April 7, 2025 • 41 mins
Welcome to this episode of Inspire Your Buyers, where we dive into the transformative power of leading with love, purpose, and connection in the world of sales. Joining us are two inspirational figures: Genevieve Piturro, the award-winning author known for her remarkable TEDx talks and her heartwarming mission with The Pajama Program, and Bruce Scheer, our insightful host. They explore how emotional connection, collaboration, and shared success are essential in today's competitive market. Genevieve shares her unique journey from a high-powered career in New York's TV industry to founding a nonprofit organization that has profoundly impacted children's lives. Her story is a testament to the incredible changes that occur when you align your work with your purpose and passion. So, tune in as we uncover how you can make a significant impact by building genuine connections and providing an exceptional buying experience. Enjoy the conversation!
00:00 B2B Buying Experience Importance
03:33 "Improving B2B Buying Experience"
08:44 Embracing Emotional Intelligence at Work
13:01 Align Business Solutions with Personal Life
16:24 Collaboration in Value Proposition Formation
20:34 "Visionary Collaboration Inspires Growth"
23:13 The Power of Belonging
27:47 "Post-Sale Commitment and Success"
31:35 Visiting Shelter to Comfort Children
33:01 "Pajama Program: From Executive to Purpose"
37:15 Free Leadership Coaching and Tips
40:13 "Leading B2B Sales with Heart"
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Welcome to the ValuePro Show, where value pros get value
ready.
Hi. My name is Bruce Scheer, the host of the ValuePro Show. In this episode,
we're talking with Genevieve Paturro. Genevieve is an award
winning author, inspirational TEDx speaker, and the
founder of the national nonprofit pajama program,
(00:24):
which has delivered over 8,000,000 pajamas and books
to children in need. Her journey took her from a high powered
career in New York's TV industry to the Oprah
Winfrey Show, and ultimately to boardrooms and stages
across America, where she's teaching leaders how to lead
with love. She's the author of the best selling multi
(00:46):
award winning book, Purpose, Passion, and Pajamas,
which I've literally lost sleep over. Just a riveting book. I think you'll
love it. And her work has been featured on Oprah,
The Today Show, CNN, Forbes, and others.
In this episode, we dive into how sellers can become leaders,
leading with purpose, connection, and love to radically
(01:09):
elevate the b to b buying experience. With the market
tougher than ever, this conversation is a powerful reminder that
emotional connection, collaboration, and shared success
are no longer optional. They're essential. Let's jump
in. Genevieve, thanks so much for joining the show. I'm
really grateful to have you here. And literally, I must
(01:31):
confess to everybody, I've lost sleep reading
your book. My wife was even kicking me. You've gotta go back to
bed, because I was reading it, and I I literally
couldn't put it away. And sometimes I'm guilty of
this. I all read in bed with my Kindle, and literally,
I couldn't put it away, or I couldn't shut it down, at
(01:53):
one point in time. But, yeah, lovely, lovely book. Everybody will talk about
it towards the end of this episode, but, we you know, here live, we've
got Genevieve Paturro. And, just to kick us
off, Genevieve and I were talking about,
a a recent, what I call a meta study that we had
conducted. So, and it allowed us to form what we
(02:16):
call the b to b buying experience index.
Now a friend of mine, Ray McKellar, he works for SBI
as their head of training, and they did this beautiful
study about b to b buying behavior. And they
determined that 59% of the
influence on a bold b to b buying decision.
(02:38):
Bold meaning strategic, there's multiple stakeholders, big
investment, But 59% of the influence on that
decision comes from the buying experience.
Only 41% of the influence on this bold buying
decision comes from the offering itself.
So in the world of b to b sales and marketing,
(02:59):
crafting and creating an amazing b to b buying
experience is imperative, especially in this
just incredibly tough market that we're in right now
with literally 70% of sellers missing their quota last
last year, over 90% of revenue teams
not achieving their revenue target, and 80% of the
(03:22):
deals just going by the wayside for different reasons. So it it's
tough out there, and, and this one really hurts people.
75% of buyers prefer to have a sales free experience right
now. So something's gotta shift. And so we did this meta
study looking at all the b two b buying studies over the
last three years that we could find. And then, using the
(03:44):
magic of AI and a lot of analysis, we figured
out what are the top 10 causal factors
that will drive a better b two b buying experience and, hence, help
you perform better in 2025. And,
Genevieve and I have looked these over, and what she
has to talk about today is really gonna help everyone
(04:07):
perform better against this buying experience
index and up their game and delivering a buying better buying experience
and, hence, closing more deals and creating more beneficial
impact for their buyers. So, Genevieve,
I know, you know, did you wanna say anything about this before we get
into some of these key factors that that we should think about?
(04:30):
Yes. First, let me say I am so grateful that we are recording this, not
going live, because I'm gonna come back and revisit this, not
just just the slide, but what you're saying because it it's
so needed right now to break it down this way. So this is this
is great. And I know everyone is benefiting, not just me, from the way you
Absolutely. We need it now here, and I'm thrilled to jump in about it. Yeah.
(04:53):
Absolutely. Yeah. And and for folks listening, you know, you
can find this episode on YouTube, but I am showing a a visual, our framework
around the b to b buying experience index. And it's got four
key phases and 10 key, causal
factors, not correlated. But if you get these factors
right, they cause, an elevation
(05:15):
in the buying experience. So they're they're absolutely critical.
And Genevieve and I will be talking about some of these some of these
that truly are causal and and drive that experience,
including educational value, emotional
connection that Genevieve is just an absolute master
in in collaboration and partnership, and I'm sure we'll hit
(05:38):
on others. But but there's quite a few.
But another concept that we wanted to talk to you guys
about today is this whole concept of
of being a leader as a seller. So one of my personal
definitions of, of sellers, I do see all
sellers, especially in the b to b space, as leaders.
(06:00):
And my definition of a leader is someone who influences
others, influence how they think, how they behave. They they
create influence. And, hence, we're trying to influence the buying
experience, and sellers influence that. So I equate
sellers with being leaders. Now Genevieve is also a
leadership expert, and she talks about leading with
(06:22):
love, purpose, and connection. And, she'll
she'll talk today about how we can lead our buyers through
the buying journey, especially with love,
connection, and purpose. So, Genevieve, instead of me talking, we need to
really kinda kick over to you and some of the things that
you wanted to talk to us about. And and I'm showing a few things
(06:45):
on on on on the YouTube video, but for those listening, Genevieve
will be breaking down some key principles
that the leaders sellers as leaders need to be thinking about as they
lead their buyers along the buying journey. So, Genevieve, anything you'd
like to say before we jump into these? Yes. This is this
is really thrilling. I love this conversation, Bruce. I think
(07:07):
we all know, but I think it's it's really important
to remember that the world is driven by
emotion. Right? We've heard that for forever
that sales are driven by how the sales pitch or
the product makes us feel. And now more
than ever, we are looking for exactly what you had on that bottom
(07:29):
left when when your audience will see emotional
connection. And it's it's
so so ripe for your chart and what we're talking about
because we all want more connection now and especially when we're being asked to
buy something. Gene Genevieve, one of my mentors,
he's just come out with a book called Audacious. His name's Mark Schafer.
(07:53):
And, I was talking to him about, you know, five different
elements of value. And I was thinking about business value, financial
value, sustainability value, and I had emotional
value in there. And and it was so darn interesting. He
immediately said, Bruce, emotional value
is monstrous compared to the others that you just talked about.
(08:16):
He goes, I closed a $5,000,000,000 deal for my
company, and I'll promise you it would it was
really driven by emotional value. Blew me away.
