Andy Mewborn

Distribute.so

I use to be young & cool. Now I do b2b SaaS. 

Husband. Dad. Ironman. Pilot. Taco lover. 

Founder of Distribute // Co-founder of Taplio (acq. by Lemlist) // Early @ Outreach.io.

Creator

A community of over 4,000+ B2B professionals growing together on Linkedin.

• "Brand30 absolutely did wonders for my business." -Maritha Koortzen

• "Brand30 changed the trajectory of my life...To say it’s opening doors for me is an understatement" - Amanda Stern

• "Brand30 provided the group accountability and expert advice I needed to more than double my LinkedIn engagement in just one month" 

🚀 Start Building An Audience Of Potential Buyers On LinkedIn In 30 Days👇

• https://www.brand30.io/

most sales reps kill deals with their follow-ups (here’s how to fix it)

so i’ve been in sales for a while, and the one thing that still blows my mind? how many reps completely tank their chances with shitty follow-ups. not because they’re spamming people, because they’re sending nothing.

"just checking in"
"wanted to circle back"
"following up on my last email"

like, checking in on what? you never gave them anything to actually respond to. prospects aren’t mind readers. if you don’t say something useful, they’re gonna ignore you.

so what actually works? here’s what i’ve seen:

instead of "just following up," try:

"i recorded a 2-min video showing how [similar company] cut their onboarding time by 40%. thought of you because you mentioned this was a bottleneck last time we talked."

instead of "wanted to circle back," try:

"saw this article about [industry trend] and immediately thought of our convo. the part about [specific insight] lines up with what you said about [their challenge]."

instead of "any updates?" try:
"quick question, are you still focused on [goal they mentioned], or have priorities shifted? context changed, so i don’t want to waste your time."

the pattern here is simple:

• give value first
• show you actually listened
• make it about them, not your quota
• make it easy to respond (ask a specific question)

i built a tool that does this automatically. it pulls call recordings, videos, and docs into one link so you’re not just sending another empty "checking in" email. not because reps are lazy, because prospects are busy, and they don’t have time to guess what you want.

Andrew Mewborn

Sellers

What's more valuable: relationship selling or solution selling?

A) Relationships first – People buy from people they trust
B) Solutions first – Buyers want problems solved, not friends
C) Value selling – ROI conversations close deals faster
D) Consultative approach – Be an advisor, not a vendor

P.S. - Still writing follow-ups manually? This 60-second quiz builds you an AI system that does it for you: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

What's more valuable: relationship selling or solution selling?

Sellers 

You're in a slump. First thing you fix?

A) Activity levels
B) Mindset
C) Messaging
D) Target accounts

P.S. - Still writing follow-ups manually? This 60-second quiz builds you an AI system that does it for you: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Sellers

Should you ask about budget in the first call?

A) Always - It qualifies prospects immediately and saves time
B) Sometimes - Only after establishing clear interest and need
C) Rarely - Money talk too early creates resistance
D) Never - Discussing budget before value cheapens your solution

P.S. - If your follow-ups take longer than 60 seconds, you're doing it wrong. Take the quiz: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Should you ask about budget in the first call?

Sellers

What’s the worst sales advice you’ve received?

A) “Always be closing” – Aggressive pressure turns prospects off
B) “Fake it till you make it” – Authenticity matters more than acting
C) “Price isn’t a problem” – Dismissing budget concerns backfires
D) “Never take no for an answer” – Respect boundaries to build rapport

P.S. - Still writing follow-ups manually? This 60-second quiz builds you an AI system that does it for you: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

What’s the worst sales advice you’ve received?

Sellers

Commission vs. salary: What motivates salespeople best?

A) Pure commission – High risk, high reward drives peak performance
B) Base + commission – Security with upside creates optimal motivation
C) Straight salary – Removes pressure, focuses on customer success
D) Team bonuses – Shared success eliminates internal competition

P.S. - Steal my 1-pager email follow-ups: https://lnkd.in/eQr9JQhq

Commission vs. salary: What motivates salespeople best?

Sellers

Should sales managers still carry a quota?

