Talent Executives

We don’t just fill roles, we help companies build high-performing teams.

We partner closely with company leaders to understand their priorities, culture, and what success looks like for their teams, delivering exceptional candidates who contribute immediately and grow with the organization.

Clients rely on us as an extension of their recruiting arm: trusted, fast-moving, and committed to their long-term success.

Chief Executive Officer

Networking Executives

The right connections. The right opportunities. The right time.

But how do you know where to be and when?

Networking Executives removes the guesswork by curating local, industry-specific events, so professionals spend less time searching and more time connecting.

Founder and President

Capital One

Led a strategic initiative from concept to launch that was recognized as Capital One Auto Finance’s Most Influential Project of the Year, an honor presented by the CEO for its significant impact on the organization.

Delivered results by translating strategy into action, exceeding goals while upholding operational excellence and accountability in a competitive market.

Expanded Capital One’s market share by cultivating and managing high-value relationships with franchised dealerships, driving consistent revenue growth while becoming a trusted partner to clients.

Area Sales Manager

Tapped to support the nationwide launch of Regional Buying Centers (RBCs), a high-impact expansion initiative critical to the company’s growth strategy.

Worked in close partnership with the executive team, traveling to new markets to assess talent needs and align hiring with Capital One’s culture and operational priorities. Led efforts to attract top talent from competitors through targeted market events while overseeing full-cycle recruitment for essential roles in each launch market.

This initiative required precision, speed, and a deep understanding of both the business and local market dynamics, resulting in successful, on-time RBC openings across multiple regions and the seamless integration of high-caliber talent into the organization.

Strategic Talent Acquisition Partner

Thrived in a competitive environment, consistently exceeding goals while earning Chairman & President’s Team honors, ranking in the top 2% nationwide.

Selected to represent the National Sales Team in evaluating and recommending a new CRM platform, enhancing customer relationship management across all divisions.

Consistently drove business growth while building trust-based relationships that supported long-term success.

Led national recruiting operations for Capital One Auto Finance, overseeing high-performing teams in multiple states during a period of significant company growth.

Executed efficient, scalable hiring strategies that reduced cycle times and controlled costs while maintaining a high-quality candidate experience, ensuring leaders had the talent needed to drive results.

Managed talent integration during key acquisitions, aligning workforce strategies with business objectives to support smooth transitions and continued growth.

National Recruiting Manager

Oversaw regional recruiting efforts, partnering with senior leaders to understand hiring needs and build high-performing teams aligned with business goals.

Drove full-cycle recruiting during high-growth periods, building and mentoring a high-performing recruiting team that consistently delivered quality hires while supporting organizational expansion and culture alignment.

Focused on relationship-driven recruiting to attract and retain top talent, supporting the company’s growth and culture.

Regional Recruiting Manager

Business is personal, and great recruiting goes beyond just filling roles.

It’s about understanding people, solving real-world problems, and building lasting relationships.

At Talent Executives, we help companies build exceptional teams through high-impact leadership searches and hard-to-fill niche roles.

As a trusted recruiting partner, we operate as an extension of our clients’ teams, delivering results with speed, clarity, and intention. Our approach is collaborative, transparent, and rooted in trust.

Clients and colleagues often describe our work as:

🔹Trusted partners who help companies hire with confidence
🔹Strategic and straightforward, yet grounded and approachable
🔹A partner who shows up, follows through, and delivers

That same philosophy drives Networking Executives, a curated platform helping professionals find and attend local, industry-specific events. 

It’s built around meaningful conversations, authentic connections, and the belief that showing up matters.

For companies and professionals who value heart, strategy, and results, this is where it all comes together.

Let’s build something great!

Amy Sulgrove

DallasMeetup last night was exactly what this community needed!

No pitches. 
No fluff. 
Just real conversations and introductions.

Carson Gibbons keeps raising the bar. 

Every time he brings this group together, the energy shifts
and the connections stick.

If you were there, you know!

If you weren’t,
follow Networking Executives to stay in the loop. 

We’re tracking what’s worth showing up for!

