Show Notes
You may not think of yourself as a salesperson, but every day at work, you’re selling something—an idea, a proposal, your capabilities, or even yourself.
In this episode of Career Sessions, J.R. Lowry sits down with sales expert, author, and longtime podcast host Andy Paul to explore what the rest of us can learn from great salespeople about influence, curiosity, and human connection.
Andy explains why the best way to persuade someone isn’t to push harder, but to understand what matters to them. He shares how asking better questions and truly listening can strengthen relationships, why curiosity is often trained out of us as we move through school and work, and how to avoid making conversations about ourselves.
The conversation also moves beyond sales to a bigger career question: Are you building the career you actually want—or simply following someone else’s playbook? Andy discusses why success is situational, how to find environments where you can be yourself, the importance of choosing the right boss, and why it’s sometimes better to leave a bad fit rather than keep trying to make it work.
Along the way, Andy shares lessons from nearly five decades in business—and a reminder that there’s no age limit on taking on new challenges.
In this episode, you’ll learn: Why everyone is selling, whether they realize it or not How curiosity can make you more influential The difference between listening to understand and listening to respond Why great questions create stronger relationships How to find work environments that fit your strengths and values Why you should define success on your own terms
Check out the full series of “Career Sessions, Career Lessons” podcasts here or visit pathwise.io/podcast/. A full written transcript of this episode is also available at https://pathwise.io/podcasts/andy-paul/.
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