How to Sell Podcast: Make How You Sell, Why You Win

Donald C Kelly: Welcome to
the Scalable Growth Podcast.

I'm your host, Donald C.

Kelly, the sales evangelist, and I'm
so excited to be here with you today.

Well, some of you probably confused.

You're like, Donald, what?

This is not the Sales Evangelist podcast.

You're right.

I'm your guest host today, and I have the
wonderful opportunity of introducing and

interviewing your one and only fearless
leader, our fearless leader, you, Luigi.

Luigi, thanks so much for
having me to be here, man.

I appreciate this.

Well, mate, thank

you very much for coming and being
the host because you know you are

one of the reasons why I started
this podcast a number of years ago.

Um, it was funny and I was wanting
to listen to a podcast while I was

running, and I'm just scrolling through.

Apple podcast and I found
this sales evangelist.

I decided to click it and I think I
ended up binging, like, I don't know

how many episodes I went through,
man, but I, listen, I literally

started listening to you every day.

Um, and I, I, yeah, the, the music,
the actual music, you know, the, the,

your intro music is what got me hooked.

Um, so you've, you've evangelized me and
for all my listeners, the other thing.

Donald's evangelized me so much.

I even did his TSE course,
um, uh, you know, a couple of

years back early in the days.

So thanks very much for coming on and,
and, and, and interviewing me for my big

Luigi Prestinenzi: 200, bro.

Congratulations on that, man.

I, I, again, remember from when
you started to where you are

now, like that's just so amazing.

Again, many people start
podcasts quit after about.

Maybe six months of doing it.

That's like a, you know, that's,
that's a big hump right there.

Um, but, you know, continuing
going it much less 200 episodes.

That's it, like mind blowing.

So, um, I wanna hear all about it.

I, I, I'm fascinated by podcasters,
obviously fascinated by people who

are doing sales, obviously, and
just you as an individual, you're

just one of those people that just
keeps you, you keep moving forward

and seeking to be your very best.

And I'm, I'm curious to, you know, kind
of learn about what you did during, what

you've learned over the past 200 episodes.

Um, if

Donald C Kelly: that's cool.

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

And I think it's interesting.

The reason I started the podcast
was, you know, I wanted to create

content to, to help sellers.

That was our, that was our main,
or that was my main mission, right?

Mm-hmm.

I really wanted to be able to
help salespeople be the best

they c they can be, right?

That was my whole, you
know, premise for existence.

But what I didn't realize would happen
was that I personally, This whole process,

this whole podcasting process took my
capability to entirely a new level.

Because what happened was the people
that I was reading books, you know the

Anthony in Renos, Mike Weinberg's, mark
Hunters, um, All these incredible authors

that, you know, shaped me, Jim Cathcart,
you know, relationship selling, um, yes.

Seth, Seth Godden for example.

Um, all these people that had shaped
the way that I viewed and looked at

selling, I started interviewing them
on my podcast and I was able to have

that one-on-one time with them to
really get granular about certain

things that you don't get in a book.

Mm-hmm.

And what I found was
I was starting to not.

Learned from them.

But I was applying these techniques and
it was, it just took me to an entirely

new level from a sales perspective.

So, you know why I started
this was to help people.

That's still my main objective every day.

I just wanna help salespeople, you
know, that's, that's our profession.

But yeah, I, the impact to me
personally has been massive.

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Luigi Prestinenzi: That's
really fascinating though.

Go back to what you said as far as like,
you know, there's twofold benefits there.

One, you started to help people,
but as a natural byproduct, you

got benefited from it as well.

Mm-hmm.

Um, in which the community was
able to like, you know, enrich

your guests, was able to enrich
you and help you in your career.

Yeah.

Which I really want to like kind of
pivot to over the past 200 episode.

How have the, how has those episodes,
or, I mean, there's so many of them, but

how has, how have doing those interviews
impacted or improved your personal selling

Donald C Kelly: capabilities?

Yeah.

I think it's gifts
given me more awareness.

Like I remember listening to
and, and I've, I've actually

gotta get him on my show, right?

Sure.

But one of the, one of the episodes
that I love listening on your podcast

was the Paul Cherry one, right?

Mm-hmm.

The questions, you know,
the past, current future.

And I bought his book.

Um, I ended up buying his, I bloody
He bought so many books of your guests

actually after that sent to your show.

Right.

But you know, just things like that.

Um, obviously I, I, I didn't hear, didn't
interview him on my show, but there,

there were moments and when, when I.