Because in this business, 
The best opportunities don’t always show up online
They show up in the room. 🤝 

Ashtyn Maxson RJ Baltisberger Grant Karren

 Amy Sulgrove

Hiring Leaders Who Elevate Culture and Performance 🔹 Executive and Leadership Search for Mid-Market and Enterprise Companies 🔹 Relationship-Led Recruiting With Transparent Metrics

Yesterday was one of those mornings that makes you check your phone twice.

7:15am text: SVP Marketing offer accepted.

7:28am email: VP Financial Planning & Analysis offer signed.

Two positions closed.
Before most people had caffeine, we had two offers accepted.

Huge shoutout to our Talent Executives Group team!  Clear expectations, real transparency, and organized communication make all the difference. That’s what gets leadership hires across the finish line.

Not a bad way to start the day and a solid way to head into the last 8 weeks of 2025!

With budgets being finalized for 2026, if you’re adding to your leadership, we’d love to help!

Huge day over here!
An entire sales organization!

Hired.
Launched.

And in their first full team meeting together yesterday morning.

New faces.
Shared goals.
Real momentum from day one.

This is what happens when hiring and strategy work together.

We don’t just fill roles.
We build transformational teams.

Rooted in relationships.
Built on results.

Our next transformational team starts Monday, with a client of ours in New York!

If you’re planning to build a world-class team in 2026, now’s a good time to talk.

Talent Executives Group  Tona Blount  Melissa Lambert Hopkins Mary Porst

Sharing a phenomenal concept in action, from my good friend of 30 years, David Weitzenfeld.  I’ve had an opportunity to try it out and the ease of the platform is fantastic!  Kudos on the CareerSpawn.com, Dave!

Senior Financial Services Executive | Digital Transformation & Product Innovation | AI, Retirement, & Enterprise Growth Leader | CPA | Lawyer

I sat down with the CEO of a successful online business yesterday.

He told me about a job he recently posted — Head of Operations. Great salary, benefits, options — the works.

In just 24 hours, he received 1,400 resumes.

Not one person included a simple cover letter or even a few bullets explaining the value they could bring.

Not one resume was customized for the role.

It was clear that most people were just throwing resumes over the wall, hoping something would stick.

That’s exactly where CareerSpawn.com
 comes in.

We help candidates stand out — by instantly tailoring each resume to the job description.
👉 Save time
 👉 Stand Out
 👉 Get hired
#jobsearch #resumetips #career #jobseeker #AI #CareerSpawn CareerSpawn.com

40+ Linkedin Money-Making-Influence Resources I Toxic Boss Immunity I Frequency of INFLUENCE: ETHICAL PERSUASION I $20k Brain-Based Sales System | HarvardX Neuroscience Research I Keynote 🎤 I X-Microsoft I Captain ⛵

$20k Monthly Brain Based Sales System Without Chasing the "Yes"

You know the feeling:
😳 Your brain lights up with “What if they think I’m pushy?” the second you open a DM.
😬 You’d rather post and pray the right people find you than risk being ghosted.
😅 You tell yourself that if you were really good, clients would just show up.

You don’t want to fake connection just to pitch.
You want sales that feels human. Real conversations, not pressure tactics.

You’re not bad at sales.
Your brain is just protecting you.

The amygdala flags rejection as danger.
Your prefrontal cortex freezes.
And boom hesitation, overthinking, silence.

That’s where my work comes in.
I teach the Neuroscience of No-Pressure Sales so you can sell with calm confidence instead of fear.

No scripts. No manipulation.
Just science, psychology, and simple tools to retrain your nervous system so selling feels natural again.

When your brain is relaxed, your authenticity returns.
You stop pitching and start connecting.
Outreach stops feeling like an intrusion and starts feeling like service.

This is sales made easy for coaches who hate selling.

