58. Sales Leadership with Bare Feet, Big Energy and an Open Heart

In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with Britt White—sales leader, edtech evangelist, former VP of Sales at SmartPass, and a force of nature when it comes to bringing passion to work.

This isn’t a scripted “how-to” chat. It’s a real conversation between two humans unpacking what it means to love what you do—and how that love shows up (or doesn’t) in sales, leadership, and culture.

🔥 Key Takeaways

• Passion isn’t optional—it’s fuel. Passion doesn’t just live inside us—it’s contagious. Britt talks about how her energy draws people in, builds trust, and lifts her teams.

• Process enables freedom. Passion without process? Chaos. But the right systems let us lead, coach, and innovate without falling into micromanagement.

• Leadership and management are not the same. Britt puts it clearly: “If I have to manage you, I’m probably managing you out.” Leadership is about direction and inspiration, not control.

• Curiosity keeps the work fresh. We talk about how early career environments often crush curiosity—but the best sellers never stop asking questions or challenging assumptions.

• Break the routine. Britt runs cold call power hours with her team sitting on the floor, snacks in hand. It shifts the vibe, lowers pressure, and opens people up.

• Comfort breeds confidence. Whether it’s taking my shoes off before a keynote or visualizing a client’s challenge like it’s my own—getting grounded helps me show up as my best self.

• Question the sacred cows. From SKOs to quotas, we ask: do we do this because it works—or because it’s just always been done?

💭 One idea to try this week:

Take something routine—your next 1:1, your team huddle, your practice session—and flip it. Sit on the floor. Skip the slides. Shake it up. See what changes.

🎧 Listen in if you’re into:

• Leading with heart, not control

• Sales teams that actually care

• Edtech sales and mission-driven work

• Ditching the mask and doing work that matters

👋 You can find Britt on LinkedIn here—and if you’re thinking about working with her, get to know her in person before listening. Trust me—it’ll hit different.

Thanks for listening—and remember: get comfortable-er.

—Lee