Because you think of a huge number like that $5,000,000,000
deal, you know, you'd think there has to be lots of number crunching and everything
else. But he was, like, saying, hey. Emotional value really drove that
(08:39):
sale. And he was on the buyer side at the time, so
absolutely critical. Yes. And, you know, for years,
most of us, including me and I will speak for myself,
when I had my first jobs and for at least the first
thirteen years, I had a boss. There wasn't
any emotional, aspect
(09:01):
to any, any of the things he talked to us
about. We weren't feeling that we could be emotional
whether it was, negative or positive. We
couldn't show emotion. That was the business world. And, you know,
it started to seem foreign when their EQ
concept came out, and now it's you know, you're blowing it wide
(09:24):
open, and and I'm right there with you. That's what people
are really are really turning to, and
I think it's I think it's great. I think it it incorporates a whole
person on both the leader, seller, and the person who's
considering buying. I think that that emotional heart has to
be open on both sides. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Gosh. You
(09:46):
made me think of something else. I was out in Singapore for the nineties. I
missed grunge, Genevieve. I was out in Singapore.
And, but I did catch up, with
Daniel, Goldman,
author of EQ. Just The Singapore government was
bringing him in every year to teach
(10:08):
at a governmental level, trying to promote him across
Singapore society knowing that that was the
edge that they needed, especially as they're building their
white collar services economy, especially the financial sector,
etcetera, advertising, which you've been involved with. But
that EQ is what the government felt they really needed to
(10:30):
work on. And I I just thought it was so forward, so insightful.
Yeah. Incredible. Love to hear that. Well, let's
jump in in terms of, you know, how can we be better at leading our
buyers? And and you just got some fundamentals to share with us
that I think we can dig into if if you're ready. Yes.
Yes. Let me say, I think as sellers and
(10:53):
leaders in this, transaction, which is what
it used to be called, it's on us,
leaders, to find a way to connect,
whether you're selling something or whether you have a team and you're trying
to inspire and sell your vision and ask for support.
I think that that's on us to be the best we can
(11:16):
be, and we'll talk about what you're bringing up here.
But I think that that's that's really on us, and,
we're going in that direction naturally, thankfully. Mhmm.
You bet. So you have here a field
passion. I think that's part of being an inspiring
leader. When you're when you have something you're selling, and we're
(11:38):
all selling something as we all know, that passion is so
contagious. Right? When you're when you're speaking from your heart
and you feel that you are changing things with what
you have to offer someone, an idea,
a product, a service, you wanna convey
not just in facts. You wanna convey that feeling
(12:01):
of this is going to bond us because you
are going to feel so much better with the help of
what I want to help you find in this in
this product or service. I wanna alleviate the
pain. I'm excited about this. And, you
know, I'd love to know if you feel some of that passion
(12:24):
and and excitement at the prospect of partnering with me
on this, you know, on this product. Yeah.
Yeah. Makes sense. Absolutely.
I I think most sellers know if they're not passionate about what they're
selling. It it it it's a tough sell to get someone to sell your
heart. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Your heart, your soul, your
(12:47):
your your promise, your yeah. That that whole ethos is just so
absolutely critical. Yeah. So should
we kick over the next, next principle? Or yeah. So first,
we wanna inspire people. Mhmm. And then and then
you wanna make sure that you're recognizing
(13:07):
where they are, where they are
in, not just in their in their business,
but in their life, because they want something and
they're only going to buy or, or, or support
you if it fits their entire life. So
finding out what is going on in their life, finding
(13:30):
out first, of course, what's going on in their business, whether
they're in need there to make their life easier. But it's
also good to find out as a human being where
where are they? Where are they struggling? Because if you have
something that helps them in both places in
their business and with their goals and also
(13:52):
somehow supports their life and their life
style, it's a home run. So if you ignore what's
going on in their life and you just try to shoot for how it can
help them in business, you're missing out, I think. I'm really
finding that partner, and and you started using that word, and I'm jumping on it
because it is a partnership no matter what you're trading.
(14:14):
Mhmm. And I think that's a big piece that is also starting to
become part of a conversation. How does this fit into making your life easier?
And as a business owner and, you know, as a
person, you know, moving forward in their life? Oh,
absolutely. Yeah. And, yeah, and and and great partners. They are are thinking
about both fronts, of course. How how can they partner better
(14:36):
together, on on both sides? Completely agree. Yeah. That that's
a great point. Well, let's, talk
about the next. Yes. To communicate. So that's
also, a very it's a very
intricate process to to understand who you're talking
to and how to communicate
(14:58):
for their best purposes. Now you might
remember years ago, there was a book, the five love languages.
Oh, yeah. Yeah. My wife and I have gone through those web
seminars, etcetera. Yeah. Uh-huh. Yes. It started out as a couple's book.
Right? It's it's really a a human
book because if you take the time to
(15:21):
understand what is going to turn on that
person regarding a product or service that
they're considering, that can make all the
difference. Because if you think you know how to sell it,
you only know half, and it's not the important half.
The half is how do you communicate to the other person?
(15:45):
How how much is gonna help what they
need? What words what what target,
needs do they have? And are you hitting the mark when
you're talking about what they're looking for as a
solution? So it's important to understand how
everybody communicates differently. Everybody uses different phrases and
(16:08):
words. Everyone comes from a different place. Everyone's in a different
industry and everyone has different personal surroundings. So
how do you find the words that are going to touch their heart and are
going to show them that you can you can help them?
Absolutely. Yeah. One of our affiliates, Mike Wilkinson,
he talks about value Genevieve as a great mystery
(16:33):
and, that, you know, you as a seller, you you might have
notions of where the value lies for for that client
or or that composite that that fict fictitional client that you've
been taught about in all your training. But to develop a
true value proposition, one that the buyer embraces,
that's a collaborative, you know, communication, if you would,
(16:56):
to to find that value, to solve that mystery.
And you've only got part of the puzzle. You need the other pieces on the
buyer's side to really figure that out. So I like what you're
saying there on communicating and and and truly showing up to do
that even if I could add to shape the ultimate, the
total value proposition, getting that complete perspective.
(17:19):
Right. It is not one size fits all. Yeah. Yeah. And especially
on these bigger deals that people are work on, there might be multiple
stakeholders with with different perspectives that need to be explored
to shape that that buyer centric value proposition.
Yes. Exactly. Per perfectly said. Cool. Okay.
So the next one, to collaborate. What are we talking about
(17:42):
here? Yes. And I know you had that on one of your arrows too,
and it it really it it really jumped out at me
because it's it's gotta be a conversation. It has to be a a
two way, participatory conversation
on ideas of how to best
accept and and support and buy into what the seller
(18:06):
what the leader is showing you in his or her
way, how it can help. So if there's a conversation
of maybe this way, maybe that way, maybe can we talk about
structuring this kind of a deal instead of one way?
This is how we offer it. If there's room,
sometimes I understand that there's limited room, but maybe there's
(18:29):
a question that the leader can say. Does it work for you like this?
And be open to, a new response that comes from a
person who thought I really thought there was one way, and I wasn't interested,
but let me think about it. You know, I like this. I like this.
Can we structure something that helps me where I need it
the most? And I think that that's an amazing offer
(18:51):
to give someone. It's it's freedom. It's
considerate. It's putting them first, and it's, you
know, it's not a, standard
script seller, you know, tool. It's
really open and collaborative.
Absolutely. I I completely agree on on this whole notion of
(19:13):
collaboration, I I've been taught, gosh, back in the
nineties, I was working, for Singapore Airlines and the
National Productivity Board of Singapore, and, we were training
people on principles of service and quality. And I see
the act of sales as as a tremendous act of service.