✨ Ways to get started with me:

✅ If you're a coach DM me "Butter"
✅ If you're a business owner DM me "Butter"
✅ If you're a sales leader DM me "Butter"
✅ Attend my next workshop for FREE BRAIN BASED SALES SECRETS. https://forms.gle/HvTRDEZEuu7bgQEF8
✅ Subscribe to the Be Like Butter Bugle: Weekly brain hacks for resilience and influence. https://synaptic-solutions.kit.com/newsletter

Personal interests: 
- Captain ⛵️ 
- Recovering Sugar Addict 🍭 
- Trash TV consumer 🗑️

Sales Coach | Toxic Boss Coach | Neuroscience Coach | Executive Coach | Master Behavioral Strategist | Speaker | Advisor | Expert | 7 figures | Virtual Speaking | Sales Performance Brain Hacker | Mindset Coach I Corporate Trainer I Influence I Key Note Speaker

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

Leaders don't do things for you. 

They inspire you to grow into someone who can do them 

Your brain's mirror neurons are fascinating...

When we observe great leadership, 
Our neural networks literally reshape themselves 🧠

Here's what happened in my team's brains 
When I shifted from problem-solver to growth catalyst:

1️⃣ Neural Leadership Networks
↳ Prefrontal cortex activation in decision-making up 
↳ Stress response pathways decreased
↳ Reward circuits fired during problem-solving

2️⃣ Learning Circuit Activation
↳ Neuroplasticity peaked during challenges
↳ Dopamine loops strengthened team bonds
↳ Cognitive flexibility increased 

3️⃣ Performance Neuroscience
↳ Cortisol levels dropped 
↳ Oxytocin boosted trust signals
↳ Group synchronization improved

Science shows: When leaders step back,
The team's collective neural networks step up.

Learn how to build a $20k - No Chasing the Yes - Sales System
Apply here --> https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

PS: What neural pathway did your best leader help you strengthen? 🧠

Video credit: Unlnown

-------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share to build stronger leadership brains
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for more brain-based growth insights

The hard things you avoid 

Are the exact things that free you

Most people avoid the hard stuff.
Not because they are lazy.
Because their brain is trying to protect them.

The prefrontal cortex wants long term wins
But the amygdala wants immediate comfort
So every hard task feels like a threat
And your brain tells you to delay it
Even when it hurts you later.

Here is how to flip the switch
So your brain stops fighting you
And starts working for you.

1/ Reduce the threat signal
 Big tasks feel dangerous
 So your brain freezes
 Break the task into the smallest next move
 Science: Small steps lower amygdala activity
 And increase dopamine for starting

2/ Front load the friction
 Do the hardest task first
 Before your brain is overloaded
 Science: Your decision making power is highest early
 And cortisol rises as the day goes on

3/ Create a reward loop
 Your brain needs a reason to try
 Pair the hard task with a positive cue
 Tea, music, a small celebration
 Science: Dopamine releases faster
 When a reward is tied to effort, not outcomes

When you train your brain to face hard things
You stop leaking energy
You build momentum
And the tough stuff becomes automatic

P.S. Whats your best procrastination buster? 

Learn how to build a $20k No Chasing the Yes Sales System
Apply here → https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

Video Credit: Unknown

-----------------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon  to get more brainy tips
♻️ Repost to help more people train their brain to thrive

I used to shrink parts of myself to fit into corporate.

It quietly drained the life out of my ideas (and me).

At the time, I thought success required self-erasure.
I hit every goal on the board.
But I felt empty.

 🧠 Promotions
 🧠 Pay raises
 🧠 Prestige

None of it mattered.
My spark was gone.
And so was my creativity.

Have you ever noticed how your brain invents ideas
When you’re not even trying?

Your imagination lights up your neural networks
Like a synchronized light show.

Brain imaging reveals that
Most of your regions activate during visualization.

Here’s what fuels your imagination 👇

1/ Your Brain’s Creative Engine
 ↳ Default Mode Network turns on as the PFC steps back
 ↳ Memory blends with emotion to create new associations
 ↳ Your brain recombines patterns without limits

2/ The Moment Insight Strikes
 ↳ Gamma bursts peak during big realizations
 ↳ Hippocampus sends raw material to the DMN
 ↳ New pathways strengthen the more you play with ideas

3/ Your Creativity Enhancement Tools
 ↳ Take short intentional pauses for DMN activation
 ↳ Change scenes to trigger fresh circuitry
 ↳ Welcome boredom because it sparks innovation

Creativity is not magic.
It is a neural process you can train.
All you need is the space and permission to
Reconnect with curiosity and let your mind roam.
Don’t lose your spark chasing goals that dim you.

