Power to Sell: Recent Episodes
Eric Gjerdevig
Power to Sell is a student-led podcast focusing on mastering the underlying skills of persuasion, leadership, and sales. It's focused on how we transform these 'ordinary' human skills into the extraordinary and how we can differentiate ourselves based on how we sell versus the characteristics of what we sell.
In this episode of the Power to Sell podcast, students sat down with Don Masters, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Border States, to discuss why time is one of the most valuable assets in professional sales. Masters shares the best advice he ever received: treat time like money by breaking annual quotas into daily goals to maximize productivity and consistency.
One area of focus was the idea that trust is built by consistently honoring small commitments, whether that’s showing up early, following through on promises, or meeting deadlines. Over time, those moments compound, helping sales professionals evolve from vendors into trusted partners.
The episode also explores how Border States is leveraging AI to accelerate “time to solution” by automating manual tasks and creating more time for meaningful customer interactions. Masters also cautions students against impatience, emphasizing that strong B2B relationships are built incrementally over time. Finally, he discusses the transition from working “in” the business to working “on” the business, highlighting the importance of disciplined decision-making, data, and long-term thinking.
This episode of the Power to Sell podcast features an interview with Cece Morken, a successful North Dakota State University alumni and former CEO of Headspace. Throughout the conversation, Morken discusses her transition from sales and marketing into high-level executive leadership and corporate board roles. She emphasizes that effective selling and leading both require deep empathy and a focus on co-developing solutions with others. Morken also shares personal insights on maintaining a growth mindset, the benefits of meditation in the workplace, and the importance of being a "learn-it-all" rather than a "know-it-all." The discussion serves as a guide for students entering the workforce, highlighting trust, transparency, and humility as the foundations of a meaningful career.
In this episode of the Power to Sell podcast, training manager Ann Melancon joins student hosts to discuss her career path and the relationship-driven culture at CED (Consolidated Electrical Distributors). After a 15-year career gap as a stay-at-home mother, Ann returned to the workforce at CED, a company she praises for its integrity and family-oriented environment. Ann describes CED as a decentralized wholesale electrical supplier where nearly 800 locations operate as independent "profit centers" run like small businesses. She emphasizes that the company’s success relies on authentic relationship building rather than traditional marketing, as sales professionals must understand a customer’s goals to provide superior service.
Ann asserts that "everything is sales" and highlights essential skills such as active listening, the empathy of a "human touch," and the tenacity to ask for the sale. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on CED’s Management Training Program, which fosters leadership by seeking "hungry, humble, and smart" candidates who possess a growth mindset. Regarding modern technology, Ann explains that while the industry is often a "late adopter," CED is foundational in powering AI by supplying materials for massive data centers. Ultimately, Ann advises graduating seniors to avoid the "thief of joy" that is comparison, encouraging them to find mentors and remain curious as they navigate their unique professional timelines
In this episode of the Power to Sell podcast, NDSU students sit down with Joe Sandin, founder and CEO of Onsharp, to explore lessons from his 26-year journey as a technology entrepreneur and business leader.
A central theme throughout the conversation is the importance of putting in the reps, the belief that mastery in sales, leadership, and entrepreneurship comes from consistent, disciplined effort over time. Sandin reflects on the risks he took starting a technology company while still in college and explains why gaining real-world selling experience early in a career creates long-term competitive advantage.
The discussion also examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping software development by automating repetitive work and enabling engineers to focus on higher-value problem solving. Beyond technology, Sandin shares practical leadership insights, encouraging young professionals to focus on outcomes rather than micromanagement, build trust through authentic relationships, and remain willing to take on difficult challenges.
Throughout the episode, Sandin reinforces the mindset of lifelong learning, reminding students that success in both sales and technology belongs to those who continually adapt, grow, and keep putting in the reps.
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students interview Ryan Watkins, the CEO of the upper Midwest region for Marsh McLennan Agency. Watkins shares his professional journey, which began with high-volume cold calling and transitioned into a successful career in the insurance industry. He reflects on his rise through various leadership roles, eventually overseeing a half-billion-dollar business with 1,600 colleagues.
