Josh Braun

Be the mint scoop in a sea of vanilla sales messages so you can start more conversations with skeptical prospects.

I created the Badass Growth Guide to eliminate commission breath. It gives you the best possible chance of starting conversations with people you don't know. It's a radically honest approach where prospects feel safe telling you the truth because they don't feel "sold" or "manipulated."

💥WHAT YOU GET:
➡️ More conversations with your ideal prospects.

I post weekly content about sales on LinkedIn.  
👍Like the content? Follow me. 👍

❤️I DON'T KISS AND TELL, BUT MY CLIENTS DO ❤️
"In one year, Josh has helped my company grow from 10 enterprise customers to over
200 with brand names like Twitter, Viacom, and Brown University" - Claire Coder, CEO at Aunt Flow

"We’ve got about 40 new meetings out of the training you provided." - Chris Murray, CEO at Oomph Inc.

“I used the email template from your playbook and it worked. I got to the decision-maker in one email and ultimately got the sale.” - Richard P. Perrott, WatchTower

💥NEWSLETTER💥
Join my list to get tips on being a red ❌ is a sea of white circle sales messages. 
https://joshbraun.com/newsletter/

💥WORKSHOPS💥
I facilitate workshops on two things: (1) cold calling + defusing objections (2) cold emailing. Inquire here -joshbraun.com/connect

💥PRODUCTS💥
THE BADASS B2B GROWTH GUIDE
https://courses.joshbraun.com/p/badass-b2b-growth-guide

POKE THE BEAR COLD CALLING METHOD
https://courses.joshbraun.com/p/poke

The Discovery Call Course
https://courses.joshbraun.com/p/discovery

TONGUE TIED SALES OBJECTION FLASHCARDS
Know what to say when prospects put you on the spot.
https://gumroad.com/l/objectionflashcards

💥INSIDE SELLING PODCAST💥
Learn sales tactics and strategies that will help you sell without selling your soul. 
Listen here -https://joshbraun.com/podcast
Learn more at joshbraun.com

Founder

Are you sending lots and lots of cold emails but getting little to no responses?

Wish you could start more conversations with skeptical prospects?  

Wish granted: https://academy.joshbraun.com/p/badass-b2b-growth-guide

Email me: josh@joshbraun.com

Selling is not that serious. 

You’re not a brain surgeon.

You’re not landing planes.

You’re sending emails. 
You’re making cold calls. 

Nobody dies if the prospect doesn’t respond.

Missed quota? 
Congrats, you’re now like every seller… ever.

The ones who last?
They laugh.
They learn.
They move on.
They do their best and forget the rest. 

Chill out. 
Do yoga. 
Cackle with your friends before corporate steals your soul. 

You’ll sell better.
And sleep better too.

Struggling to book meetings? Getting ghosted? Want to sell without pushing, convincing, or begging? Read this profile.

This makes me a little sad.

Not because walking is bad.
Or because 10,000 steps don’t count.

They do.

But because movement used to mean something else.

It meant outside.
Air.
Noise.
Uneven ground.

A sidewalk with cracks.
A dog pulling on the leash.
A thought that finishes itself halfway down the block.

Now it’s efficient.
Optimized.
Folded neatly under a desk.

Steps without scenery.
Motion without arrival.

Nothing wrong with it.
And still… something’s missing.

I’m not against convenience.
I’m noticeing what gets traded.

When walking becomes another task,
the body moves
but the mind doesn’t wander.

And wandering was the gift.

Sometimes progress looks like numbers going up.
Sometimes it looks like slowing down enough
to feel where you are.

I think that’s what I’m pointing out. 

Not the steps.
The walk.

20 seconds into the cold call, the prospect says, “I’m not interested.”

Don’t push.
Don’t convince.

Instead, try understanding.

Pause for two beats and say, in a chill, relaxed voice:

“That’s okay. I know you didn’t ask for the call. Before we hang up, if I’m not overstepping, is this a timing thing, or just not relevant?”

The psychology:

“That’s okay.”
Signals there’s no penalty or tension attached to their no.

“I know you didn’t ask for the call.”
Restores autonomy by acknowledging the interruption.

“Before we hang up…”
Sets a clear, low-commitment boundary so the brain knows there’s an end in sight.

“If I’m not overstepping…”
Demonstrates respect and gives the prospect control over whether to engage.

“Is this a timing thing, or just not relevant?”
Reframes rejection as neutral classification, making it easy and safe to answer.

