Mark Ackers: Welcome
to the
podcast.
Here's a
sneak peek
of what's
coming up
in today's
episode.
We've got
the
previous
top global
seller for
LinkedIn,
2016, 17
and 18,
with a
social
selling
index of
97 out of
100 ski
James Ski: is
an
abbreviation
of my full
surname.
I'm half
polish.
Did not
Mark Ackers: know
that.
Yeah,
what's
your full
surname?
Did you
used to be
crap at
sales? I
did, how
crap are
we
talking?
James Ski: I
was
pretty,
like
anxious.
So I did
door to
door,
which was
knocking
on doors,
persuading
people to
get their
milk
delivered.
I remember
my very
first day
in a phone
based
role,
literally
given a
phone book
by a
former
mechanic
who turned
sales
manager.
And I
remember
that first
dial that
I made,
and
literally,
I was
shaking,
right? And
when that
person
picked up
the phone,
I hung up.
I didn't
even
speak. I
could not
speak. I
was so
nervous.
Mark Ackers: Once
ranked the
world's
number one
social
seller,
being
number
James Ski: one
was
important.
It wasn't
easy to
become
number one
global
biller.
You know,
like I was
depressed
when I
joined
LinkedIn,
and no one
knew this
at the
time, but
I was so
depressed
that when
I was
getting
introduced
to people,
I was
walking
around
LinkedIn
offices, I
was so
uncomfortable
with that,
because I
had such
high
anxiety. I
was so
depressed
that I
would
literally
hide
myself
away from
people
because I
couldn't
handle the
interaction.
Mark Ackers: And
it's nice
that you
take the
time to
help
people,
and maybe
you come
to a place
of that's
the help
you wanted
to have
earlier in
your
career.
James Ski: My
great
mission is
to help
people
with their
confidence.
If you
believe
more in
yourself,
if you
back
yourself
more, you
do more,
you
achieve
more, you
earn more.
Sales.
Mark Ackers: Is
obviously
taxing.
It's
anxiety
inducing.
It's
pressure
filled.
Walk me
through.
What do
you do to
manage
some of
the
tension
that this
profession
brings to
you.
James Ski: I
used to be
that guy
that would
work seven
days a
week, and
I really
didn't
have a
purpose
outside of
that. I
mean, it
got me
accelerated
my career
and my
earnings
and stuff
like that.
But there
is more to
business
and life
and
success
take
Mark Ackers: me
through
some of
the like
the
memorable
things
that sales
leaders
have come
to you
with
problems
and
needing
help. You
James Ski: know,
I'm
probably
one of the
most
connected
to sales
leaders in
in the UK,
particularly
last 1218,
months, a
lot of
sales
leaders
have
reached
out. Maybe
sales
isn't a
career for
me.
Mark Ackers: Hello
and
welcome to
the latest
episode of
The I used
to be crap
at sales
podcast.
I'm your
host, Mark
Akers, co
founder
and Head
of Sales
here at my
sales
coach, we
called the
podcast
this
because
it's true
and all of
our guests
say the
same.
Speaking
of guests
today in
the orange
shares,
I've got
right this
intro is
quite a
mouthful.
We've got
the
previous
top global
seller for
LinkedIn,
2016, 17
and 18,
with a
social
selling
index of
97 out of
100 once
ranked the
world's
number one
social
seller.
The
founder of
SaaS
growth,
the number
one sales
revenue
conference
in the UK
and
Europe,
founder of
circles
network,
co founder
of Link
deal
sales,
Director
of rock
star
Property
Partners,
a man with
nearly
40,000
LinkedIn
followers,
the author
of How to
Build
sales
confidence.
And you
might know
this guest
already,
but he
flies the
flag
really
well for
mental
health in
sales and
perhaps
best known
as the
founder
and face
of sales
confidence,
if you've
not
guessed it
by now, I
mean, you
must have
surely it
is James
skeet.
James big.
Welcome to
the orange
chair and
the
podcast
James Ski: amazing.
Well,
thanks for
having me.
Sounds
like I
have been
busy, and
I have, in
some ways,
but you
know
what's
quite
funny
sitting
here, what
I really
like about
these
moments is
how you
can just
pause and
reflect on
how long
we've
known each
other. And
actually
we had met
maybe
previously,
but we
actually
hung out
at SAS
Grove, the
very first
conference
at the
Olympic
Park, if
you
remember.
And there
were a few
things
funny that
we may or
may not
talk about
that
happens,
but we had
a little
bit of a
party
afterwards.
And I
think that
really
cemented
the
beginning
of our
long, long
relationship.
Mark Ackers: It
certainly
did. Yeah,
it was
maybe
seven,
eight
years ago,
and we are
filming
this
podcast on
a Friday
afternoon.
It is gone
four
o'clock,
and we've
gone for a
beer.
Cheers,
Joe. Let's
start
with, what
are you
doing in
Newcastle?
Yeah,
James Ski: okay,
great
question.
So
actually,
I've spent
a lot of
time in
Newcastle
over many
years. So
my dad's
lived up
here now
for
probably
about 25
years. He
lives the
other side
of Baden
mill,
Hexen way,
just by
Hadrian's
Wall. He
owns a
converted
chapel
that he
converted
many years
ago, which
is really
quite
cool. And
I've spent
a lot of
time
coming up
here as a
kid. And
also,
interestingly,
and you
kind of
did allude
to it. I
do talk
about
mental
health. I
actually
spent some
time in
one of
your local
establishments
in warp of
St
George's,
which is a
mental
health
hospital
up here.
And I have
to say
it's the
best one
of the
seven I've
spent time
in. It's
fantastic.
The staff
are
amazing,
and the
quality of
the care
is
brilliant.
And so
like I've
spent. In
time up
here. I've
partyed up
here, and
today,
this
weekend,
I'm up
here
visiting
my dad and
obviously
hanging
out with
you guys.
It's
Mark Ackers: a
pleasure
to have
you in the
office. I
mean,
you've
been in
the office
since you
got in
before me,
and this
is
probably
the first
time we've
really
spoke you.
You have
been non
stop. I
mean, the
devil
works
hard, but
you work
harder.
You've
been non
stop.
We've been
doing
James Ski: Yeah.
So it's
interesting,
like,
there are
a few
things
going on
in my
world
right now,
and I've
relaunched
sales
confidence
under a
kind of a
new
purpose.
And our
purpose is
really,
this year,
helping
1000
people get
jobs in
sales. And
so I've
been
speaking
to a lot
of hiring
managers
about
their
hiring
requirements
around
SDRs and
graduates.
That's
been a lot
of calls
today.
I've also
had calls
with a
very big
influencer
that I
will name
job. His
name's
Simon
Squibb. He
wrote the
four world
forward of
my book
How to
Build
sales
confidence,
and I've
been
talking to
him about
some
collaborations
around a
platform
that he's
launched
called
Help Bank,
which is
basically
about
helping
people at
every
stage of
their
business
entrepreneur
journey,
which was
very cool.
And then
I've had a
couple of
conversations
with
prospects
and
opportunities.
So really,
it's been
phone
based, and
I actually
don't work
this hard
on Friday,
for some
reason,
I've just
packed my
diary. But
yeah, it's
been
calls,
it's been
opportunities.
And
actually,
this is a
great way
to wrap up
the week,
to sit in
the orange
chairs
with you.
Mark Ackers: Well,
it's great
to have
you. And
yeah,
Simon
Squibb, I
see a lot
of these
videos,
actually
on social
media.
He's a
really
interesting
James Ski: person.
He's
honestly,
and I
genuinely
mean this
because
I've got
to know
the guy.
He is such
a top
bloke, and
he
genuinely
wants to
help
people.
You know,
he's a
multi
millionaire
many times
over, he's
made his
money,
he's
created
his
wealth,
and he's
got a
really
burning
desire to
help
people out
in a way
that he
clearly
didn't
have when
he started
out in his
career.
And
actually,
the story
of how I
got to
know him,
I was on a
tick tock
live and
waited my
turn to
have a Q A
with him.
Finally
got onto
the Q and
A, and
while we
were on
the Q and
A, he
obviously
clued up
to the
fact that
I knew
what I was
talking
about.
Then
realized
he was
giving me
a lot of
valuable
advice,
and then
said, in
front of
like, a
few 1000
people in
this live
listen, I
think I
could add
value to
your
business.
I said,
Well,
maybe you
can. And
he's like,
Well, how
about I
mentor you
for a
year? And
I was
like,
Yeah,
fantastic.
He goes,
but it's
gonna cost
you 10k so
literally,
I did have
10k so I
said,
Yeah, I'll
do it, and
we're
live. So
that's the
contract.
So I said,
when I get
off this
live our
LinkedIn
connected
with you,
send me an
invoice
and I'll
pay it. So
he we did
it anyway.
He started
consulting
with me.
We started
to become
friends.
Six months
down the
line, he
reached
out to me.
Said,
Listen,
I've been
thinking.
I said,
What's it?
He goes,
he's not
sitting
well with
me that
I've taken
10k out
away from
you. I'm
going to
give you
back the
money. He
literally
deposited
the money
back in my
account.
And said,
my whole
philosophy
is about
helping
people. I
don't need
your
money. I'd
rather you
invest
that 10k
Do
Mark Ackers: you
think part
of that
was he
just
wanted to
make sure
you were
in
James Ski: Yeah,
I think he
was
testing
it, you
know, it
was live,
it was
public,
you know,
I was, I
wasn't
beating
myself up,
but we got
into a
really
kind of,
you know,
there's a
lot of
people
that get
on those
conversations
with him
that
aren't
experienced
in
business,
aren't
experienced
in sales,
and I
think he
clicked
very
quickly
that I
knew what
I was
talking
about,
right? So
I think
when he
started to
understand
the
questions
I was
asking
him. He
was like,
I'm giving
away my
knowledge
here. And
this guy
sounds
like he
might be
able to
pay. And
so he
threw that
out there.
I
obviously
wasn't
gonna,
even if I
didn't
quite have
the money
in that
moment, I
wasn't
gonna say
no to it.
So I
committed.
So yeah,
maybe. But
ultimately,
what
transpired,
and he,
I've heard
him tell
this story
on stages,
is that he
genuinely
wants to
be known
now at
this stage
of his
life and
career,
for
helping
people for
free. Now,
of course,
he has
ways of
monetizing
his
audience,
and he has
revenue
streams,
etc, but
this whole
help bank
and this
purpose
for and
asking
people,
you know
what, what
your dream
is, is
genuinely
about
helping
people
unlock
their
potential.
And I
think when
I think of
like sales
confidence
and the
philosophy
of sales
confidence
is
important
to me. I
really
genuinely
want to
help
people
unlock
their
confidence,
because
it's a
life
changer.
