Own The Room: How to Control Perception, Read the Room, and Win High Stakes Conversations

Jake Stahl | Executive Presence & High-Stakes Communication

You don’t lose deals because you’re unprepared. You lose them because something shifts in the room — and you don’t catch it in time. Own The Room is a podcast about high-stakes communication, executive presence, and persuasion for founders, CEOs, executives, consultants, and sales leaders who operate in moments where perception matters more than logic. Hosted by Jake Stahl, a high-stakes communication strategist and expert in sales psychology, negotiation skills, and leadership communication, this show breaks down what’s really happening inside pitches, negotiations, presentations, and difficult business conversations. This podcast is for people who are already smart, prepared, and experienced — but keep losing moments they should be winning. Each episode helps you: Read body language and nonverbal signals in real timeControl perception and executive presence before you speakRecognize the exact moment a conversation turnsNavigate difficult conversations at work, pricing discussions, and objectionsReframe and recover inside negotiations and sales conversationsEliminate buyer’s remorse by answering the unspoken questionsCommunicate with authority in meetings, presentations, and high-value deals This is not a show about scripts, hacks, or motivation. It’s about influence, decision-making psychology, and precision under pressure. If you’re tired of being ignored, ghosted, or underestimated — despite being intelligent, prepared, and capable — Own The Room teaches you how to read the room, steer perception, and win high-stakes conversations with certainty.

  1. Stop Sending Robots to Do Your Networking

    2D AGO

    Stop Sending Robots to Do Your Networking

    Tired of sending endless LinkedIn messages that get ignored? The secret isn’t more automation... it’s being a human in a robotic world. Discover how authentic connection on LinkedIn will blow away the noise and open doors you didn’t know existed. Bill McCormick is a leading authority on authentic relational intelligence and LinkedIn coaching. He is dedicated to helping solopreneurs and sales professionals grow through genuine human connection rather than automation or scripts. Bill shares how modern tools can help, but true sales success on LinkedIn relies on showing up authentically and building trust. Bill explains the pitfalls of overusing automation and AI for outreach, risking account restrictions and low engagement. Instead, he encourages starting with a strong LinkedIn profile that showcases your value proposition clearly and leverages real client feedback as social proof. Jake and Bill discuss practical outreach tips, emphasizing the power of personal introductions, authentic engagement on social content, and avoiding generic, pushy sales tactics. They highlight strategies to build relationships by focusing on clients' actual challenges and asking thoughtful, curiosity-driven questions. Bill also shares how he offers complimentary consultations and team webinars to help build LinkedIn skills, delivering measurable business development results. This episode equips listeners with actionable, human-centered tactics to cut through LinkedIn noise and build meaningful networks that convert. 0:52 - The Problem with Automation 2:19 - Bill's Background Story 7:55 - Optimizing Your Profile 14:35 - The Art of Authentic Outreach 21:49 - Making Bad Impressions at Scale 29:45 - Crafting Your About Section 33:39 - How to Connect with Bill Connect with Bill: Bill@allsellingissocial.com Bill's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billmccormick/ Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP-based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    35 min
  2. Listen Your Way to the Sale — Win By Asking, Not Talking

    5D AGO

    Listen Your Way to the Sale — Win By Asking, Not Talking

    Stop selling and start listening! Most salespeople sabotage their deals by talking too much and missing what really matters. Mastering the art of listening is the secret to turning conversations into conversions and owning every room you enter. Jake exposes the biggest mistake solopreneurs make on sales calls: talking themselves out of the deal before it even begins. He reveals why presence, precision, and reading the room aren’t just nice skills — they’re essential strategies rooted in neuroscience that can build real, repeatable influence. Nerves before a call can kill your confidence — Jake shares proven techniques to prepare, calm your nervous system with targeted breathing exercises, and set clear goals that keep you focused. Most importantly, Jake teaches how to ask the right questions and create space for the conversation to breathe, so prospects feel heard, understood, and ready to buy. The episode debunks ineffective sales scripts and uninspired elevator pitches that overwhelm prospects. Instead, Jake advocates for authentic, adaptive communication that listens first and offers solutions that match the prospect’s unique needs and triggers. If you want to crush your next sales call by listening your way to the close, this episode is packed with actionable insights to transform your results and make you unforgettable. Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP-based lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    34 min
  3. Why Organizations Fail to Unlock Human Potential