But when you're providing service to someone and collaborating,
(19:36):
as you say, very often, you need to find a
yes. Because sometimes, you know, the the buyer
might ask for something or need something, and it
might not be, as you stated, Genevieve, in the standard script or
or the standard approach, the standard offering. But there is
a service principle. One of my friends, Ron Coffin, coined this.
(19:58):
It's called find a yes. And that that is a
beautiful way to approach collaboration, you
know, with with, openness and and intent to
find a yes. Maybe you don't have to say yes, but you can
find a yes. That's that's the that's a principle underpinning.
When I think about collaboration, good collaboration, as you were framing it just
(20:20):
now. Right. He's right. Mhmm.
Well, very cool. Well, hey. The next one is to and to
inspire and be inspired. What were you thinking, Genevieve, as as
this this principle? Well, I
think we all want to be inspired. We all
want to feel that we're in on something and that we're
(20:42):
standing next to someone and we're in the company and we're joining and we're
partnering with someone who has this vision
that is is, you know, making us excited and and
is thrilling us, and we wanna be part of it because it's not just,
you know, I'm selling this. Would you like to buy this? We can help you
do this. You know, sign on the dotted line, and we'll help you get to
(21:04):
your goal here. It's bigger than that. It's somebody who has
a vision and a dream to not just touch one person
in a positive way, but to to share
and have that person as a collaborative partner to
take the next step together, to grow into a
a real vision, a a company that is touching
(21:27):
many, many people and solving many, many problems. And if you
are standing with someone who's talking about something for
the greater good that you can be a part of and shows
you that you're part of this movement for good,
that's very inspiring. It's not just, like, you know, just
coming a couple of feet. It's it's miles
(21:50):
of vision and goals that I
think we all wanna be part of now. We all want to make a difference.
We we wanna touch more people in the best with the best
ideas and the best outcomes. And I think that
that inspiration is so, so important
for a leader who who wants to sway
(22:12):
people to consider what, you know, their goal is
because they they honestly feel it's it's so good for so many
people. I love it. I love it. Gosh. It makes me think of
Steve Jobs, make a dent in the world that for
Yes. Yes. Yes. I often think of Richard
Branson, his dreams, and, you know, and what he's
(22:35):
he's done. And, you know, just the fact that he called a virgin when someone
asked him, he said, because I've never done this before. That's why we're calling
it virgin. I thought that is so inspiring.
You know? You put it right out there. He said, let's go big. Let's go
for it. Let's have fun too. My goodness. Yeah. What a
great example. Talk about a change maker. Awesome.
(22:56):
Awesome. Okay. I love that. But, yeah, just playing bigger, you
know, is is the big point here, to inspire and be inspired.
Love it. And then, the, the next principle you were
thinking is, to be part of a team. What's what's that mean for
everyone? Yes. Yes. Because we all wanna belong.
We all want to belong to something we believe in, that we
(23:19):
resonate with. We all want to stand together
and, and move things in a in a
direction we feel is beneficial for for everyone. And I
think by inviting someone to be part of your project or
your service or your organization when you're selling is is
very, appealing. If you if you're
(23:41):
getting the response and you feel in your heart that this is good for that
person, then you you see that they understand that. And then, you
know, then you get to the is it in the price range and
how can you structure the deal for them? But if they are
truly enjoying the conversation
and what your organization stands for,
(24:04):
it's great to share that with a person you're you're trying to
to sell to so that they understand that they're not just
buying a thing. They're buying a concept. They're buying an organization. They're
buying, a mission. They're buying a purpose. Mhmm.
And that's that's really part of part of
feeling like you're part of the team. You might not be working for the
(24:26):
company, but now you feel like you're standing with
them. Oh, I love it. Yes. You made me think of two things on
this, to to be part of a team. You know, that buyer is becoming part
of your team, if you would, and your ethos and and what you stand for
and that that bigger why why and and and the impact and the
influence, the inspiration from that. But then on the buyer side
(24:47):
too, I know Genevieve, and I'm I'm sure you've got this experience as well, but
you're selling to a client. Well, I'd I'd say especially in the in the world
where you had a an amazing career in advertising and marketing.
Ethos and and what's important to them and being part of their
team as well, you know, to to really move the dial,
(25:08):
share sharing that that mutual passion. Quite wonderful.
You're right. It goes both ways. You are absolutely right. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Cool. Well and then, this
next principle, to realize success, not just for
ourselves, but for those we care for and work
with. Right. We
(25:30):
we want to be successful, and that's
that's great and that's fair and everyone should feel
successful. But I think we absolutely
love, maybe even more, is to succeed
together, to be part of that support, that
team, that, just the the smile. I mean, you can
(25:52):
see my face smiling because I remember so many team successes that
meant so much, so much more than just thinking, oh,
wow. I got a bonus or, wow. My idea, you know, is great
and it's gonna be used. That's
that's successful, but that's sort of quiet success,
which is good. But I think that the success
(26:14):
for everyone involved is so much
greater, is so much fuller. And
everyone having a piece of that is it's just it bonds
us. And we take that amazing energy, that
uplifting energy of a room full of people. We've seen it in
movies. Right? We've seen it in in real life. People
(26:35):
just are so excited when there's, when there's a success and
and the room is filled with people clapping and, you know, high fiving
and feeling it. Even in a quiet success, just to look
at each other's faces at the end of the day, at the end of the
project, at the end of the win. And there that
bond that we did it together, And it's just
(26:58):
it's beautiful, and it's it's so emotional.
I love it. No. It's, it this is really ringing home. A friend of
mine, oh, just came out with a, oh,
a really nice piece of work around the seven sins of sales. But,
one one of those sins is, you know, closing a contract and then
running away. And, back to the b two
(27:21):
b buying experience index that we were talking about earlier,
You know, some of the best enterprise sellers, b two b sellers, they
they wanna accelerate impact. They they wanna help their
buyer not just close close the deal,
but get the value from that. And, that's
where collaboration and partnership come come forward, which we were just
(27:44):
talking about with the principles you laid out. Process efficiency,
helping other people kinda see that vision, see that potential value,
see that partnership as being very real for both organizations,
and then also post sale commitment. Another friend of
mine who's head of the sales enablement society or revenue
enablement society, I should say, here in the Seattle area Northwest,
(28:08):
We did a podcast episode together called, you know, First
Impact. And, that's that's post sale. That's post
sale commitment in terms of, you know, you talk to your
sponsor and champion. Hey. How can we measure our success
together? How do how can you and I look at each other, gosh, a
quarter from now and say, hey. This is heading in the right direction.
(28:29):
And and getting some things set up so you can enjoy the value of that
working relationship. We're we're really critical.
I think that speaks, Genevieve, to that last point you are
making about just, you know, not realizing success for
ourselves, that closed business and our commission check, but for those
we care about and work with, really driving that
(28:51):
impact. Right. Right. I'll add one more, Bruce.
Yeah. Celebrate together. I think Yeah.
More than ever, I think we we want that and we
need that. And I think that that final
whether it's a toast, whether it's a cup of coffee,
whether it's a party, whatever it is, just
(29:14):
to take the time, half an hour,
a dinner, whatever works, and just say
thank you, each party to the other, and just say this is the
beginning of something wonderful. I think was that the name of a
was that a phrase in in Casablanca or something? Or somewhere
this is the start of something big. Just a toast, just a
(29:36):
celebration. I think any excuse for a
celebration is is, you know, is cause for a
celebration. Well, good stuff.