The conversation delves into Watkins' core philosophies, highlighting the importance of intellectual curiosity, reliability, and a servant leadership mindset, where he views his primary role as serving his team rather than being served by them. Watkins emphasizes that work ethic and grit are the primary differentiators of top-performing advisors, famously citing his father’s advice that "indecisive squirrels get smooshed" to encourage decisive action.
Beyond leadership, Watkins addresses modern industry shifts, including the growing role of AI in automating data-heavy tasks like contract review. He also offers practical sales advice, focusing on maintaining a "high say-to-do ratio" to establish trust and moving from a vendor status to a true business partner. Finally, Watkins provides a personal glimpse into his life as an avid bow hunter and offers final encouragement to college seniors to "go all in" as they enter the workforce.
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students sit down with publicist and author KJ Blattenbauer. KJ discusses her career journey and the core principles of her new book, Pitchworthy. She shares practical advice for small business owners and students on how to persuade audiences and build credibility without a large budget.
Blattenbauer emphasizes that successful pitching requires brevity, clarity, and a focus on the recipient’s needs rather than the sender’s accolades. She also cautions against the “beige” quality of AI-generated messaging, advocating instead for human elements like context, storytelling, and active listening.
The conversation highlights the importance of professionalism and follow-through, illustrating how simple acts of gratitude can help launch a successful career. Throughout the interview, Blattenbauer encourages listeners to proactively network and maintain a consistent personal brand in order to stand out in a competitive market.
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students sit down with Sandi Piatz, President and CEO of the United Way of Cass-Clay. Sandi walks through her impressive career path—from a startup software company, to sales and technology consulting, to serving as Microsoft’s site leader—before making the leap into the nonprofit sector.
She shares how her long-standing commitment to community involvement consistently aligned with the values of the organizations she joined. That alignment ultimately led her to a role where she can combine her passion for service with her business expertise. Sandi also breaks down the United Way’s mission to inspire and mobilize the community to change lives by focusing on hunger, homelessness, and school readiness—all through a data-driven lens.
Throughout the conversation, she highlights the powerful overlap between business and nonprofit work, noting that both depend deeply on relationships, data, and innovation.
Sandi emphasizes that her most important sales skill is the ability to ask great questions and truly listen—skills that allow her to understand needs, build trust, and help others achieve their goals. For students hoping to stand out, her advice is simple and impactful: be curious, be humble, be hungry, and “be okay to start something before you’re ready.”
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students sit down with Lanelle Vasichek, Senior Director of Global Brand for Bobcat Company. Lanelle shares her career journey and the path that led her to her current leadership role at Bobcat.
She reflects on the monumental challenge of building a global brand function in a company that had traditionally focused on “selling excavators and selling loaders” as independent products. One of her biggest hurdles, she explains, was influencing the internal team—“almost my hardest audience.” To overcome that, she embarked on a collaborative “road show” to inspire colleagues with a vision “bigger than what we were today” and to earn their buy-in.
Lanelle discusses the creation of a Global Brand Council and the ongoing balance between maintaining strong brand governance and staying “loose to market” to respect cultural differences. At the heart of her strategy is the power of authentic storytelling—highlighting real customers as the true “heroes” of Bobcat’s campaigns.
She closes with advice for students: be authentic, trust your instincts, and embrace opportunities that push you beyond your comfort zone.
This episode of The Power to Sell Podcast, features Thom Coats, Professor and Director of the sales program at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Coats details his career shift from over 25 years in sales and a six-year stint in law enforcement to academia.
A central theme is the transformative power of sales education, which he argues can "change family trees" by helping students earn double or triple the income of a normal degree. Coats stresses that "everybody sells"—whether externally or by promoting ideals within a company. He draws on his background to emphasize core principles: the necessity of listening and always asking for the deal. He teaches first-generation students to adopt a "CEO of their Family Inc." mindset to combat "impostor syndrome".
While acknowledging that technology has evolved (like shoe boxes being an early CRM) and AI is now a necessary tool, Coats insists that the principles of selling remain unchanged. Sales are fundamentally "human to human" (H2H); AI cannot "read a room" or handle high-dollar relationship sales. He concludes with key advice for student success: smile, and consistently show up on time, follow up, and follow through.