BIG NEWS! SALES SAGE IS LIVE!
See the truth your reps won’t say out loud (before it blows up your number)
Taking 100 beta testers - 14 day free trial
Minority Report for Sales Teams
https://salessage.co/ 

PS: When does your imagination run wild?

Video Credit: Unknown

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share to help others reclaim their creativity
➕ Follow Shannon for more brain-based growth insights

Your brain won't save you.

Your heart will. 

For two weeks, I volunteered to help rescue animals.
Feeding, cleaning, comforting the scared and the broken.

They had nothing to give back
but showing up still felt right.

Because giving changes you.
It pulls you out of fear and back into purpose.

And right now, the world needs more of that.
 💔 People are hurting.
 💔 Jobs disappearing.
 💔 Markets spiraling.
 💔 Stress levels through the roof.

Everyone’s doing their best just to stay afloat.
But when everything feels unstable,
most people grip tighter.
They try to control.
They chase.
They push harder for the “yes.”

That’s exactly why it stops working.
The brain senses pressure and shuts down trust.
You can’t sell, serve, or lead from scarcity.
You can only do it from calm generosity.

That’s why I’m giving away what I’ve learned.
The exact framework that helped me break free from corporate,
build consistency on my own,
and stop chasing clients who weren’t ready.

It’s called Stop Chasing the Yes.
A workshop to help you
 – Build your own predictable client system
 – Shift from pressure to presence in every conversation
 – Lead with calm confidence instead of fear

If you’ve been giving everything and still feel stuck,
this is your next step.

Because giving works best
when you give to yourself too.

Learn how to build a $20k - No Chasing the Yes - Sales System
Apply here --> https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

P.S. Do you volunteer, if so where?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for more neuroscience tools for calm influence
♻️ Repost to help others give without burning out

The only true failure in life is quitting. 

Success is never a straight line. It certainly wasn't for me.

I've had many failures and setbacks along my path.
Layoffs.
Failed ventures.
Bad investments. 

Life is messy. 
Mess is a part of life.

Enjoy the messiness. 
And, your brain kinda likes it messy too.

Why your brain craves zigzag paths 🧠

(The science of why progress feels so messy) 👇

Your neural pathways aren't built in straight lines
And neither is your path to greatness
Here's what's really happening in your brain:

1️⃣ The Neural Reality
↳ Growth pathways form through trial and error
↳ Each "failure" strengthens neural connections
↳ Your brain requires contrast to learn

2️⃣ The Resilience Loop
↳ Setbacks activate problem-solving networks
↳ Stress actually enhances memory formation
↳ Recovery periods boost cognitive flexibility

3️⃣ The Growth Paradox
↳ Progress activates dopamine reward system
↳ Plateaus create new neural foundations
↳ Breakthroughs happen during apparent standstills

Your "messy" journey is how your brain is designed to learn and grow.

P.S. What was your latest messiness?

Learn how to build a $20k - No Chasing the Yes - Sales System
Apply here --> https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

Video Credit: Unknown

-------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share if you're ready to embrace the zigzag
➕ Follow Shannon for more brain-based insights

Most people’s LinkedIn strategy: grind harder and hope

Mine: close clients while living life on my own schedule

I’ve wandered through the Greek islands
- Boat rides to hidden beaches
- Mornings working with seaside views
- A weekend in Skopelos without realizing it was a movie set

I spent a month in Athens
- Day trips to Agistri, turquoise blue waters
- Afternoons coaching clients

Why am I sharing this?
 Because your brain says “that’s not for me”
 Because it tells you to stick with the familiar
 (It’s called comfort bias and it keeps you stuck)

But here’s what no one will tell you:
If you want it, this life is closer than you think

Here’s how your brain makes it happen:

1️⃣ The Belief Reset
 ↳ Your brain avoids what feels out of reach
 ↳ Turn “impossible” into doable with simple shifts
 ↳ Stack wins until change feels normal

2️⃣ The LinkedIn Advantage
 ↳ Know what your ideal client looks for before they decide
 ↳ Post and message in ways that feel safe and personal
 ↳ Use a system that works even while you’re away

3️⃣ The Lifestyle Flywheel
 ↳ Every yes starts before the offer is made
 ↳ Match your approach to their decision process
 ↳ That’s how I work from coastlines and mountain trails

The point?