If you
believe
more in
yourself,
if you
back
yourself
more, you
do more,
you
achieve
more, you
earn more,
you get
the
partner
you want.
And
actually,
my great
mission is
to help
people
with their
confidence
is just
happens to
be that be
that my
profession
is sales,
and that's
what I'm
known for
right now.
But longer
term is
it's
helping
people
with
confidence
is what's
really
important
to
Mark Ackers: me.
I can see
why you
and Simon
get on so
well. What
a great
story.
Maybe one
day I come
to
podcast,
hey, maybe
let's
start
where we
always
start.
Then with
a yes, no
question,
did you
used to be
crap at
sales. I
did. How
crap were
we
talking? I
was
pretty,
James Ski: like
anxious.
So I'll
give you
this the
story of
my first
phone
based
sales
role. So I
did door
to door,
which was
persuade
knocking
on doors,
persuading
people to
get their
milk
delivered,
right?
Which?
Still
ridiculous,
but the
milk
delivery
man
industry
was going
like that.
You know,
retail
buying
your milk,
and Tescos
and other
name
brands was
going like
that, but
we were
persuading
people to
get their
milk
delivered,
and that
was very
difficult,
but I
remember
my very
first day
in a phone
based
role,
literally
given a
phone book
by a
former
mechanic
who turned
sales
manager,
and I
remember
that first
dial that
I made,
and
literally,
I was
shaking,
right? And
when that
person
picked up
the phone,
I hung up,
I didn't
even
speak. I
could not
speak. I
was so
nervous,
and that
lasted for
like, a
week. And
so it's
actually
interesting
when I
look at
new SDRs
or sales
people
starting
now that
crack on,
and I
think
you've got
no idea
how scared
I was and
how crap I
was in
those
first few
weeks of
phone
based
sales. And
normally
Mark Ackers: asked
like, what
point of
your
career
rushes to
the front
of your
mind? But
it feels
like
that's the
moment
that sort
of lives
rent free
in your
head, so
James Ski: to
speak,
completely.
I mean, I
was so
nervous,
so afraid,
was
getting,
you know,
tongue
tied on
all the
conversations.
Didn't
know how
to respond
to people,
didn't
know what
to say
back,
didn't
know how
to
overcome
objections.
It was a
car crash.
Why didn't
you just
quit? I
was very
motivated
to be in
sales and
in
business
for a very
young age.
I always
had, I
harbored
an
ambition
to run my
own
company or
companies,
and I'd
read a lot
of
biographies,
a lot of
self help
books, a
lot of get
rich
books, and
every
single one
of those
books
pretty
much said,
you know,
if you
want to be
successful
in
business,
you need
to be
great at
sales. So
I wasn't
going to
let you
know the
anxiety or
the pain
of those
initial
weeks on
the phone
stopped me
from
pursuing
what I was
setting
out to
pursue.
And also
my
background.
I have a
sporting
background.
I was a
high
performance
rowing
athlete,
and you
don't
quit, you
navigate
overcome
challenges,
and you
improve
every
single
day, and
you become
the best
version of
yourself.
And so
even if
you're
crap
today,
like if
you put in
the work
and you
learn, you
iterate,
you can
become
great.
Mark Ackers: Can
I share
why I'm so
excited to
have you
as a guest
today? Go
on. You've
been in
sales for
a long
time.
You've
been
there.
You've
done it.
You've got
your hands
dirty.
You've got
experience
of selling
by the
nature of
your
career.
You've met
a
ridiculous
amount of
sales
professionals
and and
leaders.
You'd have
heard the
horror
stories.
You'd have
seen the
big
success
stories.
You built
sales
community
that was
thriving,
and then
got hit by
COVID, and
then
you've
come out
the other
side of
it, and
you fly
the flag,
as I said
in the
intro for
mental
health,
you also
make me
laugh a
lot,
right?
Like the
quick fire
round was
hilarious.
And in
this
episode,
what I
really
want to do
is get to
know how
you manage
those
situations,
the
stories
that
you've
learned
stresses
that come
with a
role. And
I think
anyone
that's
listening
to this
podcast
now, like
just has
to stick
around,
because I
know this
is gonna
be a good
episode
that is
gonna be
filled
with like,
highs and
lows.
Let's
start with
a bang,
right?
Let's hear
some of
your
biggest
howlers.
First of
all, if
you just
remember
being a
quota
carrier at
LinkedIn,
there must
be a
Howler
there.
That's
worth
sharing.
That's
funny.
Hello. I'm
Mark the
host of
the I used
to be crap
at sales
podcast.
Thank you
for
listening.
We called
the
podcast
that
because
it's true
and all of
our guests
say the
same. As a
sales
leader,
you would
have been
crap at
sales
once, no
doubt, but
that
changed,
and now
you're
responsible
for a
team. It's
your job
to help
that team
get to
where you
need to
get them
to, but
also it's
your job
to develop
and grow
them as
sales
professionals.
Here's the
problem,
you don't
have the
time. You
are too
busy with
other
competing
priorities,
and I get
it, but
that
doesn't
mean your
sales team
should
miss out.
It doesn't
mean they
shouldn't
fulfill
that
potential
and grow
that's
where we
come in.
If you'd
be curious
to hear
about how
we're
working
with
organizations
providing
their team
with
expert
coaching
on a one
to one
basis, get
in touch.
Be happy
to have a
conversation.
Well,
James Ski: there's
a couple
of
interesting
anecdotes
from my
time at
LinkedIn,
so not
many
people
know it,
and it's
actually
the one of
the few
things
that is
not listed
on my
LinkedIn
profile.
But prior
to
LinkedIn,
I worked
at a SaaS
company
called
huddle,
which was
a very
well known
British
enterprise
collaboration
platform.
It's kind
of a
competitor
to Box or
Dropbox.
They
became the
success
stories,
and huddle
did not
but it was
a great
environment.
I actually
set up a
company
after I
read Aaron
Ross' book
Predictable
Revenue
called
outbound
sales
limited.
That was
my very
first
business.
Started
consulting
companies,
and it
didn't go
well. I
ended up
in
hospital,
had a
breakdown,
and then I
joined
LinkedIn.
And so
fortunately,
LinkedIn
is one of
the best
companies
in the
world, and
I was
depressed
when I
joined
LinkedIn,
and no one
knew this
at the
time, but
I was so
depressed
that when
I was
getting
introduced
to people,
I was
walking
around
LinkedIn
offices,
it was
open floor
plan each
day. You
could sit
wherever
you
wanted, so
everybody
would mix
it. I was
so
uncomfortable
with that,
because I
had such
high
anxiety. I
was so
depressed
that I
would
literally
hide
myself
away from
people. So
I couldn't
handle the
interaction.
So there
was this
real
struggle
for me for
about six
months.
And one of
the funny
moments of
that and,
you know,
people
really
don't talk
about this
in sales,
but I
remember
literally
leaving
the office
one day,
calling my
dad, and
then I
called my
mom, and
this is
how it
went. I
called my
dad, I
said, Dad,
I don't
think I
can handle
this
company,
LinkedIn.
It's too
difficult.
I don't
know what
I'm doing.
It's not
working.
And His
attitude
was, like,
you know,
if you're
not adding
value, you
need to go
some Okay,
fine, dad,
you know,
I called
my mom, I
said, Mom,
like, you
know, I
really
don't
think I
can do the
job. And
she's
like,
well, if
you quit,
how you
gonna pay
the bills,
you know?
So I had
these two
versions
of
stories,
and
luckily, I
didn't
take any
of their
advice, or
I didn't
quit, at
least
anyway. So
that was
like some,
some kind
of the
pain side
that I
experienced.
The other
thing was
this
social
selling
index,
right? I I
made it my
goal to
become the
number one
at
LinkedIn,
on
LinkedIn
globally.
And this
is also
annoys me
slightly,
because
this is an
ego
talking
thing now,
but no one
really
talks
about
this,
about me,
like I was
literally
the number
one on the
planet at
one point,
and I set
myself
this goal
to become
number
one. And I
started,
like in in
the
hundreds,
and I'm up
against
all people
that are
in sales
at
LinkedIn.
There's
like, 3000
people.
And once I
started to
get into
the top
50, I
started to
call round
the other
people in
the top
50. So
like, I
would call
the Dutch
guy or the
American
guy say,
Hey, my
name is
James key.
I'm based
in London.
I want to
get a
score of
97 out of
100 How
did you
get to 90
out of 100
they're
like, Oh,
I've done
this. Done
this and
this. So I
used to
hack away,
and
eventually
I cracked
the top
10. And
anyway,
when you
get into
the top
10, it's
intense,
because
you're on
LinkedIn
all day,
every day,
posting
content,
trying to
figure out
the
algorithm.
So a
couple of
things I
did. I
found out
that some
of the top
10 were no
longer at
LinkedIn,
so I
called the
administrator,
and I
said,
Listen,
those two
people
don't work
at
LinkedIn
anymore,
so can you
remove
them? That
bumped me
a couple
of places,
right? So
that was
quite a
funny one.
And then
we got
into,
like, the
top five
at this
point. And
I called
all of
them, and
I said,
Listen,
I'm coming
for you,
like, I'm
coming for
number one
spot, so
you need
to move
aside. Let
me know
what's
going on.
Some of
them, you
know, took
it in
jazz. Some
of them
were like,
No, that's
not going
to happen.
Basically,
completely
figured
out how to
crack the
code. I
even tried
to call
the
product
team in
the valley
to find
out what
the
algorithm
was to get
100. And
basically
someone
told me,
and don't
you, Ryan,
I don't
know how
close they
were, but
basically
someone in
product
says you
cannot get
100 out
100 we
just don't
allow it,
so don't
bother. So
I kind of
took that,
and then
eventually
I became
number
one. And
honestly,
it was
like
winning an
Olympic
gold
medal. I
was so
high,
literally,
I was
buzzing.
And we
used to
have
scooters
in the
London
office, so
I jumped
on the
scooters
and
started,
like,
going
around
everyone
telling
them I'd
made the
number one
spot. No
one gave a
shit. No
one cared,
literally,
no one in
my team,
no one in
London.
They had
no
interest
in it. I
emailed
the CEO of
LinkedIn
to tell
him that
I'd become
number
one. Jeff
Weiner,
didn't get
response.
I emailed
all the
executives.
I got a
few like
responses
from them.
But I
think what
was, what,
what's the
takeaway
from that?
One, you
know,
achievement
and
success is
really in
the eye of
the
beholder,
and it's
what is,
what
matters to
you, and
that
mattered
to me, and
it was
important
to me, and
I achieved
that goal,
and I got
personal
satisfaction.
