BusinessManagementEducationSelf-Improvement

Breaking Sales

Dan Lappin

Behind the scenes with one of America's leading sales renegades, Dan Lappin, and his fanatic crew of disruptors from Lappin180. Listen as Dan, his sales training team, and their guests destroy everything you thought you knew about selling. A nonconformist take on rejecting the status quo, Lappin180 annihilates the tried-and-died sales tactics and techniques that have failed you, and your prospects.

Here is your chance to break free of convention and tedious sales rules top earners never follow. In interviews with business leaders and industry insiders, Dan will inspire you to think differently, stop selling, and break the sale. Join Dan on his unorthodox mission to shatter the dull monotony of performance stagnation.

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23 episodes
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Avg 41 min
English

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#207
Monday · 42 min
The Gold Standard of Sales Performance
The same drive that gets you into the conversation can sabotage you once you're in it. That's one of seven behaviors Dan and Pam have consistently seen in the highest performers they've coached, many of them earning seven figures a year. Some will sound familiar. Some won't. And one might change how you react the next time a prospect tells you the conversation is going well. I rechecked every line against the transcript, and nothing else overlaps. The only exception is "seven figures," which is unavoidable since it's the episode's premise. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#206
September 21 · 1 hr 3 min
The Cost of Avoiding Discomfort with Jason Moser
If you're in sales, you may have noticed a familiar pattern: a hard question you soften before you ask it, a prospecting call you keep pushing out to tomorrow, or an observation you don't make because saying it feels risky. It's easy to chalk these behaviors up to busyness or a lack of discipline. Usually, the root cause is something else entirely. In this episode, Dan sits down with Dr. Jason Moser, a clinical psychologist and researcher at Michigan State University, to talk about what's actually happening in those moments, and why avoiding them tends to make things worse, not better. If discomfort has ever talked you out of doing something you knew you should do, you won't want to miss this episode. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#205
September 7 · 31 min
Your Value Doesn't Matter Yet
Sales professionals can spend enormous energy making sure a prospect understands their value, and it still isn't enough to move the deal. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore why that happens, and why demonstrating value is the wrong focus entirely. A prospect's brain reacts to change the same way it reacts to any perceived threat — and without a reason to think past the present moment, staying where they are will always feel safer than making a change. If you've ever been tempted to lean harder on your value or expertise when a deal started to stall, this episode is for you. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#204
August 17 · 59 min
The Skill That Rewrites How You Handle "No"
What if the thing holding back your performance isn't a problem with your abilities, but with how you think about the moments you're dreading? The outreach you avoid, the questions you hesitate to ask, the "no" you're bracing for before you pick up the phone — these are all examples of how your brain is wired to focus on what could go wrong instead of what could go right. But there's a skill that can help you change how you think about these situations: cognitive reframing. In this episode, Dan sits down with Ayelet Fishbach, a motivation scientist at the University of Chicago and author of Get It Done: Surprising Lessons from the Science of Motivation, to discuss why the path to any goal feels the way it does — and how to reframe the setbacks you encounter along the way. This conversation is relevant to anyone working towards a goal that takes sustained effort over time — particularly salespeople who face regular rejection as part of the job and are looking for better ways to manage it. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#203
August 3 · 21 min
Biases Dominate Your Prospect's Decision Process
Prospects don't enter sales conversations with a blank slate. They bring years of experiences, assumptions, loyalties, and fears that shape how they evaluate every option in front of them. Those biases influence the prospects willingness to change and how they filter your ability to help them change. In Part Two of their conversation, I and Pam explore why trying to convince someone they're wrong often strengthens the very beliefs you're trying to change. We discuss how, instead, great sales professionals create the kind of conversation that helps prospects examine those beliefs for themselves. If you've ever walked away from a meeting knowing your solution was the better choice—but still lost the opportunity—this episode will help you understand what kind of questions you'll need to ask to help your prospect minimize the impact of negative biases. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#202
July 20 · 1 hr 18 min
Why We Stick to What's Not Working with Annie Duke
You probably don't think of yourself as resistant to change. But when something has worked for you before, it's easy to assume that's the reason for your success — and that habit makes it hard to notice when a different approach might actually work better. In this episode, Dan sits down with cognitive scientist, author, and former professional poker player Annie Duke. Together they explore what's really going on when someone won't let go of an approach that's not serving them — whether that's a sales professional or a prospect — and what it takes to move past it. If you've ever struggled to get a decision-maker to consider something new or held onto a deal that was dead a long time ago, this episode is for you. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#201
July 6 · 25 min
How you start does have a cost!
The opening minutes of a prospect meeting carry more weight than many sales professionals give them credit for. It can dictate whether you are starting from a position of strength or from behind. From that very first moment forward the prospect is trying to determine one thing: What does this person actually want from me? The question is - do you want your prospects thinking about where you're trying to take them, or how you will use their answers to advance a sale? Or do you want their energy and effort focused on answering your questions with honesty? All of this is determined by how you start your conversations. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore what it actually takes to create the conditions for an honest conversation — including what's required to help prospects examine their biases and challenge their beliefs. This episode is relevant for anyone who has walked out of a meeting thinking it went fine — and then never heard back. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#200