    FEB 5

    Why Organizations Fail to Unlock Human Potential

    What if the biggest breakthrough in leadership wasn’t about issuing more directives but rather asking better questions? Clark Aldrich is an award-winning designer and author renowned for his expertise in experiential learning and leadership development. Clark introduces Socratic Cards, a unique tool that transforms leadership and team meetings from tedious monologues into dynamic, engaging discussions. Clark explains how Socratic Cards work by providing open-ended, non-coercive questions designed to spark curiosity, debate, and reflection within groups. These cards are inspired by successful business practices and programs that develop leaders through community, collaboration, and shared learning rather than top-down lectures. The deck also includes actionable challenges that promote learning by doing, guiding participants through different levels... from completing simple tasks to mentoring others. This approach not only enhances personal growth but cultivates heroic tribes within organizations, encouraging teams to grow together and drive innovation. Listeners will learn why organizations designed primarily to produce replaceable employees are failing to unlock human greatness. Clark discusses the importance of joining multiple “heroic tribes” to foster real leadership and meaningful community. He also previews his upcoming book, How To Matter: 46 Rules for a Hero-Driven Life, which delves deeper into the mindset and practices that drive lasting impact. This episode is an essential listen for solopreneurs, leaders, and entrepreneurs looking to elevate their influence, build authentic communities, and master the art of leading through powerful questions and collective growth. Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can start a free 7-day trial at orchestraight.com, the NLP-powered Lead Gen tool designed to humanize AI and accelerate your business growth. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    36 min
  4. Your Face Reveals Everything: Master the Art of Reading People

    JAN 29

    Your Face Reveals Everything: Master the Art of Reading People

    Can you really read a person’s true character just by looking at their face? Most people can’t, but the ones who do hold an unfair advantage. Your face reveals more than you think... deep insights into your personality, inherited traits, and life experiences that shape how you communicate and connect with others. Alan Stevens has harnessed multiple scientific disciplines, from facial feature analysis to microexpressions and body language, to create Rapid Trait Profiling, a powerful method for understanding people quickly and accurately. His method helps you build genuine trust, improve communication, and develop stronger connections in both personal and professional interactions. Alan explains that our faces serve as detailed roadmaps, showing traits passed down through genetics alongside adaptations formed from our environment. Remarkably, certain traits can be identified even in newborns, predicting talents and behaviors that develop later in life. This deep reading of people removes guesswork, allowing you to tailor your communication to each individual’s unique style. The conversation dives into why authenticity and transparency remain vital in storytelling and connection, and how Alan’s global training programs and initiatives like The Campfire Project foster more meaningful and inclusive dialogue. Through this, he has helped individuals and organizations transform their approach to relationships and influence. For anyone seeking to elevate their people skills, truly be seen and heard, and own their impact, this episode offers rich, actionable insights grounded in science and real-world application. Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP-based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success. Discover more about Alan Stevens at https://alanstevens.com.au/ and The Campfire Project at https://thecampfireproject.com.au/about/.

    40 min
  5. Calm Conversations: 5 Powerful Steps to Diffuse Tension and Build Trust

    JAN 28

    Calm Conversations: 5 Powerful Steps to Diffuse Tension and Build Trust

    In this episode, Jake and Jon discuss the challenge of unmet expectations in relationships and business, and how tension can shut down rational communication. Jake shares deep insights into how clients’ emotional nervous systems prioritize feelings of safety, control, and status over listening to logical explanations. Listeners will discover why overexplaining, rushing for resolution, or defensively justifying yourself often backfires when others feel threatened. Instead, Jake outlines five practical strategies to dissolve tension and foster connection. These include deliberately slowing your pace to signal calmness; naming the emotional pressure without assigning blame to validate feelings; offering micro choices to restore others’ sense of control; replacing defensive explanations with clear, forward direction; and explicitly anchoring the alliance by affirming shared goals and mutual support. Jake explains how emotional states are contagious and how maintaining composed presence under pressure builds trust and influence. The episode emphasizes that how you hold yourself during conflict is more memorable than any words you speak. 2:42 - Tension Shuts Down Logic 5:23 - Emotional Decisions Come First 9:21 - Calm is Contagious 12:50 - Slow Your Pace 16:45 - Name the Pressure, Not the Mistake 19:35 - Offer Micro Choices 22:45 - Replace Defense with Direction 30:08 - Anchor Your Alliance Explicitly Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    38 min
  6. Why Your Remote Team’s Wellness Program Is Failing (And How to Fix It)

    JAN 22

    Why Your Remote Team’s Wellness Program Is Failing (And How to Fix It)

