In this episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast, Angela Gill Nelms sits down with Nicholas Loise, founder of Sales Performance Team, to unpack what truly drives sustainable sales growth and strong leadership inside growing organizations. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience across healthcare, SaaS, education, hospitality, and services, Nick breaks down why most companies struggle with sales execution, pipeline accuracy, and differentiation in the marketplace.

The conversation goes beyond theory and dives into real-world leadership decisions, including how misaligned incentives quietly destroy performance, why most leaders misread their pipeline, and what happens when companies compete on price instead of value. Nick also shares how leaders can build repeatable sales systems, ask better questions, and create alignment across sales, marketing, and customer experience.

The discussion also tackles questions people actively search for, including:

• What is the difference between a leader and a manager?
• How do you articulate value in a crowded market?
• Why do sales pipelines look strong but fail to close?
• How should leaders handle conflict resolution inside sales teams?
• What sales incentives actually motivate high performers?
• Why competing on price is a losing strategy for growth companies
• How leaders should think about go-to-market strategy and pipeline creation

This episode is a must-listen for founders, executives, and sales leaders who want practical insight instead of surface-level advice.

Learn More About Nicholas Loise:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.loise/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Website: salesperformanceteam.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nicholasloise
• Twitter / X: https://x.com/NicholasLoise
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nicholas-Loise/author/B0DY5M8FXW?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2&qid=1749483905&sr=8-2&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Produced by: The AGN Group

Host: Angela Gill Nelms

Producer: Katie Hart

Tagline: Be Brave. Be Badass.

Websites: www.theagngroup.com and www.AngelaGillNelms.com

About The AGN Group:

At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2

Want to be a Podcast Guest?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email brave@angelagillnelms.com.

Key Takeaways:

• Clear value articulation prevents businesses from becoming commodities
• Leaders must ask uncomfortable questions to understand pipeline reality
• Misaligned incentives lead to bad deals, churn, and burnout
• Sales systems must be repeatable, not personality-driven
• Strong leadership requires balancing data with storytelling
• Growth stalls when leaders avoid hard conversations

Themes:

• Sales leadership and accountability
• Pipeline creation and pipeline truth
• Go-to-market strategy for SMBs
• Direct response marketing
• Differentiation and value positioning
• Incentives, motivation, and performance
• Leadership versus management

In this episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast, Charlie Cichetti shares an honest look at leadership, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and legacy. From being laid off during the 2008 recession to co-founding multiple companies and working at the intersection of green buildings and technology, Charlie reflects on the moments that shaped his leadership philosophy.

The conversation explores what sustainability really means beyond certifications, how leaders can stay coachable through growth and exits, and why long-term impact matters more than short-term wins. Charlie also opens up about mentorship, managing stress as an entrepreneur, building companies with intention, and the mindset shift required to move from success to significance.

This episode is a grounded, thoughtful discussion for leaders, founders, and anyone navigating a career pivot while trying to build something that actually matters.

Learn More About Charlie Cichetti:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliecichetti/
• skema.ai: https://www.skema.ai/

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://www.buybackyourtime.com/
• U.S. Green Building Council: https://www.usgbc.org/
• LEED: https://www.usgbc.org/leed
• Green Building Matters Podcast (featuring Angela Gill Nelms): https://open.spotify.com/episode/4x6238kGvPCnH7lkFGVJRp?si=rOuq7RPJSsi8HqS-lAB9Aw
• John Maxwell levels of leadership: https://www.maxwellleadership.com/co/the-5-levels-of-leadership/
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey: https://www.franklincovey.com/courses/the-7-habits/

Produced by: The AGN Group

Host: Angela Gill Nelms

Producer: Katie Hart

Tagline: Be Brave. Be Badass.

Websites: www.theagngroup.com and www.AngelaGillNelms.com

About The AGN Group:

At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2

Want to be a Podcast Guest?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email brave@angelagillnelms.com.

The discussion also tackles questions…

• What does sustainability really mean in commercial buildings and business today?
• How can leaders shift from chasing success to creating long-term significance?
• What’s the difference between management and true leadership?
• How do entrepreneurs handle stress, overwhelm, and anxiety without burning out?
• What role does mentorship play in leadership growth?
• How do you evaluate board members, investors, and co-founders wisely?
• Why is staying coachable essential at every stage of a career?
• How can leaders think about legacy while still building and growing?

Themes:

• Leadership vs. management
• Sustainability beyond greenwashing
• Entrepreneurship and career pivots
• Mentorship and coaching
• Legacy and long-term impact
• Stress, overwhelm, and resilience
• Building values-driven companies
• Personal growth and self-awareness

What happens when growth stops shouting and intuition finally gets a voice?

In this episode of the Badass Leaders Podcast, host Angela Gill Nelms sits down with serial entrepreneur, investor, and founder advisor Phil Neil for a raw, deeply human conversation about leadership, courage, and the inner work required to scale without breaking yourself or your company.

Phil shares his journey from growing up poor in Quebec to scaling Neobex Medical to a $70M revenue business and achieving an eight-figure exit — and what happened after the success, when identity, burnout, and fear quietly crept in. Together, they unpack why most founders don’t fail because of bad strategy, but because their internal capacity doesn’t evolve with the business.

This episode explores the real difference between leaders and managers, how to handle conflict without destroying culture, and why “letting the world burn” can sometimes be the most responsible leadership move. Phil introduces concepts like fear-based vs. courage-based decision-making, founder psychology, and why intuition — not hustle — is often the missing ingredient in high-stakes leadership.

Learn More About Phil Neil:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-neil/
• Website: philneil.com

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Emergenetics: https://en-gb.emergenetics.com/emea/
• Working Genius: https://www.workinggenius.com/
• Diary of a CEO podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO
• Neobex Medical: https://neobex.ca/en?srsltid=AfmBOoquMMfsaCeKK31l4IJaHklGc6-y33SZk__lkMsFFVc3cXLgEQg2
• Founders Compass: https://www.linkedin.com/company/founders-compass-company/

Produced by: The AGN Group

Host: Angela Gill Nelms

Producer: Katie Hart

Tagline: Be Brave. Be Badass.

Websites: www.theagngroup.com and www.AngelaGillNelms.com

About The AGN Group:

At The AGN Group, we believe every individual, team, and company can unlock their inner badass, one brave step at a time. www.TheAGNGroup.com.

Social Media Channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassleaderspodcast/

Twitter: https://x.com/BALeadersPod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@baleaderspod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/badass-leaders-podcast2

Want to be a Podcast Guest?

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, email brave@angelagillnelms.com.

The Discussion Also Tackles Questions Like…

• What is the difference between a leader and a manager in real-world practice?
• How do successful founders handle failure without letting it define them?
• How do you make high-quality decisions under extreme pressure and uncertainty?
• How do you handle conflict resolution when culture and trust are on the line?
• Why do fear-based decisions feel productive but often stall long-term growth?
• How can founders avoid burnout while still scaling aggressively?
• What role does intuition play in leadership and strategic decision-making?
• How do you know when it’s time to pivot — or to pause?
• Why do so many founders outgrow their businesses, or break them entirely?
• What does it actually mean to leave a legacy as a leader?

Themes

• Founder psychology and identity shifts
• Fear-based vs. courage-based decision-making
• Leadership vs. management
• Conflict resolution and culture fit
• Entrepreneurial failure and reinvention
• Intuition, stillness, and decision quality
• Scaling businesses without burning out
• Building trust and cognitive diversity on teams
• Redefining success beyond growth metrics
• Legacy, purpose, and teaching the next generation