Well, hey. I want to and I fully agree. What I'd like to do next
is just talk about your book. And, again, I I
was hugely impacted by this.
(29:59):
Genevieve, would you like to give the audience just a, you
know, a a sense of what your book is about and and and you find
and you going through your transformation and finding new
ground? I think people really appreciate that. And, again, your
your purpose, your passion, and how that came
forward based on on the transformation you made personally.
(30:22):
Sure. Sure. Well, I was in marketing, as you said, in the
television business, and I worked myself up to VP marketing.
And I wanted to get to that corner office, and I was in New York
City. And I loved it. I was a workaholic. I always wanted to
do this and be independent. And twelve years
into what I thought was a which was an exciting thrilling life, I heard
(30:45):
a voice in me ask, if this is the next thirty years of your life,
is this enough? And it stopped me
cold. I had never been taught that work should be
meaningful or that I had a purpose. I thought purpose came
from important people like Oprah and, you know, Deepak Chopra and
Einstein. I didn't think most of us had a purpose. No one
(31:07):
ever talked to me about it. And when that voice
in me asked me, I immediately realized in thirty years, I will
still be alone. I will make more money. I will
still be a workaholic, and
I'll be in, you know, my Social Security years. Is
that what I want? And I was
(31:31):
I was floored that I heard that, never heard another voice in me speak
up. And I went to
visit an emergency shelter because what came to mind right after
that voice asked me that question was a news segment I saw
on police and social workers taking children out of a home that was
harming them. And it just
(31:54):
it it broke my heart to see the the way
that those children left that home and to learn
why. And I wanted to go and comfort them maybe
because I had a beautiful childhood, and I had a mom
and dad who were loving, and I saw how these children were
treated. And I went to visit these children, and
(32:15):
I read storybooks at night to them. And I saw one night how they
were going to sleep in the clothes that they had been brought in
wearing. And they were tight. They were
soiled. These children were not taken care of, and the safe place
was that, a safe place. And the caregivers were lovely,
But it wasn't mom and dad, and they didn't have a bedroom, and they didn't
(32:38):
have her own bed. And there were cots and futons, and they were together,
you know, trying to huddle together, and they're they were crying. And
I just stared and stared. And the one thing I
thought was, where are their pajamas? Something soft. They were they were so
uncomfortable. And that's what I asked when I left. I said, can I bring
pajamas next time I come to read? And they said, sure. No one thinks of
(33:00):
that. And I did. And I started handing them out and there was a little
girl who was so afraid of me. I I didn't know
yet what her background was,
but she was just backing away every time I tried to give her a
pair of pajamas. And at the end,
she said to me just so timidly, what
(33:22):
are pajamas? And that just was a
light bulb and and, shot
to my heart. And I just started bringing
pajamas to these children, and I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop. And
so it's the story of how I went from a
corporate executive to losing my shirt financially
(33:44):
and getting into financial disarray,
shall we say, meeting the man in who is my husband now
twenty five years and his support and
how pajama program is now twenty four years
old, 42 chapters around The US, Eight Million
pajamas in books to children, and the story
(34:07):
of finding purpose and human connection because that's why
it grew by sharing that story of that little girl
sharing my heart, which took me a long time to do because business world does
not say show your heart more and more now, but not then.
And it's just, it it's a beautiful,
beautiful miracle started, you know, by a little
(34:30):
girl's question. And four years ago after being the
executive director for twenty years, I decided to write
that book and another and speak because
so many people, when they heard the story and they saw a pajama
program success, wanted to talk to
me about maybe they wanted to do something different than
(34:53):
they had been doing as a career. And it was sort of a
world a widespread question that
everyone was thinking, if this is the next thirty years of my life, this is
enough. And, of course, COVID blew it wide open. Everybody answered it. So many more
people answered it. No. So now I I
teach and I train leaders to be, leaders
(35:14):
who move the world and hopefully find that
common heart connection. I love it. Yeah.
So my my thoughts on the book, Genevieve, I just I
love it. It's won multiple awards, everyone,
bestseller, but I I I saw, like, seven different
awards for this. It's called Purpose,
(35:37):
Passion, and Pajamas. And, your your
husband demo, I'm so curious what his
full name is, but, what a interesting unique
name. But his support also was really touching, I
I felt, through through this transformation. Just
absolutely, loved every word. So it's a
(36:00):
powerful read, especially if you're a seller that you're not
embracing, you know, your purpose passion.
I I love this transformational story, Genevieve, of how you found
new ground and and put your energy into something you you
truly believed in and and got recognized all the way up
to Oprah. Oprah blew me away in terms of what she,
(36:22):
and the audience gifted your your charity with. And
It was an exciting episode. Right? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, also, just to
everybody didn't get new cars, but they got a lot of pajamas. That that
was Yeah. Unbelievable.
So, anyways, just just a a really wholesome,
good story about life and and finding your purpose and
(36:45):
passion and and meditating and listening for that and and
how how that will come. I I love love that part of your
story. I wanna just highlight for everybody. You can grab,
Genevieve's book on Amazon. Tons of beautiful
reviews and, you know, just just it's just a killer book.
And then I wanted to highlight, Genevieve, for the
(37:08):
audience. You you've got a giveaway for them that's gonna help
them out. Do you wanna talk about that just a little bit? Sure. I'm
happy to offer a couple of things. I consult and coach
all the time, and I'd be happy to talk to anyone free for an hour.
If anything you wanna talk about, whether you are a leader wanting to become
an extraordinary leader or you wanna find your purpose.
(37:31):
So you can find how to connect with me on the website. And, also, leading
with love tips from a friend is, an email I
send out weekly with a tip on, hopefully,
something that is beneficial and maybe a new way to
approach leadership. And one of them I'll I'll say
is joy is is so important in the
(37:53):
workplace these days. And, again, never
had that when I was in the eighties and in an office, and
it it's a game changer for teams to feel connected and
have fun. And I suggest, you know, waking up a leader
saying, how can I connect everyone today and surprising your team with a
two hour lunch and maybe some scrabble or sorry or monopoly
(38:16):
and conversation over a really fun unexpected
afternoon that can be filled with some updates on the projects
and maybe some open conversations on some challenges that are you know,
you might wanna ask for some input and some
ideas on? And I I just think you know? And I brought up
Richard Branson. He's one of my favorite leaders. And,
(38:40):
he he and his daughter say that that's the key to their success, bringing
fun into the workplace, and I couldn't agree more.
Very cool. Very cool. And then I I wanted to mention to
everybody, you can find Genevieve on
LinkedIn as well. I'm on on our YouTube episode, I'm
showing, her profile right now. One of the coolest
(39:01):
profiles I've ever seen. Please take note. It looks
awesome. And then and, but connect with
Genevieve there. Well, on that note, I think we'll,
round out this whole episode on leading with love, purpose, and connection,
how we kinda tied that to, gosh, the world of sales is so
hard right now. But, you know, if you do focus on the experience, you're gonna
(39:24):
get better results, and then we unpack some ways that you can
build a better experience for your buyer, some of the that you
outlined, that you'll also find embedded in Genevieve's
book just about life and how to transform as an individual. So
powerful. Thank you. Thank you. And I am enjoying your
book. I did pick it up. And, it's it's
(39:47):
also, I have to say, all about providing
a reason that touches home for the prospective buyer. And
whether it's a website you're designing or your pitch of
services, it all comes down to that sharing an emotional
connection. Mhmm. Yep. Yep. That's that's the big the big rock.
Well, thank you so much, Genevieve. It's been a great episode.
