In this episode of Thoughts on Selling, I sit down with my friend and long-time sales industry pioneer Gerhard Gschwandtner — founder of Selling Power Magazine and an enduring voice in the world of sales leadership, mindset, and authenticity.

Gerhard’s story is extraordinary — from growing up in Austria and stumbling into his first sales role (inventing sales enablement decades before it had a name) to creating Selling Power Magazine, one of the most influential platforms in the history of professional selling.

We talk about how curiosity, creativity, and courage shape every career — and how staying in the question, not rushing to the answer, is what keeps you growing. Gerhard shares how he’s helped shape the profession through interviews with legends like Mary Kay, Zig Ziglar, Wayne Dyer, Mark Benioff, and even a few time-travel guests like “Abraham Lincoln” and “Aristotle.”

This isn’t just a history of sales — it’s a masterclass in mindset.

💡 Key Takeaways

• “Who are you?” is the most important sales question. You can’t sell authentically until you know yourself.

• Mindset is everything. Gerhard outlines three lenses — implanted, imprinted, and inspired mindsets — that shape how we think and sell.

• Sales enablement started long before software. His early innovations — customer tours, training vignettes, and user groups — became today’s best practices.

• Authenticity builds trust faster than persuasion. Telling the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable, turns customers into lifelong advocates.

• AI is both a gift and a trap. Used wisely, it elevates preparation. Used poorly, it replaces thinking.

• The bigger the why, the bigger the try — and the easier the how.

This conversation spans history, psychology, and purpose — from Aristotle to AI — reminding us that great salespeople are first and foremost great humans.

🎧 Listen in and rediscover the timeless truth of selling: authenticity wins.

#ThoughtsOnSelling #SalesMindset #Authenticity #SellingPower #SalesEnablement #InnerGame