But the
other big
lesson is,
no one
cares
about your
success,
no one,
not your
parents,
not your
wife, not
your kids,
no one.
You really
have to
define
your own
success
pathways.
Because
when I got
that goal
and I was
promoting
it, it
didn't
matter to
anyone.
And then
the other
thing is,
I got so
hyper, and
I'm
bipolar,
so it
really
didn't
help that
that year,
you know,
I was so
buzzing of
getting
number
one, I had
like, a
hyper
manic
episode,
ended up
in
hospital.
That was
actually
the year
it was
2016 that
I first
came to
more Perth
outside
Newcastle.
So it's
kind of
ironic
that we're
talking
about it,
because I
was so
happy, so
buzzed off
the back
of it, and
then it
led to
kind of
other
behaviors
that you
know,
added a
bit of a
meltdown.
So, you
know, it's
a bit of a
long
story, but
a couple
of
experiences
that I
went
through at
LinkedIn,
it's
Mark Ackers: an
incredible
story for
many
reasons,
right?
Like the
determination,
the ways
in which
you seeked
to get to
the next
level. And
I think
I'm always
sad for
you, like
you say
you didn't
get that
recognition
that you
wanted,
but I also
am pleased
for you,
because it
meant more
to you,
and that
feels like
that's
what
mattered.
Why that
out of
everything
you could
achieve?
Why was
that the
thing that
you sort
of become
obsessed
with? You
James Ski: know,
I grew up
in a an
environment
at my
school.
School. I
grew up in
Windsor. I
went to a
school
called the
Windsor
Boys
School,
and
they're a
top
performing
rowing
school.
And you
know, the
philosophy
there is
that you
train to
become
number
one, you
become the
best of
the best.
And so it
is
instilled
in me to
want to be
number one
in any
work
environment
or in
business.
In life,
I'm
actually
much more
chilled
now. I
don't
really
need to be
number
one. I'm
comfortable,
you know,
sitting in
the ranks
or
whatever.
But back
then, and
when I was
in my
early
stages of
my career,
when I was
at
LinkedIn,
being
number one
was
important.
It wasn't
easy to
become
number one
global
Biller,
you know,
like, and
doing 10s
of
millions
of dollar
deals,
there were
some mega
stars at
LinkedIn,
so it kind
of felt
like a way
that I
could get
recognition.
I think
there's a
part of me
that likes
to be
obviously
recognized
for
something.
That's an
ego thing.
I like to
be
noticed. I
like to be
seen. I
like
attention.
And it
just felt
like that
was the
way that I
could show
people
that I'd
overcome
my
challenge
and I can
achieve
something.
Do you
know why
it's
actually
it's hit
me now, I
think,
having
joined
that
company in
this
depressive
episode,
and no one
knowing
about it,
I
eventually
came out
and told
people at
LinkedIn
that I had
this
bipolar
disorder
and I'd
been in
hospital.
And
LinkedIn
were
amazingly
supportive,
amazingly
supportive.
And I can
just think
back to my
managers
and HR and
people
there a
lot of the
time, the
self
stigma
that you
have
around
mental
health, my
kind of
body armor
is like,
you know,
what? I
might have
a mental
illness,
but if I'm
number
one, you
can't
challenge
me. So I
think
there's a
lot of
like, you
know, a
part of me
that feels
upset that
I have to
live with
this
illness,
but if I'm
number
one, or
I'm
recognized,
or people
know who I
am for
being
great at
something,
then then
they look
past the
bipolar
part and
think, Oh,
he's fine.
He's a
good guy,
and he's
top of
what he
does. So I
think I
have this
constant,
like,
motivation
to
outperform
other
peoples
and show
myself as
a
successful
person.
Because I
guess a
part of me
doesn't
feel like
that, you
know, like
feels like
I'm
different,
and feels
like I
have this,
you know,
illness,
that means
that I've
caused my
family and
my kids
and other
people
challenges,
and no one
really
knows that
other than
me. You
know
what's
happened?
And yes, I
do talk
about it
publicly,
but I
think, you
know, it's
a, it's a
good way
to kind of
protect
myself, to
say, Yeah,
I'm
bipolar.
But by the
way, I'm
the best
at what I
do. So,
you know,
don't dig
me out for
being
bipolar.
Or, you
know, if
you look
at media,
and you
look at
TV, and
you look
at film,
and you
see some
of these
bipolar
characters,
and it's
extreme,
and so
when
people
hear I'm
bipolar,
they
immediately
say, well,
he's
probably
like that
guy, or he
must be
like my
uncle, or
on me. It
doesn't
matter.
We're all
individual,
you know,
like, it
doesn't
matter who
you are,
what your
background
is, we're
all
individuals.
And, you
know,
that's
just
probably
something
that's
driven me.
There's
lots to
break down
there.
Mark Ackers: First
of all,
just
applaud
the
honesty. I
think the
thing that
I'm sort
of picking
out from
that, like
the
themes,
is, is
that need
for
approval,
is that
feeling
like you
have
something
to prove,
and it
feels like
you've had
that as
far back
as you can
remember,
um, but
also you
said
you're far
more
chilled
now it
doesn't
affect you
as much.
What's
changed?
Well,
James Ski: I'm
37 now,
you know,
last time
I was in
hospital
was four
years ago,
COVID
happened.
I think
that
impacted a
lot of
people,
quite a
few things
I wanted
to achieve
when I was
a teenager
or in my
20s. And I
feel like
I've had a
pretty
good life.
And I
think I've
also
achieved,
sorry,
I've also
not
achieved a
lot of
things,
and I've
realized
that that
doesn't
matter
either.
And, you
know,
getting
your
number,
you know,
for the
year, is
nice, but
it doesn't
matter.
You know,
like
getting
that next
car is
nice, but
it doesn't
matter.
Like, I
think I'm
just, I
just value
people,
relationships,
experiences,
my
children,
you know,
health
much more.
Whereas I
think I
came from
a very
black and
white
mindset
that it
was
winning or
nothing,
or it was
hitting
120% of
target or
nothing,
or it was
earning
100k a
year, or I
wasn't
good
enough,
and I'm
just not
like that
anymore.
Like, do I
believe in
my head
that I'm
going to
continue
to grow,
develop,
be
extremely
successful,
and, you
know,
achieve my
dreams? I
do, but if
I don't,
it's not
going to
bother me.
Do you
believe
that it
won't
bother
you? No,
honestly.
I mean,
like, in
the sense
that,
like, I'll
be fine,
like, I'm
not going
to be
depressed,
right? If,
is what I
mean. You
know,
let's say
I don't
know which
is one of
my goals,
you know,
one of my
goals is
to get
sales
confidence
to its
first
million,
and then I
want to
get it to
5 million,
and I want
to get to
10. It
would
bother me
that if I
can't do
that, but
I'll just
move on,
like, I'll
do
something
else.
Mark Ackers: Do
you think
your. It
in you to
know when
enough is
enough. I
James Ski: do
think now
I do
again. I
wouldn't
if you
asked me
that
question
five years
ago. No, I
was
clueless.
I didn't
really
know, you
know, it
was all
like,
anything's
possible.
There's no
limit on
anything.
Just keep
going more
more more.
I really
don't feel
like that.
I honestly
do a lot
of this
for fun.
Like, I
like
working
hard, I
like
achieving.
I like
making
money. I
like
sales. I
like
closing
deals. You
know, as
long as I
can
sustain my
family and
my some of
my
personal
ambitions,
like, it's
a game,
really,
isn't it?
Like, it's
just a
score
card, you
know, a
million of
this or 10
million of
that, what
does it
really
mean?
Like, it
doesn't
mean
anything.
So I just
think,
like, it's
just, it's
part of
the game.
And like,
yeah, I
would like
to be able
to, you
know, add
that onto
my
LinkedIn,
CV,
whatever.
But if I
don't, I
don't feel
any I
don't
think I'm
a bad
person or
worse, or
didn't
achieve
anything,
I'm just
trying my
best. Is
Mark Ackers: that,
because
you've
realized
no one
else
cares.
James Ski: That's
the bottom
line. You
know, it
no one
does care.
And it's
really,
you know,
quite
harsh, but
it doesn't
so what
matters to
me,
therefore,
is all
those
things I
just said,
and, and,
you know,
from a
point in
time, you
know, the
money
matters,
and then
it doesn't
matter,
like, you
just move
on, like I
said, it's
a game,
it's the
levels.
It's like,
I don't
know what
games you
played
growing
up, I used
to play
like Tomb
Raider, or
like Grand
Theft
Auto, or
the these
strategic
games
where you
had to get
to the
next
level.
Once you
complete a
game, you
just move
on to the
next game.
And if you
don't, you
just quit
or you do
something
different.
Like, it's
just, I
don't
know, it's
just like
fluidity
of life,
isn't it?
It just
everything
moves on.
I think
that is
also quite
sad, isn't
it? You
know, they
always
say, oh,
you know,
when you
lose
someone,
oh, well,
you know,
you've got
to get on
with it. I
think, oh,
that's
bits like,
No, I
don't want
you to get
if I die.
I don't
want you
to get on
with it. I
want you
to, you
know,
grieve me
forever.
But that's
not
reality.
You just
got to get
on with
it. So I
think
that's
probably
my
philosophy
nowadays
Mark Ackers: when
you talk
about
forever,
and that,
I think
forever,
for most
people, is
like 100
years. I
think when
you think
about,
like deep
time,
James Ski: billion
years,
whatever,
there is
no end.
There's no
end, this
is it.
Mark Ackers: There'll
be a point
in time
where your
name is
never said
again. You
never
thought of
again. I
can tell
where your
face, I
feel like
that's
bothering
you a
little
bit, and I
can see
why it's
getting
comfortable,
that isn't
it. And I
think
realizing
that no
one else
cares,
it's about
what you
want to
achieve
and making
the most
of the
friendships
you've
got.
Obviously,
your
children,
your
family up
to see
your dad
this
weekend.
It's about
making the
most of
now and
getting
too
wrapped up
in the
game. So
you gotta
be able to
put the
game down.
And, and
that's
James Ski: another
thing I
used to
be. I
mean, even
jokes, I
think, in
the Quick
Fire,
like, you
know,
what's my
alternative
to what I
used to
be, that
guy that
would work
seven days
a week,
right? And
I really
didn't
have a
purpose
outside of
that. And
I would
always
say, I
enjoy it
and, and I
did, like,
I didn't
bother me,
and it got
me
accelerated
my career
and my
earnings
and stuff
like that.
But there
is more to
business
and life
and
success,
you know,
I do it.