(40:11):
Thank you. What a powerful conversation. In
this episode, Genevieve reminded us that in b two b sales, we're not
just selling solutions. We're leading people. And the best
leaders, they lead with love, purpose, and genuine human
connection. From creating emotional
(40:33):
buying experience that truly moves the needle.
Personally, I was struck by how she reframed selling
as an act of service and how just one heartfelt
interaction can change everything. That little girl's question,
what are pajamas, was a moment that sparked a
national movement. Imagine what we could do if we brought that
(40:56):
same level of care and curiosity into every client conversation.
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to the ValuePro
Show. And if you're feeling kind, leave a review so others can find
and enjoy it too. Thanks a lot. Wishing you success.
Welcome to the ValuePro Show, where value pros get value
ready.
Hi. My name is Bruce Scheer, the host of the ValuePro Show. In this episode,
we're talking with Genevieve Paturro. Genevieve is an award
winning author, inspirational TEDx speaker, and the
founder of the national nonprofit pajama program,
(00:24):
which has delivered over 8,000,000 pajamas and books
to children in need. Her journey took her from a high powered
career in New York's TV industry to the Oprah
Winfrey Show, and ultimately to boardrooms and stages
across America, where she's teaching leaders how to lead
with love. She's the author of the best selling multi
(00:46):
award winning book, Purpose, Passion, and Pajamas,
which I've literally lost sleep over. Just a riveting book. I think you'll
love it. And her work has been featured on Oprah,
The Today Show, CNN, Forbes, and others.
In this episode, we dive into how sellers can become leaders,
leading with purpose, connection, and love to radically
(01:09):
elevate the b to b buying experience. With the market
tougher than ever, this conversation is a powerful reminder that
emotional connection, collaboration, and shared success
are no longer optional. They're essential. Let's jump
in. Genevieve, thanks so much for joining the show. I'm
really grateful to have you here. And literally, I must
(01:31):
confess to everybody, I've lost sleep reading
your book. My wife was even kicking me. You've gotta go back to
bed, because I was reading it, and I I literally
couldn't put it away. And sometimes I'm guilty of
this. I all read in bed with my Kindle, and literally,
I couldn't put it away, or I couldn't shut it down, at
(01:53):
one point in time. But, yeah, lovely, lovely book. Everybody will talk about
it towards the end of this episode, but, we you know, here live, we've
got Genevieve Paturro. And, just to kick us
off, Genevieve and I were talking about,
a a recent, what I call a meta study that we had
conducted. So, and it allowed us to form what we
(02:16):
call the b to b buying experience index.
Now a friend of mine, Ray McKellar, he works for SBI
as their head of training, and they did this beautiful
study about b to b buying behavior. And they
determined that 59% of the
influence on a bold b to b buying decision.
(02:38):
Bold meaning strategic, there's multiple stakeholders, big
investment, But 59% of the influence on that
decision comes from the buying experience.
Only 41% of the influence on this bold buying
decision comes from the offering itself.
So in the world of b to b sales and marketing,
(02:59):
crafting and creating an amazing b to b buying
experience is imperative, especially in this
just incredibly tough market that we're in right now
with literally 70% of sellers missing their quota last
last year, over 90% of revenue teams
not achieving their revenue target, and 80% of the
(03:22):
deals just going by the wayside for different reasons. So it it's
tough out there, and, and this one really hurts people.
75% of buyers prefer to have a sales free experience right
now. So something's gotta shift. And so we did this meta
study looking at all the b two b buying studies over the
last three years that we could find. And then, using the
(03:44):
magic of AI and a lot of analysis, we figured
out what are the top 10 causal factors
that will drive a better b two b buying experience and, hence, help
you perform better in 2025. And,
Genevieve and I have looked these over, and what she
has to talk about today is really gonna help everyone
(04:07):
perform better against this buying experience
index and up their game and delivering a buying better buying experience
and, hence, closing more deals and creating more beneficial
impact for their buyers. So, Genevieve,
I know, you know, did you wanna say anything about this before we get
into some of these key factors that that we should think about?
(04:30):
Yes. First, let me say I am so grateful that we are recording this, not
going live, because I'm gonna come back and revisit this, not
just just the slide, but what you're saying because it it's
so needed right now to break it down this way. So this is this
is great. And I know everyone is benefiting, not just me, from the way you
Absolutely. We need it now here, and I'm thrilled to jump in about it. Yeah.
(04:53):
Absolutely. Yeah. And and for folks listening, you know, you
can find this episode on YouTube, but I am showing a a visual, our framework
around the b to b buying experience index. And it's got four
key phases and 10 key, causal
factors, not correlated. But if you get these factors
right, they cause, an elevation
(05:15):
in the buying experience. So they're they're absolutely critical.
And Genevieve and I will be talking about some of these some of these
that truly are causal and and drive that experience,
including educational value, emotional
connection that Genevieve is just an absolute master
in in collaboration and partnership, and I'm sure we'll hit
(05:38):
on others. But but there's quite a few.
But another concept that we wanted to talk to you guys
about today is this whole concept of
of being a leader as a seller. So one of my personal
definitions of, of sellers, I do see all
sellers, especially in the b to b space, as leaders.
(06:00):
And my definition of a leader is someone who influences
others, influence how they think, how they behave. They they
create influence. And, hence, we're trying to influence the buying
experience, and sellers influence that. So I equate
sellers with being leaders. Now Genevieve is also a
leadership expert, and she talks about leading with
(06:22):
love, purpose, and connection. And, she'll
she'll talk today about how we can lead our buyers through
the buying journey, especially with love,
connection, and purpose. So, Genevieve, instead of me talking, we need to
really kinda kick over to you and some of the things that
you wanted to talk to us about. And and I'm showing a few things
(06:45):
on on on on the YouTube video, but for those listening, Genevieve
will be breaking down some key principles
that the leaders sellers as leaders need to be thinking about as they
lead their buyers along the buying journey. So, Genevieve, anything you'd
like to say before we jump into these? Yes. This is this
is really thrilling. I love this conversation, Bruce. I think
(07:07):
we all know, but I think it's it's really important
to remember that the world is driven by
emotion. Right? We've heard that for forever
that sales are driven by how the sales pitch or
the product makes us feel. And now more
than ever, we are looking for exactly what you had on that bottom
(07:29):
left when when your audience will see emotional
connection. And it's it's
so so ripe for your chart and what we're talking about
because we all want more connection now and especially when we're being asked to
buy something. Gene Genevieve, one of my mentors,
he's just come out with a book called Audacious. His name's Mark Schafer.
(07:53):
And, I was talking to him about, you know, five different
elements of value. And I was thinking about business value, financial
value, sustainability value, and I had emotional
value in there. And and it was so darn interesting. He
immediately said, Bruce, emotional value
is monstrous compared to the others that you just talked about.
(08:16):
He goes, I closed a $5,000,000,000 deal for my
company, and I'll promise you it would it was
really driven by emotional value. Blew me away.
Because you think of a huge number like that $5,000,000,000
deal, you know, you'd think there has to be lots of number crunching and everything
else. But he was, like, saying, hey. Emotional value really drove that
(08:39):
sale. And he was on the buyer side at the time, so
absolutely critical. Yes. And, you know, for years,
most of us, including me and I will speak for myself,
when I had my first jobs and for at least the first
thirteen years, I had a boss. There wasn't
any emotional, aspect
(09:01):
to any, any of the things he talked to us
about. We weren't feeling that we could be emotional
whether it was, negative or positive. We
couldn't show emotion. That was the business world. And, you know,
it started to seem foreign when their EQ
concept came out, and now it's you know, you're blowing it wide
(09:24):
open, and and I'm right there with you. That's what people
are really are really turning to, and
I think it's I think it's great. I think it it incorporates a whole
person on both the leader, seller, and the person who's
considering buying. I think that that emotional heart has to
be open on both sides. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Gosh. You
(09:46):
made me think of something else. I was out in Singapore for the nineties. I
missed grunge, Genevieve. I was out in Singapore.