When I interviewed Anthony in a Reno,
for example, and we spoke about the

value creation piece, and it was always
something that I spoke about, but

when we, when we really dive deep into
that value creation con concept and

topic, like I was able to really, um,
Not just reflect, but it really gave

me an opportunity to consider, well,
how am I doing this at the moment and

what could I be doing differently?

Right.

And I think that's the biggest
opportunity for us as salespeople,

is you can sometimes get stuck
in the, the hamster wheel, right?

Where you just, you're on autopilot.

And the challenge is to stop that
autopilot and go, well, hang on a second,

what's actually happening right now?

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Because without us knowing,
we get stuck in autopilot.

And I think that's the biggest
thing that's happened to me during

this journey is it's just allowed
me to stop being in autopilot.

It's really helped me consider things
right and get, get very clear on,

okay, what's actually happening
now in this stage of the process.

What am I actually doing and what
could I be doing differently to

move this in a positive direction?

So that, that self-reflection
piece has been the best part.

And, you know, I've got a page of a
book of my notes, um, which I keep

from episodes and I just write down.

And it's amazing when I look back at
the notes and look back at the aha

moments that I've, that I've had.

That itself is worth, you know, all the
effort and, you know, how much effort

goes into creating a podcast, right?

Oh, a hundred percent more than anyone.

Um, for me, that's, that's,

Luigi Prestinenzi: that's priceless.

Well, one of the big, what was one
of the biggest, aha, I know you,

you talked about some things that
you've learned, um, that's helped you

become a better seller, so to speak.

Yeah.

Were there any ahas, any particular
episode that you can think about from

that little red book there that you have?

Donald C Kelly: Um, you know, there
was one moment when I was listening.

I was interviewing Jeffrey Gimo and he,
he made, he, he, he said this statement,

um, and for Jeffrey Gimo Little Red
Book of selling his famous mm-hmm.

A number of books to sales Bible.

But, you know, one of the things
that he said is, you know, a

sale, if you make a sale, it's
a transaction that happens once.

But when you make a customer, like when
you create a customer, it's a, it's, it's

something that happens again and again.

And that really was quite impactful
for me to hear that statement.

Right.

That was like, yeah, you know what?

I never really thought it in that nature.

Like, you know, he spoke about the, the
importance of creating relationship and.

You wanna have a, a customer that continue
to come back and buy and buy over again.

So that, that was a pretty
big aha moment for me.

The other one was talking to Mike
Weinberg and he spoke about some of the

sales truths and you know, he mentioned
the importance and he just said, you

know, high performers, you just gotta be
relentless with and selfish, this was a

key word that you used, selfish with your.

Right.

Don't give away your time because
if you're not selfish with it and

spend time where it needs to be
spent, the problem in sales is.

If you don't spend time on the tasks
that actually matter, like prospecting

and managing deals and progressing,
what happens is you end up having

an empty pipeline and you end up
not being able to hit your number.

So that was another big aha moment for me.

And, and somebody like, I, I love helping
people and I love, you know, I'm more, I'm

pretty free with my time, but that, that
was a big realization that, you know what,

sometimes I've just gotta make sure that
there's a key tasks that I can't give up.

I can't.

Prospecting for me is, is an, is
an absolute, it's a fundamental,

I've gotta do it every day.

Cuz if I don't, I'm gonna feel the
impact of that, that negative impact

down the down, the, down, the,
you know, two, three months later.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Yeah.

And um, one of the things too, like,
go back to that, you know, just being

selfish with your time is, you know,
you hear it and it does sound like

a bad word, you know, selfish shit.

In actuality, it's not, it's like
this, uh, it's a positive thing, right?

Because it's anyone who knows,
like someone who's in demand.

Like you, you run your organization, you
have a podcast, you have your family.

Like anyone knows that they
didn't know you have that stuff.

So being selfish in that sense, like
I'm being selfish with prospecting.

It's people come to respect you
for that, I think over time.

Yeah.

Um, so it is, it is a powerful principle.

I love that.

So, and you give, I'm getting
some gems from this one here, man.

So good stuff.

Um, go back to the, so, you know,
we talk about some of the fun stuff

here, like come some of the cool
learning experiences that you've had.

Yeah.

Um, but it wasn't always easy.

I could tell you that I know from
my standpoint, running a podcast.

You always start, you started off
with this, this podcast with the

notion of I want to help people.

Mm-hmm.

But was there a moment when you thought,
I am not sure if I can continue that?

Did I ever cross your mind at any time?

Yeah,

Donald C Kelly: look, there were moments
when I was thinking, you know, when I

first started the podcast and I think
we're at episode like nine or 10, I'm

looking at the downloads, I'm like,
man, the downloads aren't really there.