    In this episode, Jake talks with Lisa Snow, a certified personal trainer and founder of On the Mend Wellness. Lisa specializes in employee wellness programs for remote and hybrid teams, as well as one-on-one coaching focused on massage therapy, yoga, personal training, nutrition, and stress management. Lisa shares insights on the challenges modern companies face with employee retention, especially for distributed teams who rarely meet in person. She highlights how wellness initiatives, including interactive chair stretching classes and peer-to-peer support sessions, help employees reconnect, reduce stress, and share practical strategies for healthy living. Listeners learn about the importance of working with biological rhythms to integrate wellness into busy schedules, the significant impact of walking as an often-overlooked exercise, and options like meal prep and nutritious convenience food to support sustained health habits. Lisa discusses common fitness and nutrition myths—such as fear of being judged at the gym or reluctance to try unfamiliar foods—and offers practical tactics to overcome those barriers. She also emphasizes the value of accountability partners tailored to personality types to support consistent wellness practices. The conversation covers the scope of Lisa’s services, including virtual and onsite coaching for individuals and teams, customizable wellness workshops, and the powerful ROI wellness brings to productivity and business longevity. Listeners who want to improve their health mindset, reduce stress, and build sustainable habits in a demanding professional life will find this episode both motivating and actionable. Learn more about Lisa: http://onthemendfitness.com/our-team.html Connect With Lisa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-snow-nyc/ 0:51 - Welcome & Introduction to Lisa Snow 2:11 - On the Mend Wellness: Remote & Hybrid Team Programs 2:48 - Challenges of Remote Work & Employee Retention 4:58 - Using Wellness to Build Team Connection 7:17 - How to Keep the Balls in the Air 8:42 - Working With Your Body Clock, Not Against It 9:44 - The Power of Walking (Even for Elite Athletes) 11:36 - Mental Wellness: Breathing & Meditation Apps 12:30 - Separating Identity from Professional Role 14:00 - Turning Down the Volume on Work Stress 15:04 - Physical Stress Release: Massage, Acupuncture, Foam Rolling 15:29 - The Power of Journaling for Leaders 15:54 - Why Every Entrepreneur Needs a Coach 17:37 - Building Support Systems for Health Goals 19:16 - Meal Prep Strategies for Busy Professionals 22:34 - Walking: The Most Overlooked Exercise 23:12 - Managing Cognitive Overload 24:30 - Goals Don't Fail, Support Systems Do 29:46 - Myth #1: People Are Judging You at the Gym 32:25 - Myth #2: Plant Proteins Are Underutilized 34:01 - Myth #3: Employees Don't Want to Work Out Together 35:25 - Services for Individuals & Teams 38:17 - The ROI of Taking Care of Yourself Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    40 min
  7. Why You’re Losing Influence - Master These 5 Presence Hacks Now

    JAN 19

    Why You’re Losing Influence - Master These 5 Presence Hacks Now

    In this episode, Jake reveals five fundamental practices that dramatically enhance your presence and influence in conversations under pressure. You’ll learn the critical importance of managing your energy and emotions before you speak, to create immediate trust and openness. The episode breaks down practical steps to slow down and ground yourself: deep, intentional breathing to calm the nervous system; pausing intentionally for two seconds before responding to show thoughtfulness; controlling body language to avoid nervous distractions; using a steady, moderate tone to project calm confidence; and maintaining purposeful eye contact to demonstrate engagement and authority. Jake explains why these five behaviors activate mirror neurons in others, making your communication more magnetic and lowering defenses without effort. He also explores how calm presence is a powerful alternative to dominating a room with volume or aggression, and why true influence flows from emotional regulation and authenticity. These takeaways will help you build stronger connections, improve your leadership presence, and own every room you walk into, whether virtual or in person. [01:47] Calm Coaches, Winning Teams [03:14] The Parent-Child Mirror Effect [05:28] Mirror Neurons & Groupthink [07:00] The Solopreneur’s Comparison Trap [08:20] The Price-Setting Panic [10:00] Calm is Contagious [16:32] Breathe Deep [20:07] The Two-Second Rule [22:43] Keep Your Movements Conservative [26:00] Use a Low, Steady Tone [28:35] Maintain Intentional Eye Contact [32:00] Owning the Room vs. Dominating the Room [35:44] The Only Comparison That Matters Follow Jake: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakestahl/ TikTok: @JakeTheMindMechanic Podcast: https://thejakestahl.com/podcast/ Book: Own the Room: https://thejakestahl.com/books/ This episode is brought to you by Orchestraight. You can get a free trial of Orchestraight, an NLP based Lead Gen tool, for 7 days, up at orchestraight.com. Orchestraight. The straightest path to success.

    37 min
5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

You don’t lose deals because you’re unprepared. You lose them because something shifts in the room — and you don’t catch it in time. Own The Room is a podcast about high-stakes communication, executive presence, and persuasion for founders, CEOs, executives, consultants, and sales leaders who operate in moments where perception matters more than logic. Hosted by Jake Stahl, a high-stakes communication strategist and expert in sales psychology, negotiation skills, and leadership communication, this show breaks down what’s really happening inside pitches, negotiations, presentations, and difficult business conversations. This podcast is for people who are already smart, prepared, and experienced — but keep losing moments they should be winning. Each episode helps you: Read body language and nonverbal signals in real timeControl perception and executive presence before you speakRecognize the exact moment a conversation turnsNavigate difficult conversations at work, pricing discussions, and objectionsReframe and recover inside negotiations and sales conversationsEliminate buyer’s remorse by answering the unspoken questionsCommunicate with authority in meetings, presentations, and high-value deals This is not a show about scripts, hacks, or motivation. It’s about influence, decision-making psychology, and precision under pressure. If you’re tired of being ignored, ghosted, or underestimated — despite being intelligent, prepared, and capable — Own The Room teaches you how to read the room, steer perception, and win high-stakes conversations with certainty.