A) Full quota – Can't coach what you don't practice 
B) Half quota – Need skin in the game 
C) Token quota – Just enough to stay sharp 
D) Zero quota – Let leaders lead, sellers sell

P.S. - Took me 2 min to find out I was wasting 11 hrs/week on follow-ups. Take the quiz, get your number: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Should sales managers still carry a quota?

Sellers

How much does luck contribute to success in sales?

A) Significantly – Being at the right place at the right time often makes all the difference.
B) Moderately – Luck plays a role, but skill and effort are more important.
C) Minimally – Success is mostly the result of hard work, strategy, and persistence.
D) Not at all – It's all about skills, planning, and execution. Luck doesn't come into it.

P.S. - Still writing follow-ups manually? This 60-second quiz builds you an AI system that does it for you: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

How much does luck contribute to success in sales?

Sellers

Is AI replacing salespeople or empowering them?

A) Replacing – Only top 20% of reps will survive automation
B) Empowering – AI handles admin, humans handle relationships
C) Overhyped – Human psychology can't be automated
D) Transforming – The role evolves but never disappears

P.S. - 15,000 sellers stopped writing follow-ups. Take the 2-min quiz to see what they switched to: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Is AI replacing salespeople or empowering them?

Sellers

Remote selling vs. in-person: Which closes more deals?

A) Remote wins – Efficiency and scale beat face-to-face
B) In-person dominates – Trust requires physical presence
C) Hybrid approach – Use both strategically based on deal size
D) Industry dependent – Complex B2B needs in-person relationships

P.S. - If your follow-ups take longer than 60 seconds, you're doing it wrong. Take the quiz: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Remote selling vs. in-person: Which closes more deals?

Sellers

Which comp structure would you rather live on?

A) 70 % base / 30 % commission – stability rules
B) 50 / 50 – balanced risk-reward
C) 30 / 70 – big swings, big wins
D) 0 / 100 – eat what you kill, baby

P.S. - Steal my 1-pager email follow-ups: https://lnkd.in/eQr9JQhq

Which comp structure would you rather live on?

Sellers

Who's harder to sell to?

A) CFOs – Every penny is their first-born child 
B) CTOs – They'd rather build than buy 
C) CEOs – Good luck getting past their gatekeepers
D) Procurement – Where deals go to die slowly

P.S. - Took me 2 min to find out I was wasting 11 hrs/week on follow-ups. Take the quiz, get your number: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Sellers

Should you ever badmouth competitors during sales calls?

A) Always - Highlighting their flaws strengthens our value proposition
B) Strategically - Only when directly asked about specific weaknesses
C) Rarely - Focus on our strengths without comparative negativity
D) Never - Unprofessional and damages industry relationships

P.S. - 15,000 sellers stopped writing follow-ups. Take the 2-min quiz to see what they switched to: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Should you ever badmouth competitors during sales calls?

Sellers 

How far would you go to close a high-value deal?

A) Bend policies – Adjust terms slightly to meet client demands
B) Offer extras – Throw in freebies or extended support
C) Escalate internally – Loop in execs to approve exceptions
D) Never compromise – Stick to standard offerings to maintain integrity

P.S. - Took me 2 min to find out I was wasting 11 hrs/week on follow-ups. Take the quiz, get your number: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

How far would you go to close a high-value deal?

Sellers

Do sales reps really need to use the CRM?

A) Every detail – Data is the new oil 
B) Key stuff only – Quality over quantity 
C) Bare minimum – Just enough to not get fired 
D) CRMs kill deals – I track my pipeline in my head

P.S. - 15,000 sellers stopped writing follow-ups. Take the 2-min quiz to see what they switched to: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Do sales reps really need to use the CRM?

Sellers

Do good looks matter in sales?

A) 100 % – Beauty opens doors before product does
B) A bit – Looks earn attention, skill seals the deal
C) Barely – Confidence > cheekbones
D) Zero – Quota is blind to pretty faces

P.S. - Still writing follow-ups manually? This 60-second quiz builds you an AI system that does it for you: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Sellers

Worst thing a manager can say?