Like is it worth it?

But.

What I think the, the what, what
kept me going was like, but the

realization that even those first 10,
like I got to interview Mark Hunter.

Mm-hmm.

I interviewed some really great
people in, in my first 10 episodes.

Right?

Yeah.

Daniel Disney, for example,
was one, and you know, I

remember going, is it worth it?

But then I'm like, but I'm
actually learning quite a lot.

So yeah, I was a little
bit selfish in that.

Well, let's just keep going, you know?

And then before too long the
download started ticking over, you

know, a thousand, 5,000, 10,000.

And then we started to get a
lot of traction, which was,

which was incredible, right?

And then we had some sponsors.

And you know, I remember, forget
one of the best parts of the whole

podcast journey was I, I did a cold
outreach to Seth Godden and, you know,

probably the, one of the smartest
marketers ever to walk this planet.

Right?

I love him.

Right.

And.

He said, look, it took me a couple
of outreach attempts, but he finally

responded and said, look, thanks.

Took me three or four.

Okay.

You know?

And he said, thanks, thanks,
but I don't, I don't travel.

And I said, that's okay.

I'm happy to come to you.

And, uh, he, he said, okay.

So I said, great.

And I'm, I, I jumped on a plane a
couple of weeks later from Melbourne.

Took me 20 hours to get to New York.

Then I jumped on a train from Grand
Central Station and went out to

where he lived, or, you know, near
his place where his office was.

And just an incredible experience right.

Going into that room.

And for all those, all my listeners
who know Seth Godden and, and,

and Donald, you know him as well,
he's always doing the, you know,

interviews with the books behind him.

And I got to sit in that room
and do the interview in that room

with all these incredible books.

It was just awesome.

It was just an ex, and you know what?

The podcast took me on that,
on that journey, right?

Yeah.

Um, it was just an amazing experience
just to hear the great man talk

and I don't know, it was just,
it was just like, you know what?

This is where, this is where sales,
this is where podcasts can, can take us.

It can literally take you
anywhere across the globe.

And, uh, it creates ex a memorable
experience that I'll never

Luigi Prestinenzi: forget.

That's really cool.

Um, and you, you kind of talk, this kind
of segues perfectly into the next way,

next place I wanna go with this interview.

But you, you know, you, you bring up
how the doors, doors that were open

as a direct result of podcasting.

Yeah.

Um, you know, where this literally
took you on the road to an

opportunity to come and physically
meet Seth Gordon in your New York.

What bi what sales
opportunities would you.

That you can directly tie to, uh,
your podcast, um, or if not sales, any

other opportunities that were opened
as a direct resp, um, direct contact

because of your podcast, so to speak,

Donald C Kelly: man, heap.

Like, like Donald, like I, one of the
things, we don't have enough time.

You've probably seen this in
your business as well, right?

Like, one of the things I did realize,
um, I was getting people that were

booking into my calendar, for example.

And we jump on a Zoom and.

It's like, like the way in which
they engage with me because they'd

already listened to 10, 20 episodes.

There was already a relationship there.

I didn't even know it, right?

Mm-hmm.

The rapport was there.

They already had trust.

They'd heard my point of
view, they'd heard my voice.

They'd knew exactly what the concept
that I'd been speaking about, and

it, it shortened the sales cycle.

Like I, I was closing, you know, deals,
average sale size, you know, sort of

20 to 40 K, which would usually take
anywhere from two to three months.

They were closing in like
two weeks because it was just

a, it was an incredible pro.

I just was massive realization for them.

Like, this is, this is, this is amazing.

Right?

Um, so that, that was a, that was a huge
opp, but I think the biggest opportunity.

Because for me, that wasn't the
best outcome from this process.

Mm-hmm.

Closing deals, as much as I love
it, the best outcome was the

relationships that I've formed.

Like I've been, been able to hang out
with you in Atlanta, hang out with Daniel

Disney, you know, Victor and Tony and I
have become great mates, Darryl Pril like.

I can't tell you how many Anita Nielsen
in, you know, and I can't tell you

how many people, Jen Allen, Ravi, Jen
Allen, like literally caught up with

Ravi in London, Jen Allen in Chicago.

Like, you know, the, the actual
opportunity it's created to build

relationships, real relationships, right?

Um, that for me has been the best
outcome from this process, right?

Yeah.

Um, that's why I've loved this

Luigi Prestinenzi: journey.

That's so cool, man.

Um, keep going on this
journey path with me.

Um, and you named some
really cool folks there.

So big shout out to all of them.

There's some, some, some cool individuals.

