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In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, we explore building trust and reputation in crisis communication with Kelly Stepno, Senior Leader at APCO, a global advocacy and advisory firm. Throughout her career, Kelly has spent her entire career in consulting, helping major organizations navigate crisis, litigation communication, and high-stakes reputation challenges.

Although she never planned to work in sales, Kelly explains how consulting placed her at the center of buying and selling. Over time, she learned that winning trust during crisis is not about pitching. Instead, it starts with listening closely, understanding leadership responsibilities, and helping solve real problems.

As a result, Kelly shares how the volatility of today’s environment has intensified pressure for both buyers and sellers, and why honesty, active listening, and relationship-building are now more important than ever. She also discusses how building trust and reputation in crisis communication shape every interaction, from crisis response to long-term advisory work.

In this conversation, Kelly and Charles explore:

• Kelly’s path from crisis communication to C-suite reputation work
• How active listening builds trust and clarity with clients
• Why relationships outperform transactional selling
• How to challenge RFPs with honest guidance
• The long runway from first meeting to partnership
• How teamwork and “phone a friend” strengthen conversations
• Why in-person connection creates deeper trust
• How leaders coach emerging professionals to sell through service
• What motivates Kelly in complex, high-pressure environments

Resources Mentioned:

• APCO Worldwide
• Crisis communication and reputation frameworks
• C-suite and KPI alignment strategies

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard

There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Kelly Stepno on Building Trust and Reputation in Crisis Communication appeared first on Collavia.

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In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, we highlight sales with purpose through the story of Kimberly Pearson, an audiologist and sales leader at Oticon, a Danish hearing health care company known for its groundbreaking work in “brain hearing.”

With more than 30 years of experience in audiology and sales, Kimberly shares how her career has been driven by one guiding purpose: changing lives through better hearing. She reveals how science, empathy, and mission-driven selling connect to create lasting trust between providers and patients, and how understanding your “why” shapes meaningful results.

In this conversation, Kimberly and Charles explore:

• How Oticon’s mission and research culture translate into real-world patient impact
• The meaning of sales with purpose and why it drives stronger buyer relationships
• The art of enabling buying by truly listening to customer needs
• Strategies for balancing KPIs with authenticity and trust
• The importance of staying curious, learning continuously, and leading with empathy
• How AI and technology are transforming hearing health care, and how professionals can adapt
• Why knowing your “why” sustains motivation and purpose in sales

Resources Mentioned:

• Oticon
• Start With Why TED Talk by Simon Sinek

Visit Kimberly’s company website here: https://www.oticon.com/

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard
There are two ways you can listen to this podcast: click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred platform.

You can also watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Sales With Purpose: Kimberly Pearson on Mission-Driven Work at Oticon appeared first on Collavia.

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Watch the full video here.

In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, we highlight empowerment in tech leadership through the story of Joyce Durst, founder and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP).

While many CEOs focus solely on growth, Joyce shares how building a strong culture rooted in values, empathy, and customer-centricity leads to long-term business success.

Together, Joyce and Charles explore how a culture of empowerment strengthens teams and sharpens B2B sales in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape.

In this conversation, Joyce and Charles explore:

• Technology’s Trajectory: Comparing technology’s evolution with the shifting landscape of how people buy.
• The Full Circle of Selling: Selling now favors a relationship-driven model, therefore focusing on the customer’s business problems.
• GAP’s Core Values in Action: Joyce’s “why” is rooted in three values: Striving for Greatness, Being Agile (embracing change), and Investing in People.
• The CEO’s Toughest Choice: Joyce advises entrepreneurs to be bold and stand by their values, especially in challenging times.
• “WAIT” and Sales Rigor: The acronym WAIT (“Why Am I Talking?”) trains sales reps to ask questions and listen first.
• Empathy for the Buyer: When making decisions, caring about a customer’s anxieties is essential.
• Engineers as Consultants: Finally, Growth Acceleration Partners involves its engineers early to eliminate risk and build trust.

Resources Mentioned:

• Growth Acceleration Partners (GAP)
• The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
• Gong

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard

There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Joyce Durst on Building a Culture of Empowerment in Tech Leadership appeared first on Collavia.

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In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, Charles sits down with Joe Leo, founder of the software consultancy Def Method, to talk about how creativity, AI, and a service mindset are transforming B2B sales conversations. Def Method provides engineering solutions in Ruby, Python, and JavaScript and built Phoenix, the first AI platform exclusively for Ruby on Rails applications.