A) "Just trust the process"
B) "What's your plan to hit quota?"
C) "Let me join your next call"
D) "Top reps aren't struggling"

P.S. - If your follow-ups take longer than 60 seconds, you're doing it wrong. Take the quiz: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Sellers

Which role do you think is the hardest in sales?

A) SDR 
B) Account Executive 
C) Account Manager 
D) Sales Manager 

P.S. - Steal my 1-pager email follow-ups: https://lnkd.in/eQr9JQhq

Which role do you think is the hardest in sales?

Sellers

What's the biggest lie in B2B sales?

A) "I'll circle back next quarter" (They won't) 
B) "Budget isn't an issue" (It always is) 
C) "We're the decision maker" (Committee of 12 enters chat) 
D) "Your product is perfect" (Here comes the ghosting)

P.S. - Steal my 1-pager email follow-ups: https://lnkd.in/eQr9JQhq

Sellers

Is "fake it till you make it" acceptable in enterprise sales?

A) Essential – Confidence sells more than competence 
B) Sometimes – Strategic bluffing is part of the game 
C) Risky – One Google search can tank your credibility
D) Never – Authenticity beats artifice every time

P.S. - Took me 2 min to find out I was wasting 11 hrs/week on follow-ups. Take the quiz, get your number: https://lnkd.in/eNYQ3DeQ

Is "fake it till you make it" acceptable in enterprise sales?

Founder of 1% Better™ | Former accountant, future author | Follow me for the best self-development content on LinkedIn

Former accountant.
Future author.

I share actionable, educational, and entertaining self-development content to help my readers live their best lives.

Join 65K+ receiving my top 5 discoveries every week:

https://colbynewsletter.ck.page

Colby Kultgen

The scariest part is how normal this feels.

Like we just woke up one day and our entire life existed between three different screens.

If you want to reduce your screen time in 2026, I wrote a step-by-step article on what actually worked for me.

Link in comments.

5 mindset shifts that will change your life in 2026:

1. I can't → I'll learn

Every expert was once a beginner who refused to quit. If you're struggling, it just means you haven't put in enough reps yet.

❌ "I can't do this"
✓ "I'll learn if I stick with it."

———

2. I don't have time → I'm not prioritizing it

Be honest about what matters. If something's truly important, you'll find the time. 

❌ "I don't have time to work out" 
✓ "I'm choosing other things over working out right now."

———

3. I need motivation → I need momentum

Motivation doesn't find you—you create it through action. Motion beats mood every time.


❌ "I just don't feel like it today" 
✓ "If I just start for 5 minutes, I'll probably keep going."

———

4.  I'm quitting → I'm pivoting

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is climb down the wrong mountain so you can start climbing up the right one.

❌ "I've spent 5 years on this, I can't quit now." 
✓ "I've spent 5 years on this, better to cut my losses now and move toward something I enjoy."

———

5.  I failed → I learned

Failure isn't the opposite of success—it's part of the process. Every setback is data for your next attempt.

❌ "I tried and failed, so I guess I'm not cut out for this" 
✓ "I tried and it didn't work. Now I know what not to do next time."

———

♻️ Repost if these resonate.
Send this post to someone who could use it.

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A simple question I use to turn around an “off” day:

What’s the best way I can spend the next 5 minutes?

Yep, that’s usually all it takes.

5 minutes of movement.
5 minutes of writing.
5 minutes of conversation.
5 minutes of something that brings you back to yourself.

When an airplane is off course, a shift of just a few degrees can make the difference between landing in New York or ending up in the middle of the ocean.

Our days work the same way.

Never underestimate the power of 5 good minutes.

♻️ Repost this if it resonated.

Something interesting I've been trying lately:

The “No-Power” Hour.

Every day for the last month, I’ve been setting a 60-minute block where I don’t use any electronic devices (phone, laptop, headphones).

I know this might not sound like much, but consider this:

What’s the longest stretch of time each day (other than sleeping) where you’re not reading, watching, or listening to something on an electronic device?