Um, you talk to me about one of the first
emails, LinkedIn messages or whatnot,

communication you receive from a listen.

Ah, and tell me what, what was that like?

I dunno, if you wanna give him a shout
out if you're keeping doing that.

Well, look,

Donald C Kelly: you know what,
there's been, the thing that I

love about the shoutouts that I've
got, I'm just trying to go back

to one of the early ones, right?

Um, I know there was Shane from, I'm
just trying to remember his company.

Um, he's been a massive listener and
he's always, he's always liking my posts.

He was like one of my first, uh, works
for an agriculture business and I just

love the feedback that I got from.

Around the impact that I've had
and the way it's helped him really

think differently about selling.

Right.

The mindset.

Cause I talk a lot about mindset
like you do as well, Donald.

Um, yeah, that was really all
humbling to get somebody just randomly

reaching out to say thank you for
the content that I was putting out.

Yeah.

Um, that was awesome.

And I, and I get 'em all the time and
I think, cuz I'm getting 'em quite

frequently now, you kind of don.

Get that magical feeling.

Right.

But I remember the first, I'm like,
this is actually really helping people.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Um, so I love that.

And I can't believe I
forgot this company name.

It's gonna, it's, it's gonna come to me.

It'll come to me.

But, uh, that was one of the first, um,
the other milestone we had, and we got

a lot of response when we, when we were,
um, When we were added to the Qantas,

which is an airline in Australia, when
they put us, you know, um, on their

Qantas sort of entertainment section
where people could listen to podcasts.

I mean, that was a massive
milestone for us as well, right?

We were getting random messages
saying, Hey, I was even getting like

family going, mate, I've been fly.

I was flying on going from
Melbourne to Sydney and your

podcast came up on my screen.

Yes.

So that was pretty cool.

That was, that was a good experience.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Yeah.

Aunt Lucy saw my podcast.

Yeah.

No, man, I, that's,
that's wicked cool man.

And it's like, you know, it's just fun to,
to, you know, to get on that airplane and

to have that, that's like, that's massive.

But think about it again from the, the
power of podcasting and then go back

to, you know, your, your first list,
one of your first, um, you know, podcast

listeners who reached out to you.

I know what you're saying is that
it's just a, this random feeling of.

How did this someone, I don't know.

Hmm.

Feel like they know me or they connected
with me or found my stuff Yeah.

Of all the things that are out there.

And I, I just think that's like
that relationship that you, you, you

create those bonds of some of those
folks is like, it's, it's massive.

Yeah.

Um, so it's really cool
to hear that experience.

Yeah.

And I think,

Donald C Kelly: I think on that, right.

I think, you know, because not
everybody's gonna start a podcast.

No.

And even, even though people say,
oh, the podcast market is saturated.

I saw some stats recently to.

The, the amount of podcasts out
there versus the amount of blogs.

Exactly.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Or books.

Ridiculous.

Yeah, books.

It's ridiculous.

Donald C Kelly: So there's still so
much growth happening podcasts, but

I absolutely think, you know, when
you listen to a podcast, and I've

done this again to your episode,
your episodes, multiple people.

When you listen to a podcast
and you really love what

the hosts had to say or the.

Just reach out and say thank you.

Yeah.

And tell 'em why, and all of a sudden
you'll be starting a conversation.

Yeah.

And I've done that with countless
people where I've, you know, I've been,

I'm going, man, this is gold, what
they're sharing, and I'll, I'll take

a photo, I'll send the screenshot.

Um, and I've done it to you multiple
times and like, Hey, this is quality.

Um, but that's how you
start a relationship, right?

It's like there's no, like one of
the best books that I've ever read.

It was Ag Mandino's.

Yeah.

The greatest Salesman in the world.

Yeah.

Right.

Loved it.

And there's two books.

There's Ag Mandino's Greatest Salesman in
the World, and then How to Win Friends and

Influence People, which is Dal Gie, right?

Mm-hmm.

Probably the two best sales book I reckon
every salesperson should read, right?

Yeah.

The, the reason why I love those books
is because they both talk about mindset.

They're, they're not really
tactical books, you know?

Um, Manino is all about, you
know, having that, that mentality.

Um, and, and just.

That attitude to go and be successful.

And Dale Carnegie talks about
the power of positive feedback.

Yes.

That like how to win friends
and influence people.

There is nothing to gain from
saying something negative to

someone, but say something positive.

And for me, if you are able to listen
and show someone gratitude and say,

Hey, I really love what you spoke about.

You're gonna get positive, something
positive's gonna come back.

Right?

Um, and that's why I think the
power of podcasting, it's, it takes

books to another level because the
conversation goes down a certain way.