For me, it
all
integrates,
you know,
like,
today's
been fun,
it's been
business,
it's been
friendship,
and then
I'll see
my dad
later and
his wife
like so
for me,
that's the
freedom of
being a
business
owner. Is
that you
can choose
where you
want to
be, where
you want
to go, who
you want
to
interact
with, and
I think
that is
like a
real
that's
priceless.
That's
like that
priceless
experience.
But what I
definitely
have
realized,
especially
spending
time in
mental
health
hospitals,
is that it
really
doesn't
matter if
you're
wearing
Hugo Boss,
or you
know
you've got
a petite
Philippe
watch or,
you know,
you're at
the Monaco
Grand
Prix, or
you're
watching
the TV the
Grand Prix
on Monaco.
So, like,
one of my
life goals
was to go
to Monaco.
I've been.
It is
incredible.
I want to
go again.
But
actually,
you can
watch the
whole of
Monaco at
home, and
most
people
have got
access to
a TV, or
can find a
TV. So,
you know,
really,
it's just
finding a
way to
enjoy life
experiences,
isn't it,
but you
have to
choose
those life
experiences,
and you
have to
decide
what
matters to
you,
because
again,
what you
do, what
you
experience,
doesn't
matter to
anyone
else.
Mark Ackers: So
I really
enjoyed
that sort
of passage
of
conversation.
We just
had feel
like we
didn't get
the
Howler.
Let's talk
about,
look, you
run events
business,
right?
That must
just come
with so
many
opportunities
to muck up
right
events.
Tell us a
couple of
stories.
Well,
there
James Ski: is
one, and
you, you
were
there. So
the very
first SAS
growth
conference
we did at
the
Olympic
Park, I
didn't
think
you'd tell
this
story.
This is
really
funny.
I've got
to and the
stress of
putting on
an event
is insane.
There are
so many
moving
parts, the
speakers,
the
attendees,
the
sponsors,
the venue,
the food,
the
logistics,
it is an
incredible
amount to
manage.
And you
know, at.
This
particular
event, we
had an AV
set up,
managing
the the
site and
the
presentations
for the
speakers,
and just
as I was
walking on
stage to
open up
the event,
everyone
in the
audience
started
laughing
hysterically,
and I
didn't
know why,
but what I
didn't
realize is
that the
AV guy's
laptop
that was
connected
to the big
screen,
his Porn
was coming
up on the
screen
behind me.
And so
someone
points it
out to me
on the
stage. I
get
flustered.
Everyone
start, I'm
like, It's
not me.
And
everyone's
like, of
course,
it's your
porn. And,
you know,
so that
completely
broke the
ice for
that, that
event, and
that was,
you know,
it turned
out to be
very
funny, and
that was
quite an
interesting
moment.
You know,
I've had
events
where, you
know,
speakers
have not
turned up,
like I've
had events
where the
very, very
first
sales
confidence
event was
supposed
to be
held. And
I've got a
bug bear
at this.
So I'm
going to
say it was
supposed
to be held
at
LinkedIn
office in
London.
While I
was still
working at
LinkedIn
for
various
reasons,
politically,
24 hours
before the
event, I
was told
that I
wasn't
allowed to
go ahead,
and I had
100 people
coming,
and I had
no venue,
so I had
to call
round and
hustle,
and I
found a
venue down
the road.
So I had
to inform
everybody
that was
coming to
the
LinkedIn
HQ in
London to
go London
to go to
this other
venue.
Anyway, we
got to
that
venue. And
the reason
why it was
available
24 hours,
with 24
hours
notice, is
there was
a
pneumatic
drilling
going
outside.
So if you
watch the
very first
sales,
confidence
events
event on
YouTube,
all you
hear is
drilling
over the
speakers,
you know.
So I've
had
examples
of really
bad food.
Take the
COVID. I
put 25,000
pounds
deposit on
1000
person
venue.
COVID hit
I lost my
deposit.
You know,
there is
been
absolute
hell at
times. And
you know,
people
come in
like, I
don't
know, or
late, or
they on
the day,
like, Oh,
can I sort
out my
mate? And
I don't
realize I
have 1000
things to
do, and
they turn
up, and it
all looks
great.
And, you
know, the
experience
is great.
And, you
know,
genuine, I
have been
fortunate.
I think I
was
talking
about this
with
someone
today,
actually,
on the
call. I
really
care about
people and
people
having a
great
experience,
and I
think that
is what
resonates
and why
people
have
enjoyed
the events
over the
years.
Because,
you know,
they get
to know
me. I like
to have,
you know,
good time.
I have a
lot of
bands, a
few jibes
on stage,
but
ultimately,
I do want
you to
feel great
about
being in
that
environment.
But you
know, a
lot of
things
have to be
in place
to make
that
experience
good.
Mark Ackers: I
can
imagine.
And I
mean,
obviously
some some
horror
stories
there, but
it feels
like,
understandably,
we can
look back
and laugh
now, but
yeah, I
remember
you
walking up
on stage,
and I
remember
you
saying,
it's not
mine, it's
my
friends.
This
pornography
coming up
on the
screen.
And what I
remember
more than
anything
else, is
several
hours
later,
we're in
that bar
four
quarters,
and I
can't
remember
who
started
the chant.
Wasn't me
guilty of
just James
ski, his
mate likes
porno.
Just
everybody's
singing.
James ski,
his mate
likes
Paulo.
James Ski: Do
you
remember
all the
champagne
left over
and we
ended up
spraying
it
outside,
like that
was so
funny that
night.
Yeah,
Mark Ackers: that
was
honestly,
such a
good
event,
such a
good
night. And
you're
right,
like, that
was
obviously
a horror
story,
really,
but you
know, it's
not, it
broke the
ice. It
was really
funny. It
was really
memorable,
and you've
got what's
really
important,
a funny
story for
life out
of it,
like you
stood at
the event
with
however
many
hundreds
of people
porn spa
in the
background,
and you're
trying to
say it's
not yours.
Everyone
thinks it
is. Most
organizations
equip
their
sellers
with all
the
technology
they need
to be
successful.
Technology
that
trebles
the amount
of emails
they can
send,
quadruples
the amount
of dials
they can
make,
technology
that
enables
you to see
accounts
that you
should
prospect
into,
phone
numbers at
your
fingertips.
Technology
to make a
sales rep
more
efficient
with their
time.
Here's the
missing
piece,
actually
making
your
sellers
better at
selling
better at
their
profession.
That's the
missing
piece. All
this
technology
is really
helpful in
speeding a
wrap up,
but none
of it
actually
helps the
seller get
better at
their
profession.
That's
what my
sales
coach
does. We
work with
the
individuals
in your
team and
you as
their
leader to
help them
become the
best
versions
of
themselves.
We have
coaches
that work
with
sellers
tactically,
from
outbounding,
Discovery
calls,
demos,
negotiation,
closing,
you name
it, and
mentally
impostor
syndrome,
anxiety,
stress and
weight of
targets.
Our
coaches
have been
there and
done it
and had
success in
those
roles,
obviously
by now.
Get your
sales
confidence.
You have
met so
many sales
leaders
and pros.
Um, there
must have
been a
number of
times and
you talk
about
people
just
messaging
you and
asking for
help, etc.
But there
must be a
number of
times that
people
come to
you with
problems
and
situations
that they
need help
with. Take
me through
some of
the like
the
memorable
things
that sales
leaders
have come
to you
with
problems
and
needing
help,
yeah.
James Ski: I
mean, it's
been
interesting.
I think,
you know,
reputationally
And
arguably,
you know,
I'm
probably
one of the
most
connected
to sales
leaders in
the UK.
And I
think in
recent
years,
particularly
after the
tech boom,
post
COVID. You
know, when
every
digitalization
got
accelerated,
everything
in SaaS
was
booming.
You know,
sales
leaders
were
winning.
Was great.
And then
obviously
we had the
crash and
the
redundancies
and the
cuts and,
you know,
the drive
from VCs
to
efficiency
and
profit.
Hello,
like, you
know,
business
has got to
be
profitable.
And
really,
you know,
a lot of
VPs and
sales
leaders
lost their
jobs. A
lot of
people
considered
like
fractional
and
flexible
working.
There's a
lot more
of that
now
available.
But you
know, when
you've got
high
outgoings
and you're
used to
high
income,
you need
to find
your way.
So I think
you know,
particularly
the last
1218,
months, a
lot of
sales
leaders
have
reached
out. You
know,
they've
not been
in work
for six
months,
and it's
really
getting to
them, and
they lose
their
confidence,
you know,
they're
struggling
to
understand
how
they're
not
valuable
to
someone.
Their
imposter
syndrome
starts to
increase,
and they
think,
well,
maybe I'm
not right
for this.
Maybe
sales
isn't a
career for
me, and
I've
noticed a
lot of
that in
2024 and
the back
end of
2023
particularly.
And so for
me, I
would like
to think
of myself
as like a
confidence
boosting
mirror. If
you talk
to me,
you've got
a problem,
or you
don't
think
you're
doing well
right now,
you're not
good
enough. I
just want
to point
out all
the great
things
about you,
to remind
you that
you're
fantastic
at what
you do,
you're
going to
be
successful.
You will
figure it
out, and
you will
get there.
I'll give
you a
prime
example.
Like, you
know,
we're
doing
this. We
offer at
sales
confidence
2.0 I'm
kind of
coining it
right now.
We help
companies
hire
salespeople,
and we
help
salespeople
get jobs.
And I had
a guy on
an
assessment
day the
other day
for
graduates.
He was for
looking
for an SDR
role. He
was 35 and
he wanted
an SDR
role. And
afterwards,
I said,
Listen, we
need to
talk like,
what's
your
situation?
Give me
the
background.
And he
gave me
the
background.
He had
some
challenges,
life,
family,
business.
And he
said, You
know, I
transitioned.
I've kept
doing
these SDR
roles.
Every time
I've got
an SDR
job, they
keep
telling
me, I'm
gonna
become an
AE. I've
led teams
in the
past, but
it's not
happening.
I said, So
what are
you
applying
for right
now? I
said, I'm
applying
for more
SDR jobs.
I said,
No, you're
an AE. In
fact,
you're a
leader.
But you
know, if
you're not
quite
comfortable
and ready
to go back
to
leadership,
like,
focus on
an age of
and he's
like, God,
you're so
right.
What am I
doing? And
sometimes
just, you
know,
people
need that
little
confidence
boost or
little bit
of a
reminder
that
you're
good. And
I have
experienced
it where I
just,
especially
when I'm
depressed,
like, I
just
forget
what I've
achieved
and what
I've what
I'm good
at. And,
you know,
you
wallow,
don't you,
and you
just then
stop
putting
yourself
out there.