It’s not about more work
It’s about the right work for the brain

I am offering a once in a lifetime DONE FOR YOU SYSTEM
For One Month, I will revamp your LI system
- ICP Subtext Discovery 
- LI Optimization
- DM Framework that gets sales calls
- 1 month of content that gets inbound leads
- Engagement that builds your reach

I will only take ONE client. 
If you want me to build your system,
the way I went from 3k to 50k followers, then DM me
"DFY Butter" and we'll chat.

P.S. Where would you take your laptop first?
P.P.S. Pic from Poseidon's Temple (10/10)
-----------------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share if your goal is freedom without the hustle
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for more brain-based sales strategies

One more trip around the sun.

It's been a doozy.

Every birthday, I pause and reflect on my last year.
This year was the year that stretched me in every direction.

I lost my favorite person (my Belley Bean)
That loss began an 8 month walkabout across the globe.

I found my spiritual side.
I found strength I didn't know I had.

I escaped 3 typhoons
I sailed the Mediterranean
I ate the most amazing food 
I chopped a bajillion bananas
I swam in the Blue Cave in Croatia
I cared for 140 elephants and 700 dogs
I got bit and headbutted by deer in Nara
I moved what felt like a million watermelons
I spoiled myself at a Japanese Onsen regularly
I calmly navigated a stalker sitch right up to my airplane 
I lost a toenail trying an advanced yoga post in Cabo San Lucas

I missed my family.
I missed my friends.

I grew.
I grew so much.
I think I grew more this year than any year before.

I admired the precision of Japanese trains.
I learned Thai people do not use chopsticks.
I went from a 3k to 50k community in 8 months.
I was stunned by the beauty of the Greek islands.
I made new friends in the most unexpected places.
I built a predictable, brain-based revenue machine.
I helped countless clients do the same for their businesses.

This year was not easy.
It was not predictable.
But it was deeply transformative.

Here is to another year of becoming.
Here is to letting go, leaning in, and staying open.

And if you are reading this…
Thank you for being part of my journey.

P.S. Today, I am Seattle celebrating!
Wanna celebrate with me?

I am offering a once in a lifetime DONE FOR YOU SYSTEM
For One Month, I will revamp your LI system
- ICP Subtext Discovery 
- LI Optimization
- DM Framework that gets sales calls
- 1 month of content that gets inbound leads
- Engagement that builds your reach

I will only take ONE client. 
If you want me to build your system,
the way I went from 3k to 50k followers, then DM me
"DFY Butter" and we'll chat.

-----------------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share if your goal is freedom without the hustle
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for more brain-based sales strategies

You have more answers than you think. 

You just don't know it...yet.

Most people say they want to think outside the box.
But few ever leave it.

Because the box feels safe.
It’s made of habits, rules, and comfort.
It’s your brain’s way of protecting you from uncertainty.

But that same safety is what keeps you small.
Every great idea, every business, every leap
starts the moment you question the walls around you.

When you think differently, new neural pathways fire.
Your prefrontal cortex lights up.
Dopamine releases as you connect unfamiliar dots.
That’s not chaos. That’s creativity.

Thinking outside the box trains your brain to
🧠 see possibilities instead of patterns,
🧠 stay adaptable when the world shifts,
🧠 and turn fear into curiosity instead of paralysis.

Inside the box, life feels predictable.
Outside, it feels alive.

If you want freedom, income, and purpose,
you can’t just color outside the lines.
You have to stop believing they’re even there.

That’s the work we do inside my workshop
Because the world doesn’t reward safety.
It rewards those who think beyond it.

🧠 Learn how to build a $20k - No Chasing the Yes - Sales System
Apply here --> https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

Usually, the answer is already within you 
(channeling Yoda today).

P.S. When was the last time you already knew the answer...you just had to remember you did?