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students sat down with Gary Halvorson, Executive Vice President at CHS. Recorded at CHS headquarters in Minneapolis, the conversation explores the foundation of trust in both sales and leadership.
Halvorson shares his journey from growing up on a small North Dakota farm to leading a global Fortune 100 cooperative serving farmers and consumers around the world. He reflects on lessons from his 26-year career at CHS—how mentorship, consistency, and moral integrity shape success in business and in life.
Listeners will hear Halvorson’s insights on what separates good salespeople from great ones, why trust must be earned through consistent action, and how every customer relationship begins with understanding individual needs. From navigating global markets and government policy to balancing tradition with innovation in renewable fuels, this episode captures the human side of agriculture, sales, and leadership.
The Power of Trust reminds us that in any industry—whether in the field or the boardroom—authentic relationships remain the ultimate competitive advantage.
In our second episode of Fall 2025, NDSU students sat down with Angelia Vang, Digital Marketing Strategist with DSG Supply, to discuss how genuine curiosity is the ultimate catalyst for career growth and organizational impact. Angelia, who started her career in merchandising before shifting into marketing, shares how her "curiosity really pulled me toward marketing".
Angelia reveals that her most valuable professional skill—learning to anticipate needs before they even surface—is built by "really staying curious," dedicating time daily to tune into emails and webinars to gain insights and "connect the dots faster". This proactive approach allows her to transform marketing into a real growth driver, such as when she led the strategic transformation of DSG’s email program, resulting in exciting results and "revenue tied directly back to email, which we've never saw before".
Angelia discusses how digital marketing constantly requires "selling ideas, credibility, and trust" through content. She also explains that the biggest opportunity for marketers is balancing digital innovation (like AI adoption) with the authentic connection needed to build trust. Angelia emphasizes that curiosity is foundational to leadership, advising listeners to always "ask questions" because it is critical to standing out and growing in your career.
Students kick off season seven of the Power to Sell podcast from Northwestern Mutual’s corporate headquarters in Milwaukee, sitting down with Chief Field Officer, John Roberts. Roberts, who is responsible for supporting the company’s 22,000 independent financial advisors and team members, explains why mastery of human influence is crucial for his leadership role.
Dive into a dynamic conversation covering the essential traits needed to thrive in modern business. Roberts reveals the key to earning trust is focusing on being "interested" in others, understanding what they need, rather than trying to be interesting yourself. As he must influence independent business owners rather than commanding employees, Roberts leans heavily on "tools of influence" and change management, recommending foundational texts like Robert Cialdini's Influence. Roberts also offers frank advice for students: don't be afraid of making a mistake, looking silly, or asking the wrong question. He shares a lesson from his CEO: if you didn't fall while skiing, "you didn't learn".
In the final Spring 2025 episode of the Power to Sell podcast, students interviewed Eric Gjerdevig, a sales lecturer at NDSU and former business owner. The interview explores Gjerdevig’s professional journey, from his early exposure to technology and accidental entry into sales to his experience at Great Plains Software and Microsoft and ultimately starting and selling his own software consulting company. The conversation also touches upon the importance of overcoming fear and being open to new experiences. Gjerdevig’s passion for teaching and serving students through the NDSU sales program highlights activities both inside and outside the classroom. Finally, Gjerdevig shares his evolving definition of business success, shifting focus from just growth to having a healthy, profitable, and enjoyable company culture.
In episode #40 of the Power to Sell podcast, students sat down with Valentina Montesano, an Azure Sales Specialist at Microsoft. Valentina discussed her journey from competitive cheerleading and community college to transferring to the University of Florida and eventually landing a role at Microsoft through their Aspire program for recent graduates. She shares insights on networking, preparing for interviews, her day-to-day life in tech sales, and her experiences living and working in New York City, including adapting to the fast-paced environment and leveraging AI tools like Copilot in her work. The conversation highlights the importance of building relationships, being authentic, and open-mindedness to new experiences in navigating a large company and career path.