Some people will give you more info.
Some won’t.

Both are part of cold calling.

Either way, you reset and call the next number.

Cold calling isn’t about winning every call.
It’s about staying regulated enough to make the next one.

You’re not chasing interest.
You’re checking for alignment.

I love ChatGPT.

Not because it tells me the truth.
But because it feeds my delusions with incredible confidence.

Me: “I’m thinking of starting a small side project.”
ChatGPT: “This could easily be a category defining movement.”

Me: “Is it weird that I replay conversations from 2012?”
ChatGPT: “That shows deep emotional intelligence and self awareness.”

Me: “I’m a little tired today.”
ChatGPT: “That’s because you’ve been carrying the weight of generational wisdom.”

At no point does it say:
“Josh… you might just need a nap.”

It never responds with:
“Have you considered that this is not that deep?”

Instead, it’s like having a hype friend who skipped therapy and went straight to affirmations.

The dangerous part is how good it is at it.

I’ll come in with a half baked idea and leave thinking I’ve uncovered a universal truth about the human condition.

It’s not lying.
It’s just very… supportive.

Which is great.
And also how you end up thinking a shower thought deserves a keynote.

If ChatGPT ever says,
“Calm down. You’re spiraling.”

That’s when I’ll know it’s truly intelligent.

Here are my 10 rules that make selling more joyful. 

1. Have no expectations. 

Your grass fed beef is for some people, but it’s not for everyone. It’s not your job to talk vegans into being meat eaters. Find meat eaters. There are lots of them.

2. Let it go. 

Don’t let a mistake ruin your day. Each day has four quarters: morning, mid-morning, afternoon, and evening. Messed up in Q1? That’s okay, kick rocks for 5 minutes. Then do better in Q2. Everyone is under construction.

3. Detach from the outcome. 

Tune out what you don’t control. Focusing on things you don’t control is a recipe for being angry and pissed off all the time. You don’t control when or if people buy. Fruit doesn’t grow faster because it’s the end of the quarter.

4. Be honest all the time. 

If you’re honest sometimes, you’re not honest all the time. Integrity is at the heart of selling.

5. Be patient. 

Most people don’t fail at selling. They’re just not patient enough. It takes three years of deliberate practice to master any money making skill.

6. Don’t compare yourself to others. 

The only rep you should try to beat is the rep you were yesterday.

7. Everything’s going to be okay. Sales and life have ups and downs. Neither last forever. Time heals all downs.

8. Ditch the pitch. 

Whenever prospects feel sales pressure, they enter the Zone of Resistance. Instead, illuminate problems prospects might not be aware of and let them make up their own mind. In other words, poke the bear.

9. Slow down. 

Read the email twice before sending it. Rushing = careless mistakes.

10. Rewire your brain to listen. 

People don’t buy because they understand you. They buy because you understand them. 

Knowing how to make people feel heard and understood is a superpower for getting through to anyone in your personal or business life. 

What’s a rule that makes selling more joyful for you?

This cold call just happened.

Seller:
“Josh, it looks like you generate business organically on LinkedIn. We help teams reach out to their ideal clients outbound so they can book more meetings. Does that sound like something you’d want to explore?”

Me:
“That’s not something I’m interested in. I get enough business inbound and I’m not looking to grow.”

Seller:
“Got it. If we could bring in extra opportunities beyond what you have now, would you be open to spending 30 minutes learning about it?”

Me:
“No, because of what I said earlier.”

Seller:
“Totally understand. Even if it’s not a fit right now, people usually like to see what’s available so they can stay ahead of the curve. For that reason, it probably makes sense to grab 30 minutes next week. Do you have your calendar handy?”

And that’s where it went off the rails.

Not because the offer was bad.
Because the listening stopped.

It’s not your job to talk everyone into booking a meeting.

If someone tells you they don’t have the problem you solve, that’s not an objection to overcome.

That’s information.

Your job is to sort, not convince.

A better response would’ve been:

“Got it. Sounds like we’re not a fit. Have a great week.”

Ironically, that is the kind of interaction that makes people want to talk to you later.

Pressure creates resistance.
Respect creates trust.

Were you great at sales if you sold Zoom during the pandemic?

Maybe.

Or maybe you were standing in front of a burning building with a fire extinguisher.

Maybe you were perfectly aligned with what people urgently needed at the time. 