Video credit: Unlnown

---------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for more neuroscience tools for clarity and creativity
♻️ Repost to help more people break out of their mental box

Persuasion isn't manipulation

Persuasion is making the prospect feel safe.

The top 8 secrets to ethically persuade 👇

Most people think persuasion means convincing or winning.
But real persuasion begins in calm awareness.
Your nervous system leads the conversation 
Long before your words do.
When your energy is steady, others feel safe to open.

Here's the 8 secret ways to ethically persuade

1️⃣ Regulate before you relate
 Take one slow breath before you speak.
 This quiets the body and steadies your focus.
 Your calm signals safety and builds connection.

2️⃣ Lead with curiosity
 Ask questions that invite reflection.
 “What feels most challenging right now?”
 Curiosity keeps the brain open and the energy light.

3️⃣ Validate before you redirect
 When people hesitate, meet them with empathy.
 “I understand why you’d feel that way.”
 Validation relaxes tension and rebuilds trust.

4️⃣ Keep autonomy intact
 People need to feel in control of their choices.
 Invite, don’t push.
 “Would you like to explore this together?”

5️⃣ Reframe with clarity
 Fear narrows focus, clarity opens it again.
 Ask, “What might shift if this were already solved?”
 It helps people see beyond the problem.

6️⃣ Align around shared intention
 Focus on what matters to both of you.
 “We both want this to create real results.”
 Shared purpose turns pressure into partnership.

7️⃣ Match energy before guiding change
 People follow what feels familiar.
 First, attune to their tone and pace.
 Then gently guide the conversation toward calm and clarity.

8️⃣ End with clarity, not pressure
 Unfinished conversations keep the mind spinning.
 Summarize, confirm, and close the loop.
 “Are you ready to get started?"

Ethical persuasion is calm, curious, and choice-based.
🧠 Regulate first. 
🧠 Match energy. 
🧠 Keep autonomy strong.

That’s how influence becomes trust.

P.S. Have you ever felt pressured to buy?

Starting up my workshops again!
Learn how to build a $20k - No Chasing the Yes - Sales System
Apply here --> https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for more brain-based sales tools
 ♻️ Repost to help more people influence with integrity

The number 1 reason you’re invisible on Linkedin...

You aren't breaking through the RAS filter

Your prospect never sees most of what you say.
Their brain deletes it before it gets inside.

The Reticular Activating System filters everything.
It looks for relevance, novelty, safety, and clarity.
If your message feels routine, it gets ignored.
If it feels vivid and personal, it gets through.
Here are ten ways to pass the filter fast.

1/ Pattern breaks win
Don’t start predictable
Do open with novelty
Science: RAS flags newness first

2/ Short lines keep attention
 Don’t write long blocks
 Do use simple spacing
 Science: Low load keeps thinking open

3/ Make it about them
Don’t lead with yourself
Do mirror their world
Science: RAS checks for self relevance

4/ Signal credibility fast
Don’t over explain
Do give one strong proof
Science: Fast heuristics shape trust

5/ Use micro commitments
Don’t push for yes
Do ask tiny questions
Science: Micro wins open dopamine

6/ Use visual outcomes
Don’t stay vague
Do paint clear images
Science: RAS tags vivid scenes

7/ Match their energy
Don’t push your pace
Do mirror tone
Science: Mirror neurons sync fast

8/ Validate their words
Don’t jump to fixes
Do echo their phrasing
Science: Neural validation needs match

9/ Create safety, not pressure
Don’t force urgency
Do slow the tempo
Science: Threat shuts attention down

10/ Give one next step
Don’t dump info
Do guide clearly
Science: Sequence reduces neural noise

When you speak to the brain instead of the ego
You stop sounding like everyone else
You bypass resistance
You increase trust
And your message finally lands

P.S. Which one has worked for you??

Learn how to build a $20k No Chasing the Yes Sales System
Apply here → https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe
Dec 15 - 11am - 2pm PST

----------------------------------------------------------------
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon  to get more brainy tips
♻️ Repost to help more people train their brain to thrive

Persuasion isn’t pressure.

Persuasion is helping someone feel safe.