June 15 · 54 min
The Work Nobody Sees with Coach Urban Meyer
There is a pattern that often appears in sales organizations: someone isn't performing, and the response is frustration, blame, or eventually, a conversation about whether they still belong on the team. What rarely happens is an honest look at whether that person was ever actually set up to succeed — whether they had the development, environment, and preparation to perform when the stakes were high. In the 200th episode of Breaking Sales, Dan sits down with three-time national championship-winning college football coach Urban Meyer for a conversation about what high performance actually requires. Coach Meyer spent decades putting other people in positions to succeed. His philosophy on what that takes — and what gets in the way — translates directly to how you lead the people around you… and how you think about your own performance. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#199
June 1 · 51 min
Why You Choose to Play It Safe with Roy Baumeister
There's a reason so many smart, capable sales professionals consistently avoid doing the things they know they need to do and taking the risks they know they need to take. It's not laziness, and it's not a lack of motivation. As it turns out, it's rooted in something far more fundamental about how the human mind works. Roy Baumeister is a decorated social psychologist who has spent decades researching topics like loss aversion, self-control, and the outsized weight of negative experiences. In this episode, Roy joins Dan for a conversation that digs into why it's so tempting to pull back in the moments that matter most — as well as what it takes to start overriding that urge. If you've ever found yourself consistently avoiding the things you know matter most, this episode is for you. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#198
May 18 · 35 min
Is Development Fatigue Real?
Plenty of sales professionals will tell you they're committed to their own development. But when you ask them what they're actually doing, how much time they're putting in, or whether it's paying off, the answers are all over the map. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore what real professional development requires — and what separates it from the kind that feels productive but doesn't actually help you improve. They take an honest look at why so many people experience fatigue in the process, and what that fatigue might be telling you when it shows up. This conversation is for anyone who feels fatigue but serious about improving — not just staying busy. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#197
May 4 · 49 min
Self-Awareness and Performance with Dr. Mark Leary
There's a pattern that affects almost every sales professional, regardless of experience level: the conversations that matter most are rarely the ones that bring out your best performance. The higher the stakes, the more you might find yourself hesitating, second-guessing, and holding back — even when you know exactly what needs to be said. It's easy to chalk this up to nerves. But the reality is that something specific is happening in your brain in those moments — and it has everything to do with where your attention goes when the pressure increases. In this episode, Dan sits down with social psychologist Mark Leary to discuss how self-awareness and social motivation influence performance when the stakes are high. If you've ever walked out of an important conversation thinking, "I know I could have done better," this episode will give you a clearer understanding of why. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#196
April 20 · 38 min
Designing a High-Performance Day
It can be common to not always give much thought to how you're setting yourself up each day. You might have habits, but not a deliberate practice built around how you actually want to perform. But performing at your best — and achieving a sense of fulfillment when the day is over — doesn't happen by accident. It requires deliberately building the structures and routines that actually support you. In this episode, Dan and Pam talk through what this looks like for them: the routines they've built, how they structure their weeks, and how they manage the mental pushback that happens during difficult or uncomfortable moments. If you've ever wondered how you can be more intentional about how you show up each day, this conversation is worth your time. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#195
April 6 · 1 hr 6 min
The Neuroscience of Trust with Dr. Paul Zak
What does it actually take to build trust in a sales conversation? Not just rapport, but trust — the kind that makes a prospect lean in, open up, and ultimately make a decision? Dr. Paul Zak is a behavioral neuroscientist, the author of several books, including Trust Factor and Immersion, and one of the world's leading researchers on the science of trust and persuasion. In this illuminating conversation, Dan and Paul explore what actually drives trust in a high-stakes sales interaction. Listen in to learn why the most likable salespeople may not always close the deal, what's really happening in the brain when a prospect decides whether to trust you or not, and the hidden cost of walking into a conversation focused on a specific outcome. Whether you've been in sales for two years or twenty, the science Paul shares in this episode will challenge assumptions you might not even know you're making. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#194
March 16 · 31 min
Providing for Today vs. Building for Tomorrow
Ask any underperforming sales professional why they're not doing what they need to do, and you'll eventually hear them say, "My family comes first." Ask a top performer the same question about what drives them, and you'll hear the exact same thing. It all comes down to how one demonstrates it. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore the uncomfortable reality behind one of the most universal (and most misused) statements in sales. They break down why "family is my priority" means something fundamentally different depending on who's saying it, and what those differences reveal about mindset, discipline, and long-term performance. Their conversation challenges the assumption that present-day sacrifice and future-focused ambition are at odds — and makes the case that the most responsible thing you can do for your family is to stop using them as a reason to avoid the hard work. If the idea that your family is your priority has ever made you feel better about a decision you knew you should have made differently, this episode is for you. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#193
