Closing Conversations

Max Notis
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Closing Conversations is a podcast for founders, leaders, and sellers who win together - featuring insightful discussions on leadership, team building, and strategies for driving success in sales and business.

  1. Episode 29: Why Real Founders Build a Life, Not Just a Career (with Erik Reynolds, Entertainment Executive, Game Studio Co-Founder, and Creative Operator) Part 1

    4d ago

    Episode 29: Why Real Founders Build a Life, Not Just a Career (with Erik Reynolds, Entertainment Executive, Game Studio Co-Founder, and Creative Operator) Part 1

    This episode was supposed to be a podcast introduction. Before every episode of Closing Conversations, Max usually jumps on a quick intro call with the guest before the actual recording. It’s meant to be simple: get to know each other, talk through the flow, and make sure the real conversation feels natural. But this one with Erik Reynolds was too good not to share. So instead of leaving it on the cutting room floor, we turned it into part one of a two-part episode. Erik has worked across video games, music, PR, film, television, esports, and creative strategy — including leading communications for major gaming companies, working with artists and brands, building media ventures, and now co-owning a video game studio. In this episode, we talk about: - Why some dreams belong in your eulogy, not just your résumé - How grief, divorce, music, hockey, and therapy can reshape a life - Why founders need real boundaries if they want to last - The difference between working hard and being consumed by work - Why stability meant something different to previous generations - How technology made everyone reachable all the time - Why business can be a form of art - What it means to build companies around passion, timing, and lived experience Erik brings a rare mix of creative instinct, business experience, and emotional honesty. This conversation starts as an introduction and quickly becomes something much bigger: a discussion about scars, reinvention, work, family, creativity, and building a life you actually want to live. Whether you’re a founder, seller, leader, creator, or just someone trying to figure out what the next chapter should look like, this episode is a reminder that the real work is not just building something impressive. It is building something that still feels like you. 🎙️ Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Erik Reynolds: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikleereynolds Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    34 min
  2. Episode 28: Why Great Sellers Stop Fooling Themselves (with Reagan Rodriguez, Foundation Leader and Global Development Investor)

    May 26

    Episode 28: Why Great Sellers Stop Fooling Themselves (with Reagan Rodriguez, Foundation Leader and Global Development Investor)

    Reagan Rodriguez helps manage a foundation focused on funding projects that create sustainable jobs, stimulate local economies, and support long-term development in underdeveloped parts of the world. But this episode quickly becomes about something much bigger than global projects. In this episode, we talk about: - Why giving someone the benefit of the doubt can still be a form of prejudging - How optimism turns into self-deception - Why red flags are usually obvious before we admit they are - The difference between trusting people and depending on them - Why salespeople lose when they confuse hope with evidence - How pain drives action in business, sales, and life Reagan brings a blunt, memorable, and deeply practical perspective on judgment, trust, integrity, and accountability. This conversation is full of lines that stick: “Thou shall not fool thyself.” “Your actions speak so loudly, I can’t hear your words.” “The dog in the hunt doesn’t know he’s got fleas.” “Believe in everybody. Depend on no one.” Whether you’re leading a team, selling a deal, investing in a project, or trying to make better decisions, this episode is a reminder to stay positive without lying to yourself. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Reagan Rodriguez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reagan-rodriguez Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    39 min
  3. Episode 27: Why Deals Fall Apart After the Celebration (with Jaclyn Voor, Private Equity Operator and Transformation Consultant)

    May 12

    Episode 27: Why Deals Fall Apart After the Celebration (with Jaclyn Voor, Private Equity Operator and Transformation Consultant)

    A lot of private equity deals look great on paper. That does not mean they work in real life.  Jaclyn Voor joined me on Closing Conversations to talk about what actually happens after the acquisition dinner, the swag, and the big announcement — when two organizations have to start operating like one, or when a carved-out business has to stand on its own. Jaclyn is an independent consultant and operator in the private equity world, where she helps PE-backed portfolio companies navigate large-scale transformation, especially in moments like carve-outs, integrations, and major change initiatives. In this episode, we talk about: - Why the first 100 days matter so much - Where PE-backed transformations usually break down - Why strategy is the easy part and people are the hard part - How governance, ownership, and follow-through actually drive results - Why leadership alignment cannot be optional - How outside operators can cut through politics and keep change moving Jaclyn has a rare view into what makes these situations work and what quietly causes them to fail. If you’ve ever been through an acquisition, merger, carve-out, or major internal transformation, this one will hit home. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Jaclyn Voor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclynvoor/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    37 min
  4. Episode 26: Why Clear Messaging Wins Bigger (with Laura Burkemper, Founder of Scaleblazer)

    Apr 28

    Episode 26: Why Clear Messaging Wins Bigger (with Laura Burkemper, Founder of Scaleblazer)