So even if you're not intending
on studying a podcast, use the

power of podcasting to engage with
people and start relationships.

Because for me, that's
what it's all about.

Right?

Yeah.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Oh, man, I,
I couldn't agree with you more

on that, the relationship side.

Come on, man.

Like that.

That there, I mean, and I, I think
the, the other component to what

you're getting with, with this is the.

You, it makes the world come back.

Like social media has this tendency of
making us think that, you know, it is just

a, it's an avatar that we're talking to.

Meaning, or just like a
role, a salesperson or a,

you know, a VP or or whatnot.

But then you tend to not realize
that they're human beings sometimes.

Yeah.

But when you do a podcast or when you
have the conversations, you realize

that VP of Sale who reach out to you
and tell you thank you, you realize that

she's a mother and she is a, you know,
uh, you know, has her insecurities and

she's a human being, and you can have a
conversation with her on a ground level.

And I think the beautiful thing about
a podcast in that sense, you mentioned

these people who were, who were able to
connect back to you and feel felt like

they know you is because you were vulner.

Probably in some of your experiences
or your examples, and because of that

vulnerability, it allows them to be more
vulnerable and to just create something

amazing where you can have really good
down to earth human being conversation.

Like, I, I love it when people try to
do the, you know, Donald C like I, I

see that in my messages sometimes on
LinkedIn, let's say Donald, c k e l l y.

And it's just fun.

And uh, when sometimes I speak to
them on a phone, like, you know, if

they turn into a business development
opportunity, They're like, hello?

And then I'm like, okay,
let me do it again.

And I was like, this is Donald C
And like there, he's there, hes,

Donald C Kelly: yeah.

Cause you're known him for him.

Right.

But yeah,

Luigi Prestinenzi: you just, but
that relationship is just so.

So, so keen, so, so powerful.

Um, in in that whole, that whole process.

Yeah.

Um, you started off, let's
talk about some of these folks.

Don't get a chance to hear how you started
a podcast, but you started off, were

you doing this by yourself, Lu you then,
you know, how did the process evolve to

where you have like a pretty, you know,
seemed like a pretty good team right

now that's helping you with it as well?

Yeah.

Donald C Kelly: So I did have a couple
of like, um, helpers obviously get

me going and, and probably the number
one person who, um, doesn't get their

limelight, but his name's Stephan.

Um, and you know, I went to him
and I knew he was incredible when

it comes to music production.

He was running a school and
helping people, um, learn

music, production, et cetera.

And I said to him, Hey, when I
start a podcast, what do I do?

And, and he was great.

The mixer that I have, my
microphones, um, the software.

Um, we were, we were using Ableton
live back in the day, like this is

years back before the Riversides
and the squad tasks came out, right?

Yeah.

He gave me a proper, you
know, music recording tool.

Um, we did everything.

Went to his studio.

I remember making, you know,
he, he, he, he wrote the music.

Um, and just, it was just a,
such a cool journey, Donald.

I mean, you probably go back,
I mean, you've got a lot

more episodes than I have.

I think, I think the first thing
I had to get over, I don't know if

you had this experience, I had to
get over that imposter syndrome.

Yeah.

Um, that, that, that
stopped me for like a year.

Um, because why I just

Luigi Prestinenzi: go deeper into that.

What was the imposter
syndrome that you were facing?

Well,

Donald C Kelly: I didn't, I don't like,
you know, I, I, I didn't think that.

Look, was I good at, I've always
been good at selling, right?

Yeah.

Like I've always been a high performer.

I've done, you know, as my listeners,
no, I've put together some pretty

decent sized deals and I know my
staff, but then I'm thinking, well,

why would anyone wanna listen to me
and maybe I don't speak properly and.

You know, maybe I won't present right.

And it won't sound good.

There was all these things, you
know, and, and, and, and again,

all these authors have already
got books and what have I got?

I've just put the deals together.

Like, um, but then listening
to you, I was, like I said,

I, I, I binged, I don't know.

Um, I listened to so many of episodes
and obviously The Cell or Die

Podcast was another podcast that
I was listening to religiously.

So you guys were my two go-to
podcasts pretty much every day.

Um, and, but then I spoke to someone
and they've said, they sort of

said to me, well, you can either
let Imposter Syndrome stop you.

We'll just get out there
and make it happen and mm.

They also said to me like, what's
the worst thing that can happen?

Right?

Like, if you give it a
go, no one listens to it.

Well, worst thing is you've
spent a bit of time and you

know that's the worst outcome.

Like, it's not like you're
operating on a table and you're a

doctor and someone can die, right?

