Jennifer Langton is an expert in transformational leadership who bridges bold innovation with human impact. As the former Senior Vice President of Player Health and Innovation at the NFL, Jennifer pioneered the league’s first injury reduction strategy, achieving a groundbreaking 25% concussion reduction through initiatives like the Digital Athlete, developed in partnership with AWS.

Her business acumen is just as impressive: she restored profitability as North America CFO for Atari, and led a revenue-boosting RFP at the NFL that delivered a 220% increase in the league’s apparel portfolio.

Jennifer’s leadership is defined by her CTG Methodology, Connect, Trust, Grow, a framework for navigating high-stakes environments with clarity and heart. An NYU Stern MBA and AWS Women of the Cloud honoree, Jennifer embodies results-driven leadership powered by purpose, people, and progress.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of Selling from the Heart Podcast. Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Jennifer Langton, former SVP of Player Health and Innovation at the NFL, who led the league’s first injury-reduction strategy and helped drive a 25% reduction in concussions, including work on the AWS-partnered Digital Athlete.

Langton explains her CTG methodology, connect, trust, grow, emphasizing authentic connection to overcome resistance to change, trust built through leadership and data to scale beyond pilots, and growth through iterative wins.

She shares how purpose rooted in personal adversity fueled her leadership, how aligning personal mission with organizational priorities creates transformation, and why technology and AI require a “human path” for adoption by building with, not for, stakeholders.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Authentic connection must come before trust , and trust must come before growth. Skip one, and the whole framework breaks.
• Your personal "why" is your most powerful sales asset. Aligning your purpose to your client's or organization's greatest need creates unstoppable momentum.
• You don't need to be the expert , you need to connect the experts. Leadership and sales are about asking the right questions and keeping everyone aligned to one mission.
• Build with people, not for them. Co-creation drives adoption; top-down mandates don't.
• Data empowers people, it doesn't replace them. The human path to adoption is just as critical as the technical solution.
• Adversity can become your superpower. Lived experience creates authentic credibility that no credential can replicate.

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

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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:
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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

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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

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Dan Dominguez is the Founder and CEO of WHY NOT Leadership, a coaching and consulting firm grounded in the belief that leadership is about impact, not titles. As a sought-after coach, speaker, and podcast host, Dan helps leaders and teams unlock their full potential through self-awareness, authentic connection, and bold, values-driven action.

Driven by his core motivators, Contribute, Challenge, and Make Sense, Dan equips organizations to build trust-centered cultures and develop people-first leadership at every level. His work focuses on helping individuals understand what drives them and how to use that insight to lead, communicate, and perform more effectively.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy welcome back Dan Dominguez to explore how congruency, self-awareness, and understanding your “Why” transform leadership and sales. Dan defines selling from the heart as showing up authentically with the intention of making a meaningful difference for others.

The conversation dives into the Why Operating System (YOS)—a framework that helps individuals understand why they act, how they bring it to life, and what they deliver. By recognizing these internal “filters,” sales professionals and leaders can better communicate in the language of their clients and teams, applying the Platinum Rule to build trust and eliminate friction.

Dan shares practical examples of how YOS improves communication, strengthens relationships, and enhances performance across teams and even personal relationships. This episode reinforces that authentic connection, adaptability, and self-awareness are the true drivers of trust and long-term success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Understanding your Why, How, and What is foundational to authentic leadership and selling.
• Congruency—being the same person everywhere—is essential for building trust.
• Adapting to how others think and communicate strengthens relationships and results.
• Trust is the most important long-term metric in sales success.

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

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Mitch Matthews is a success coach, keynote speaker, and creator of the top 1% podcast DREAM THINK DO. Through his coaching and content, Mitch helps high-achieving leaders and entrepreneurs dream bigger, think better, and pursue meaningful work aligned with their purpose.

Over the past two decades, Mitch has worked with organizations like NIKE, NASA, Disney, and United Airlines, helping leaders clarify direction and lead with impact. He has interviewed world-class performers—including Brendon Burchard, Michael Hyatt, Jamie Kern Lima, elite athletes, and Oscar winners—bringing powerful insights to his global audience. Mitch is also the creator of The Authority Bridge™, a coaching experience designed to help seasoned professionals build purpose-driven, legacy-worthy businesses.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Mitch Matthews to explore a refreshing approach to modern selling: Filter, Coach, Commit. Mitch explains that selling from the heart is about connecting the right people with the right solutions at the right time—even if that solution isn’t yours.