And, but I did catch up, with
Daniel, Goldman,
author of EQ. Just The Singapore government was
bringing him in every year to teach
(10:08):
at a governmental level, trying to promote him across
Singapore society knowing that that was the
edge that they needed, especially as they're building their
white collar services economy, especially the financial sector,
etcetera, advertising, which you've been involved with. But
that EQ is what the government felt they really needed to
(10:30):
work on. And I I just thought it was so forward, so insightful.
Yeah. Incredible. Love to hear that. Well, let's
jump in in terms of, you know, how can we be better at leading our
buyers? And and you just got some fundamentals to share with us
that I think we can dig into if if you're ready. Yes.
Yes. Let me say, I think as sellers and
(10:53):
leaders in this, transaction, which is what
it used to be called, it's on us,
leaders, to find a way to connect,
whether you're selling something or whether you have a team and you're trying
to inspire and sell your vision and ask for support.
I think that that's on us to be the best we can
(11:16):
be, and we'll talk about what you're bringing up here.
But I think that that's that's really on us, and,
we're going in that direction naturally, thankfully. Mhmm.
You bet. So you have here a field
passion. I think that's part of being an inspiring
leader. When you're when you have something you're selling, and we're
(11:38):
all selling something as we all know, that passion is so
contagious. Right? When you're when you're speaking from your heart
and you feel that you are changing things with what
you have to offer someone, an idea,
a product, a service, you wanna convey
not just in facts. You wanna convey that feeling
(12:01):
of this is going to bond us because you
are going to feel so much better with the help of
what I want to help you find in this in
this product or service. I wanna alleviate the
pain. I'm excited about this. And, you
know, I'd love to know if you feel some of that passion
(12:24):
and and excitement at the prospect of partnering with me
on this, you know, on this product. Yeah.
Yeah. Makes sense. Absolutely.
I I think most sellers know if they're not passionate about what they're
selling. It it it it's a tough sell to get someone to sell your
heart. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Your heart, your soul, your
(12:47):
your your promise, your yeah. That that whole ethos is just so
absolutely critical. Yeah. So should
we kick over the next, next principle? Or yeah. So first,
we wanna inspire people. Mhmm. And then and then
you wanna make sure that you're recognizing
(13:07):
where they are, where they are
in, not just in their in their business,
but in their life, because they want something and
they're only going to buy or, or, or support
you if it fits their entire life. So
finding out what is going on in their life, finding
(13:30):
out first, of course, what's going on in their business, whether
they're in need there to make their life easier. But it's
also good to find out as a human being where
where are they? Where are they struggling? Because if you have
something that helps them in both places in
their business and with their goals and also
(13:52):
somehow supports their life and their life
style, it's a home run. So if you ignore what's
going on in their life and you just try to shoot for how it can
help them in business, you're missing out, I think. I'm really
finding that partner, and and you started using that word, and I'm jumping on it
because it is a partnership no matter what you're trading.
(14:14):
Mhmm. And I think that's a big piece that is also starting to
become part of a conversation. How does this fit into making your life easier?
And as a business owner and, you know, as a
person, you know, moving forward in their life? Oh,
absolutely. Yeah. And, yeah, and and and great partners. They are are thinking
about both fronts, of course. How how can they partner better
(14:36):
together, on on both sides? Completely agree. Yeah. That that's
a great point. Well, let's, talk
about the next. Yes. To communicate. So that's
also, a very it's a very
intricate process to to understand who you're talking
to and how to communicate
(14:58):
for their best purposes. Now you might
remember years ago, there was a book, the five love languages.
Oh, yeah. Yeah. My wife and I have gone through those web
seminars, etcetera. Yeah. Uh-huh. Yes. It started out as a couple's book.
Right? It's it's really a a human
book because if you take the time to
(15:21):
understand what is going to turn on that
person regarding a product or service that
they're considering, that can make all the
difference. Because if you think you know how to sell it,
you only know half, and it's not the important half.
The half is how do you communicate to the other person?
(15:45):
How how much is gonna help what they
need? What words what what target,
needs do they have? And are you hitting the mark when
you're talking about what they're looking for as a
solution? So it's important to understand how
everybody communicates differently. Everybody uses different phrases and
(16:08):
words. Everyone comes from a different place. Everyone's in a different
industry and everyone has different personal surroundings. So
how do you find the words that are going to touch their heart and are
going to show them that you can you can help them?
Absolutely. Yeah. One of our affiliates, Mike Wilkinson,
he talks about value Genevieve as a great mystery
(16:33):
and, that, you know, you as a seller, you you might have
notions of where the value lies for for that client
or or that composite that that fict fictitional client that you've
been taught about in all your training. But to develop a
true value proposition, one that the buyer embraces,
that's a collaborative, you know, communication, if you would,
(16:56):
to to find that value, to solve that mystery.
And you've only got part of the puzzle. You need the other pieces on the
buyer's side to really figure that out. So I like what you're
saying there on communicating and and and truly showing up to do
that even if I could add to shape the ultimate, the
total value proposition, getting that complete perspective.
(17:19):
Right. It is not one size fits all. Yeah. Yeah. And especially
on these bigger deals that people are work on, there might be multiple
stakeholders with with different perspectives that need to be explored
to shape that that buyer centric value proposition.
Yes. Exactly. Per perfectly said. Cool. Okay.
So the next one, to collaborate. What are we talking about
(17:42):
here? Yes. And I know you had that on one of your arrows too,
and it it really it it really jumped out at me
because it's it's gotta be a conversation. It has to be a a
two way, participatory conversation
on ideas of how to best
accept and and support and buy into what the seller
(18:06):
what the leader is showing you in his or her
way, how it can help. So if there's a conversation
of maybe this way, maybe that way, maybe can we talk about
structuring this kind of a deal instead of one way?
This is how we offer it. If there's room,
sometimes I understand that there's limited room, but maybe there's
(18:29):
a question that the leader can say. Does it work for you like this?
And be open to, a new response that comes from a
person who thought I really thought there was one way, and I wasn't interested,
but let me think about it. You know, I like this. I like this.
Can we structure something that helps me where I need it
the most? And I think that that's an amazing offer
(18:51):
to give someone. It's it's freedom. It's
considerate. It's putting them first, and it's, you
know, it's not a, standard
script seller, you know, tool. It's
really open and collaborative.
Absolutely. I I completely agree on on this whole notion of
(19:13):
collaboration, I I've been taught, gosh, back in the
nineties, I was working, for Singapore Airlines and the
National Productivity Board of Singapore, and, we were training
people on principles of service and quality. And I see
the act of sales as as a tremendous act of service.
But when you're providing service to someone and collaborating,
(19:36):
as you say, very often, you need to find a
yes. Because sometimes, you know, the the buyer
might ask for something or need something, and it
might not be, as you stated, Genevieve, in the standard script or
or the standard approach, the standard offering. But there is
a service principle. One of my friends, Ron Coffin, coined this.
(19:58):
It's called find a yes. And that that is a
beautiful way to approach collaboration, you
know, with with, openness and and intent to
find a yes. Maybe you don't have to say yes, but you can
find a yes. That's that's the that's a principle underpinning.