    A lot of companies do something valuable. Far fewer know how to explain it in a way that makes people care. Laura Burkemper joined me on Closing Conversations to talk about what actually makes a brand land — with investors, with customers, and with the people inside the company. Laura is the founder of Scaleblazer, where she helps companies with investment, scale, and sale. In plain English, that means helping them raise capital, sharpen their message, grow with more clarity, and position themselves for stronger exits. In this episode, we talk about: - Why the clearest companies usually win - How brand, sales, and marketing all need to speak the same language - What makes a company’s story actually investable - Why bad wording can quietly kill momentum - How strong brands evolve without losing themselves - Why internal alignment matters more than most founders realize Laura has worked with major brands like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Express Scripts, and she brings the kind of perspective that makes complicated things feel simple. If you’re building something, selling something, pitching something, or trying to make your company easier to understand, this one will help. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Laura Burkemper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraburkemper/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    39 min
  5. Bonus Episode: Podcast Anniversary!

    Apr 14 ·  Bonus

    Bonus Episode: Podcast Anniversary!

    Max Notis started Closing Conversations with no grand plan — just a belief that the conversations he was having while building his company were too valuable not to share.  One year later, the podcast has grown into a global platform connecting sellers, founders, and leaders through real, unfiltered discussions. In this episode, we talk about: Why Closing Conversations started without a master planThe shared pressure that connects salespeople, founders, and leadersWhy real conversations matter more than polished contentHow sales, leadership, and company growth are deeply interconnectedWhat Max has learned from speaking with operators, investors, and buildersThe journey from starting a podcast to building something realMax reflects on a year of conversations with people across the ecosystem — from sellers in the trenches to founders building companies, to investors shaping what gets funded and scaled. Whether you’ve been listening from day one or just found the show, this episode is a reminder of the power of honest conversations — and why we’re just getting started. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    5 min
  6. Episode 25: Why Great Founders Never Really Retire (with Dan Bauer, 3x Founder, Exitwise Advisor, and Marketing Strategist)

    Apr 7

    Episode 25: Why Great Founders Never Really Retire (with Dan Bauer, 3x Founder, Exitwise Advisor, and Marketing Strategist)

    Dan Bauer has done a little bit of everything — founder, operator, marketer, mentor, advisor — and somehow makes it all sound simple. In this episode, we talk about: Why cold outreach keeps getting harder The difference between real connection and fake familiarityWhy founders need other founders in their cornerHow to sell to pain instead of pitching featuresWhy retirement is the wrong goal for entrepreneurial people Dan brings decades of experience across startups, consulting, brand strategy, founder mentorship, and business building — from scaling an Inc. 5000 company to advising entrepreneurs on growth, positioning, and exit strategy. Whether you’re building something from scratch, trying to find traction, or just figuring out how to stay sane while doing it, this conversation is packed with perspective. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Dan Bauer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bauerdan/  Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    36 min
  7. Episode 24: Enterprise Sales Isn’t a Volume Game (with Itai Karelic, CRO of vHive)

    Mar 24

    Episode 24: Enterprise Sales Isn’t a Volume Game (with Itai Karelic, CRO of vHive)

    Itai Karelic has built revenue in some of the toughest environments there are: deep tech, long sales cycles, tiny buyer universes, and deals where every conversation matters. In this episode, we talk about: • Why enterprise sales in telecom and energy is nothing like high-volume SaaS • The difference between hunters, farmers, and technical sales in complex deals • Why experienced sellers still need leadership, structure, and honest forecasting • How discipline, rejection tolerance, and pattern recognition shape great sales talent • What it means to lead with optimism without becoming delusional If you care about enterprise sales, revenue leadership, or building a real sales engine in a technical market, this one is loaded with practical insight. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Itai Karelic: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itai-karelic-53a4a9/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    40 min
  8. Episode 23: The CRM That Calls You to Practice And Fixes “AI Drift” (with Elias Moosman, Founder of ThetaDriven)

    Mar 10

    Episode 23: The CRM That Calls You to Practice And Fixes “AI Drift” (with Elias Moosman, Founder of ThetaDriven)

    Elias Moosman is the founder of ThetaDriven, and he’s building something that feels inevitable in hindsight: a sales “CRM” that’s less about data entry—and more like a flight simulator + checklist that coaches you through real conversations. But the bigger story is the tech underneath it: a framework designed to fight drift—the way meaning, context, and outputs warp over time inside complex systems (and especially inside AI-powered workflows). In this episode, we talk about: * Why AI drift isn’t a gimmick—it’s a compounding risk * “Grounding” as the missing ingredient in sales training and in AI systems * Why scripts fail, and why questions win * How practice actually creates confidence (and saves real leads) * Elias’s rollout plan, pricing, and where this goes next for agentic workflows If you’re a founder selling deep tech, a leader training reps, or a seller who’s tired of feeling unprepared—this one will click. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Elias Moosman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasm/  Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    35 min
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About

Closing Conversations is a podcast for founders, leaders, and sellers who win together - featuring insightful discussions on leadership, team building, and strategies for driving success in sales and business.

Information

  • Creator
    Max Notis
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Closing Conversations
  • Show Website
    Closing Conversations