In this episode of Leadership That Sells, I talk with Chip Higgins — small business strategist, seasoned exec and author of The Bizix Way — about how to lead with energy, focus, and staying power. Chip brings a totally fresh perspective by linking business performance to real physics principles like momentum, force, friction and inertia.

He shares how mass times velocity is more than just an equation from school science. It's a powerful mental model for sales teams and leaders who want to build real traction and keep it going. We dig into how leaders create energy, how to point it in the right direction, and how to build "mass" inside the business by developing people, sharpening value propositions, and improving the systems that make selling simpler.

Here’s how to create unstoppable sales momentum:

• Momentum = Mass x Velocity. Mass is the density of your value proposition and team. Velocity is speed with direction.

• Don’t confuse activity with productivity. Sales energy must be focused on aligned targets that drive real value.

• Increase mass by building weighty leadership, strong culture, and clear differentiation.

• Velocity comes from direction. Set the vector: what market, what message, what timeframe.

• Friction kills energy. Remove unnecessary complexity, systems drag and pointless admin.

• Reinvest in your people. Developing skills and character builds lasting mass.

• Bond with your customers. Deep connections create resilience and power, like redwood trees sharing root systems.

Timeline summary:

[02:12] – Sales is the most intense energy field in business [03:38] – Top salespeople should earn more than the boss [07:02] – Momentum = mass x velocity, explained for sales teams [08:34] – It takes exponentially more energy to go faster [10:13] – Avoid fake productivity: be clear on targets [14:15] – What makes a small business "massive" [17:07] – Why your leadership weight matters [20:07] – Mass is the value in your people, your proposition, and your culture [24:00] – Bonding builds mass — with team and customers [27:13] – Crash Bandicoot, tornadoes, and angular momentum [30:20] – How to grow mass: reinvest in people, develop their weight [34:05] – Newton's laws, sales acceleration, and systems friction [39:48] – Billboard message: "We're better together"

Links & resources:

• Chip’s site: https://www.chiphiggins.com/

• Book: The Bizix Way (on Amazon, Kindle, Audio, Hardback)

• Physics on Demand AI agent: https://www.bizix.com/physics-on-demand

Enjoyed this episode? If this gave you a new way to think about energy, leadership and sales momentum, do us a favour: rate, review, follow and share the show. It helps more great leaders like you find Leadership That Sells.

In this episode of Leadership That Sells, I sit down with Jeremy Blain — transformation strategist, leadership expert and four-time best-selling author — to dig into the practical realities of leading in a world that won’t stop shifting. Jeremy has coached leaders in over 50 countries, built award-winning training companies, and previously held senior roles at PepsiCo and P&G. We talk about how leadership has to evolve for the digital age, why the human element is more important than ever, and why managers clinging to outdated models are falling behind fast.

We get into why today’s leaders need a full operating system upgrade, not just a patch or a plugin. Jeremy unpacks what that means in practical terms, and how the best leaders are dropping the need to have all the answers and instead creating the right culture for talent to thrive — including those who just want to do a great job and go home. This isn’t theory. It’s what real leadership looks like now.

Here’s how to upgrade your leadership operating system:

• Accept that yesterday's leadership models are broken. You’re not here to command and control. You're here to enable.
• Be a learner again. The best leaders are learning at the same pace as their teams.
• Shift from vertical hierarchy to horizontal collaboration.
• Stop thinking 'Talent' with a capital T. Everyone has value. Empower from the ground up.
• Understand the open talent economy. It’s no longer about roles, it’s about skills.
• Redefine the role of HR. HR needs to grow some teeth and lead transformation, not just administer it.

Timeline summary:

[02:24] – Why 20th century leadership needs a digital-age upgrade [04:04] – Leadership is now a shared journey with your people [06:06] – Set direction, create climate, and coach for capability [08:54] – The pace of change in Asia vs. a sluggish UK [10:08] – Flattening hierarchies and rethinking the org chart [11:00] – Stop reserving leadership for the "chosen few" [14:47] – What really stops managers from empowering their teams [16:05] – The open talent era: 50% of the workforce will be independent [18:43] – Why HR is not ready and needs a serious reset [23:04] – Culture is the glue that binds all transformation [25:05] – The first step? Slow down, look at the data, then decide [27:48] – "Get comfortable in knowing what to do when you don't know what to do"

Links & resources:

• Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyblain/
• Jeremy’s podcast: Rethink Leadership
• Jeremy’s book: The Inner CEO in Action : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inner-CEO-Unleashing-leaders-levels/dp/1784529338

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Some things in sales leadership are easy to say but hard to do. Like being brave enough to push back on customers. Or helping your team give up short-term comfort to build long-term pipeline. In this episode, I’m joined by Zsike Peter, a powerhouse revenue leader at Cognism, to talk about how to lead through those challenges.

Zsike shares how she supports her team to stay consistent under pressure, make the right calls even when it’s tough, and keep leaning into the work that drives pipeline and growth. We talk about building a high-performance culture, the importance of clarity and repetition, and how to create space for both accountability and compassion. If you’ve ever felt the tug between being liked and being effective, this one’s for you.

• Repetition builds belief. Keep saying the same message especially when you’re leading change or growth.

• Don’t avoid the uncomfortable. Whether it’s a tough customer call or a difficult coaching moment, lean in.

• Build a culture of care and challenge. Your team should feel supported and stretched.

• Stay in the trenches. You earn trust by staying close to the work not just shouting from the sidelines.

• Remember: consistency beats charisma. Day in, day out leadership is what wins.

[03:02] – Zsike’s take on what separates high-performing teams from the rest [06:44] – “Saying the hard thing is one of the most important skills” [09:58] – Coaching SDRs to push back with customers respectfully [11:36] – Creating a team environment that supports accountability [13:04] – How Zsike builds trust by staying close to the team [15:22] – Leadership isn’t a vibe, it's a series of repeatable, clear behaviours [18:00] – Balancing empathy and high standards in a performance culture

• Learn more about Cognism

• Follow Zsike Peter on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/zsike-peter/ http://thinkbait.co.uk/

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