REMASTERED:  Perfecting Your Sales Pitch, with John Livesay | (Selling, Networking, CEO, Engagement)

REMASTERED: Perfecting Your Sales Pitch, with John Livesay | (Selling, Networking, CEO, Engagement)

Author: Southwestern Family of Podcasts - Southwestern Family of Companies May 26, 2026 Duration: 17:16
As a funding strategist, John Livesay helps CEOs craft a compelling pitch that engages investors in a way that inspires them to join a startup’s team. He hosts The Successful Pitch podcast with investors from around the world. He is the Pitch Mentor at Startfast.net, the number one accelerator in Upstate New York. After a successful 20 year career in media sales with Conde Nast where he worked across all 22 brands in their corporate division [GQ, Vanity Fair, Wired, W and Vogue] and created integrated programs for clients such as Lexus, Hyundai and Guess, John won salesperson of the year in 2012 across the entire company. John’s book, The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets and has been translated into Spanish and Russian. John has a B.S in Advertising from the University of Illinois. Show Highlights: Not only do you need to have a solid pitch, you need to know the answers to the questions investors will ask you. @John_LivesayThe moment you lose credibility, the answer is no. @John_LivesayThe entire purpose of a sales pitch is to get people interested, not to over inform them. @John_LivesayInvestors invest in the jockey, not the horse. Your horse is the idea, but you make it happen. @John_LivesayThe two reasons people go out of business are 1) lack of customers 2) lack of funding @John_LivesayYour network is your net-knowledge. Who you know is everything. @John_LivesayThe more you understand the problem the more investors think you have the solution. @John_LivesaySell the problem before you sell the solution. @John_LivesayConfident people are quietly humble. Arrogant people are loudly braggadocios.When you become comfortable with the silence in your head, you become comfortable with the silence in the room. @John_Livesay The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation’s top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!

What does it take to move from thinking to doing, from planning to achieving? The Action Catalyst is a podcast built on the premise that real progress requires more than just motivation-it demands actionable insight. Each conversation features a different top leader or accomplished achiever, but the focus remains consistently practical: extracting the hard-earned lessons they learned on their way up. You’ll hear stories not just of success, but of the setbacks and plateaus that preceded it, with guests offering concrete strategies for navigating those inevitable challenges. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s a resource for anyone feeling stuck in mediocrity or unsure of their next step in business, personal development, or their professional journey. The discussions are designed to help you uncover a more personal source of inspiration and then translate that into a clearer path forward. Tune in for a regular dose of candid advice and proven methods to help dismantle obstacles and reach your specific goals. The Action Catalyst is produced by the Southwestern Family of Podcasts, part of the Southwestern Family of Companies, and delivers these conversations with the understanding that sustained action is the most powerful catalyst for change. You’ll find each episode centers on a transferable idea or a shift in perspective that you can apply immediately, making the podcast a tool for ongoing education and self-improvement.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Action Catalyst
Podcast Episodes
CLIP:  "It Calms Down Your Mind" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00
Professional coach Shelly Smith shares one of the most common complaints she hears from her coaching clients, and the simple exercise that she uses to combat it.Hear Shelly's full interview in Episode 175 of The Action C…
Overtime with Outland:  Phil Le-Brun, Episode 506 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:51
Overtime with Outland is Action Catalyst host Adam Outland's reflections and commentary on discussions with each of his esteemed and accomplished guests.In this segment, Adam dissects Episode 506 with Phil Le-Brun, forme…
CLIP:  Working With Bill Gates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:14
Janice Kapner, former communications leader at Microsoft and T‑Mobile, shares the experience of interviewing and working alongside Bill Gates.Hear Janice's full interview in her special bonus episode of The Action Cataly…
CLIP:  Happiness Vs. Meaning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:38
Bestselling author and researcher Tom Rath explains that meaning—not happiness—is the key to fulfillment, emphasizing that focusing on helping others, leveraging strengths, and connecting daily work to a larger purpose l…
CLIP:  Train Yourself To Be Brave [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:57
Monica Nassif, founder of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and Caldrea, explains how bravery is like a muscle, and why it's only one of the many essential attributes for a successful entrepreneur.Hear Monica's full interview in Ep…
CLIP:  Lotts Creek, Kentucky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46
Dr. Barb Rembiesa, founder and CEO of the International Association of IT Asset Management, shares how a small act of kindness on her part led to an enormously outsized impact on the residents of a small Kentucky town.He…