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 22: AI Anxiety, Tool Fatigue, and the New Leadership Crisis (with David Foos, CEO of Massive Dynamics)

    2D AGO

    Episode 22: AI Anxiety, Tool Fatigue, and the New Leadership Crisis (with David Foos, CEO of Massive Dynamics)

    David Foos is the CEO and President of Massive Dynamics, a global management consulting firm built by entrepreneurs—and run like it. In this episode, we talk about: * Why “time and capital” are the only two resources that matter (and neither is renewable) * The anti-consulting model: 30-day contracts, zero ego, and clients who stay for years * The “dirty half dozen” problems most leadership teams keep repeating * Why most modern sales scripts are painful—and how to sell by actually helping * The rise of “business trauma,” and why Massive Dynamics brought therapists into executive engagements It’s a candid conversation about leadership, execution, sales, and what’s happening to founders and CEOs when the ground shifts under them—especially with AI accelerating everything 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: David Foos: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfoos/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    29 min
  2. Episode 21: The Handoff Is the Whole Game: Sales, CS, Trust, and Expansion (with Lincoln Murphy)

    FEB 3

    Episode 21: The Handoff Is the Whole Game: Sales, CS, Trust, and Expansion (with Lincoln Murphy)

    Lincoln Murphy has been in the CS world since before most people knew what “customer success” even meant—and he’s blunt about what actually makes companies grow. In this episode, we get into: * Why sales overstuff deals (and what it signals about your post-sale motion) * How to build trust between Sales and CS so customers don’t feel the seams * The handoff play that prevents “surprises, unknowns, and repeating yourself” * Strategic unbundling: holding back the right features so expansion becomes the obvious next step * Why CS isn’t about making customers happy—it’s about getting them out of their own way If you’re a founder, CRO, sales leader, or CS leader trying to drive expansion without turning CS into a pushy sales org—this one’s for you. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Lincoln Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lincolnmurphy/  Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    45 min
  3. Episode 20: The Real Flex is Integrity (with Brian Esposito)

    JAN 20

    Episode 20: The Real Flex is Integrity (with Brian Esposito)

    Brian J. Esposito doesn’t do small talk—and neither do I. We sat down, poured a bourbon, and went straight into the stuff most founders and leaders avoid saying out loud. In this episode, we talk about: * Why “taking the L” is sometimes protection, not failure * How work becomes a socially acceptable addiction * The difference between wanting more and needing more * Integrity when you’re broke, winning, or rebuilding from zero * Why the wrong people can’t look you in the eye—and what to do with that * How pain, setbacks, and pressure season you (if you let them) This one’s equal parts mindset, leadership, and life—through the lens of business, resilience, and a little hockey. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at commissionsales.com Connect with us: Brian J. Esposito: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjesposito/  Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    52 min
  4. Episode 19: Sell Like a Human: Boundaries, Vulnerability, and Movement-Driven Crowdfunding (with Sarah Hardwick, Founder of The Crowd)

    JAN 7

    Episode 19: Sell Like a Human: Boundaries, Vulnerability, and Movement-Driven Crowdfunding (with Sarah Hardwick, Founder of The Crowd)

    Sarah Hardwick has raised $140M+ and helped spark one of the most passionate communities in crowdfunding.  In this episode, we get real about: * Why vulnerability and values beat “slick” every time * Cadence over quota—building routines that keep you sane and productive * Saying the unpopular thing (and why “no” is a power move) * Genius zones, Kairos vs. Chronos, and designing your week to win * How to build a movement that funds itself—without faking it Whether you’re coaching a team, leading a round, or trying to sell like a human again, Sarah brings clarity, courage, and zero fluff. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Sarah Hardwick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhardwick/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    43 min
  5. Episode 18: 2025 Wrapped: Closing Conversations