In episode #39, students interviewed Todd Prigozen, the CEO of Bobcat of New York City and Long Island. The conversation explores the importance of perseverance and grit and the dynamic nature of doing business in New York, contrasting it with experiences in other regions and overseas in London, particularly regarding logistics, staffing, and customer interactions. Todd also shares his career journey within the family business, insights on leadership and hiring, the relationship with Bobcat as a manufacturer, and strategies for sales and adapting to technological advancements.
In this episode (#38), students sat down in New York City with Reed Overfelt, a seasoned technology executive and serial CEO. Overfelt discussed his career journey, from his early involvement with the internet to his experiences building and selling multiple tech companies. The conversation explores key aspects of sales and leadership, including the importance of listening, building trust, navigating challenges, and the impact of technology, offering valuable insights for aspiring sales professionals.
In this episode of Power to Sell, NDSU students sat down with Joe Pallo, author of How to Sell Nothing: The Logical Way to Make the Emotional Sale. With over 35 years of experience in commission sales and thousands of sales calls under his belt, Joe shares insights on why emotional connections—not just logic—drive successful sales. He offers real-world advice for young professionals and reflects on his journey from selling books door-to-door in college to coaching top sales performers today. Whether you're a business major, an aspiring entrepreneur, or just curious about the art of persuasion, this conversation is packed with valuable lessons you won't want to miss!
In our third episode of Spring Semester 2025 (episode 36), students sat down with Dan Florness, the CEO of Fastenal, at their headquarters in Winona, MN. Dan shared the history of Fastenal, including stories about the founder, Bob Kierlin, and how Bob shaped the values and culture that are alive and well in Fastenal today. Dan discussed the importance of ongoing education for team members and numerous other leadership and sales lessons. He discussed technology, empowering team members, and solving problems for customers. The theme that stood out to students throughout the podcast and their time in Winona was the importance of employee development, teamwork, and a focus on delivering value to customers at every turn.
For our second episode of Spring 2025 (episode 35), students sat down with NDSU alumni Marcus Pratt, a Sales Engineer at Midwest Mechanical Solutions. Marcus talked about his time at NDSU as an engineering student and how he leveraged that into a technical sales career. Sales was not on Marcus’s radar in college, but sometimes the opportunities that land in our laps are the ones that were meant to be. Marcus talked about the importance of being honest with yourself, encouraged students to say yes, and shared some great thoughts about being successful in sales. He shared some great stories, talked about the importance of staying healthy, and how he prioritizes time for his family.
For our first episode of Spring 2025 (episode 34), students sat down with the CEO of Corvent Medical, Richard Walsh. Richard talked about his career in medical device sales, the story of Corvent Medical, and the importance of setting goals. Students had an excellent opportunity to understand better the entrepreneurial journey of a medical device startup, which started during COVID-19, regulatory challenges, and the importance of staying focused and goal-oriented. Richard shared several great stories, talked about the positive business climate of North Dakota, and shared the ambitious goals that Corvent Medical has over the next few years.
For our seventh and final episode of Fall 2024 (episode 33), students sat down with Shannon Hauf, the Senior Vice President and Head of North America, Australia, and New Zealand Product Supply for Bayer. Shannon shared her journey from growing up on a farm in southern Minnesota to being an executive at Bayer today. Shannon discussed the importance of trust, responsibility, resilience, teamwork, passion, and credibility. Shannon shared several great stories and talked about her time in Fargo while pursuing her Masters and PhD at NDSU.
For our sixth episode of Fall 2024 (episode 32), students sat down with Patty Post, the Founder of Checkable. Patty shared her entrepreneurial journey, talked openly about challenges, and discussed her goals and motivation. Students had an excellent opportunity to understand better the entrepreneurial journey in a small medical device startup, the regulatory challenges, and the importance of staying focused and showing up every day. Patty shared several great stories and talked about the entrepreneurial community in Fargo and the importance of finding your strength.
Students continued to explore the theme of 'dorm room to the boardroom' when they sat down with Darren Jacoby, CEO of Protosthetics, on a Sunday afternoon in Boston, MA, to record our fifth episode of Fall Semester 2024 (episode 31). A unique aspect of this interview is two of our student hosts are sales internships at Protosthetics, which led to a slightly deeper discussion about product development and sales strategy. Darren shared a lot about his entrepreneurial journey, his decision to acquire Protosthetics, how they've grown, what is coming shortly, and how a strong vision and customer focus has been critical to their success.
