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Sales Lead Dog PodcastAuthor: Christopher Smith
Unless you are the lead dog, your view never changes. On the Sales Lead Dog podcast, CRM technology and sales process expert Christopher Smith talks with exceptional sales leaders that have separated themselves from the rest and achieved a sales leadership role in their organization. Hear what they did to become the alpha, lead their pack, and how they leverage CRM technology to drive sales for their organization. If your goal is to rise higher in your sales career or you currently are the alpha, this podcast gives you useful insight on how the best-of-the-best achieve success with their team and CRM technology. Language: en Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Why Relationships Beat Transactions in Sales | Pete Auerbach | Sales Lead Dog
Episode 193
Monday, 17 August, 2026
What if the biggest advantage in sales isn't your product, your pricing, or your tech stack... but simply being yourself? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Pete Auerbach, Sr. Vice President of National Sales at Ad.net, to discuss why authentic relationships, not transactions, are what actually close deals and build lasting business. Drawing on nearly a decade leading the national sales team at Ad.net and a career built in digital advertising, Pete shares hard-won lessons on leading as a challenger brand, staying competitive at every stage of your career, balancing the player-coach role, and using AI and CRM to help sales teams work smarter. If you're a founder, sales leader, revenue executive, or seller looking to build stronger customer relationships and a more resilient sales team, this conversation is packed with practical insight you can put to work today. What You'll Learn Why authenticity beats the "sales persona" every time • How to build relationships that turn into multi-year deals • The challenger-brand mindset: doing everything at an A level • Why the best sellers work harder during a slump, not less • How to escape "whack-a-mole" and actually execute your plan • What servant leadership and empathy do for team culture • Why CRM is a "necessary evil" and how AI is about to redefine it • How to use AI as an enabler for your team, not a way to cut headcount About Pete Auerbach Pete Auerbach is a sales leader and digital advertising strategist with nearly a decade of experience at Ad.net, where he leads the national sales team while continuing to work directly with agencies and brands. He helps marketers uncover new opportunities for growth through innovative search, social, and creator media solutions, with a focus on driving measurable results and building lasting partnerships. Pete got his start in advertising through internships on Madison Avenue before moving into the agency world and, eventually, sales leadership on the West Coast. A former two-sport college athlete, he brings a competitive, team-first mindset to how he builds and coaches his teams. Based in Los Angeles, Pete lives with his wife and two dogs, is the proud father of two adult children, and is an avid golfer and cyclist who carries a competitive edge into everything he does. Connect with Pete Auerbach LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peteauerbach/ Learn More About Ad.net https://ad.net/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value: 👍 Hit Like and help more sales professionals discover this conversation. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a Sales Lead Dog episode. 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. What's helped you most in building lasting customer relationships: authenticity, grit, or something else? #SalesLeadership #Authenticity #SalesStrategy #CRM #ArtificialIntelligence #B2BSales #SalesManagement #DigitalAdvertising #Ad_net #SalesLeadDog













