Dusty sits down with Dawn Grooters—founder of Broken Vessel Sales Solutions—for a deeply personal and practical conversation about servant leadership, resilience, and the power of authentic connection in sales. After building a successful career as a field sales rep in the gift and home industry, Dawn’s life was forever altered when her 11-month-old son, Kale, passed away while she was on the road, forcing her to reimagine both her priorities and her profession. Choosing family, faith, and presence, she pioneered an inside sales model from home—one rooted not in transactions, but in meaningful human connection—discovering along the way that phone calls could drive both revenue and real impact. Through stories of grief, grit, and God-ordained moments, Dawn explains how tragedy refined her leadership philosophy of servant leadership, consistency, and connection, and how that evolution ultimately became Broken Vessel Sales Solutions—a firm that helps sales teams implement inside and hybrid sales systems, leverage CRM tools, and build sustainable growth without burnout. Her journey reframes success as influence, faithfulness, and helping others win—proving that even broken vessels can become powerful instruments for impact.

Key Timestamps:

(01:42) – Servant Leadership Basics

(07:17) – Loss That Changed Everything

(16:17) – Human Connection Over Metrics

(20:37) – COVID Pivot to Hybrid Sales and CRM Discipline

(26:11) – Building the Business

(31:19) – Three Client Services

(39:25) – Rapid Fire Leadership Qs

(43:24) – Cause and Adoption Story

(45:12) – Where to Connect

Key Topics Discussed:

Leadership Unlocked, Leadership Insights, Dusty Holcomb, Servant Leadership Principles, Self-Leadership Strategies, Growth Mindset in Leadership, Integrity and Leadership, Leadership Development Resources, Effective Leadership Habits, Empowering Leadership Techniques, Senior Executive Insights, Leadership Quotes and Reflections, Leadership Podcast, Executive Coaching, CEO Podcast, Business Leadership, Leadership Growth, Leadership Journey, Stories From Leaders, Leadership Tools, High-Performing Teams, Leadership Mindset, Decision Making, Personal Growth, Leadership Coaching, Organizational Leadership

Mentions:

Website: https://www.brokenvesselsales.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-grooters-a8b480105/

Mentions:

Profit First: Transform Your Business From A Cash-eating Monster To A Money-making Machine by Mike Michalowicz

https://www.jonathanshouse.org/

More of Leadership Unlocked:

Check out our leadership development resources at https://arcqusgroup.com/

Contact me at dusty@arcqusgroup.com