Surf and Sales

In this episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, hosts Richard, Scott, and special guest Eric Iannello, Head of Sales at Commsor, dive deep into the evolving landscape of sales outreach. The discussion covers a range of topics, including:

• Eric's journey from experiencing consecutive layoffs to embracing a network-driven sales approach, and how that shaped his perspective on the value of relationships.
• The pros and cons of leveraging AI and automation in the sales process, particularly when it comes to managing warm introductions and preserving the human element of prospecting.
• The panelists' predictions on the future of outbound sales tactics, with insights on the gradual decline of traditional cold calling and emailing, and the rise of more personalized, referral-based strategies.
• Thought-provoking perspectives on the ethics and challenges of scaling a network-driven sales model, including the potential pitfalls of over-automating relationship-building.

Don't forget to join us at the next Surf and Sales event, www.surfandsales.com

Richard and Kevin go head-to-head in an epic battle of sales tactics, AI hype, and generational warfare. Discover the secret to booking meetings on Discord and why email will never die (no matter how hard we try). And how the future of the top of funnel will begin in Reddit more than Google

This episode has it all - don't miss out!

In this episode of Surf and Sales, Richard Harris and Scott Leese interview Anis Bennaceur, CEO and co-founder of Attention.com, a platform revolutionizing sales with AI agents that automate sales conversations.

Anis shares his journey from hacking web servers as a kid to working at Tinder in its early days, and then founding his own startups. The most fascinating revelation? He joined forces with his biggest competitor to create Attention.com after years of "waging war" against each other.

Key highlights:

• Why Attention.com's AI was able to identify the exact reason a six-figure deal was stalling (and how they fixed it)
• The surprising use case from dental implant sales teams that pushed their platform beyond what B2B clients typically do
• Why founders should sell their first $300K in ARR themselves before hiring sales reps
• The controversial take on equity for founding sales reps (Anis reveals exactly how much they offered)
• Scott's passionate rant on why LinkedIn desperately needs a competitor

Plus: Why hiring two founding AEs creates the perfect competitive environment, and Scott's counterargument for why three is the magic number

Scott Leese and Richard Harris talk with Mark Ackers, founder of My Sales Coach, about the massive disconnect in sales coaching today. Mark reveals shocking stats from his 1,600-person survey showing 38% of reps rarely or never receive coaching, while 90% of leaders claim they coach monthly. Mark also shares his personal journey from mediocre sales rep to successful founder, including the brutal first coaching session that changed everything. The hosts also explore the future of coaching with AI and why human coaches will remain essential for accountability and relationship building.

Key topics discussed:

Why top performers often make terrible managers and how to bridge this skills gap

The "random acts of coaching" approach that creates real improvement

How Mark discovered he was "crap" at sales for 8 years until proper coaching transformed his career

The critical importance of accountability that AI can't replace

The challenge of "letting reps crash the car" during live call coaching

In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris are joined by John Karsant, Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, an appointment setting and sales development agency.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Level Up Leads helps companies implement sales campaigns and book more demos
• Why only 8% of companies report positive experiences with outsourced sales development
• The importance of setting realistic expectations with clients
• How to stand out in a commoditized industry
• Latest effective cold calling tactics that are working in 2025
• The debate on permission-based openers vs. natural conversation starters
• How AI tools are transforming SDR training and coaching
• John's journey from tennis coach to entrepreneur
• The power of authenticity and honesty in sales conversations
• Why tone and pace matter more than the actual script

What are you waiting for?  Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com

John Karsant is the Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, a sales development agency that has been helping companies book more demos since 2021. Find him on LinkedIn or Twitter, or visit levelupleads.io.

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