The conversation emphasizes the importance of intentional branding to attract ideal clients and repel poor-fit opportunities, as well as the power of saying “no” to build trust and long-term credibility. Mitch reframes sales conversations as coaching conversations—focused on listening deeply, clarifying needs, and guiding people toward meaningful action.

This episode highlights the shift from transactional selling to relationship-driven coaching, where authenticity, alignment, and long-term thinking create lasting success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Focus on connecting the right people with the right solutions at the right time.
• The Filter, Coach, Commit framework helps attract, guide, and serve ideal clients.
• Saying “no” creates clarity, builds trust, and strengthens your brand.
• Approach sales conversations as coaching conversations—not pitches.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Mitch is offering Selling from the Heart listeners free access to the Next Chapter workshop! Use codes HEART or LOVE at checkout: https://members.matthewstraininginternational.com/next-chapter

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

James Laughlin is a globally recognized high-performance leadership strategist, #1 bestselling author of Habits of High Performers, and a 7-time world champion musician. He has coached everyone from PGA Tour professionals and elite athletes to Fortune 500 CEOs, helping leaders and teams achieve extraordinary results through intentional habits and mindset mastery.

As an international keynote speaker and host of the top-ranked Lead on Purpose podcast, James blends elite performance principles with practical leadership frameworks that drive personal growth, resilience, and sustainable success. Whether working with world-class rugby teams or senior executives, James helps people win in both life and business by building habits rooted in trust, wellbeing, and high performance.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by James Laughlin to explore what truly drives high performance. James shares that selling from the heart begins with trusting who you are, and explains why vulnerability is not weakness but one of the most powerful ways leaders and sales professionals build trust and connection.

The conversation introduces James’s powerful skillset, mindset, and heart set framework, reframing mindset as “mind flex”—the belief that our minds are not fixed, but adaptable through intentional habits. He defines high performance as consistently exceeding norms while maintaining healthy relationships and wellbeing, challenging the traditional “win at all costs” mentality.

James also dives into belief systems, daily reflection habits, storytelling as a trust-building tool, and the importance of radical clarity around what success actually looks like. This episode is packed with practical wisdom for anyone looking to perform at a higher level without sacrificing authenticity or wellbeing.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• High performance requires three pillars: skillset, mind flex, and heart set.
• Vulnerability is a leadership strength that builds trust and connection.
• True high performance includes wellbeing and healthy relationships.
• Beliefs drive attitudes, which shape behaviors and results.

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

Ben Ortlip is a culture architect, strategist, and bestselling author who helps organizations turn workplace culture into measurable business success. As the founder of The Culture MRI®, Ben created a data-driven system that assesses and improves employee engagement and organizational performance—transforming culture from a “soft” concept into a strategic advantage.

Ben has worked with leading brands such as UPS, Delta, Salesforce, and Chick-fil-A, bringing decades of research and real-world insight into what truly motivates people at work. He is the author of Culture Is the New Leadership and Be the Sale, and a sought-after speaker on how human-centered culture drives performance, retention, and long-term profitability.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Ben Ortlip to explore what it truly means to “be the sale.” Ben explains that authentic selling is rooted in alignment, where both buyer and seller objectives are served through trust, not pressure.

Drawing from workplace psychology and culture research, Ben shares how today’s buyers are driven by autonomy, purpose, and connection. He introduces three core human needs, craft, cause, and community, and explains how sales professionals can become “magnetic” by mastering their expertise, championing their client’s mission, and building meaningful relationships.

This conversation challenges transactional selling and replaces it with a values-driven approach that fosters long-term trust, loyalty, and business success.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Trust significantly increases the likelihood of successful sales outcomes.
• Mastering your craft builds credibility and positions you as a true expert.
• Align with your prospect’s cause—focus on their mission, not your quota.
• Building community strengthens relationships and deepens trust.

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