Joe and Charles explore how being useful, listening actively, and empowering the buyer leads to better relationships and business outcomes. Furthermore, they discuss how AI can help, not replace, human-led sales by enhancing clarity, personalization, and discovery.

In this conversation, Joe and Charles dive into:

• Creativity in a Logical Field: Def Method’s approach to clients and sales is fueled by creativity, not just logic
• The Service Mindset: Joe sees every conversation as a chance to offer advice, share experience, or simply listen.
• Discovery-Based Selling: Joe uses success stories to help buyers imagine outcomes, not just pitch features or benefits.
• AI for Efficiency: High-quality AI drafts based on conversations still rely on human context for tone and relevance.
• Human Context Is Vital: AI needs human input to emphasize what matters most to the buyer like design choices or engagement expectations.
• Evolving Buyer Demands: Today’s buyers expect more clarity on success metrics, risk mitigation, and responsible AI usage.
• AI as a Lion: Joe helps clients safeguard their own success by showing them what not to automate and where unexpected solutions might live.

Resources Mentioned:

• Artificial Ruby Meetup
• The Ruby AI Podcast

Visit Joe’s company websites here:

• https://www.defmethod.com/
• https://www.phoenix.love/

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard
There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Joe Leo on Blending Creativity, Service, and AI to Enable Buying appeared first on Collavia.

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Human First, Seller Second is a mindset for sellers who want to build lasting trust and drive sustainable growth. In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, Charles sits down with Heidi Anderson, a transformational growth executive and board advisor , and a long-time associate of Charles and his organization, Criteria for Success. Heidi brings decades of experience to the conversation, sharing how sales teams can thrive by making empathy and trust central to every conversation.

Together, Heidi and Charles unpack what it means to truly show up for buyers. Drawing from her leadership roles and experience across various business models, Heidi outlines the “Human First, Seller Second” philosophy that drives trust-based sales cultures, especially when leading across complex teams.

In this conversation, Heidi and Charles dive into:

• Understanding the buyer’s needs and tailoring solutions and relationships to them
• Why being prepared and curious are essential criteria for success
• The vital role of emotional intelligence and authentic human connection in sales, especially in an era of AI
• How discomfort and vulnerability build trust and lead to a more authentic relationship
• The importance of curiosity, continuous learning, nurturing your network, and being open to feedback
• How leaders can filter wisdom to frontline teams through effective communication

Key Principles from the Conversation:

• Being curious, open to feedback, and nurturing relationships and your network
• Podcasts, which she notes are a great way to learn
• AI tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to prepare for business conversations

Visit Heidi’s company website here: https://www.solismammo.com/

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard
There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Human First, Seller Second: Heidi Anderson on Sustainable Sales that Build Trust appeared first on Collavia.

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Watch the full video here.

Empathy outperforms pitching and in today’s market, that’s more than a feel-good phrase. It’s a powerful shift in how successful sellers show up, connect, and close.

In this episode of Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard, Charles sits down with Paul Kirch, founder of the Boss Academy and a sales consulting agency, to explore why traditional sales tactics no longer serve modern buyers and what to do instead. Paul brings decades of experience in sales leadership, marketing, and personal development, making this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to sell with more purpose and authenticity.

Through this thoughtful conversation, Paul and Charles examine the deeper role of emotion in sales. Paul shares how empathy, curiosity, and intention can unlock more meaningful (and effective) buyer conversations than any pitch ever could.

Together, they explore:

• Why empathy outperforms pitching in a buyer-driven market.
• How emotional connection leads to greater influence and trust.
• Ways sellers can shift from “performing” to “serving”.
• The role of self-awareness and active listening in sales.
• Why relevance and humility matter more than persuasion.
• The importance of coaching and training, and why the two must go together to be successful.
• How companies can create a culture of learning and growth to retain talent.

Resources mentioned:

• Boss Academy
• Askology Method
• Criteria for Success (CFS)
• Collavia

Visit Paul’s website here: https://www.paulkirch.com/

Listen & Subscribe to Enabling B2B Buying with Charles Bernard
There are two ways you can listen to this podcast. You can click the play button at the top of this page, or listen from your mobile device’s podcast player through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or your preferred player of choice.

You can watch full episodes on our YouTube channel: Criteria for Success.

If you have questions you would like answered by our guests or experts, share them with us on LinkedIn or email your questions to info@collavia.com.

To learn more about Charles Bernard’s book Enabling Buying in a World of Selling, visit enablingbuying.com.

Looking for more episodes? Check out the full podcast collection right here: https://collavia.com/blog/

The post Paul Kirch on Why Empathy Outperforms Pitching in Today’s Market appeared first on Collavia.