I don’t know about you, but for me, the answer was “not long”.

We’ve become so used to stimulating ourselves every second of the day, that NOT using a device feels weird.

I’ve decided to fight back.

My challenge to you:
Put at least one “No-Power” Hour in your calendar this week.

♻️ Repost this so others can try too.

Discipline doesn’t need to be difficult.

Here are 5 ways to stay consistent in 2026 (without superhuman willpower):

1️⃣ "Dailyish" Habits
Committing to something “dailyish” keeps you consistent without the guilt of missing a day. It’s flexible, sustainable, and removes the all-or-nothing pressure that leads could lead to burnout.

2️⃣ Shrink the Starting Line
Big goals feel overwhelming. Instead, start with a ridiculously tiny version of the habit: one push-up, one sentence, one minute.

3️⃣ Set "No-Later-Than" Rules
Set buffers instead of rigid deadlines. For example, instead of waking up at exactly 6:00 AM, commit to being up no later than 7:00 AM. Anything earlier is a win.

4️⃣ No "Zero Days"
Even on your worst days, find one small action to move forward. A single page, a quick stretch, or just tidying your workspace keeps the momentum alive.

5️⃣ Design for Bad Days
Don’t build habits for your most motivated self. Build them for the tired, distracted, low-energy version of you. If it only works on “good days,” it won’t last.

How do you plan on staying disciplined in 2026?

———

Shoutout to Oliver Burkeman for tips 1 and 3.
Image credit: No One Cares on Facebook

An exercise everyone should do in 2026:

The Calendar Energy Audit.

We often assume that our biggest limitation is time.

It’s not. 

The real limitation is our energy.

CEO coach Matt Mochary puts it like this:
“We all feel like we have limited time, but that’s not the case. What we really have is LIMITED ENERGY. If we start doing more things that raise our energy, it enables us to do more things in general.”

So where do you start with this?

By removing the activities that drain you.

Here’s how:
1. Review your calendar from a past week, hour by hour.
2. Label each activity GREEN (gave energy) or RED (drained energy).
3. Look for patterns. What consistently shows up as RED?
4. Reschedule, delegate, or eliminate those tasks.

For every RED item, ask yourself three questions:
• Does this need to happen?
• If yes, does it have to be done by me?
• If yes, how can I make it more enjoyable?

You won’t be able to eliminate every RED task (and that’s okay).

But even cutting a few can make a huge difference.

♻️ Repost this if it resonates.

graphical user interface, text, application

How to read 50 books in a year (even if you’re busy):

How to read 50 books in a year (even if you’re busy)

7 questions that will define your next decade (a 15-minute exercise you won’t regret):

7 questions that will define your next decade

The goal-setting method used by the best baseball player in the world:

If you don't know who Shohei Ohtani is, he's basically the Michael Jordan of baseball.

The single most dominant two-way player the sport has seen in a century.

When he was a high school freshman in Japan, he created this detailed 64-cell roadmap with one central goal: to be the number 1 draft pick for 8 NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) teams.

And it worked.

If you're wondering, this is called the Harada Method.

Here's a quick breakdown:

1. Choose one clear, meaningful long-term goal and a deadline.
2. Break that main goal into 8 subgoals that cover different areas needed to achieve it.
3. Break each subgoal into 8 specific actions, skills, or habits (filling the 8×8 grid).
4. Turn the most important actions into a small set of daily routines and track them.
5. Review your progress regularly, adjusting subgoals and actions based on what you learn.

This is a pretty intense exercise, which I definitely don't think is for everyone.

But I do think it's an amazing way to break down a big goal into something actually actionable.

I’ve linked a template in the comments if you want to try it.

I’ve spent the better part of the last decade obsessing over productivity.

Not just how to get more done.
But how to get the IMPORTANT things done.

Here's everything I wish I knew 10 years ago summed up in 20 sentences.

Make sure to save them.

♻️ Repost this if it resonated.

I’m 34. 

Last year, I moved to a city where I didn’t know anyone.

I wish I could say that I immediately built a strong social circle, but that’s not true.