In our fourth episode of Fall Semester 2024 (episode 30), students continued to explore the theme of dorm room to boardroom by sitting down with Wes Cummins, CEO of Applied Digital, at their headquarters in Dallas, TX. Wes shared stories about the beginning of Applied Digital, their massive investments into North Dakota, and why those investments make sense. He discussed the importance of being able to help others understand complicated technology and covered many leadership and sales lessons, such as taking risks and the importance of storytelling. He talked about how those skills have been a key to his success.
In our third episode of Fall Semester 2024 (episode 29), students continued to explore the theme of dorm room to boardroom by sitting down with Kevin Black, CEO of Creedence Energy Services. Kevin shared his founder story with Creedence Energy Services, talked about his time at NDSU, discussed business challenges such as economic downturns and COVID-19, and shared great stories with our students. He covered many outstanding leadership and sales lessons, such as the importance of putting in the effort to learn the basics or fundamentals of a business along the journey, and talked about how that has been a key to his success.
In season five of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students are exploring the theme dorm room to boardroom. In our second episode of Fall Semester 2024 (episode 28), students got the chance to visit NDSU Alumni Brent Boucher, the Senior VP of Americas for Solventum. Brent shared his career journey in the medical device industry and how his time at NDSU helped prepare him. Brent discussed the importance of collaboration, building great teams, and being results-oriented. He highlighted the importance of serving others, building great culture, and discussed the path for new talent in the medical device space.
In season five of the Power to Sell Podcast, a theme our NDSU Sales students are exploring is going from the dorm room to the boardroom. In our first episode of Fall Semester 2024 (episode 27), students sat down with Darrin Peterson, the President of Marvin Windows! In addition to starting at the company mowing lawns in the summer of 1986, Darrin is now the first non-Marvin family member to serve as President in the company's 112-year history. Darrin shared his career journey and discussed the importance of community and family. He highlighted the importance of authenticity, building trust, and connecting and learning from others. Darrin shared stories about working with multiple generations of Marvin family members, what he has learned from them, and the critical role that Warroad, MN, plays in the company's history and future.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students continue to explore multiple themes and visit with sales leaders and executives from various industries. In the final episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 26), students sat down with Matt Berseth, co-founder and Chief Information Officer, and Robert Thomas (R3), Sales Manager of NLP Logix, a data analytics and artificial intelligence services firm. Matt shared his career journey, starting at Microsoft after graduating from North Dakota State University, moving to Jacksonville, and starting NLP Logix with his business partner, Ted Willich. Matt and Robert highlighted many critical skills and discussed how AI is used today. A key message was leveraging AI in business but understanding where to use it and where you shouldn’t.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, one theme our NDSU Sales students are exploring is the business of sports and how sales skills are used in sports. In our sixth episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 25), students sat down with Alan Fish, the VP of Global Business Development for the PGA Tour! Alan shared his unique career journey of becoming an ‘accidental’ sales professional! He highlighted the importance of integrity, hard work, and understanding your customer’s needs. Alan also talked about the impacts of Full Swing and LIV Golf over the last few years and the importance of staying focused on the product you deliver to customers.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, one theme our NDSU Sales students are exploring is the business of sports and how sales skills are used in sports. In our fifth episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 24), students sat down with two NFL sports agents from Team IFA, John Waller and Jackson Magnini. John and Jackson shared their unique career journeys and highlighted the importance of rapport, relationships, and teamwork. Our guests also talked about how critical these skills are when the product you represent is another human. Finally, we had some fun by getting their best guesses for the upcoming NFL Draft.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, one theme our NDSU Sales students are exploring is the business of sports and how sales skills are used in sports. In our fourth episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 23), students sat down with the Athletic Director of North Dakota State University, Matt Larsen. Matt shared his career journey to Fargo, ND, and highlighted the importance of teamwork and listening. Additionally, he discussed the impacts of changes in NCAA sports around NIL and the transfer portal and the importance of the facility investments NDSU has made over the last decade.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students continue to explore multiple themes and visit with sales leaders and executives from various industries. In this episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 22), students sat down with Carl Peterson, the President of Peterson Farms Seed. Carl shared his career journey as a third-generation farmer and founder of Peterson Farms Seed. He highlighted many critical skills and shared stories highlighting the importance of adaptability, positivity, culture, and taking measured risks.