It's the worst thing that can happen.

No one listens to your podcast.

And, um, but, but I did.

I got the courage and
then, yeah, I started it.

You know, for that, that was
a big, it was a big challenge.

It was a big challenge for
me to overcome that imposter.

And that's what stopped me creating
content and sharing on LinkedIn

and all that sort of stuff.

Right.

And, um, even now, sometimes I, I go to
post a piece of content, I'm like, hmm.

You know, but.

Um, I think, you know, hearing
other people, like I've had the

opportunity to speak to some really
people with some really big brands

and even they have imposter syndrome.

Yes.

Like even they feel sometimes,
you know, questioning themselves

and their own capabilities.

So I think we all experience it.

Right.

Um, but no, it, it did take me a while.

Like I said, it took me one
year, um, to get to that point.

So

Luigi Prestinenzi: this
is really fascinating.

That you would say that.

And I, I think it's one of those
powerful things, again, for listeners,

no matter who you are, to really grasp
from this, this episode, to go back

into what Luigi said, as you were saying
that, I was laughing, not laughing at

you, but laughing at my experience too.

Hmm.

I started a podcast, uh, probably,
um, I think it was April.

2012 or March, 2012, my episode
went live, but most people

don't know that in the world.

Um, and it was episode, it was a video,
it was a vlog, um, and, uh, it was on this

cheap WordPress website that I created.

I think if somebody go dig enough,
they can find it somewhere out

there, um, on a free per site.

And then I, I got so.

But then I stopped doing it
because I got frayed the imposter.

And at the time there was probably
seven sales podcasts out there

already, and I was like, there's
no room for more sales podcasts.

Yeah.

At this point.

Now they're over probably 300 just
sales podcasts, um, that are out there.

Um, I think the last time I
was like 200, 2 50 or whatnot.

So it's like, keep going.

Yes.

But the point is like, yeah.

You know, if I had let that stop me who
didn't know what impact, you know, you

and some of the other folks that I've
been able to impact, and then vice versa.

You hadn't done that in matching
how many people have been

impacted from what you have done.

Mm-hmm.

And so, you know, we all can, like
we all have that imposter syndrome.

You know, and I love that idea.

My Sandler sales trainer back in
the days, used to use that example.

He's said the scale is zero to death.

What's the worst that could happen?

And I was like, I guess it's not death.

So I guess I can't make that cold call.

Um, but that there's just,
just so much, uh, so much power

in that, so much experience.

Yeah.

Um, so any, uh, I want to keep
going on that line though.

What are some of the other
experiences you've gleamed from

the podcast over the past 200
episodes that you, you mind sharing?

You talked about a couple of them so
far, you know, being selfish with your

time, this concept of imposter syndrome.

Um, we talked about some of the
successes that you've seen from the

podcast, like people that you've been
able to connect with and opportunities

that's come directly from the podcast.

Any other experiences, life experiences?

Not, we don't, we can
definitely bridge it to sales.

But other experiences that you've learned
from the podcast, um, over the years?

Yeah, I

Donald C Kelly: think it's, you know,
one of the things that I, I did, I did

learn, and I think this is, is really
important, um, to know from an an

experience perspective, is I reached out
to a lot of people to come on the podcast.

Just like anything.

Mm-hmm.

Some people said yes, some people
said no, and some people ignored me.

Right?

Mm-hmm.

But what I have learned is we truly
do live in a world of abundance.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

And even though some people, you know,
didn't respond to me, and, and, and I

had, I even had some people say, well,
how many people, like, without even asking

about the podcast, their response was,
well, how many followers do you have?

Right.

None of that mattered because you tell
you what, the people that I did get

to interview have been amazing, right?

Like, uh, have been absolutely amazing.

And, um, that, that part of it, I
think that's been the best experience

is I've, people have been open with
their time to come on and talk to

me and share their experiences and
share their ideas and their concept.

And I think this just validates the
whole concept that we absolutely

live in a world of abundance.

Mm-hmm.

And there are great people out there, and
people, if you just reach out, and this

is the whole premise of selling, right?

Mm-hmm.

You've gotta ask, you've gotta
get out there and you've gotta

talk to people and you've gotta
have a conversation, gotta ask.

And just like selling, the worst
thing that can happen is you

ask somebody says no or doesn't.

That's the worst.

Just like selling.

You ask for time, they say,
no, I don't wanna buy from you.

Okay.

Right.

But there are so many people out
there with so many incredible stories.

That one, no.

Or you know, someone saying, you
know, how many followers have you got?

Oh, you haven't got enough followers
so that I can't come on your podcast.

