How do you scale a marketing agency and DTC brands without chasing vanity metrics?

In this episode of the Sales Leaders Playbook, founder Arun Kirupa shares real-world sales strategies, AI-powered growth systems, and lessons from building a performance marketing agency that helps e-commerce brands grow profitably.

From door-to-door selling Encyclopedia Britannica to running ProMarketer, Arun breaks down what modern sales growth actually looks like — and why execution matters more than hype. He explains how combining AI tools with human connection is shaping the future of sales, hiring, and lead generation.

You’ll learn how Arun uses platforms like LinkedIn for consistent lead flow, how AI-driven sales analysis tools and platforms like HubSpot and Gong improve performance, and why building the right team is the foundation of scalable growth.

This episode is packed with insights for agency owners, founders, sales leaders, and e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to grow sustainably with AI, automation, and strong sales systems.

If you want to scale smarter not just bigger - this conversation is for you.

Topics Covered:
AI in sales & hybrid sales teams
Lead generation strategies that work today
Building high-performance sales teams
Scaling DTC & e-commerce brands profitably
Sales coaching, hiring & growth mindset

to connect with Arun - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arunkirupa/

#SalesLeadership #AIinSales #EcommerceGrowth #LeadGeneration #DigitalMarketing #SalesStrategy #Entrepreneurship

I hope you enjoy this episode!
Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly.
– Justine and the Sales Leader’s Playbook podcast team

Visit Phoenix Coaching Works here: https://sandlertrainingsystems.com/book-a-call

#SalesLeadership #BusinessDevelopment #FinancialServices #WealthManagement #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #Entrepreneurship #StartupGrowth #FinancialAdvisors #InvestmentManagement #SalesTraining #LinkedInMarketing #DirectMail #SalesEffectiveness #GrowthStrategy #CanadianBusiness #OntarioBusiness #SalesLeaders
#salesleadersplaybook #paultindall #phoenixcoachingworks #salesleadership #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadershipinsights #salesstrategy #growthmindset #ownerledbusiness #salescoaching #businesssuccess #marketstrategy #leadgeneration #businessleadership
Welcome to Sales Leader’s Playbook, the podcast that dives into the minds of Ontario’s most driven owner-led businesses. Hosted by Paul Tindall, CEO of Phoenix Coaching Works, this show explores how entrepreneurs in industries from industrial supplies to software, agencies to manufacturing are building, leading, and selling in a constantly changing market. Each episode shares practical insights from business owners still in the trenches — covering lead generation, sales strategies, team management, operational challenges, and the growth lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re running a small sales team or leading a growing firm, Sales Leader’s Playbook delivers real-world stories and strategies you can apply to drive results, overcome obstacles, and seize opportunities.

What if getting laid off became the best thing that ever happened to your career?

In this powerful episode of the Sales Leaders Playbook, CEO Eduardo Harari shares how a mistaken layoff from Bell Canada turned into the first sale that launched his global telecom and consulting company. Today, he leads World Wireless Solutions and manages thousands of employees and clients worldwide.

With over 20+ years in international telecom, consulting, and multimedia strategy, Eduardo reveals what real growth means in modern business, why relationships matter more than transactions, and how sales today is less about pitching and more about consulting.

In this conversation, discover:
• How one unexpected moment built a multi-million-dollar business
• Why treating clients like family leads to 99% retention
• The real future of sales, AI, and cybersecurity
• Why personality and trust matter more than degrees in sales
• How CEOs can scale while staying connected to customers
• Biggest opportunities in small and medium business markets

Eduardo also shares honest insights on lead generation in 2026, the risks of AI misuse, crypto skepticism, and how entrepreneurs can break through growth plateaus.

If you’re a founder, sales professional, consultant, or entrepreneur aiming to scale your business and build long-term client trust — this episode is packed with practical wisdom you can apply immediately.

Subscribe for more real conversations on sales, leadership, growth, and business strategy.