So yeah,
that's,
that's
kind of
anecdotally,
some of
the things
I've seen
in the
last 1218,
months.
Mark Ackers: And
it's nice
that you
take the
time to
help
people, if
I may.
Maybe it
comes from
a place of
that's the
help you
wanted to
have early
on in your
career.
Completely.
What about
yourself
now,
though,
like,
obviously,
you're a
founder of
your own
business?
Well,
mobile
business.
We go back
to that
intro that
was bloody
hard work
to get
through.
Yeah. Who
do you
turn to?
Obviously,
mentioned
Simon
Squibb,
but I'm
guessing
he's not
someone
you
couldn't
contact.
Regular,
sure.
Yeah. So
who, who
do you
turn to
for help?
Because
it's quite
a lonely
place
being a
founder.
Yeah,
James Ski: it
is. It's
an
interesting
one. Do
you know
what I've
struggled
with that?
I actually
have a
list of I
call it my
dream 20.
It's a
list of
what I
consider
the most
interesting,
successful
entrepreneurs
on the
planet.
I've
actually
met half
of them,
pretty
cool.
Like, you
know, I've
got photos
with them,
and I've
interacted
with them,
and I want
to
eventually
meet all
of them,
and I go
on their
courses, I
read their
books.
Like, it's
a good
question.
I mean, to
be honest,
I have to
well admit
I'll call
out. I'll
call out.
You know,
your co
founder,
Kevin,
like he,
over the
years, has
been
someone it
doesn't
matter if
I'm doing
well or
I'm not, I
can just
chat to
him and he
he will
just hear
me out.
And so I
think I've
built out
a group of
people
who, at
any time,
I can just
call them,
and it
doesn't
matter if
it's good,
it doesn't
matter if
it's bad,
they're
just
giving me
that time.
So I think
I've built
like I
wouldn't
say it's
one
particular
person. I
would say
it's a
group of
individuals
who know
me, know
my
history,
know my
challenges,
with my.
Mental
Health.
And, you
know, it's
really
nice,
actually.
They're
just happy
to hear me
out and
just happy
to say,
well, you
know, take
your time,
think it
over. And
so, yeah,
it's a
group of
individuals
that I've
got to
know over
the years
who I'm
comfortable
sharing my
challenges
with, as
well as
some very
close
mates that
I'm happy
to talk
to. So
let's talk
Mark Ackers: about
this list.
You say
you got 20
people on
there.
This feels
like
another
social
selling
index
thing,
where for
you, you
want to
achieve
it. You
want to
take it
all off.
You've met
half.
Who's if I
said that
you can
only meet
one more
person on
that list.
Who is it?
It's
James Ski: Jamie
Foxx. So
he's an
actor,
rapper,
musician
in the US,
and he his
story is,
he talks
about, I
think it
was la
that he
moved to,
and the
way he
ended up
getting
on, like
Kanye West
albums and
certain
collaborations,
he
basically
used to
throw
parties.
So he
became the
party guy.
So
obviously,
being the
party guy.
Everyone
wanted to
go to his
party. And
when he
was at the
party, or
he would
host the
party, had
a studio
like this
in his
house, and
he'd say
to Kanye
West and
other
people,
Hey, do
you want
to, do you
want to
drop some
beats? Do
you want
some raps?
And they
would come
into his
studio,
and then
he would
gift them
some lyric
or gift
them some
track that
he's built
on. So I
just think
he is
like, this
is nothing
to do with
sales,
really, or
nothing. I
mean, he's
a very
successful
businessman
as well,
but I just
like his
approach
to how
he's built
his life.
And when
you read
about it,
like it is
really
about
being the
host. And
I've done
that with
sales
confidence.
I've been
the host.
So people
have come
to me.
Come to
your
house.
Yeah,
people
come to my
house.
Now, I
want
people to
come
there,
share
their
stories,
share
their
challenges,
connect me
to
opportunity,
feel
welcome,
so that I
can build
that
network.
So I think
it would
just be,
he is
probably
my
celebrity
crush,
like in
that
world, and
I find him
hilarious.
I think
he's super
switched
on it. I
think he's
quite a
good actor
as well.
But yeah,
I think
just the
way he's,
you know,
created
his brand,
and how
he's built
his
lifestyle
and
business,
I really
like so
Mark Ackers: what
a great
answer.
Obviously,
I was
expected
to be
someone. I
say, well,
let's give
a shout
out. Let's
tag him.
You never
know. But
obviously,
that's,
that's
quite
different.
Jamie Fox,
I've got
one
similar,
you know,
um Arnold
Schwarzenegger,
James Ski: good
show.
Mark Ackers: Do
you know
what I
mean?
Conquered
bodybuilding,
it's been
the army.
Conquered
movies,
conquered
politics.
His book,
the best
autobiography
title
ever,
yeah, best
autobiography
title.
Total
Recall.
What a
great
title. I
James Ski: just
think, you
know, he
is such a
great
example of
discipline
are 100%
and also,
if you
have a
goal, go
and get it
and you
can
achieve
it. Like,
actually,
my hair's
going on.
And just
thinking
of what
he's
achieved
in his
lifetime,
you know,
I'm sure
if he
really
wanted, he
could have
become
president,
like, you
know,
without a
doubt,
right? You
know, even
his wife,
I can't
remember
the exact
story, but
he married
into a
political
family,
you know,
I don't
think he's
with her
anymore,
but, you
know, like
it is, it
is, like,
how you
make
choices,
how you
navigate
life, like
it is all
possible,
right, if
you put
yourself
in the
right
places,
you know.
So he's a
great song
and, you
know, and
people are
gonna, you
know,
probably
switch off
at this
point. But
I actually
rate
Donald
Trump for
what he's
able to
achieve,
like like
him,
loathe
him, hate
him. You
know that
is a guy
that sets
his mind
on
something
and
literally
goes for
it.
Regardless
Mark Ackers: what
you think
of him, he
has
captivated
enough
people to
vote him
into the
White
House, and
he's going
to do it
again. So
yeah,
regardless
what you
think of
him, what
he's
achieved
is that
branding.
But with
Arnold
Torsten,
it's kind
of just
remind me
what you
said.
Like, if
you think
about the
levels in
the games,
complete
the army,
put it
down.
Completed
body
building
put it
down.
Completed
movies put
it down.
Politics
put it
down. You
know, just
like that,
constantly
reinvent
himself
and going
after
after new
things.
It's all
about
people
inspire
us. So at
your
events,
you always
have,
like,
three,
four
speakers.
How many
events you
reckon you
run? I
mean,
yeah,
hundreds.
A lot.
We're
talking
like close
to 1000
speakers.
I've spoke
up,
certainly
one of
yours.
Like, five
years ago,
the cold
calling
one, yes,
I think I
did a
second
one,
didn't I?
Yeah, I
spoke the
STR survey
recently,
yeah, six
months
ago. So I
spoke a
couple of
yours. But
when you
look back,
and this
is hard,
because
you've
obviously
had like
1000
speakers
who
inspired
you the
most, Oh,
wow.
James Ski: There's
been some
amazing
stories,
you know,
that I've
heard over
the years,
and often
the most
inspiring
ones have
been SDRs.
I've loved
seeing
SDRs get
up on
stage, you
know,
limited
experience,
but loads
of energy,
you know.
So there's
a guy
called
James Hall
that runs
snowflake.
He had to
have his
leg
amputated
because he
got cancer
Christ.
And you
know, he I
actually
worked
with him
at huddle
back in
the day.
And he. Is
a
phenomenally
grounded,
successful,
repeatably
successful
sales
leader.
And like,
I think
his talk
about the
snowflake
journey, I
think he
said,
Don't
quote me
on this.
It would
be on
YouTube.
But I
think he
said,
like, his
ARR target
for a mere
for
snowflake
was 1
billion, a
billion
dollars.
Like, you
know, it
is insane,
like,
those
numbers.
So, like,
his story
was
pretty,
pretty
incredible.
But you
know what
Shelly
Lavery,
she, yeah,
she's the
co founder
of Jiminy.
I think
she was a
drama
school
girl or an
actress,
but she
did a
really
good
performance
about,
like, you
know, the
importance
of
confidence
and
believing
yourself
and like
that. That
was a
really
good talk.
Like pre
COVID. I
was there
for that.
Well,
yeah, the
Andes
hotel,
Mark Ackers: yeah,
I really
like
Shelly.
Shelly,
you should
come on
this
podcast
we're
trying to
sort out,
James Ski: yeah,
definitely
get Shelly
on. She's,
she's
amazing.
Her
husband,
Tom, she
runs Jim.
We need to
go. Really
great
couple.
The third
person. Do
you know
what I've
seen him
today, so
let's give
him a
shout at
Tom,
Boston.
Yeah, so
pre COVID,
he came on
and did a
piece
around
personal
branding
and the
power of
video when
he was
early in
his career
at sales
loft. And
you know
what? I
think Tom
has grown
into his
role. Do
you know
what I
mean, like
he now
just seems
like the
comedian
the
character.
And I
think he's
had that,
I actually
think he's
had to
work on
that, that
I don't
think it's
supernatural
for him
when you
spend time
with him
one to
one. And
so I think
he's a
good
example
of, do you
know he's
put
himself
out there,
consistently
and
continuously,
and ended
up
building a
phenomenal
brand for
himself.
And you
know, like
he's just
very
funny. So
yeah, he
would be
my third
so, so
those are
my three.
James
Hall,
currently
at
snowflake,
Shelly,
Lavery,
Jiminy and
thirdly,
Tom
Boston.
Mark Ackers: Great
listing.
Is the key
to being a
good event
speaker.
James Ski: Great
question,
actually,
because a
lot of
people get
it wrong,
being
succinct,
not
pitching
yourself,
or
throwing
up your
background.
No one
cares if
you're on
my stage
at sales
confidence,
you're
there on
merit.
Trust me,
like I
speak to a
lot of
people
that want
to be on
sales
confidence
stages, I
don't let
people on
there, so
you have
to you are
already
there on
merit. So
just
deliver
value.
Also it's
entertainment.
I think
people
sometimes
forget
that it's
not just
about
getting up
there,
delivering
facts or
achievements
or
milestones.
It's about
entertaining
an
audience
that's got
a listen
for you
for seven
minutes,
because
that's the
time we
give
people. So
I think,
you know,
having
that
succinct,
well
structured
talk where
you can
entertain
people,
make them
feel
something.
So I kind
of had
this
framework
of, think,
feel, act,
make the
audience
think
about
something,
make them
feel it,
so they
actually
feel
something,
and then
get them
to go and
act. If
they go
and act on
the advice
or lessons
that
you've
given
them,
you've had
impact on
someone's
life, if
they just
think
about it,
it's
great.
