Most sales teams are chasing cold leads while their next best opportunity is already sitting inside their existing network.

In this episode of Because Growth Matters, Daniel is joined by Stephen Oommen, a sales and networking expert who is challenging the traditional approach to prospecting.

Stephen shares why he believes cold calls and cold emails should be the last step in your sales process, not the first, and how focusing on real relationships leads to faster trust and stronger revenue outcomes.

He breaks down how warm referrals have driven over 98 percent of his career revenue and explains why modern sales teams have sacrificed effectiveness for efficiency. Stephen also shares practical frameworks for mapping your network, becoming referable, and building genuine connections that naturally lead to opportunities.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Stephen

01:32 Stephen’s background in sales

04:47 Why warm referrals outperform cold outreach

07:38 Stephen’s career journey and the role of mentors

11:07 Practical networking strategies anyone can start today

13:09 Three simple steps to improve sales results

17:40 Why genuine human connection matters in business

24:17 How referrals shorten sales cycles and build trust faster

25:10 Where sales managers unintentionally block progress

26:09 The real importance of building and maintaining a network

31:16 When and how cold outreach still has a place

34:50 Mentorship lessons that shaped Stephen’s career

38:00 Why investing in sales enablement matters

41:31 Choosing mission over money in sales

44:00 The 1% that leads to big changes

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe to Because Growth Matters so you never miss an episode.

Would you like to be a guest on Because Growth Matters or learn more about working with Growth Matters International? Fill out the application form HERE.

Connect with Daniel:

LinkedIn: Daniel RobusWebsite: https://www.growthmattersintl.com

Connect with Stephen

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

In this episode of Because Growth Matters, Daniel is joined by Steve Fiore, a customer success and sales enablement leader with over 30 years of experience across enterprise sales, customer success, and leadership.

Steve shares his journey from frontline sales into senior leadership roles and explains how his career evolved from selling products to enabling long-term customer growth.

They explore how sales and customer success should work together in modern organisations, where accountability sits once a deal is closed, and why so many companies struggle to get customer success right.

Steve also opens up about his personal reinvention journey, the launch of his lifestyle platform Rooted and Refined Living, and why wellbeing and personal productivity are essential for leaders navigating burnout.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Steve Fiore

01:03 How Steve found his way into sales leadership and customer success

03:05 What sales enablement and customer success really mean in practice

05:26 Where companies get customer success wrong and how to do it better

14:22 Reinventing your lifestyle through curiosity and personal productivity

26:16 What job hunting can teach us about sales and confidence

31:32 The one percent habit that makes the biggest difference

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

Would you like to be a guest on Because Growth Matters or learn more about working with Growth Matters International? Fill out the application form HERE.

Connect with Daniel:

LinkedIn: Daniel RobusWebsite: https://www.growthmattersintl.com

Connect with Steve

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

Website: https://www.rootedandrefinedliving.com/

Hiring the wrong salesperson can stall growth, drain morale, and cost companies thousands.

In this episode, Daniel sits down with Dr Christopher Croner, a leading psychologist, consultant, and co author of the bestselling book Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again.

Chris has spent more than twenty years studying the psychology of high performing salespeople and has assessed more than 150,000 candidates worldwide.

He breaks down the science behind the three non teachable traits that predict sales success, why traditional hiring approaches fail, and how companies can dramatically improve their sales results by changing the way they interview.

Chris also shares the biggest hiring mistakes business owners make, particularly when hiring their first salesperson, and how to structure an onboarding process that sets new hires up for long term performance.

If you hire, lead, or work alongside salespeople in any capacity, this episode will transform the way you think about talent selection!

Timestamps

00:00 Introducing Dr Christopher Croner

01:13 The science of identifying top performing salespeople

03:39 The core characteristics shared by the best sales professionals

08:58 The most common hiring mistakes companies make

14:56 The most revealing interview questions for sales candidates

20:11 Access the Sales Drive Assessment

20:53 What to focus on when hiring your first ever salesperson

21:49 The essential traits every sales hire should have

25:52 How to build a successful onboarding process

27:50 What Chris learned from writing his book

34:31 How AI is shaping the future of sales and hiring

37:22 Resources Chris recommends

If this episode helped you rethink your hiring process, make sure you follow the show so you never miss an episode!

Would you like to be a guest on Because Growth Matters or learn more about working with Growth Matters International? Fill out the application form HERE.

Connect with Daniel:

LinkedIn: Daniel Robus

Website: https://www.growthmattersintl.com

Connect with Christopher:

LinkedIn: Christopher Croner

Website: https://salesdrive.info/

Sales Drive Assessment: https://salesdrive.info/drive-test/

Email: CCroner@salesdrivetest.com

Never Hire a Bad Salesperson Again