To connect Eduardo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/edharari/

I hope you enjoy this episode!
Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly.
– Justine and the Sales Leader’s Playbook podcast team

Visit Phoenix Coaching Works here: https://sandlertrainingsystems.com/book-a-call

#SalesLeadership #BusinessDevelopment #FinancialServices #WealthManagement #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #Entrepreneurship #StartupGrowth #FinancialAdvisors #InvestmentManagement #SalesTraining #LinkedInMarketing #DirectMail #SalesEffectiveness #GrowthStrategy #CanadianBusiness #OntarioBusiness #SalesLeaders
#salesleadersplaybook #paultindall #phoenixcoachingworks #salesleadership #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadershipinsights #salesstrategy #growthmindset #ownerledbusiness #salescoaching #businesssuccess #marketstrategy #leadgeneration #businessleadership
Welcome to Sales Leader’s Playbook, the podcast that dives into the minds of Ontario’s most driven owner-led businesses. Hosted by Paul Tindall, CEO of Phoenix Coaching Works, this show explores how entrepreneurs in industries from industrial supplies to software, agencies to manufacturing are building, leading, and selling in a constantly changing market. Each episode shares practical insights from business owners still in the trenches — covering lead generation, sales strategies, team management, operational challenges, and the growth lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re running a small sales team or leading a growing firm, Sales Leader’s Playbook delivers real-world stories and strategies you can apply to drive results, overcome obstacles, and seize opportunities.

Brandon Kay started his sales journey at 13, flipping LeBron basketball shoes out of his school locker for profit. Today, he's building disciplined revenue systems as VP of Sales at Gallea AI while running Epicurean Social, a digital marketing agency he bootstrapped past seven figures. In this episode, Brandon shares the go-to-market playbooks that helped him book 70 qualified demos in two months and add over $250,000 in ARR with just two sales reps.
Brandon cuts through the noise about AI-powered sales automation and gets real about what actually works in 2025. He explains why he ditches mass email campaigns in favor of hyper-personalized outreach, video prospecting, and picking up the phone. Brandon reveals his three-step framework for training sales reps, the mistakes that nearly derailed his agency's growth, and why product-led growth trumps closing tactics when scaling from seven to eight figures. For business owners hitting growth ceilings, his advice is direct: you are the bottleneck, and delegating everything that someone else could do just as well will free up 50% of your time for high-leverage activities.

Key Topics:
Why hyper-personalized outreach and cold calling outperform mass AI email campaigns
The three-step sales training framework: master the ICP, identify reachable channels, lead with pain points
How to balance aggressive revenue targets with realistic quota setting to prevent team burnout
Why hiring salespeople with industry expertise beats hiring top performers without buyer knowledge
The critical mistakes of over-hiring during sales surges while neglecting customer retention
How to navigate complex enterprise deals by multi-threading to decision-makers with different motivators
Why sales leaders must align with product and fulfillment teams to scale beyond seven figures
The future of sales: using AI for data enrichment while investing in human relationship-building
Product-led growth strategies: solving more problems to inherently increase conversion rates and reduce deal velocity

Connect with Brandon Kay:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-kay-1789471a7
Gallea AI: https://galleaai.com
Epicurean Social: https://epicurean.social

I hope you enjoy this episode!
Give it a like, share, and subscribe to not miss the content coming your way weekly.
– Justine and the Sales Leader’s Playbook podcast team

Visit Phoenix Coaching Works here: https://sandlertrainingsystems.com/book-a-call

#SalesLeadership #BusinessDevelopment #FinancialServices #WealthManagement #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #Entrepreneurship #StartupGrowth #FinancialAdvisors #InvestmentManagement #SalesTraining #LinkedInMarketing #DirectMail #SalesEffectiveness #GrowthStrategy #CanadianBusiness #OntarioBusiness #SalesLeaders
#salesleadersplaybook #paultindall #phoenixcoachingworks #salesleadership #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadershipinsights #salesstrategy #growthmindset #ownerledbusiness #salescoaching #businesssuccess #marketstrategy #leadgeneration #businessleadership
Welcome to Sales Leader’s Playbook, the podcast that dives into the minds of Ontario’s most driven owner-led businesses. Hosted by Paul Tindall, CEO of Phoenix Coaching Works, this show explores how entrepreneurs in industries from industrial supplies to software, agencies to manufacturing are building, leading, and selling in a constantly changing market. Each episode shares practical insights from business owners still in the trenches — covering lead generation, sales strategies, team management, operational challenges, and the growth lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re running a small sales team or leading a growing firm, Sales Leader’s Playbook delivers real-world stories and strategies you can apply to drive results, overcome obstacles, and seize opportunities.