When I think about collaboration, good collaboration, as you were framing it just
(20:20):
now. Right. He's right. Mhmm.
Well, very cool. Well, hey. The next one is to and to
inspire and be inspired. What were you thinking, Genevieve, as as
this this principle? Well, I
think we all want to be inspired. We all
want to feel that we're in on something and that we're
(20:42):
standing next to someone and we're in the company and we're joining and we're
partnering with someone who has this vision
that is is, you know, making us excited and and
is thrilling us, and we wanna be part of it because it's not just,
you know, I'm selling this. Would you like to buy this? We can help you
do this. You know, sign on the dotted line, and we'll help you get to
(21:04):
your goal here. It's bigger than that. It's somebody who has
a vision and a dream to not just touch one person
in a positive way, but to to share
and have that person as a collaborative partner to
take the next step together, to grow into a
a real vision, a a company that is touching
(21:27):
many, many people and solving many, many problems. And if you
are standing with someone who's talking about something for
the greater good that you can be a part of and shows
you that you're part of this movement for good,
that's very inspiring. It's not just, like, you know, just
coming a couple of feet. It's it's miles
(21:50):
of vision and goals that I
think we all wanna be part of now. We all want to make a difference.
We we wanna touch more people in the best with the best
ideas and the best outcomes. And I think that
that inspiration is so, so important
for a leader who who wants to sway
(22:12):
people to consider what, you know, their goal is
because they they honestly feel it's it's so good for so many
people. I love it. I love it. Gosh. It makes me think of
Steve Jobs, make a dent in the world that for
Yes. Yes. Yes. I often think of Richard
Branson, his dreams, and, you know, and what he's
(22:35):
he's done. And, you know, just the fact that he called a virgin when someone
asked him, he said, because I've never done this before. That's why we're calling
it virgin. I thought that is so inspiring.
You know? You put it right out there. He said, let's go big. Let's go
for it. Let's have fun too. My goodness. Yeah. What a
great example. Talk about a change maker. Awesome.
(22:56):
Awesome. Okay. I love that. But, yeah, just playing bigger, you
know, is is the big point here, to inspire and be inspired.
Love it. And then, the, the next principle you were
thinking is, to be part of a team. What's what's that mean for
everyone? Yes. Yes. Because we all wanna belong.
We all want to belong to something we believe in, that we
(23:19):
resonate with. We all want to stand together
and, and move things in a in a
direction we feel is beneficial for for everyone. And I
think by inviting someone to be part of your project or
your service or your organization when you're selling is is
very, appealing. If you if you're
(23:41):
getting the response and you feel in your heart that this is good for that
person, then you you see that they understand that. And then, you
know, then you get to the is it in the price range and
how can you structure the deal for them? But if they are
truly enjoying the conversation
and what your organization stands for,
(24:04):
it's great to share that with a person you're you're trying to
to sell to so that they understand that they're not just
buying a thing. They're buying a concept. They're buying an organization. They're
buying, a mission. They're buying a purpose. Mhmm.
And that's that's really part of part of
feeling like you're part of the team. You might not be working for the
(24:26):
company, but now you feel like you're standing with
them. Oh, I love it. Yes. You made me think of two things on
this, to to be part of a team. You know, that buyer is becoming part
of your team, if you would, and your ethos and and what you stand for
and that that bigger why why and and and the impact and the
influence, the inspiration from that. But then on the buyer side
(24:47):
too, I know Genevieve, and I'm I'm sure you've got this experience as well, but
you're selling to a client. Well, I'd I'd say especially in the in the world
where you had a an amazing career in advertising and marketing.
Ethos and and what's important to them and being part of their
team as well, you know, to to really move the dial,
(25:08):
share sharing that that mutual passion. Quite wonderful.
You're right. It goes both ways. You are absolutely right. Mhmm. Mhmm.
Cool. Well and then, this
next principle, to realize success, not just for
ourselves, but for those we care for and work
with. Right. We
(25:30):
we want to be successful, and that's
that's great and that's fair and everyone should feel
successful. But I think we absolutely
love, maybe even more, is to succeed
together, to be part of that support, that
team, that, just the the smile. I mean, you can
(25:52):
see my face smiling because I remember so many team successes that
meant so much, so much more than just thinking, oh,
wow. I got a bonus or, wow. My idea, you know, is great
and it's gonna be used. That's
that's successful, but that's sort of quiet success,
which is good. But I think that the success
(26:14):
for everyone involved is so much
greater, is so much fuller. And
everyone having a piece of that is it's just it bonds
us. And we take that amazing energy, that
uplifting energy of a room full of people. We've seen it in
movies. Right? We've seen it in in real life. People
(26:35):
just are so excited when there's, when there's a success and
and the room is filled with people clapping and, you know, high fiving
and feeling it. Even in a quiet success, just to look
at each other's faces at the end of the day, at the end of the
project, at the end of the win. And there that
bond that we did it together, And it's just
(26:58):
it's beautiful, and it's it's so emotional.
I love it. No. It's, it this is really ringing home. A friend of
mine, oh, just came out with a, oh,
a really nice piece of work around the seven sins of sales. But,
one one of those sins is, you know, closing a contract and then
running away. And, back to the b two
(27:21):
b buying experience index that we were talking about earlier,
You know, some of the best enterprise sellers, b two b sellers, they
they wanna accelerate impact. They they wanna help their
buyer not just close close the deal,
but get the value from that. And, that's
where collaboration and partnership come come forward, which we were just
(27:44):
talking about with the principles you laid out. Process efficiency,
helping other people kinda see that vision, see that potential value,
see that partnership as being very real for both organizations,
and then also post sale commitment. Another friend of
mine who's head of the sales enablement society or revenue
enablement society, I should say, here in the Seattle area Northwest,
(28:08):
We did a podcast episode together called, you know, First
Impact. And, that's that's post sale. That's post
sale commitment in terms of, you know, you talk to your
sponsor and champion. Hey. How can we measure our success
together? How do how can you and I look at each other, gosh, a
quarter from now and say, hey. This is heading in the right direction.
(28:29):
And and getting some things set up so you can enjoy the value of that
working relationship. We're we're really critical.
I think that speaks, Genevieve, to that last point you are
making about just, you know, not realizing success for
ourselves, that closed business and our commission check, but for those
we care about and work with, really driving that
(28:51):
impact. Right. Right. I'll add one more, Bruce.
Yeah. Celebrate together. I think Yeah.
More than ever, I think we we want that and we
need that. And I think that that final
whether it's a toast, whether it's a cup of coffee,
whether it's a party, whatever it is, just
(29:14):
to take the time, half an hour,
a dinner, whatever works, and just say
thank you, each party to the other, and just say this is the
beginning of something wonderful. I think was that the name of a
was that a phrase in in Casablanca or something? Or somewhere
this is the start of something big. Just a toast, just a
(29:36):
celebration. I think any excuse for a
celebration is is, you know, is cause for a
celebration. Well, good stuff.
Well, hey. I want to and I fully agree. What I'd like to do next
is just talk about your book. And, again, I I
was hugely impacted by this.
(29:59):
Genevieve, would you like to give the audience just a, you
know, a a sense of what your book is about and and and you find
and you going through your transformation and finding new
ground? I think people really appreciate that. And, again, your
your purpose, your passion, and how that came
forward based on on the transformation you made personally.
(30:22):
Sure. Sure. Well, I was in marketing, as you said, in the
television business, and I worked myself up to VP marketing.