Yeah, you
could do a
good talk.
You
haven't
impacted
them
because
they go
and take
action the
next day
or that
evening
based on
what
you've
said.
You're a
great
speaker,
Mark Ackers: and
without
knowing
whoever
you're
about to
think of,
talk to me
about the
biggest
sort of
car crash
you've
seen on
stage, and
how can it
be
avoided? I
don't
James Ski: want
to swear,
but very
dry, very
like
boring.
You know,
had 100
slides.
Was
looking
down for
the whole
talk was
behind the
whatever
the
staging
area was
really
didn't
excite,
didn't
energize,
didn't
engage. It
was pretty
pathetic,
to be
honest.
And I
think it's
disappointing
when
someone
has such a
high
profile
and they
can't get
up and
communicate
in a way
that gets
people to
think,
feel and
act that
Mark Ackers: feels
more like
that's
just who
they are,
though it
doesn't
feel like
they're
saying you
can avoid
James Ski: I
don't
know, it's
a hard
question.
I mean, I
was Nia
was
talking to
me earlier
about, you
know,
traits of
salespeople.
I believe
everybody
can train
to be more
likable. I
do. I
think
there are
just ways
of being,
and I
think you
can
therefore
practice
to be an
entertaining
or
interesting
speaker or
turn your
story into
something
that you
know
resonates
with
people. I
think it
takes
practice,
and I just
don't
think that
particular
person has
got enough
self
awareness
to realize
that
they're
not very
Mark Ackers: good
at it.
What are
some of
the things
you can do
then to
become
more
likable.
So
likeability
James Ski: is
making or
helping
people
feel good
around
you,
right? So
complimenting
someone on
something
they've
just done
for you,
or showing
gratitude
to someone
warms you
to that
other
person,
they feel
good that
you've
done
something
for them.
Well.
Prioritizing
someone's
needs
before you
being
light
hearted.
You know,
not being
so
serious,
not
getting
down to
business
straight
away. You
know,
being
relaxed
around
someone,
making
someone
feel
comfortable.
The best
analogy
is,
everyone,
I hope,
has got
someone
you know,
when you
go into an
old
person's
home, or,
you know,
your
grands,
and they
offer you
a cup of
tea, and
they chat
about your
day, and
they want
to know
how work
is, and
they just,
there's
like a
softness
to them,
you know,
they're
not hard,
they're
just
loving,
polite and
friendly
and
likable.
So like,
if you can
create
that
warmth
with
people.
People
will think
you're
more
likable.
Mark Ackers: And
may I just
take this
time say
thank you
for coming
into the
office.
You're
doing a
very good
job. Can I
get you
another
beer
anytime?
Let's talk
about,
like, the
mental
side of
sales. And
you have
spoke
about a
lot
already,
which is,
which is
great. I
love how
open,
honest you
are about
so many
people
would not
share what
you've
shared,
and it's
okay not
to, by the
way,
because
it's a lot
totally,
Oh,
absolutely.
But talk
to me
about
sales. You
know, like
a mental
I've like,
sales is
obviously
taxing.
It's
anxiety
inducing,
it's
pressure
filled,
and even
more so
when you
run your
own
business,
just walk
me
through,
and it
feels like
you've had
a lot of
experience
in terms
of, like,
education
and help
from
people.
Like, what
do you do
to manage
some of
the
tension
that this
profession
brings to
you?
James Ski: For
me
personally,
you know,
and a lot
of these
are common
commonalities
or cliche
obvious,
like, you
know,
exercise
is a big
deal for
me. I do
try and
run three,
four times
a week.
And now
back on
the river,
rowing in
a rowing
boat,
which is a
lot of
fun. I go
to the
gym. So
that's
really
important.
Sleep is
absolutely
critical.
Consistency
on sleep
is super,
super
important.
Getting
what you
need, but
just
getting
enough of
it on a
consistent
basis, is
really
important,
also not
being
super
attached
to the
outcome.
If the
discovery
call
doesn't go
well, so
what if
you don't
close the
deal? So
what? Like
you know
your boss
is telling
you need
to get a
deal done
by this
time. If
it doesn't
happen. It
doesn't
happen
like I had
this
thing. I
had my
first son
when I was
only 24
which was
reasonably
young, and
I remember
some of my
managers
used to
email me.
This was
before
slack,
urgent
call me
back, or
urgent you
need to
go. No,
nothing's
urgent in
business,
what's
urgent is
if my the
mother or
my
children
calls me
and my
son's
injured
and He's
in
hospital,
that's an
urgent,
that's
emergency,
really, in
business,
there's no
there's
nothing
urgent, if
I'm
honest,
like it's
important
and you
can get to
it, but
it's not
urgent. So
I hate
that kind
of use of
language
around
people.
And I
think, you
know,
it's, it's
not being
attached
to the
outcome.
Yes,
striving
for it.
Yes, put
the work
in. If
you're not
someone
that
doesn't
put the
work in,
that's not
good
enough.
But like,
if it
doesn't
happen, it
doesn't
happen,
like, just
let go,
move on,
move to
the next
one, on to
the next.
So I think
you know
your
mindset
and how
you kind
of, you
know, look
at things,
is really
important,
and you
know what?
It
actually
is funny
enough for
all the
content I
put out
and the
personal
stuff,
which I
think
people
have
different
versions
of me or
seen
different
versions
of me,
I've read
or
listened
to
different
versions
of me. I
actually,
I get very
few people
that are
like, I'm
struggling
in my
number
and, you
know,
because
you've
done the
survey and
we've done
the
reports,
most
salespeople
are not
hitting
their
number,
but I
don't
think
they're
dealing
with it. I
honestly,
I think
there's a
crisis in
sales, if
I have to
say that
out loud
right now,
where
there is
an
epidemic
of
salespeople
not
hitting
target,
and they
don't know
what to
do, and
they don't
know who
to turn
to, and
they don't
know how
to talk
about and
so they're
not. It's
just being
ignored
because
most sales
people are
not
hitting
their
targets.
So I don't
know where
they're
going,
because
they're
not coming
to me,
either as
much as I
thought
they
would, or
at least
if they're
coming to
me,
they're
not really
sharing
what's
going on.
So yeah, I
think, you
know,
there's a
lot of
people
trying to
cope with
this
themselves,
and you
know, you
need to do
some of
the things
I've
talked
about.
That's how
I do it.
Also, I
have a
well being
team
around me.
I talk
about this
in my
book, How
To Build
sales
confidence.
So I have
a
psychologist,
I have a
psychiatrist,
I have a
personal
coach. I
have a
coach. You
know, all
of these
people,
plus some
key family
members
and
friends,
know
what's
going on
in my
world. Can
give me
updates.
Can share
with me
that I
might be
getting
ahead of
myself, or
I don't
seem quite
right, or
I'm
behaving
differently,
and that
just means
that I can
monitor
myself and
stay as
well as
possible.
It feels
Mark Ackers: like
you really
have just
built a
great team
around you
to help
you and.
Most
people
don't have
that
luxury,
like you
say, and
they don't
know who
to talk
to, don't
want to
some
people
probably
don't even
identify
that.
They've
got these
problems.
That's
true. What
are the
warning
signs if
you're an
individual
to look
for? I've
James Ski: never
quite
experienced,
but I
understand
the
concept of
it, you
know,
like, I
think they
call it
Monday
blues, you
know, if
you're
really on
a Sunday,
getting
anxious
about
Monday
morning,
sitting
down in
the sales
meeting or
getting on
the sales
call, and
you are,
you know,
your heart
beats
racing,
you're
stressed,
like
you're
distracted.
Your
family's
not
getting
their
attention,
or your
partner's
not
getting
your
attention.
Because
you're
stressed
about
Monday
there's a
problem.
You need
to speak
to
someone.
You need
to a
professional.
So I think
if you're
anxious,
waking up
in the
morning,
going into
work, if
you can't
turn your
laptop
off, you
know,
especially
with so
many
people
that
hybrid now
work from
home, like
they're on
their
laptop
till eight
o'clock,
nine
o'clock at
night, you
don't have
to do
that, but
you feel
like you
need to. I
think
you've got
a problem.
I think if
you are,
you know,
abusing
alcohol,
drugs,
other
things,
you've got
a problem.
If you
are, you
know,
afraid to
be honest
about your
pipeline
to your
manager,
you've got
a problem.
So I think
there's a
there's
number of
things
that you
need to
become
aware of.
And if
you, you
know
experience
that you
you need
to speak
to a
professional,
and then
you need
to start
thinking
about, you
know, are
you in the
right
company?
Have you
got the
right
manager?
Like,
where can
you get a
system?
And this
is why,
you know,
I know
you're
not, it's
not really
the
female,
but this
is why
having a
an outlet
of a coach
is
critical
because
they're a
third
party.
They're a
person
outside
your
organization
that's not
going to
hold
judgment,
not going
to take it
to HR, not
going to
bring it
up if
you're not
ready to
bring it
up. And
it's
amazing
what can
happen in
those
sessions
where
someone
can just
open up
about
their
challenges
and get
honest
feedback,
direction
and
signposting
to maybe
other
expertise
or
thoughts
or people
that
Mark Ackers: can
help them.
Where do
you think
you'd be
if you'd
never had
access to
external
support
and
coaches?
James Ski: Probably
be in
hospital,
you know,
like, if
I, if I
didn't
invest in
my well
being
team, if I
didn't
invest in
coaching,
if I
didn't,
you know,
look after
myself.
It's quite
extreme to
say this,
but I
could have
been
institutionalized
into the
point
where I
know,
because
I've met
them,
where you
just don't
leave
hospital,
you're
just in
it. That
is where
you live
like and
that is
scary. And
you know,
I could
have lost
my
businesses.
I could
have lost
relationships
if I
didn't
invest in
myself.
Because,
you know,
some of my
behaviors
that that
led to my
hospital
admissions
were, you
know, not
healthy.
So, you
know, it
can, it
can cause
a lot of
problems.
And
Mark Ackers: like
you say,
that's why
having
someone
external,
no
judgment,
safe space
in sales
and
personally,
as well,
completely.
Yeah, you
shared
some of
the things
that you
you do.
How much
exercise
do you
get? A
week
James Ski: physical
exercise,
probably
four or
five
hours.
Mark Ackers: How
much sleep
do you
get?
James Ski: Probably
8989,
Mark Ackers: that's
good.
Yeah,
that's
good for a
man with
three
James Ski: kids.
Oh, well,
I don't
live with
my kids.
You know,
when I've
got them,
it's
probably
less, but
yeah,
generally,
eight,
nine
hours.