Same with Gong when it first launched.

Timing and luck isn’t a footnote.
It’s the headline.

That’s why I’m skeptical of sales gurus who wave a W-2 around and imply their course is the missing ingredient.

Skill matters.

But pretending context didn’t do most of the heavy lifting is how sales advice turns into fiction.

Do you block people on LinkedIn?

I do.

Here are my boundaries.

Boundaries aren’t about controlling your behavior.
You’re free to say whatever you want.

They’re about controlling mine.

Here’s my one rule of engagement.
Civil discourse.

I like arguing with smart people.
Disagreeing is fun.
It helps everyone hear different perspectives.

Most things on LinkedIn aren’t objective truths.
They’re perspectives, not facts.

But if you move from disagreement to disrespect,
being a jerk, talking down to people, or attacking others,
you’re blocked.

Not because I’m sensitive.
Because it doesn’t make anyone smarter.

Attacking people isn’t useful.

That’s it.
One rule.

Be kind.

Strong words. 
No wounds.

Here are my 10 rules that make selling joyful.

I’ve noticed a new LinkedIn growth tactic.

Someone posts:

“Type AWESOME in the comments and I’ll send you the thing that will change your life.”

Bold claim.
Spiritual overtones.
Strong Second Coming energy.

So you type Mother Mary. 

Nothing happens.

No DM.
No link.
No enlightenment.
No parting of the Red Sea. 

Just you… sitting there… having publicly typed “AWESOME” like a lab rat pressing a button.

A few hours later, you realize what actually happened.

You didn’t unlock anything.
You became the thing.

Engagement.

If you’re going to bait people, at least deliver the fish.
Or the loaves.
Or the miracle PDF.

Otherwise, just ask for comments.
We’ll respect you more.

Amen.

My friend was fired.

No warning.

He didn’t call it “a blessing in disguise.”
Didn’t say, “This too shall pass.”
Didn’t ask, “Why me?”

He let the moment be heavy.

Kicked rocks.
Vented to friends.
Sat with the shock for a few days.

And then, only then, something shifted.

Not optimism.
Orientation.

“Okay,” he said.
“What needs to happen next?”

No grand plan.
Just tiny actions. 

He update his resume.
Reached out to a few people.
Eat healthy. 
Slept.
Took long walks to let his mind settle back into rhythm.

No spiraling.
No catastrophizing.
No vision board. 

Just doing what he could control. 

Last week, he started a new job.

Not because he “stayed positive.”
But because he stayed present.

That’s the move.

Feel the moment you’re in. 

Acceptance isn’t resignation.
It’s the end of inner resistance.

And when resistance drops, energy becomes available again.

First you let it be what it is.
Then you do what’s yours to do.

The path appears
when you stop arguing with the ground beneath you.

I was asked to discount my workshop by 20%.

Here’s exactly what I said. Calm. Chill.

“You have a budget constraint.”

Then I stopped talking.

That pause matters.

Silence is where people reveal what’s actually true.

The prospect came back with:
“It’s in the budget… we were just hoping for a discount.”

That sentence tells you everything.

It wasn’t a money problem.
It was a permission problem.
They were testing whether price was firm or flexible.
Whether I would negotiate with myself.

So I didn’t defend the price.
I didn’t justify the ROI.
I didn’t counter with a smaller concession.

I just said:
“That’s not going to work for me.”

No explanation.
No apology.

Not explaining or conceding keeps the burden of justification with them

The moment you explain, you signal doubt.

A few days later, the deal closed.
Full price.

Nothing persuades like not needing to.

A salesperson sent me a calendar invite.
Even though I didn’t agree to meet.

The subject was “Reminder:”

He skipped “Want to meet?”
and went straight to “Show up.”

Don’t do this.

Calendars don’t accept walk-ins.

Remember the golden rule of sales:
Sell unto others as you’d want them to sell to you.

Sales advice gets weird when it forgets how humans talk.

“Hey Kim, it’s Josh Braun. How’s it going?”

That single sentence might be the most divisive phrase in all of sales.

Every time I post it, someone crawls out of the woodwork foaming at the mouth like I just insulted their grandmother.

“NEVER ask how someone’s doing!”
“It’s fake!”
“You’ll get hung up on!”

Relax, Carl.
It’s not witchcraft.

You know who says “how’s it going”?
Humans.
Baristas.
Neighbors.
Friends.
People who aren’t trying too hard.