And I wanted to get to that corner office, and I was in New York
City. And I loved it. I was a workaholic. I always wanted to
do this and be independent. And twelve years
into what I thought was a which was an exciting thrilling life, I heard
(30:45):
a voice in me ask, if this is the next thirty years of your life,
is this enough? And it stopped me
cold. I had never been taught that work should be
meaningful or that I had a purpose. I thought purpose came
from important people like Oprah and, you know, Deepak Chopra and
Einstein. I didn't think most of us had a purpose. No one
(31:07):
ever talked to me about it. And when that voice
in me asked me, I immediately realized in thirty years, I will
still be alone. I will make more money. I will
still be a workaholic, and
I'll be in, you know, my Social Security years. Is
that what I want? And I was
(31:31):
I was floored that I heard that, never heard another voice in me speak
up. And I went to
visit an emergency shelter because what came to mind right after
that voice asked me that question was a news segment I saw
on police and social workers taking children out of a home that was
harming them. And it just
(31:54):
it it broke my heart to see the the way
that those children left that home and to learn
why. And I wanted to go and comfort them maybe
because I had a beautiful childhood, and I had a mom
and dad who were loving, and I saw how these children were
treated. And I went to visit these children, and
(32:15):
I read storybooks at night to them. And I saw one night how they
were going to sleep in the clothes that they had been brought in
wearing. And they were tight. They were
soiled. These children were not taken care of, and the safe place
was that, a safe place. And the caregivers were lovely,
But it wasn't mom and dad, and they didn't have a bedroom, and they didn't
(32:38):
have her own bed. And there were cots and futons, and they were together,
you know, trying to huddle together, and they're they were crying. And
I just stared and stared. And the one thing I
thought was, where are their pajamas? Something soft. They were they were so
uncomfortable. And that's what I asked when I left. I said, can I bring
pajamas next time I come to read? And they said, sure. No one thinks of
(33:00):
that. And I did. And I started handing them out and there was a little
girl who was so afraid of me. I I didn't know
yet what her background was,
but she was just backing away every time I tried to give her a
pair of pajamas. And at the end,
she said to me just so timidly, what
(33:22):
are pajamas? And that just was a
light bulb and and, shot
to my heart. And I just started bringing
pajamas to these children, and I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop. And
so it's the story of how I went from a
corporate executive to losing my shirt financially
(33:44):
and getting into financial disarray,
shall we say, meeting the man in who is my husband now
twenty five years and his support and
how pajama program is now twenty four years
old, 42 chapters around The US, Eight Million
pajamas in books to children, and the story
(34:07):
of finding purpose and human connection because that's why
it grew by sharing that story of that little girl
sharing my heart, which took me a long time to do because business world does
not say show your heart more and more now, but not then.
And it's just, it it's a beautiful,
beautiful miracle started, you know, by a little
(34:30):
girl's question. And four years ago after being the
executive director for twenty years, I decided to write
that book and another and speak because
so many people, when they heard the story and they saw a pajama
program success, wanted to talk to
me about maybe they wanted to do something different than
(34:53):
they had been doing as a career. And it was sort of a
world a widespread question that
everyone was thinking, if this is the next thirty years of my life, this is
enough. And, of course, COVID blew it wide open. Everybody answered it. So many more
people answered it. No. So now I I
teach and I train leaders to be, leaders
(35:14):
who move the world and hopefully find that
common heart connection. I love it. Yeah.
So my my thoughts on the book, Genevieve, I just I
love it. It's won multiple awards, everyone,
bestseller, but I I I saw, like, seven different
awards for this. It's called Purpose,
(35:37):
Passion, and Pajamas. And, your your
husband demo, I'm so curious what his
full name is, but, what a interesting unique
name. But his support also was really touching, I
I felt, through through this transformation. Just
absolutely, loved every word. So it's a
(36:00):
powerful read, especially if you're a seller that you're not
embracing, you know, your purpose passion.
I I love this transformational story, Genevieve, of how you found
new ground and and put your energy into something you you
truly believed in and and got recognized all the way up
to Oprah. Oprah blew me away in terms of what she,
(36:22):
and the audience gifted your your charity with. And
It was an exciting episode. Right? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, also, just to
everybody didn't get new cars, but they got a lot of pajamas. That that
was Yeah. Unbelievable.
So, anyways, just just a a really wholesome,
good story about life and and finding your purpose and
(36:45):
passion and and meditating and listening for that and and
how how that will come. I I love love that part of your
story. I wanna just highlight for everybody. You can grab,
Genevieve's book on Amazon. Tons of beautiful
reviews and, you know, just just it's just a killer book.
And then I wanted to highlight, Genevieve, for the
(37:08):
audience. You you've got a giveaway for them that's gonna help
them out. Do you wanna talk about that just a little bit? Sure. I'm
happy to offer a couple of things. I consult and coach
all the time, and I'd be happy to talk to anyone free for an hour.
If anything you wanna talk about, whether you are a leader wanting to become
an extraordinary leader or you wanna find your purpose.
(37:31):
So you can find how to connect with me on the website. And, also, leading
with love tips from a friend is, an email I
send out weekly with a tip on, hopefully,
something that is beneficial and maybe a new way to
approach leadership. And one of them I'll I'll say
is joy is is so important in the
(37:53):
workplace these days. And, again, never
had that when I was in the eighties and in an office, and
it it's a game changer for teams to feel connected and
have fun. And I suggest, you know, waking up a leader
saying, how can I connect everyone today and surprising your team with a
two hour lunch and maybe some scrabble or sorry or monopoly
(38:16):
and conversation over a really fun unexpected
afternoon that can be filled with some updates on the projects
and maybe some open conversations on some challenges that are you know,
you might wanna ask for some input and some
ideas on? And I I just think you know? And I brought up
Richard Branson. He's one of my favorite leaders. And,
(38:40):
he he and his daughter say that that's the key to their success, bringing
fun into the workplace, and I couldn't agree more.
Very cool. Very cool. And then I I wanted to mention to
everybody, you can find Genevieve on
LinkedIn as well. I'm on on our YouTube episode, I'm
showing, her profile right now. One of the coolest
(39:01):
profiles I've ever seen. Please take note. It looks
awesome. And then and, but connect with
Genevieve there. Well, on that note, I think we'll,
round out this whole episode on leading with love, purpose, and connection,
how we kinda tied that to, gosh, the world of sales is so
hard right now. But, you know, if you do focus on the experience, you're gonna
(39:24):
get better results, and then we unpack some ways that you can
build a better experience for your buyer, some of the that you
outlined, that you'll also find embedded in Genevieve's
book just about life and how to transform as an individual. So
powerful. Thank you. Thank you. And I am enjoying your
book. I did pick it up. And, it's it's
(39:47):
also, I have to say, all about providing
a reason that touches home for the prospective buyer. And
whether it's a website you're designing or your pitch of
services, it all comes down to that sharing an emotional
connection. Mhmm. Yep. Yep. That's that's the big the big rock.
Well, thank you so much, Genevieve. It's been a great episode.
(40:11):
Thank you. What a powerful conversation. In
this episode, Genevieve reminded us that in b two b sales, we're not
just selling solutions. We're leading people. And the best
leaders, they lead with love, purpose, and genuine human
connection. From creating emotional
(40:33):
buying experience that truly moves the needle.
Personally, I was struck by how she reframed selling
as an act of service and how just one heartfelt
interaction can change everything. That little girl's question,
what are pajamas, was a moment that sparked a
national movement. Imagine what we could do if we brought that
(40:56):
same level of care and curiosity into every client conversation.
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe to the ValuePro
Show. And if you're feeling kind, leave a review so others can find
and enjoy it too. Thanks a lot. Wishing you success.
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