Joel Zeff is a dynamic keynote speaker, work culture expert, improvisational humorist, and author who brings energy, humor, and practical insight to every stage. For more than 25 years, Joel has delivered over 2,500 presentations that blend improvisation with actionable business lessons around teamwork, leadership, collaboration, and change.

Known for his highly interactive keynotes, Joel engages audiences through playful improv exercises that reinforce a powerful message: organizations thrive when people feel supported, appreciated, and connected. From Wells Fargo and Samsung to KPMG and even the IRS, Joel has helped companies across industries build more joyful, resilient, and high-performing cultures.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by keynote speaker and work culture expert Joel Zeff to discuss how joy, presence, and positive support create stronger sales cultures and better performance.

Joel explains that “selling from the heart” means genuinely helping others succeed and bringing passion into every interaction. Drawing from his background in improvisation, he shares why embracing change, staying flexible, and choosing how we respond to challenges are essential skills for sales professionals and leaders alike.

The conversation highlights how leaders cultivate passion—not by demanding it, but by creating environments built on ownership, appreciation, celebration, and support. Joel also emphasizes the importance of being fully present in conversations, especially in a distracted world where attention is rare and deeply valuable. Packed with practical wisdom and humor, this episode is a powerful reminder that positivity, persistence, and connection fuel lasting success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Selling from the heart means helping others succeed, not simply closing deals.
• Passion grows in environments built on ownership, appreciation, and positive support.
• Change is constant—success depends on how you choose to respond to it.
• Improv teaches two powerful sales lessons: stay present and never quit.
• Positive support and recognition directly improve culture and performance.
• Presence and listening strengthen trust and connection in every interaction.
• Persistence and adaptability are critical to long-term sales success.
• Joyful cultures create more engaged, committed, and resilient teams.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Explore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!

Listen to Larry Levine’s Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.

Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTube

Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:
Click Here for Your Daily Dose

Joe Roberts, known as the “Skid Row CEO”, transformed his life from homelessness and addiction on the streets of Vancouver into becoming a successful business executive, author, and internationally recognized speaker.

His journey has been featured in Forbes, CBC, and numerous global platforms. Joe is the author of four books and the founder of The Push for Change, a 17-month walk across North America (averaging 35,000 steps per day) to raise awareness and funds for youth homelessness—helping drive meaningful change in federal support programs.

Through powerful storytelling and lived experience, Joe inspires individuals and organizations to reframe adversity, unlock potential, and lead with empathy. His keynotes are consistently described as life-changing, leaving audiences with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Joe Roberts to explore the transformative power of empathy, resilience, and human connection. Joe shares how a simple conversation on a park bench changed the trajectory of his life, sparking a journey from addiction and homelessness to leadership and impact.

He defines selling from the heart as seeing potential in others before they can see it in themselves. Joe introduces his AIR model (Action, Inspiration, Roadblocks), explaining that resilience is not about feeling strong, but about taking action despite negative emotions.

The conversation highlights how internal barriers like self-doubt and perfectionism often limit growth, while consistent action and belief unlock potential. This episode is a powerful reminder that sales and leadership are ultimately about helping others and that even small moments of connection can change lives.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Purpose makes authentic selling natural, when your work aligns with meaning, trust follows.
• Qualification is a time management strategy, not just a sales process.
• Sales optimism can become a liability when it blinds you to disqualifying signals.
• The Three Whys—Why buy? Why now? Why us?—help determine if a deal is real.
• Your champion must be able to sell internally on your behalf.
• No decision is often your biggest competitor.
• Great salespeople qualify early to avoid wasting time on false opportunities.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Explore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!

Listen to Larry Levine’s Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.

Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTube

Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:
Click Here for Your Daily Dose

Darius Lahoutifard is a visionary sales leader, serial entrepreneur, and founder of MEDDIC Academy, the premier global MEDDPICC® certification platform. A former executive at PTC and Oracle, Darius is best known for scaling PTC France’s revenue from $4M to $27M in just three years—outperforming major industry competitors.

Originally trained as a robotics engineer, Darius combined technical expertise with sales excellence, becoming CEO of a Schlumberger subsidiary at just 28 years old. He has since launched four successful tech startups, raised over $20 million in funding, and authored Always Be Qualifying. Today, through MEDDIC Academy, he equips sales professionals worldwide with the discipline, clarity, and strategy needed to improve qualification, forecasting, and win rates.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Darius Lahoutifard to discuss how authentic selling starts with purpose—and how strong qualification creates better sales outcomes. Darius shares that when purpose aligns with your work, selling from the heart becomes natural rather than forced.

The conversation focuses on one of the biggest weaknesses in sales: poor qualification. Darius explains how optimism, urgency to close, and self-deception often cause sales professionals to hold onto deals that were never real. He introduces the Three Whys—Why buy anything? Why buy now? Why buy from us?—as a simple but powerful filter for qualification.

He also breaks down the MEDDIC/MEDDPICC framework—Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Process, Decision Criteria, Paper Process, Pain, Champion, and Competition—showing how disciplined qualification protects time, improves forecasting, and increases trust. This episode is a masterclass in selling smarter, not just harder.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Purpose makes authentic selling natural—when your work aligns with meaning, trust follows.
• Qualification is a time management strategy, not just a sales process.
• Sales optimism can become a liability when it blinds you to disqualifying signals.
• The Three Whys—Why buy? Why now? Why us?—help determine if a deal is real.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Explore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast! Nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!

Listen to Larry Levine’s Bestselling Book: Selling in a Post-Trust World! Now available on Audible! Transform your sales approach with insights that matter.

Subscribe to The Selling from the Heart Podcast Youtube Channel! Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTube

Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:
Click Here for Your Daily Dose