The reality is I struggled.

I’m a huge introvert, so socializing doesn’t come naturally to me at all.
And adult friendships don’t “just happen” like they do when we’re young.

The big unlock for me was realizing that building friendships requires the same intentional effort as anything else important in my life.

So that’s what I did.

I got intentional. I put in the reps.
And guess what happened? It worked.

Here’s everything I learned along the way:

How to build (and maintain) friendships as an adult

I love the message here.

It's so easy to get caught in the trap of "I'm too old", or "it's too late".

But here's the reality: Five years from now, you’ll be five years older regardless of what you do with that time.

You may as well spend it becoming the person you want to be.

It reminds me of a story I heard from writer Mark Manson:

"A friend of mine once told me a story about his grandmother. He said that when her husband died, she was 62, and for the first time in her life, she began to take piano lessons. For weeks, she practiced all day, every day. At first, the family thought it was a phase, but months went by and she kept playing.
​
By the time she was in her 90s, she had been playing piano every day for 30 years—longer than most professional musicians have been alive. Everyone who heard her play swore she must have been a concert pianist in her youth. No one believed her when she said she took her first lesson in her sixties."

As we head into 2026, don’t let “too old” or “too late” be the reason you hold yourself back.

12 habits in 12 months to change your life forever.

My friend Justin Wright put together this useful cheat sheet of 12 daily habits with massive ROI.

My challenge to you:
Pick one habit per month for the next year.

Master it before moving to the next.

By December 2026, you'll have 12 life-changing habits on autopilot.

♻️ Repost to share with your network.
➕ Follow me (Colby Kultgen) for daily self-improvement content

I’m 34.

Here are 7 career “cheat codes” I wish I learned sooner:

7 career cheat codes I wish I knew sooner

Don't set SMART goals in 2024.

Set SMARTER goals...

We've all heard it before, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, etc.

But I've always thought something was missing from this framework.

Actually, a couple things:
1. Making goals easy to start immediately(most people get stuck here).
2. Encouraging regular reflection and adjustment of goals.

Thus, SMARTER goals were born:

Specific: Clear and well-defined.
Measurable: Quantifiable or assessable.
Achievable: Realistically attainable.
Relevant: Aligned with broader objectives.
Time-bound: Has a defined timeline.
Easy to start: Simple to initiate or begin.
Reflective: Encourages regular reflection.

Try them out.
Let me know what you think.

———

♻️ If you enjoyed this, repost it to your network and follow me (Colby Kultgen) for more content like this.

7 cheat codes to remember (almost) everything you learn.

Save this and send it to your study/work buddy!

7 cheat codes to remember (almost) everything you learn

In a perfect world, we'd be off our phones completely.

Probably skipping through a meadow somewhere.

Sadly, we don't live in a perfect world.

So I figured if you're going to be on your phone, you might as well be doing something that actually adds to your life.

Save this and repost it if you got some value.

8 Apps to Grow Your Brain Instead of Rotting It:

Avoid these time management mistakes in 2026.

Save this and repost if it resonated!

5 brutal time management mistakes stealing your life

How to improve any relationship in your life in 2026.

Take out your phone and send this text message:

“How can I be a better [friend / partner / son / etc.] to you?”

When I first heard this idea, I knew I had to try it immediately.

To be honest, I was pretty nervous.

Sending a message like this requires a lot of vulnerability.

But the responses I received were amazing.

They gave me specific and practical ways to show up better in the lives of the people I care about most.

This is the kind of question we should feel comfortable asking but rarely do.

Instead, we go through life assuming we know how others feel.

What they need.
What they expect.
How they want us to show up.

But the truth is: most of us don’t have a clue.

Asking is how we learn.

Try this out.

You might be surprised by what they share and how much they appreciate that you cared enough to ask.

January 16th was National Quitter's Day.

Yep, by the second Friday of January, roughly 80% of people will have already given up on their New Year's resolutions.

Which makes today the perfect day to recommit.

Save this and send it to someone who needs it.

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The Battle

Andy Mewborn

Colby Kultgen

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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