Carole Mahoney

Author of #BuyerFirst ™(Sept '23), President/Founder @unboundgrowth. Environmentalist, #dogmom, #mainelakelife, #gardener

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

It's official folks, I am pregnant!

... with a book baby.

Last week I signed on the dotted line with my publisher Page Two. It took a bit for it to sink in, and like when I learned I was pregnant with my two sons, I am filled with both joy and excit…https://t.co/ASdmJAjWha

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

The best salesperson at a networking event may be standing in the corner.
Introverted sellers often ask better questions, listen more closely, and build real relationships.
The key is helping them start small and build momentum.
Try: “What are you famous for today?”

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Bad sales hires are rarely random.
When the same hiring misses keep happening, look at the process.
Are you hiring for familiarity?
Or are you hiring for buyer alignment?
#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership #CognitiveBias
👇Read the blog👇
https://t.co/J2mzcz0gpz

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Your #salesmanagers may be spending 50% of their time with the team.
But time alone does not improve sales performance. Teams are 22% stronger when managers knew how to coach.
That is the difference.
#SalesCoaching

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

A four-hour sales interview process should not still feel like a guessing game.
When you know the skill sets, mindsets, and aptitudes required for the role, interviews get a lot easier.
👉More info: https://t.co/vOuhkVQiNT

#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership #UNBOUND26

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Sales hustle matters.
Awareness matters more.
#SalesProspecting #BuyerFirst #SalesTips

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

The best sales hires aren't always the most experienced.
I look at 3 things:
• Tactical skills
• Sales DNA
• Ability to learn
The faster someone learns, the faster they ramp up and start producing results.
#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Most #saleshiring problems start before the first interview.
Only 20% of companies updated their job descriptions in the last year.
Yet 70% of employees say the role they accepted wasn't the role they ended up doing.
Hiring starts long before the interview.
#SalesLeadership

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Winning the deal feels good.
Winning the wrong deal creates problems for everyone involved.
The strongest salespeople ask tough questions early, uncover fit, and help buyers make the right decision.
That's how trust is built.
#Sales #SalesLeadership #BuyerFirst

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

He broke a commitment early in our relationship.
I called it out directly.
20 years later, we're still married.
Why?
Because trust grows when people are willing to address difficult issues instead of avoiding them.
The same is true with buyers.
#BuyerFirstApproach #SalesTips

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

A structured hiring process helps you spot risks before they become expensive.
#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership #RevenueGrowth

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Your sales onboarding process is now competing with ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
AI can accelerate learning.
It can also accelerate bad habits.
How are you teaching your team to evaluate AI-generated sales advice?
#SalesLeadership #AI #SalesEnablement

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Most sales leaders want self-starters. Yet many interview processes reward candidates who simply tell us what we want to hear.
I'll be discussing this and more at #UNBOUND26: The Hidden Cost of Cognitive Bias in #SalesHiring.
https://t.co/oYdf1DiKqX

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

A recent Wharton study found up to 80% of people followed incorrect AI-generated advice.

Why?

Because our brains can begin treating machine judgment as our own.

AI needs human oversight more than ever.

#AI #CriticalThinking #SalesLeadership

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

The danger with #AI hiring tools is not just the technology; it's the assumption that automation improves decisions. Start with clarity in your hiring process—define success and align with buyer needs before implementing any AI solutions. #SalesHiring

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Why do people still trust humans more than AI? Neuroscience: when we get advice, we judge trust, context, and accountability, not just facts. AI can improve efficiency. Trust is still human. Where does judgment matter most?

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Ever had a full pipeline… and still missed the number?

Sales isn’t a numbers game.
It’s a mental game.

Today’s buyers make the rules — and they want insight, not pitches.

Think differently.
Sell differently.
Buyer First™.

#SalesMindset #BuyerFirst #ModernSales

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

Most failed sales hires aren’t about talent. They’re about leaders lacking the coaching skills to develop it.

Before your next hire, understand the real cost—and how to avoid repeating it:
https://t.co/PxRItk0VIR

#SalesHiring #SalesLeadership #Coaching

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

A 10% increase in skill can drive a 33% increase in revenue.

Yet only 7% of #salesmanagers have strong coaching skills.

The next generation expects coaching—and the teams that get it perform better and stay longer.

The gap isn’t effort.
It’s #coaching capability.

🌱#Growth

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

If you believe selling is bad, your behavior will prove it.

7 out of 10 people think sales = pushing.
Adult learning science says beliefs drive behavior.

So maybe the trust problem in sales isn’t tactics.
It’s perception.

Change the belief. Change the outcome.
Buyer First™.

[Carole Mahoney @icarolemahoney]

AI won’t replace sales.
But it will expose bad sales.
I shared why mindset—not tools—is the real advantage heading into 2026 in Unbound Growth’s first blog of the year. #FutureOfSales #BuyerFirst #SalesMindset
👇Read it here

https://t.co/qitXlzSVSA