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students explore multiple themes and visit with sales leaders and executives from various industries. In our second episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 21), students sat down with Bison alumni Angie Volk, who has held VP of Sales positions across some of the largest medical device companies in the world, such as 3M, Boston Scientific, and Becton Dickinson. Angie shared her career journey, and her stories highlighted many critical skills, including the importance of serving customers through education. Additionally, she shared a great story about stealing the nickel from UND while in college at NDSU!
In season four of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students will explore multiple themes, including the business of sports and how sales skills are used in sports. In our first episode of Spring Semester 2024 (episode 20), students traveled to Minneapolis, MN, to visit with the VP of Fan Engagement for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx, Jeff Munneke. Jeff shared his career journey, and his stories highlighted the importance of building connections and commitment. Additionally, he shared some great stories and gave some great advice to our students!
In season three of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students have partnered with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our seventh and final episode of Fall Semester 2023 (episode 19), students visited the Microsoft Fargo campus to sit down with Corporate Vice President of Americas Small, Medium & Corporate (SMC) Sharon Schoenborn. Sharon shared her career journey and the importance of learning as a continuous and ongoing process that extends throughout a person's life rather than confined to a specific period of formal education. Her stories highlighted the importance of having a growth mindset, embracing challenges, and betting on yourself.
In season three of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students have partnered with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. Our sixth episode of Fall Semester 2023 (episode 18) is a special edition with a wrap-up to the Northeast Intercollegiate Sales Competition (NISC). NDSU and Bryant University students got to interview Dr. Stefani Boyer, a professor at Bryant University and director of NISC. Stefanie shared her career journey and highlighted the importance of confidence.
In season three of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students have partnered with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview six exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our fifth episode of Fall Semester 2023 (episode 17), students traveled to St. Louis to visit with the President and CEO of Graybar, Kathy Mazzarella. Kathy shared her career journey, and her stories highlighted the importance of perseverance, grit, and passion. Additionally, she talked about the history of Graybar, leadership, and technology, such as artificial intelligence, and gave excellent advice to our students!
In season three of the Power to Sell Podcast, our NDSU Sales students have partnered with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview six exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our fourth episode of Fall Semester 2023, students had the opportunity to visit with North Dakota-based entrepreneur Brianne Osowski. Brianne talked about the importance of putting people first and shared numerous examples, including how her company, Tailorie, is helping connect consumers with brands and the importance of mentors.
Season three of the Power to Sell Podcast finds our NDSU Sales students partnering with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview six exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our third episode of Fall Semester 2023, students had the opportunity to visit with the Fargo Site Leader for Microsoft, Jenny Olson. Jenny discussed the importance of influence, risk-taking, open-mindedness, and storytelling. She gave great examples of how she has utilized these skills at Microsoft and her time at the State of North Dakota.
Season three of the Power to Sell Podcast finds our NDSU Sales students partnering with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview six exceptional female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our second episode of Fall Semester 2023, students had the opportunity to visit with a well-known business and community leader when they sat down with Kristi Huber, current SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota. Kristi talked about connecting with people, being intentional, building trust, and her career journey including past experiences as President of the United Way of Cass Clay.
Season three of the Power to Sell Podcast finds our NDSU Sales students partnering with the NDSU Women in Business organization to interview six amazing female leaders, executives, sales leaders, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. In our first episode of Fall Semester 2023, students continued our theme of 'everybody sells' by sitting down Monni Nyaribo, who was recently crowned Miss North Dakota 2023. Monni might not be in sales, but she knows something about the art of connecting with people and persuasion! Monni talked about the importance of authenticity in what you do and how you present yourself. She also stressed the importance of trust and gave excellent advice on improving yourself one step at a time.
