Most SMBs don’t lose because they lack effort, they lose because they lack structure.

In this Challenge of the Day episode of Sales Against the Odds, host Lee Brumbaugh puts Tom Gardner, Chief Community Officer at Sales Xceleration, on the hot seat for a rapid-fire round of five questions that hit at the heart of SMB growth.

From embracing AI and building repeatable sales processes to hiring and developing top talent, Tom shares practical insights drawn from supporting hundreds of business owners and sales leaders nationwide. Along the way, he offers stories, lessons, and a few laughs (plus a shot of espresso or two).

Key takeaways:

• Why repeatable sales processes drive predictability and insight
• How AI helps SMBs scale smarter and faster
• Why onboarding and coaching separate good teams from great ones

Episode highlights:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:37) Question 1: The biggest opportunity for SMBs to grow smarter

(02:50) Question 2: The mistake most business owners don’t see coming

(04:32) Question 3: How AI is changing the sales game for SMBs

(05:38) Question 4: A career lesson every sales leader should remember

(07:33) Question 5: What to look for when hiring your next sales rep

(09:01) Lee takes the hot seat and shares his biggest takeaway

Connect with the team:

Tom Gardner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tgardner1/

Lee Brumbaugh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-brumbaugh-7835512b/

Sales Xceleration on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sales-xceleration/

Explore Sales Xceleration: https://salesxceleration.com/