Um, it shouldn't stop you from
progressing forward and trying to

create an environment and community
and doing what you're trying to

Luigi Prestinenzi: achieve.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, bro.

Um, I've, I've had those before too, man,
but I love that life lesson there just.

Don't let us stop you.

The world of abundance.

There are opportunities everywhere.

Everywhere.

And just, you know, keep on
keeping on that is, yeah, bro.

I, i, in, in so many
different areas of our lives.

Man, it because what comes, go back to
that, into mindset again, and the science

behind this is that we tend to just, we
tend to only focus on the thing that we

see the most or the things that we're mo
not even the most, but the things that we

are, um, we're, we're aware of right now.

So like it's, you know,
being tunnel vision.

So when I hear a no, my
tunnel vision is on that.

No.

As opposed to probably the, you
know, seven other yeses that I

got over the past several weeks.

And we didn't.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

And, and it cause impairs us.

But again, if it's a job interview
or role, you're going for, if it's a,

a client deal, you're trying to get,
if it's a promotion you're trying

to go for, if it's a, you know, you
starting a podcast, whatever it is,

like you're gonna face opposition.

It's just a nature, it's a, it's
a law in the universe, but those

just opposition in all things.

And as you're able to overcome
those opposition, the quest or the

challenge is being able to break
through and overcome those things.

And like you said, the top performing
sellers, like, you know, go back

to what Weinberg was talking
about, the ultra performers.

There's no obstacle
that can't be overcome.

Yeah.

Every literal problem there is a solution.

It's a matter of how much time and how
much ingenuity or creativity in which you

dispel or willing to dispel to be able to
get past or overcome or get around that.

And top performing sellers, they
know how to get, they, it's something

that they know more than us, it's
just that they're willing to do more

than the average, uh, person, bro.

Oh man, we're going to church in
here, sales church or something.

Donald C Kelly: But I, but I
also think, you know, like.

There's an episode of Seinfeld.

I don't know if you're a si, but
I'm, I'm a, I'm a massive Seinfeld

fan, and there was an episode where
Jerry's like, you know what, for

me, everything always works out.

And there's a moment where, you
know, um, Elaine, she, she, he,

he, she grabs 20 bucks from him.

She goes, gimme 20 bucks.

And she throws it out the window and he.

Why'd you do that?

You know, lost $20, but then
he puts his jacket on, puts his

hand in his pocket, and he is
like, Hey, I just found 20 bucks.

Right?

And so like, the reason why I love
that particular episode, because

that's a mindset shift, right?

Mm-hmm.

Versus I've lost a deal.

Versus great.

Now this has given me an
opportunity to close a deal.

Yes.

Or to open a deal.

Right.

Because I, again, that's why I keep saying
doesn't matter this, it just reinforced

for me that mindset, this podcast is
that yes, I would've, you know, these,

there's some of the guests that I reach
out to that, you know, kind of shunned me.

Mm-hmm.

Is I'm okay with that.

Like, hey, that's.

You know what?

That's your loss because you don't
get to show your story with our

incredible guests, you know, with
our incredible listeners, right?

The people that would probably buy
your books, the people that would

probably listen to your podcast
or subscribe to your YouTube

channel, like that's your loss.

Yeah.

Um, because that, that
for me is a mindset shift.

So, I think that's been another big
learning for me through this whole process

is that it's absolutely okay to get a no.

Like I'm fine with it.

There's so many great people out there,
and I, I, I'm, I'm, I'm, I haven't even

scratched a surface with this podcast.

I think we can go so many different
directions now after the learnings that

I've had over the past couple of years.

Luigi Prestinenzi: You've
had a lot of learnings.

You've taken a lot from the podcast.

Where do we see the podcast going?

Um, I know we, we got a, we got
a future on the horizon here.

Um, yeah, we're 200 episode from now.

Where, what, what do you see in
the future for the podcast or, you

know, that you would like to have?

Let's fantasize for a little bit.

Yeah.

Well, well, to be what,

Donald C Kelly: where
I want to go with this?

I'm, I'm absolutely
doubling down on YouTube.

So we are gonna be putting
every episode on YouTube.

And I remember this, the, you know, when,
when you started doing more video content,

Donald, and moving away from audio.

And I'm like, yeah, I gotta do it.

But now I'm absolutely gonna nail
going, going more on YouTube.

Right?

Um, I'd love to do more, um,
like live stream podcast as well.

That's something else I want to be doing.

Um, not just pre-recorded,
do some more live podcasts.

Um, that's a big thing for me and I
wanna do in-person podcasts, so that's

a, that's another thing that I wanna do.

