians

37:05 Understanding Brain Types and Personality

40:27 Navigating Conflict: Coaching Scenarios

46:43 Collaboration Dynamics: Nurturers and Guardians

50:53 The Voices Conference: Immersion in Leadership

57:34 Generosity in Leadership: Leaving a Legacy

glODzy9BIucMbxHNhqj8

Why Sales Leaders Are Rethinking Training—and Seeing Results

Why are most salespeople still struggling with basic conversations—and how is AI finally solving it? In this compelling episode, Jim Koetting sits down with Ed Kerr, a former Hollywood actor turned entrepreneur, to explore how Practice.ai is transforming sales coaching. Learn why traditional sales training fails, how AI-driven conversation training builds confidence and reduces turnover, and what every VP of Sales needs to know about leading high-performing teams. Packed with practical insights and a live demo of the AI coaching platform, this episode is a must-watch for sales leaders who want to improve performance and ROI.

Key Topics & Bullet Points:

70% of salespeople struggle with common objections—costing companies billions.

Why most sales training fails to translate into confident conversations.

The overlooked importance of conversation fluency in driving sales success.

Roleplay reimagined: How Practice.ai uses private, AI-powered reps to build confidence.

The impact of psychological safety on learning and retention.

How AI creates dynamic and adaptive cold call simulations.

Practice.ai’s dual-agent system: an AI buyer and AI coach.

The concept of actionable conversational strategies for common sales scenarios.

Why traditional roleplay is broken—and how AI fixes it.

Manager dashboards for tracking reps’ practice sessions, scores, and coaching feedback.

Measuring sales rep productivity beyond lagging indicators.

How Practice.ai reduces turnover by accelerating time to fluency.

Real-time feedback from AI coaches builds better objections handling.

Sales manager benefits: transparency, accountability, and ROI tracking.

Ed Kerr's journey from TV star to sales tech founder—blending performance and training.

Keywords

sales training, AI in sales, conversation training, sales coaching, sales leadership, sales objections, sales confidence, sales performance, sales technology, sales effectiveness

Summary

In this conversation, Ed Kerr discusses the challenges faced by sales teams and the importance of effective sales training. He emphasizes the need for conversation training and how AI can revolutionize the way salespeople practice and improve their skills. The discussion covers the psychological aspects of sales training, the role of AI in providing feedback, and the importance of building confidence in salespeople. Ed also shares insights on how sales leaders can better support their teams and improve overall sales performance.

Takeaways

70% of salespeople struggle with handling objections.

Sales training often fails due to lack of reinforcement.

AI can provide a safe environment for practice.

Role playing is essential but often poorly executed.

Salespeople need to be confident to succeed.

Most sales training does not stick without practice.

AI coaching offers objective feedback.

Sales leaders must focus on behavior, not just results.

Building rapport is crucial in sales conversations.

Understanding the 'why' behind sales conversations is key.

Titles

Revolutionizing Sales Training with AI

The Importance of Conversation in Sales

Sound bites

"70% of salespeople cannot handle objections."

"Sales runs the entire economy."

"The ROI was through the roof."

Chapters

00:00 The State of Sales Training

01:50 Challenges in Sales Conversations

08:22 The Role of AI in Sales...

In this conversation, Jamie Crosbie, founder of Proactivate, shares her journey into sales leadership, the founding of her company, and the importance of mindset in achieving success. She discusses key leadership lessons learned over her career, the common pitfalls in hiring salespeople, and the significance of understanding individual needs for success. Jamie emphasizes the need for a high-performance mindset and the impact of self-talk on performance. She also addresses the challenges leaders face in a distracted world and the importance of overcoming limiting beliefs to unlock potential.

Jamie Crosbie's journey into sales leadership was influenced by her upbringing.

Proactivate was founded to address gaps in traditional sales recruitment.

Effective leadership requires understanding individual motivations.

Great sales leaders focus on influencing and developing their team members.

Micromanagement can hinder empowerment; leaders should teach data utilization.

Sales success is 80% mindset and 20% skill set.

Hiring requires a clear ideal candidate profile, not just a job description.

A thorough qualification process is essential for hiring success.

Self-talk significantly impacts performance and mindset.

Leaders must help their teams focus on what's most important.

00:00

Introduction to Jamie Crosbie and Proactivate

00:42

The Journey into Sales Leadership

02:01

Identifying Market Gaps in Sales Recruitment

03:56

Key Leadership Lessons and Experiences

08:55

Distinguishing Great Sales Leaders from Average

10:35

Shifting from Micromanagement to Empowerment

14:37

Understanding Salespeople's Needs for Success

18:45

Common Hiring Mistakes in Sales Recruitment

22:54

The High Performance Mindset Model

25:28

The Power of Mindset

27:58

Self-Talk and Its Impact

33:43

Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

38:54

Transforming Performance Mindset

42:32

Future Aspirations and Projects