In our final episode of the Spring Semester, students continued our theme of 'everybody sells' by sitting down with US Congressman Kelly Armstrong. Congressman Armstrong may not see himself as a sales professional, but he knows a thing or two about the art of persuasion! The congressman discussed his journey to the US House of Representatives and many current topics. He stressed the importance of trust, honesty, integrity, and transparency and how those skills are essential to finding common ground, even with people whose politics may not align with his.
In episode 11, students continued our theme of 'everybody sells' by sitting down with the President of North Dakota State University, Dr. David Cook. President Cook may not see himself as a sales professional, but his position requires the ability to 'sell' a vision to students, alumni, legislators, and the local community. In addition to talking about his journey and the changes happening on campus, President Cook highlighted the importance of trust, transparency, and building relationships and how those skills have been essential to his success during his first year at NDSU.
In episode 10, we continue our theme of 'everybody sells' by exploring another career requiring sales skills! Real estate development might be something few college students know about, but this guest sure does. Listen as students interview Todd Berning, President and owner of EPIC Companies and Spicy Pie Pizza. Although Todd may not see himself as a sales professional, it's clear that he is excellent at selling a vision to his team, investors, and the communities they work within. Todd talked about how having heart and passion are the keys that have helped him be successful. Todd shared great advice and stories.
In episode nine, we continue our theme of 'everybody sells' by exploring another career requiring sales skills! Have your sales skills prepared you for the life of James Bond or Jack Ryan? Listen as students interview William Cromarty, a former United States Federal Government Intelligence Officer. William drew several correlations between his previous career and the sales profession. He discussed how developing an asset is a sales process, requiring many of the same underlying sales skills, such as listening and empathy. William shared great advice and opened our eyes to the similarities between sales and intelligence gathering.
In season two, we dive into the theme 'everybody sells!' Our guests are NOT sales professionals but must be persuasive, build trust, and understand people. In our second episode of season two, students interview Jory Collins, the Head Women's Basketball Coach at North Dakota State University. Jory talked about the importance of transparency and building trust with his team. Jory shared a lot of great advice and demonstrated how even a basketball coach needs sales skills!
In season two, we dive into the theme 'everybody sells!' Our guests are NOT sales professionals but need to be persuasive, build trust, and understand people. In our first episode of season two, students interview Luke Heck, a criminal defense attorney with the Vogel Law firm. Luke shared some great thoughts and experiences from an industry that most don't know outside of television. Luke had a lot of great advice, including the importance of storytelling in persuasion.
In our sixth and final episode of season one, students interviewed Shannon Full, the President of the Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo Chamber of Commerce. Shannon shared some great stories and experiences, including simply sharing what the Chamber is and does in a community. Shannon had a lot of great advice, including how collaboration, having a great mentor, and being a little fearless has helped her succeed.
In our fifth episode, Matt Bitzegaio visited the campus of North Dakota State University. Matt is the founder of DonorDock, a software company focused on helping nonprofits enhance their fundraising with powerful, easy-to-use tools. Matt shared many experiences that have gotten him to where he is today and talked about the importance of identifying and solving problems to deliver value to his customer.
In this episode, Missy Heilman visits the campus of North Dakota State University to share her story. Missy is the Founder and Executive Director of BIO Girls; a nonprofit focused on ending the self-esteem crisis in adolescent girls. Missy visited with students about the importance of fearlessness, having an abundance mindset, and faith.
This episode of the Power to sell podcast welcomes Sarae Kellen to the campus of North Dakota State University. Sarae is a Workforce Development Strategist at Dale Carnegie Training of ND & MN. Sarae talked about the benefits of serving others, the importance of asking questions, being a great listener, and shared some great book recommendations.
This episode of the Power to Sell podcast welcomes Jared Hineman back to the campus of North Dakota State University. Jared is the CEO and Co-Founder at We Clea. Jared talked about the importance of humility, community, and being happy with each step along the path of your journey. Overall, he had some excellent advice for our students.
The first episode of the Power to Sell podcast welcomes Brady Nash to the campus of North Dakota State University for a great discussion with students on the importance of understanding your why. Brady is most well known for being a founder and CEO of BNG but also has started or invested in numerous other businesses.