I loved it.

I did Ali Reta, who broke the world
record of selling the most new cars in a.

I flew to Detroit Motor City, interviewed
him, Seth Goen, like they were

just incredible experiences, right?

Yeah.

Um, I wanna do more of that.

I want to do more.

You know, in-person, um, podcast
interviews because I think that you

just as ma as great as this is man,
when I come to Florida in July,

I want to come and see you man.

Yes.

I wanna do you come, I wanna come
to the TSE studios and do one come.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Yes, that'd be great.

That's what we got

Donald C Kelly: to, you know, doing
one or when I did the, um, the cello

die one, I got to go and, you know,
do it with Jen and Jeffrey up in,

up in Charlotte, which was awesome.

Like, You can't replicate in person.

So, um, yeah, where do I see in a couple
of hu you know, a couple hundred episodes?

I wanna do live more live ones.

Um, live streamed YouTube and in person.

They're the three things that we
wanna, we want to be doing more of.

Talk

Luigi Prestinenzi: about the
impact that you hope to have.

The so many people's lives have been
a, uh, you know, altered and change.

As a blessing of the podcast, what are
some of the, what, what, how do you, how

do you foresee or how do you and your
team are planning that you can impact

others over the next 200 episodes?

I think the

Donald C Kelly: biggest thing.

Like, there's a lot of fear
in sales at the moment.

There's a lot of fear everywhere, right?

Yeah.

Now that even, you know, I was reading
McDonald's has told everybody in

corporate Stay home this week, big
announcements we're gonna make, you know,

we're gonna let people go this week.

Um, I think there's a lot of fear
everywhere around, you know, what the

future looks like now with AI and stuff.

And, but I can only talk about sales
and marketing cause that's the, that's,

that's where I work and, and play in.

Right.

I think the biggest impact that I would
love our show to have and our content

to have on salespeople is to show them
that we, we believe in them, right?

Mm-hmm.

We absolutely believe.

In salespeople, we believe that we,
we serve more than a purpose than

just selling a product or service.

Right?

Yeah.

That we, we genuinely are an
important part of this world.

Um, our profession is very,
very important, right?

And we want to help salespeople.

Um, Show that that self-belief and help
them create the open growth, that growth

mindset that they need, so that as things
change, cuz sales is changing, right?

We've both seen it just in the
last two years now with AI and

all these things coming into play.

That this change can represent
major opportunity for them.

Yeah.

But in order for them to capitalize
on that opportunity, they need to

have the right mindset to do that.

Right.

And they need to have
that mindset of abundance.

So w you know, the biggest impact
I would love our content to have

is just to allow our audience to
continue to, you know, tackle the

world with that abundance mentality.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Oh, bro.

Absolutely.

Uh, I love that.

Um, and I, I think you're on something
amazing and you got an ally here in

South Florida and, uh, we, we would love
to continue to help push that message

across because I think there's so many
people that can benefit from that.

Um, amazing Luigi.

Um, there's one major piece of in
Insight you want folks listening

to the episode to walk away with.

What's a one meter piece of insights?

Well, the biggest

Donald C Kelly: thing is I think
that self, that belief, right?

Just believe, believe in yourself,
um, and build, build a really

strong network of people around you.

Um, for me, that's why I, I, you
know, I was so honored when you said

you'd, you'd interview me because.

I started this journey because
of you, man, like this is

why I started this journey.

Um, I listened to so
many of your podcasts.

It makes me emotional to think about
it like this has been a, a long ride.

Um, I started this because of you, man.

And even though we didn't know each
other at the time, um, this is the, this

is the world that we live in, right?

So I think having that, that, that
belief, Biggest insight, create a

network of people around you that
can lift you up and support you and

help you be the best you can be.

So, um, and it's e and you know
what, it's actually easier to

create that network than you think.

You just gotta go out there and, and ask.

And like I did with you, we
established relationship.

Um, And, and that, that for me
is, is been the biggest takeaway.

So I just wanna say manager, you know,
come to our end ending this episode.

Thanks, man.

Thanks for what you've
done for me, Donald.

Um, like I said, I, I wouldn't be
here if you didn't give me that

confidence and you didn't inspire
me with that music and being the

evangelist that you are, brother.

So thank you so much, man.

Luigi Prestinenzi: Well,
I appreciate that man.

You're making me get emotional, man.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um, super grateful that I've been
able to, to be a part of that.

And, um, To hear that and I'm, I'm
happy and all the emotions wrapped up.

I, it's like a, I don't know,
I can't describe it right now.

So thank you, man.

Appreciate you a lot.

Thanks brother.