Mark Ackers: If
you're a
manager,
what are
the
telltale
signs that
someone in
your team
might be
mentally
struggling?
Avoidance.
James Ski: They're
avoiding
honest
answers or
what's
going on.
They're
not
telling
you about
home life.
They're
not
sharing
what's
happening
outside of
work.
They're
avoidant.
That is a
real
telltale
sign that
someone's
struggling.
I think,
you know,
you have,
I don't
know,
opportunities
to come,
bring
people
together
in the
office,
and you
invite
them over
to hang
out, they
don't
come, you
know.
Lola, I
need to
finish
this. I'm
busy. I'm
busy.
There's
something
going on.
You know,
they're
struggling.
They're
they, they
are not
responsive
as quickly
as your
other team
members on
Slack or
other
things, or
usually
it's a
change. So
if
someone's
super
responsive
all the
time, and
you've
known them
for six
months and
now
they're
not,
something's
going on,
if
someone's
typically
slow, but
now
they're
responding
really,
really
quickly
something's
going on.
It's some
kind of
change
that's
happened
where you
need to
stop and
pause,
take
notice,
and you
need to,
you know,
delicately
address it
and bring
it up with
them.
Let's
Mark Ackers: move
on now to
confidence,
which you
know is
something
that you
obviously
spoke
about as
well, and
that has
led to
you.
Hello,
sounds
confidence.
So those
that are
listening
won't see,
but I've
got a copy
of James's
book in
hand. This
is
actually
the one
that you
gifted to
Nia.
Mine's at
home. I
had to buy
mine. Nia
got hers
for free.
Yeah.
James Ski: What
do you
think she
got
signed.
She
Mark Ackers: got
signed as
well. She
devalued
it. Talk
to me
about
right? How
did you
write this
book? How
did it
come
about? I
James Ski: have
a few
books in
me that
I'm
excited
about
writing. I
really
want to
tell the
story on
my bipolar
journey,
but I want
to tell it
in the
right time
again,
probably
the ego. I
want to
achieve a
certain
amount
before I
tell that
story,
right? So
I want to,
I don't
want to be
judged on
it. I
don't want
to reveal
some of
the, the
bizarre
adventures
I've been
on, as I
like to
call them.
So this
book
really was
in the
making for
a long,
long time,
and then I
just
committed
to that
goal. And
I said,
I'm going
to write
this book.
And I, you
know, had
help. I
had
someone
help me
write it,
and it was
really
important
for me to
own sales
confidence
globally.
Like that
concept
that sales
confidence
is a
philosophy,
a way of
showing up
to work, a
way of
approaching
your
lifestyle
and the
pillars of
sales
confidence,
or how to
build
sales
confidence
as the
book is
called a
split
between
your
mindset,
your well
being and
performance.
Most books
talk about
sales
tactics,
how to
cold call,
how to
write
emails,
how to
medic. You
know, I
can't
stand
medic.
This is
going to
go down
well, you
know, it's
just like
it's so
rigid,
it's so
robotic,
it's so
on, people
friendly,
right? But
I get it.
It has a
framework.
It works.
And, you
know, I
know the
medic guys
and girls
love it,
but it's
not that's
not my
vibe. I'm
a, I'm a,
genuinely,
I'm fluid.
I'm a bit
of a
maverick.
So, so
firstly, a
lot of
books talk
about
performance,
really,
this book
focuses,
and it
probably
could have
just been
on
mindset,
but it
really
focuses on
mindset
and well
being. And
mindset
really
talks
about
things
like
gratitude.
You know,
it took me
till my
30s, and
still, I
started
being
grateful
for where
I've been
and what
I've got
in my
life. You
should be
practicing
that every
day. It
talks
about
manifest
manifestation,
affirmations
and
visualization,
like, how
can you
create an
image so
that
you're
motivated
every
single day
to show up
to your
your job.
It talks
about
healthy
eating.
You know
how many
sales
books
talks
about
eating and
lifestyle?
It talks
about
having a
well being
team. For
me, these
are all,
like,
important
life kind
of focuses
and so,
like,
that's
what I'm
proud
about in
this book.
And I'll
be honest,
this is
the irony.
There were
points
writing
this where
I really
questioned
myself,
like, why
am I doing
this? I
don't have
anything
to share.
I don't
have any
value to
add to
anyone. No
one's
going to
want to
read it,
and it was
really
difficult
to
actually
publish
it. Like I
that book.
It took me
about nine
months to
actually
publish
it. It was
finished.
I just
couldn't
do it. I
was just
like, No,
no one's
gonna want
to do
this. And
God
forbid,
someone
reads it
and thinks
it's crap,
you know.
And then
we're on a
podcast
talking
about
that,
like, so,
you know?
And then
again,
what
happened?
Eventually,
I was
like, I
don't
care. I
just feel
good that
I've
written a
book. And
do you
know what?
Who? It
matters to
me. It
matters to
me, and
I'm happy
with it
now. Do I
have a
goal on
how many
of books I
want to
sell?
Yeah, is
it a money
spinner?
No, for
anyone who
wants to
is not a
money
spinner.
But do I
have in
the game a
goal on
how many I
want to
sell?
Yeah, 100%
you know.
Do I love
it like
you just
put out? I
didn't
know you
had it
like did I
feel good
when I saw
you bring
out? Yeah?
Absolutely.
I was on a
zoom call
the other
day
speaking
to a CRO
and he
literally
just waved
it at me.
I didn't
know he
bought it.
And I love
that. So I
think, you
know, it's
a really
quite cool
milestone
in your
career to
be able to
publish a
book. And
like I
said, I
have a
goal on
how many
I'd like
to sell.
If I do, I
don't, it
doesn't
really
matter. I
just
enjoyed
the
process.
What's the
goal?
10,000
copies.
How
Mark Ackers: many
sold? Over
100 Okay,
and where
can people
buy it
from? So
James Ski: it's
available
on Amazon,
and you
can get it
on Kindle.
I think
you can
get it on
Kindle
from 99
pence. So
there's no
excuse if
you're
listening
right now,
grab a
copy. I'll
tell you
what, if
you are
listening,
and you
grab a
copy and
you linked
in me with
a photo of
your book,
I will
jump on
the phone
with you.
Mark Ackers: That's
an offer,
right
there. See
BEC is
grabbing
her phone.
Oh, there.
She's
ordering a
copy right
now, I was
going to
ask, like,
how many
times you
need to
quit
writing
this book?
Because
it's hard,
isn't it?
Well,
you've
done it,
yeah, but
I suppose
I had two
other
people to
push. And
true, this
is just,
this could
have gone
away, and
no one
would ever
known
about
James Ski: it.
That's
true. And
that,
again, it
comes back
to that.
You know,
no one
cares.
Like, no
one told
me to
write that
book. No
one said,
James, you
should
write a
book.
Like, no
one said,
like, I
have to
sell
10,000
companies.
These are
just my
aspirations,
my goals,
right? So
you're
right.
Like, and
I think
that's a
lot in
life.
Like, and
that's
sometimes
the
accountability.
10,000 is
a huge
Mark Ackers: number.
I actually
don't know
what the
average is
for a book
that's
sold.
Where did
that come
from? The
James Ski: number?
Yeah, if
I'm
honest,
and I
spoke to
someone
about this
earlier
today,
actually
the. Is
really
going to
play up
and what
people
think
about me
on
LinkedIn
and my
ego, but I
honestly
believe
that I
have a
huge
amount of
credibility
and a
story that
is
completely
unique.
How many
people
have you
read about
or
listened
to that
have spent
200 nights
in a
mental
health
hospital,
seven
different
mental
health
hospitals?
You know,
I've
raised a
family,
I've had a
successful
sales
career,
been in
business,
and
continue
to strive
and
produce a
book,
right? Not
many, and
I can tell
you why,
because
I've been
trying to
find
someone
like me
that has a
diagnosis
of a
bipolar
and has
been able
to achieve
what I've
achieved.
And I'm
not saying
behind
closed
doors, in
families.
There's
not a lot
of people
out there
that have
it. Of
course,
there is,
right? I
love
meeting
them. So
for me, I
feel like
my story
is unique
and I have
a lot of
value to
share. I
would like
my story
to reach
millions
of people
around the
world.
And, you
know,
there's
something
like, I
don't
know,
changes a
lot,
correct?
Me, it's
like 8
billion
people on
the
planet.
There's a
billion
people on
LinkedIn.
I've only
got 35,000
connections.
Well, how
can I not
get 10,000
people to,
you know,
read my
book? So
that's
kind of my
logic to
it.
Mark Ackers: I
think the
thing
that's
difficult,
right? Is,
how do you
make
people
care? You
share your
story
there. I'm
sat here
because
I'm
listening
to you,
thinking,
wow. But
actually,
how do you
make
people
care?
James Ski: Well,
okay, so
here's
another
thing I
actually
also
think, and
I can't
quite
quantify
this, but
I also
think
people
hear my
story and
go fucking
out.
That's a
lot.
That's a
bit much.
I actually
don't want
to dig
more into
that guy,
because
that's too
much. So I
also feel
like it's
kind of a
bit
Marmite,
where
people
feel like
they can't
relate to
me. So I
actually
think I'm
a bit
inaccessible
to a lot
of people
in that
basis. I
think
sometimes
they see
me on
LinkedIn,
doing the
videos, or
they hear
the story
about
bipolar,
or they
hear the
mental
health
hospital,
and I just
think,
God, I
just don't
get that.
Like I
don't get
that.
That's
just not
relatable.
But that
is me. I
only know
my story,
right,
which is
the same
for any
individual.
So I do
also think
I've got a
branding
challenge,
like, and
someone
actually
said it. I
was
interviewing
for a
brand,
personal
brand
manager
once never
went
through
it, and
she was
just like,
I just
don't
think
people
relate to
you. And I
was really
upset
about it.
I was
like, God,
but she's
probably
right, you
know,
like, I
just my my
story is
quite
extreme,
so my ego
thinks
everybody
could be
interested
and should
be
interested
in it, but
maybe
they're
not. But
how do you
get them
to do it?
It's just
marketing,
isn't it?
At the end
of the
day, you
know, I
don't know
what the
conversion
rates on
audiences
are
traffic,
but I need
to do
certain
level of
marketing
activities
over the
next five
years to
find to
reach
enough
people
that
10,000
people
want to
buy that
book. Now
what's
great is
because
this is
recorded,
we could
actually
watch back
on this
when I hit
that
target,
Mark Ackers: absolutely,
we'll do
that.
Click this
up. BEC,
um, you've
probably
mentioned
the word
ego more
than any
other word
sat with
me. I know
it's hard
to
quantify.