    12/17/2025

    Episode 18: 2025 Wrapped: Closing Conversations

    This is a solo, year-in-review episode of Closing Conversations. After a year of conversations with founders, operators, consultants, and sales leaders, certain themes became impossible to ignore. Rather than recap individual guests or moments, this episode pulls together the patterns that showed up again and again—regardless of industry, title, or experience level. In this reflection, Max shares what hosting Closing Conversations clarified about sales, leadership, and building teams that actually last. From why behavior always beats tools, to how mis-hiring quietly compounds, to why compensation is culture whether you intend it to be or not, this episode is about what actually held up in real conversations throughout the year. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a synthesis. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    9 min
  6. Episode 17: Play to Learn, Build to Last (with John Salzinger, Category-Creating Founder of Haven Lantern & MPOWERD)

    12/03/2025

    Episode 17: Play to Learn, Build to Last (with John Salzinger, Category-Creating Founder of Haven Lantern & MPOWERD)

    John Salzinger builds products that matter and the markets around them. As the founder behind MPOWERD’s category-creating solar lights (5M lives impacted, B Corp score 140) and now Haven Lantern, John blends purpose with ruthless practicality.  In this episode, we get into: * Why “play to learn” beats “play to win” for founders and sellers * Lean, founder-controlled go-to-market (and when capital quietly becomes a boss) * Culture you don’t manufacture—people you actually want to work with * How category creation really happens (and how it gets cheapened) * Designing products for hard places first—then winning everywhere else * Haven Lantern: 1200-lumen solar + USB-C, 10,000 mAh, ~20 nights, SOS—priced for NGOs to scale impact If you lead revenue, build product, or care about doing good without the fluff, this one hits. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: John Salzinger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsalzinger/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    32 min
  7. Episode 16: Work Ethic Isn’t a Perk: Hiring Hunger, Building Careers (with Hope Brick, Founder of BRICK Executive Search)

    11/12/2025

    Episode 16: Work Ethic Isn’t a Perk: Hiring Hunger, Building Careers (with Hope Brick, Founder of BRICK Executive Search)

    Hope Brick has sat on every side of the table—fashion operator, VP, and now Founder of BRICK Executive Search placing leaders across luxury, fashion, and beauty.  In this episode, we talk about: * The 3 hiring signals that never go out of style: hungry, coachable, personable * Why “work–life balance” as a #1 priority can be a tell—and how to probe it without being a jerk * Boundaries vs. burnout: on-days, off-days, and protecting your battery so you can win the week * Remote vs. in-person for “textural” work (color, fabric, fittings) and how to make remote actually work * Moving fast on elite candidates (and the ROI case for flexibility) * Retention over transactions: how great hiring cascades through the whole org Whether you’re scaling a sales team or hiring creative leaders, Hope brings candid, hard-won perspective on what great talent looks like—and how to keep them. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Hope Brick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hopebrick/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    38 min
  8. Episode 15: Comp Plans That Actually Drive Behavior (with Antoine Fort, Cofounder & CEO of Qobra)

    10/28/2025

    Episode 15: Comp Plans That Actually Drive Behavior (with Antoine Fort, Cofounder & CEO of Qobra)

    Sales compensation should be simple, fast, and trusted—but too often it’s the opposite. Antoine Fort (Cofounder & CEO, Qobra) joins me to break down what really works in 2025 and what to ditch for good.  We talk about: * Why spreadsheets and clever-but-confusing plans destroy trust * The “two KPI” rule for clarity and motivation * Paying monthly on quarterly/yearly targets (and how pacing actually works) * Accelerators vs. decelerators—and when they help or harm * Setting achievable quotas without sandbagging * The manager’s job: pipeline volume, honest coaching, and removing panic from the sale Whether you’re a founder, CRO, or RevOps lead, this is a playbook for comp that aligns behavior with outcomes—and keeps your best reps. 🎙 Hosted by Max Notis | Learn more at comissionsales.com Connect with us: Antoine Fort: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoine-fort/ Max Notis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxnotis/ CoMission: https://www.linkedin.com/company/comissionsales/

    39 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
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Closing Conversations
  • Show Website
    Closing Conversations