Here are 8 ethical persuasion swaps that actually work 👇

Most people try to persuade with logic or force.
But the brain listens to safety signals first.
When you protect autonomy and reduce threat,
People open up, not shut down.

Here are the 8 upgrades:

1️⃣ Regulate before you relate
❌ Don’t say: 
“Let me just explain why this makes sense.”

✅ Say this:
“Before we dive in, take a breath. I want this to feel clear.”

🔬Science:
 A calm nervous system sends safety cues.
 Their mirror neurons match your steadiness, lowering resistance.

2️⃣ Lead with curiosity
❌ Don’t say:
 “Here’s what you need to do.”

✅ Say this:
 “What feels hardest about this right now?”

🔬 Science:
 Curiosity keeps the amygdala quiet.
 Questions activate the prefrontal cortex, the part that evaluates options calmly.

3️⃣ Validate before redirecting
❌ Don’t say:
 “I understand, but…”

✅ Say this:
 “It makes sense you’d feel that way.”

🔬 Science:
 Validation reduces cortisol.
 It signals “You’re safe to express hesitations,” which reopens trust pathways.

4️⃣ Protect autonomy
❌ Don’t say:
 “You should really move forward.”

✅ Say this:
 “Want to explore this together?”

🔬 Science:
Autonomy is a core human need.
When someone feels in control, dopamine rises and decision-making improves.

5️⃣ Reframe with clarity
❌ Don’t say:
 “You’re overthinking this.”

✅ Say this:
 “What might shift if this were already solved?”

🔬 Science:
Reframing widens cognitive perspective.
It moves the brain out of threat mode and into problem-solving mode.

6️⃣ Align intentions
❌ Don’t say:
 “I just want you to see my point.”

✅ Say this:
 “We both want a solution that actually works for you.”

🔬 Science:
Shared goals increase oxytocin.
Oxytocin boosts collaboration and reduces defensiveness.

7️⃣ Match energy before guiding
❌ Don’t say:
 “Relax, it’s not a big deal.”

✅ Say this:
 “I hear how this feels for you. Let’s slow it down together.”

🔬Science:
Attunement regulates the nervous system.
The brain trusts what feels familiar before it trusts new direction.

8️⃣ Close with clarity, not pressure
❌ Don’t say:
 “So… are you ready or not?”

✅ Say this:
 “Here’s what the next step looks like. Does this feel right to you?”

🔬 Science:
Clear choices reduce cognitive load.
When the brain knows the path, uncertainty drops—and commitment rises.

Ethical persuasion is simple:
 🧠 Lower threat
 🧠 Raise clarity
 🧠 Protect autonomy

That’s how influence becomes trust.

P.S. Ever notice how pressure makes you want to run?

My workshops are open again.
Learn how to build a $20k No Chasing the Yes Sales System
Apply here → https://lnkd.in/eZRF_jZe

----------------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for more brain-based sales tools
♻️ Repost to help more people influence with integrity

Your biggest risk is the rep who says they're "fine."

Your rep's "fine," is eerily similar to your spouse's "fine."

TL:DR It's definitely not "fine."

You don't lose a quarter in one moment.
You lose it in tiny blind spots.

A rep who says they're fine.
A pipeline that looks clean.
A deal that feels safe until it slips.

Then your forecast cracks.
Your VP starts asking questions.
And you wonder what you missed.

What every manager thinks but never says out loud:

You're managing stories, not data.
Your team tells you what feels safe to say.
Not what protects your number.

Sales Sage shows you the parts they leave out.
A simple 10 minute pulse surfaces early risk.

😶‍🌫️ Stress signals. 
😶‍🌫️ Confidence drops.
😶‍🌫️ Hidden struggles that turn into missed targets...
If you catch them too late.

We give you visibility your dashboards say they give you
But can't

The minority report for sales teams. 
14-day free beta: https://salessage.co for early adopters

taplio

The Battle

Amy Sulgrove

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreAmy Sulgrove's LinkedIn Performance

Performance Score🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Amy Sulgrove

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Amy Sulgrove's LinkedIn Performance

Performance Score🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreAmy Sulgrove's LinkedIn Performance