How, how
big do you
think your
ego is
massive?
James Ski: I'm
not even
actually
that
comfortable
talking
about it
on even
this
conversation,
considering
how public
I am. So
like, ski
is an
abbreviation
of my full
surname.
I'm half
polish.
Mark Ackers: Did
not know
that.
Yeah,
what's
your full
surname?
No, I'm
James Ski: not
gonna say
it. Okay,
I'll tell
you
afterwards.
But, you
know, so
like, it
is an
abbreviation.
It's not
what I was
born with.
Is
Mark Ackers: that
a branding
decision?
Exactly?
Yeah,
because
it's more
memorable.
Yeah,
didn't Wow
James Ski: when
I was at
uni, and I
used to
run
parties
Jamie
Foxx, and
this, this
girl came
up to me,
and I gave
her my
full name,
and she
was like,
No, I'm
just gonna
call you
ski. And
no one at
school
would ever
short my
name to
skin. I
was like,
That's
brilliant.
I like
that. And
then when
I started
my first
job and I
started to
say my
full name
on on the
phone, I
was like,
This is
too long.
I'm just
gonna go
with ski.
So every
time I
joined a
company, I
just went
by James
ski. So
it's just
stuck with
me, and it
is a
brand.
Now, I my
psychologist,
and I joke
she's
like, who
am I
talking to
today?
Ski.
James.
Ski. This
the
character.
It's the
showman.
It's the
guy that
people see
on stage.
Is the guy
people on
LinkedIn.
That is
not who I
am. It is
who I am.
Yes, it
is, but,
you know,
like
there's,
there's
other
parts to
me,
there's
other
parts to
my
personality
with my
kids or,
you know,
friendships
or
relationships
that I'm
in. And I
just know
having got
close to
certain
people
that I
also, you
know,
sometimes
they
struggle
and they
think,
God, you
know, can
you just
chill? I
just, it
doesn't
matter.
Like you
don't need
to show
off here.
You don't
need to do
that. And
so I guess
the reason
why I've
dropped it
a lot is
because I
think
people
assume a
lot about
me, and I
think they
don't
really
know me,
but I
think if
they get
to know
me, I
would like
to think,
you know,
I actually
am very
humble. I
am an I
would like
to
consider
myself a
good guy,
and. And I
like to be
there for
other
people.
I've had
my own
challenges.
I want to
support
people.
But I
think
there's a
perception
of me, of,
you know,
and this
is always
the fine
line
between
confidence
and
arrogance.
I think
there's a
perception
of me,
like he's
arrogant,
and, you
know, he's
got a
southern
swagger,
and, you
know, he
thinks
he's great
at this,
that and
the other,
and he's a
sales guy,
and I
don't like
sales
people,
and it's
just just
not I just
happened
to ended
up in and
I chose to
be in
sales as a
career.
And I
think, you
know, ego
for
everyone,
can help
you, but
it also
can hinder
you. And I
think mine
is a
constant
battle.
Mark Ackers: Well,
what I
realize
how
wherever
you are,
yeah,
because
people
have huge
egos, and
they don't
think
that's
true.
Who's got
the ego,
James ski
or the
real
James?
Who's last
time, I
don't
know,
probably
both.
Okay,
yeah, what
are your
parents or
your dad?
In
particular
thing that
you've
chopped
your name,
to be
James Ski: honest.
Like it
was funny
because my
grandfather,
who was a
business
guy from
from
Poland, he
ran big
textile
factories
before
Nazis
Germany
took over,
because
they took
over it
all. And
he
actually
thought it
was great.
He made
sense.
Logically.
My dad
wasn't
keen on
it.
Doesn't,
doesn't
really
like, like
the idea
of it. But
it's
interesting
now,
because my
kids
obviously
have my
real
surname
and, well,
my oldest
son is 13,
five years
he's gonna
be 18.
He's gonna
be on
LinkedIn,
yeah, he
ain't
gonna get
no rep if
I if not
got the
same
though.
So, yeah,
you might
be seeing
the real
name come
out soon,
but I'm
holding it
back. It's
Mark Ackers: very
true. The
reason I
ask is, Is
my brother
has
changed
his last
name in
terms of
the
pronunciation,
so my
family
pronounced
my name
acres.
Yeah, I
can
totally
see, when
you look
at my last
name. It's
acas,
until you
see that,
right?
Like, if
you it's a
c k, any
word
that's got
a c k is
ack,
right?
Back being
example,
right?
Zach being
an
example.
But we get
called
ackers all
the time.
I don't
correct
people. I
just saw C
as a
nickname.
My brother
has gone
all in on,
you know,
I'm just,
I'm
hackers,
and he
works in
the same
industry
as my dad
and my dad
is like,
What a
disgrace
to our
name.
Like, my
name has
been
changed.
Everyone
knows my
name like
Michael
Akers.
They know
you're my
son. They
know
you're
calling
yourself
hackers.
It's just,
that's why
I asked
about your
parents. I
James Ski: think
it's quite
funny.
Yeah,
yeah. It
was funny
because I
this is
actually
interesting.
Actually,
I feel for
a lot of
people, I
comes back
to
relatability.
There are
a lot of,
you know,
especially
in the UK,
a huge
amount of
diversity,
right,
international
names. And
I actually
think it's
a
challenge
for
people.
Unconscious
bias is
obviously
an issue,
right? But
I do think
you need
to adapt,
and if you
need to
cut a few
things to
like, fit
in to
accelerate
your
career, I
think you
should go
for it. If
I'm
honest,
like,
people
won't
agree to
that.
People
will be
like, No,
this is
me. This
is who I
am. But,
you know,
there's
some
really
complicated
names out
there. I
don't
think it
helps you
at all. If
it's
really
complicated,
yeah,
Mark Ackers: I
can
totally
see that.
James,
honestly,
this
conversation,
I could
easily
just get
another
beer, a
little
reload
from the
be attack,
but I'm
conscious
of time
you need
to get to
your
parents as
well. Tell
us all,
what is
sales
confidence
2.0 What
are you
doing now?
Thanks
James Ski: for
asking.
Yeah. So
the you
know, I
built my
reputation
from a
business
perspective
of helping
software
companies
and
service
companies
launch and
expand in
the UK
over the
last kind
of five,
six years.
So
everyone
from
sales,
loft,
Gong,
zoom,
info, six
cents.
High spot,
US
companies
launching
here or
UK,
companies
like
cognizant,
Jiminy,
Covo now
trumpet,
I've
helped
expand
them, and
obviously
we've
worked
together
at refract
a Lego and
now my
sales
coach,
that was
my
business
model.
That model
doesn't
exist
anymore in
the bulk
on a
sponsorship
side of
things.
And the
reason is,
is that
sales
leaders
now in the
UK are
very
educated
on the
sales
stack.
They know
what a
forecasting
tool is.
They know
what
conversation
intelligence
is. They
know what
databases
are. They
don't need
a third
party like
me to
educate
them. So
the model
is shifted
to, okay,
how can I
service
this
audience
that I've
built over
the last
five, six
years, and
I'm
extremely
well
known. And
the
fundamental
thing,
despite,
you know,
the
LinkedIn
scare
mongering
that's not
going
anywhere,
is
companies
need to
hire
salespeople.
And while
some
people
might be
arguing
for less
salespeople,
the long
tail, ie,
the number
of
companies
that are
getting
funded
week in,
month out,
in the UK,
Europe and
the world,
continues
to grow.
It doesn't
matter if
it's AI,
it doesn't
matter if
it's deep
tech. It
doesn't
matter
what it is
sales,
people are
still
going to
be needed.
I don't
care what
people say
about AI.
So I've
shifted my
attention
with sales
confidence
2.0 to
help
people get
jobs in
sales and
help
companies
hire
salespeople.
And what's
totally
unique.
Super
disruptive
in the way
that we do
it. One,
we provide
a pre
vetted,
pre
qualified
database
of
interview
ready
candidates.
So the
problem
with job
boards and
posting
jobs is
you just
get
hundreds
of
candidates
that
aren't
relevant
for what
you're
looking
for. With
our hiring
platform,
they're
pre
vetted,
pre
qualified,
ready for
you to
interview.
They might
not be a
culture
fit, they
might not
be the
candidate
that you
want, but
they will
put on a
good
performance.
We've also
trained,
developed
and
supported
them. So
we put
them
through
master
class
training.
We coach
them. We
actually
put them
on a cold
call
program,
so they
are doing
cold calls
every
single day
before
they
interview
for a
sales job,
so they're
getting
real life
practice.
The second
thing is,
if you're
like,
well, the
hiring
platform
sounds
great,
James, but
I just
need
someone
today.
Well, you
can join
one of our
assessment
days. That
is a
common
model in
the
market,
but we're
just
disrupting
it, and
we're
about 50%
below any
other
competitor.
And then
the final
thing is
learning
and
development
content
I've just
built up.
We've
talked a
lot about
it today.
I've got
the best
SDRs, AES,
VPs of
sales in
Europe
that have
shared
their
expert
content,
and we've
got it on
a
platform,
Netflix
style,
content
that you
could
subscribe
for. So
yeah, the
future of
sales
confidence
2.0 is
really
helping
people
enter the
sales
profession
and
helping
companies
hire
salespeople.
Mark Ackers: Sounds
amazing.
Obviously,
you shared
it with
me, and
I'm really
excited to
see the
journey
you're
about to
go on.
James.
Thank you
so much.
Like this
podcast, I
feel like
I say it
regularly,
but
genuinely,
I think
it's
probably
the most
honest
podcast
we've had,
and we've
touched on
a number
of
different
things
I've
really
enjoyed
speaking
with you.
Could
easily do
another
hour, but
let's call
it a day.
There. We
can always
have you
back,
since you
can't to
Newcastle
regularly,
I just
want to
say thank
you for
coming up.
Thank you
for coming
in and
sharing
your
story.
I've
really
enjoyed
it.
James Ski: Thank
you, mate.
You know
what? It's
been
great, you
know,
especially
because
obviously
we go way
back now,
you know,
and it's
been
amazing to
think
about
where our
careers
have got
to and the
impact I
think
we're both
having on
the
industry,
and I also
think it's
just for
me
personally.
You know,
what's
nice about
having
these
conversations,
because I
obviously
hosted my
own
podcast,
is just
nice to
reflect,
isn't it?
And just,
you know,
feel good
about some
of the
milestones
and share
some of
the
anecdotes.
So, yeah,
look, I
love what
my cell my
sales
coach are
doing, and
I think it
genuinely
is
impacting
people's
careers,
but their
lives as
well. And
you know,
what more
do you
want?
Thanks. So
much. Nice
enough.