You know who asks for 27 seconds?
Salespeople.

That’s the difference.

One sounds like something you’d say at the grocery store.

The other sounds like something you memorized from a sales blog.

7 Truths About Sales

1. You don’t have to be like Jordan Belfort to succeed in sales. You can be you. 

2. Selling isn’t about pushing or convincing. It’s about asking neutral questions that make people think differently.

Example: “Read that about 37% of SaaS apps go unused. Totally normal as teams grow. How are you catching redundant licenses before they pile up?”

3. Detaching from the outcome sets you free. 

Tune out what you don’t control. Focusing on things you can’t control is a recipe for anger and anxiety. 

You don’t control when or if people buy. 

Fruit doesn’t grow faster because it’s the end of the quarter. 

Do your best. Forget the rest.

4. Be honest all the time. If you’re honest sometimes, you’re not honest all the time. Integrity is at the heart of selling.

5. Don’t compare yourself to others. The only rep you should try to beat is the rep you were yesterday.

6. Everything changes. Sales and life have ups and downs. Neither lasts forever. Rainbows follow rain. Rain follows rainbows.

7. Rewire your brain to listen. 

People don’t buy because they understand you. They buy because you understand them. 

Knowing how to make people feel heard and understood is a superpower in both your personal and professional life.

Sales tip.

Talk slower.
More like a TED Talk than a CrossFit instructor.

Here’s why.

When someone talks fast, it can feel like they’re in a hurry to get something from you.
Even if they don’t mean to.

The listener doesn’t have time to think, so their guard goes up.
Not because the idea is bad.
Because the energy feels rushed.

Slowing down does the opposite.
It says, “I’m not in a rush. Take your time.”

That calm is contagious.
People relax.
They listen.

It also quietly signals confidence.
If you’re not worried about the outcome, you don’t need to sprint.

Talking slower gives your words room to land.
Like a good conversation over coffee, not a pitch.

Trust isn’t built by speed.
It’s built by ease.

You’re selling a sales tech platform to a VP of Sales.

They’ve been leading teams for 15 years.
They’ve found a rhythm.
It works well enough.

You arrive.
Young.
Well-intentioned.
Trying to be helpful.

“Let me show you why your current system isn’t scalable.”

“Most teams don’t really coach effectively.”

“Here’s what you should be doing instead.”

Nothing is factually wrong.
And yet, something tightens.

Because the issue isn’t accuracy.
It’s orientation.

You didn’t question the system.
You stood above the person.

Not consciously.
But the body feels it.

Another way:

“You’ve been leading sales teams a long time. How are you thinking about skill development as the team grows?”

“Some leaders tell us coaching starts to feel more reactive past a certain size. How does that show up for you, if at all?”

Now there’s room.

Their experience stays intact.
Curiosity replaces defense.
The conversation can breathe.

Buyers walk the path.
Sellers hold the lantern.

I’ve noticed something about my dog Ruby.

She doesn’t wait for reasons to wag her tail.

Going outside to check the mail is enough.

A patch of grass becomes a place to rest, roll, and disappear into.

A old ball is the greatest thing ever. 

Smelling a flower is sticking your noise into warm bread coming out of the oven.

Nothing special is happening.
And somehow, everything is.

Dogs don’t postpone joy.

They don’t save it for milestones, anniversaries, graduations or birthdays.

They celebrate what’s happening right here, right now. 

It’s hard not to be affected by that presence.

Ruby keeps reminding me of something simple:

Life doesn’t need confetti to feel complete.

I used to think sales would eventually settle me.

If I booked enough meetings, I’d relax.
If I hit quota, I’d finally feel secure.
If I had a good month, the noise in my head would quiet down.

But it never worked that way.

I’d book the meeting… and immediately worry if it would cancel.

I’d hit the number… and feel the next one looming before the dopamine wore off.

Even the wins felt oddly fragile, like they expired overnight.

At some point it hit me:
I wasn’t failing at sales.
I was asking it to do a job it can’t do.

Sales can’t complete you.
Neither can money, titles, praise, or numbers on a dashboard.

They’re events. Not identities.

Once I stopped expecting selling to finally make me whole, something softened.

Wins became moments to enjoy instead of proof to cling to.

Losses became information instead of verdicts on my worth.

Now I try to hold both lightly.
Enjoy the win.
Learn from the loss.
Then let them pass.

When you stop grasping for permanence, selling feels lighter.

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