246: What Elite Sales Reps Do That AI Can Never Replace

246: What Elite Sales Reps Do That AI Can Never Replace | John Barrows

Release Date:

November 18, 2025

Release Date: Nov 18

AI has forever changed the rules of sales—but curiosity, empathy, and grit are still the ultimate game-changers. In this energizing episode of the Learn-It-All™ podcast, Damon sits down with John Barrows, globally renowned B2B sales thought leader, CEO of JB Sales, and host of Make It Happen Mondays. With 25+ years spent at the forefront of sales innovation, John Barrows shares candid, practical advice for sales reps aiming to succeed in a world where AI can automate every average move. Packed with real stories, actionable frameworks, and future-proof strategies, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about sales—from prospecting and personal branding to why empathy and business acumen matter more than ever.

Whether you're leading a team or growing your own book, this is your roadmap for staying relevant, authentic, and indispensable.

What You’ll Learn:

What AI will automate in sales—and why the top 20% will always stand out
How sales teams must evolve: from siloed roles to full-cycle mastery
The critical “human skills” that separate great reps from the robots (think curiosity, passion, and empathy)
Why building a personal brand isn’t optional for modern sales professionals
How to level up business acumen fast (even if you’re new)—including John’s favorite AI-powered research tools
The secret to proactive, high-value sales conversations and hypothesis-driven discovery
A simple team hack for more collaboration, retention, and real-time learning

In This Episode:

00:00 – Why “average” sales reps won’t survive the AI shift
00:42 – The golden age of sales (2010–2022) is over—now what?
02:54 – Why full-cycle sales is the new must-have skill
04:29 – John’s vision of the future: sales as “Minority Report” meets real relationships
05:54 – How to develop business acumen, curiosity, and hustle in your daily grind
07:43 – Redefining sales fundamentals in an AI-driven era
11:26 – Authenticity vs. scripts: what real customers want
13:23 – The zero-tolerance zone: real talk about time-to-value for buyers
17:04 – Why “point of view” prospecting beats open-ended questions
20:03 – The shocking stats: how few reps do real research
21:08 – The empathy gap—and why sales culture must change
29:45 – How to turn AI into your sales superpower (instead of a replacement)
36:36 – In-person selling, networking, and the magic of the bullpen
41:05 – How to build your own partner ecosystem for better leads
45:55 – Giving vs. taking: why “problem-solving” reps win big
50:32 – Building a personal brand: John’s step-by-step playbook
57:12 – Leveling up your team: how to run a “sales hackathon”

About John Barrows

John Barrows is one of the world’s top B2B sales experts, with over 25 years spent at the cutting edge of sales training, thought leadership, and enterprise growth. As the CEO of JB Sales, he trains thousands of sales leaders across industries—from Salesforce to Google and LinkedIn. He’s also the host of the Make It Happen Mondays podcast, creator of innovative AI-powered sales tools, and has over 400,000 followers on LinkedIn. John is passionate about sharing real, actionable advice for sales professionals who want to stay ahead in a rapidly changing landscape.

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