March 2 · 59 min
Rewiring Your Response to Adversity with Erez Avramov
What separates professionals who stay composed when facing rejection from those who get knocked off course? It's not experience or natural talent; it's understanding how your mind responds to challenges and redirecting it when it starts working against you. In this episode, Dan sits down with resilience expert Erez Avramov, who discovered something powerful about mental resilience after surviving multiple life-threatening experiences. Through his recovery, Erez developed a five-stage approach that applies directly to how we handle pressure, rejection, and uncertainty in sales. Listen in to learn how to rewire your responses when conversations don't go your way—and how to transform setbacks into fuel for better performance. For anyone looking to build the mental toughness that sets top performers apart, this episode offers an approach that will transform how you respond to adversity. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#192
February 16 · 23 min
The Questions Your Prospects Can't Ask Themselves
What stops you from asking the question that could genuinely help a prospect think differently? Most of the time, it's not a lack of awareness. You can usually see what needs to be addressed—but something holds you back from creating the discomfort that leads to clarity. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore a simple but powerful reframe that will change how you approach these moments. They break down how to think about your responsibility to prospects in sales conversations and what it truly looks like to play the role of the objective, neutral advisor. You'll walk away understanding why asking questions from a place of genuine service creates a more productive dialogue—and how this shift affects everything from prospect engagement to the quality of thinking you can facilitate. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#191
February 2 · 1 hr 4 min
The Warrior's Sales Playbook with Chris Harris
What can a martial artist who trained tier-one special forces teach you about sales performance? Everything. In this episode, Dan sits down with Chris Harris: bestselling author, keynote speaker, Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, and creator of the combat system Roku Jitsu. Chris spent 25 years training elite military operators in close-quarters combat before transitioning to sales, where he discovered that the same mental disciplines that create warriors also create top sales performers. In this episode, Chris shares his journey from childhood adversity to becoming number one in his field. He breaks down his four essential questions every salesperson must answer about their product/ service, explains why 95% of selling happens in the subconscious mind, and shares how to reprogram self-limiting beliefs. If you've ever wondered how elite performers think differently, this conversation offers a wealth of pressure-tested strategies that work just as effectively in the boardroom as they do on the battlefield. Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakingSalesPodcast/videos
#190
January 19 · 20 min
The Price of Reaching Your Potential
Howard Stern admits he was the worst DJ imaginable when he started. But his obsessive will to get better transformed him into a legend. In this episode, Dan and Pam explore how this principle applies to every high performer, from athletes to salespeople. You'll learn about the two components that determine whether you reach your potential—drive and exposure to elite standards—and why surrounding yourself with people who operate at a higher level is non-negotiable for growth. Dan also shares the details of his brutal early sales journey, and the uncomfortable practice that became the foundation of his transformation. This conversation gets real about what real improvement actually costs, and why most people aren't willing to pay that price. Listen if you're ready to change how you think about growth.
#189
January 5 · 25 min
Where Is Your Prospect in Their Decision Journey?
Why do even experienced sales professionals struggle to move prospects from initial interest to closed deals? The answer often lies in a fundamental misunderstanding of how prospects make decisions about change. Most salespeople jump straight to demonstrating their value without understanding where prospects are in their decision-making journey, assuming they're ready for solutions when they're still figuring out if they even have problems worth solving. In this episode of Breaking Sales, Dan and Pam break down the four distinct phases that every meaningful sales conversation must navigate. They explore why the sequence of these phases matters, how to assess whether prospects are truly ready for change, and how the time and effort prospects invest in working through decisions with you creates natural momentum toward partnership. You'll come away with a roadmap for creating conversations that honor how people actually work through complex decisions. If you're ready to start having interactions that feel collaborative rather than transactional, this episode will show you how.
#188
Dec 15, 2025 · 22 min
Planning for 2026 When You're Tired of the Same Results
What determines whether your 2026 becomes a breakthrough year or just another year of good intentions? Most sales professionals approach year-end planning the same way they approach everything else: they only focus on what they want without examining why they don't already have it. This Breaking Sales episode provides a planning methodology that flips that approach on its head: Instead of starting with ambitious goals and hoping for the best, you begin with brutal honesty about the behaviors and thinking patterns that have kept you stuck—and the ones that will move you forward. In this episode, Dan walks you through exercises that help you connect what you want to achieve with the mental shifts required to get there. You'll also discover how your natural tendency to imagine negative outcomes causes you to avoid taking action, and why the most successful people have learned to reframe their internal dialogue around risk and opportunity. Whether you're looking to break through a performance plateau or finally bridge the gap between your potential and your results, this framework provides the foundation for creating lasting change in the new year.

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