In this episode of Selling in the Paddock, Georgia sits down with Mark Rizkalla, negotiation consultant at Scotwork Australia, to unpack practical ways sales reps and leaders can negotiate without burning bridges. From moving beyond the “win/lose” mindset to deploying power collaboratively, Mark shares real-world tactics that help you protect margin, shorten deal cycles, and strengthen long-term relationships with growers, retailers, and internal stakeholders.
Win-win in the real world: How to shift from an arm-wrestle to mutual gain (and why it lasts).
Trade, don’t concede: The difference between empathy and sympathy — and how sympathy quietly erodes value.
Power, used wisely: Finding your source of power (even when you feel under-gunned) and using it collaboratively.
Preparation that pays: Defining your variables (price, volume, term, service, timing, payment) so you can trade, not cave.
Internal negotiations: Why the toughest deals can be inside your own business — and how to navigate them.
Questions that connect: Curiosity as the fastest path to rapport, clarity, and better outcomes.
“People don’t value what comes too easily.” Tie every concession to a give-get.
“Kids ask clearly and don’t accept the first ‘no’.” Be specific in your asks; treat “no” as the start of the conversation.
“Power isn’t forcing a result — it’s getting the other side to give it to you gladly.”
00:00 Intro & why win-win beats win/lose
05:00 Trading vs discounting — protecting margin without losing the relationship
12:00 Preparing variables — what you can flex (and what you can’t)
18:00 Internal negotiations — legal, finance, competing priorities
26:00 Empathy ≠ sympathy — staying kind and commercial
34:00 Using power collaboratively
41:00 Practical farmer-rep examples you can use this week
48:00 Quick recap & next steps
Mark Rizkalla is a negotiation consultant with Scotwork Australia. After two decades in complex commercial roles — from hospital selling to national key accounts and commercial leadership — Mark now trains and advises organisations across sectors, including agriculture, to secure better deals and stronger relationships.
Scotwork Australia — Negotiation training & advisory
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Curious Georgia Coaching — Website