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Evolving Your WorkplaceCandid conversations with experts on real workplace issues. Author: Carol Schultz
On this workplace podcast, your host Carol Schultz brings on experts to discuss problems many business owners face in real time. Guest experts provide context for the issue and advise those in leadership positions on best practices. Whether you are starting a company, or you lead an established organization-- the podcast is geared toward getting you helpful answers. Language: en Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Every Sales Team in 2026 Needs to be Doing This
Episode 186
Thursday, 15 January, 2026
“Founder-led selling is still the most powerful kind of selling.” — Dave GulasIn this week’s episode, Carol Schultz sits down with Dave Gulas, Co-Founder and President of EZDC 3PL, to talk about what sales teams must lean into as 2026 approaches: visibility, authenticity, and relationship-driven selling in a world flooded with AI-generated noise. Dave explains why generic cold pitches on LinkedIn are failing, and how personal branding and real opinions help salespeople differentiate and build trust.Dave also shares the origin story of EZDC 3PL, built after seeing “big box” logistics providers become complacent during and after the supply chain chaos of COVID. He breaks down why customer service, communication, and accountability are the real advantage in a market where thousands of 3PLs offer similar “space and labor.”The conversation begins with a timely real-world issue in freight: theft and “burning an MC number,” where bad actors exploit carrier identity loopholes to steal loads fast before anyone can respond. From there, they move into scaling a logistics company, managing a remote warehouse team from a different state, and why hiring the right people (and learning from the wrong hires) is core to building a strong workplace culture.Finally, Dave talks about launching the Beyond Fulfillment podcast as a learning tool during the hardest early stages of growth — and how consistency turned it into 220+ episodes, a growing YouTube channel, and high-level founders reaching out to be guests.Takeaways:Authenticity and visibility are essential for sales in 2026.Cold pitching without relationships is not real selling.AI is making generic outreach worse, not better.Differentiation comes from real opinions and human connection.Great customer service and over-communication build long-term trust.Founder-led selling is difficult to replace at high-stakes moments.Early growth mistakes help define your ideal customer profile.Remote teams work best with strong leaders and clear systems.Hiring the right people is a growth multiplier.Consistency in content can create unexpected opportunities.Chapters:00:00 Welcome + Why sales teams need this in 202600:32 What EZDC 3PL does (warehousing, fulfillment, transportation)01:04 Real-time supply chain theft and diverted freight02:27 How freight theft happens + “burning an MC number”03:22 The #1 sales strategy for 2026: visibility and authenticity04:33 Why cold pitching on LinkedIn is broken05:11 The “fake compliment → wild promise → demand a meeting” script06:01 How AI reinforces bad sales outreach06:48 Why Dave founded EZDC 3PL08:17 The meaning behind the name EZDC 3PL09:23 How COVID changed logistics and created complacency10:29 Customer service as the real differentiator12:50 Why Kentucky is a strategic warehouse location13:15 Managing a remote warehouse team as a founder14:21 Founder’s “zone of genius” and role clarity15:40 Why 3PL isn’t just “space and labor”16:37 Early mistakes: taking the wrong clients18:06 Bottlenecks to growth: space, timing, inventory transfers20:34 Will Dave always lead sales?21:53 Founder presence on sales calls (even at billion-dollar scale)24:11 Why sales hires often fumble the message27:56 Building culture through hiring lessons30:13 Why Dave started the Beyond Fulfillment podcast31:29 Consistency results: 220+ episodes and 13K YouTube subscribers32:58 Where to learn more about EZDC 3PL + closingConnect With Host Carol SchultzFind more information about our host Carol Schultz and her company at
