In this high-energy and deeply insightful episode, Rick sits down with Amanda Rubin, Chief Revenue Officer at Wildfire and former EVP of Growth at Enthusiast Gaming. Together, they explore how authenticity is reshaping modern marketing, particularly through Amanda’s groundbreaking work connecting brands with communities on Discord.

Amanda explains how Wildfire is helping brands authentically integrate into Gen Z-focused communities—not through ads, but through meaningful dialogue, partnerships, and experiences. She also unpacks the difference between marketing vs. branding, why trust is the ultimate competitive advantage, and how startups should think about go-to-market strategy from day one.

In the second half of the episode, Amanda opens up about building her career as a woman in a male-dominated industry, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how she’s found purpose by blending strategic leadership with human connection. Her story is as real as her leadership style—and one that will resonate with professionals at every level.

🎧 Tune in for a masterclass in modern brand building—and how character and competence create career momentum.

Connect with Amanda Rubin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-j-rubin/
Check out Wildfire: https://www.getwildfire.gg/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Check out Conquer: https://conquer.io/

Unlock the secrets to building high-performing sales teams and staying ahead of the curve! In this episode of The Future of Selling, host Rick Smith welcomes Phil Hernandez, Global VP of Sales at Taskus, to discuss what it takes to lead winning teams in today's evolving sales landscape.

Phil shares practical insights from his 20+ years of experience — from creating strong sales cultures and developing leadership skills, to harnessing the power of AI to scale faster. Whether you're building a new sales team or leading an established one, this episode is packed with real-world strategies you can use today.

In this episode:

• Why culture is the foundation of sales success
• How AI is reshaping sales enablement and customer engagement
• Hiring strategies that go beyond the resume
• Building resilience and learning through failure
• The future mindset every sales leader needs

If you're ready to grow yourself, your team, and your results, this episode is for you.

👉 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to catch every episode of The Future of Selling!

Connect with Phil Hernandez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernandezphillip/
Learn more about Taskus: https://www.taskus.com/

Connect with Rick Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b/
Learn more about Conquer: https://conquer.io/

#salesleadership #futureofsales #salesculture #AI #taskus #salescoaching #leadership

In this episode of The Future of Selling, Rick Smith sits down with Kara Smith Brown—CEO and Founder of LeadCoverage, Ironman triathlete, and author of The Revenue Engine. Kara shares her no-fluff, practical framework for aligning marketing with business outcomes by measuring volume, value, and velocity.

They dive deep into:

• Why most marketing-sourced data falls flat in the boardroom
• How to truly align sales and marketing through pipeline velocity
• The power of intent data, ABM, and programmatic media buying
• Her journey from corporate roles to entrepreneurship
• Why "share good news, track interest, and follow up" is the core of modern B2B marketing
• And yes, how she turned being underestimated into Ironman motivation

Whether you're a marketing leader, CRO, or entrepreneur looking to generate real pipeline with precision, this episode is packed with insights you can actually use.

📚 Grab Kara Smith Brown’s book The Revenue Engine: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1642259098/

📍 Catch Kara Smith Brown on the road at her nationwide workshop tour: https://info.leadcoverage.com/the-revenue-engine-workshop-2025

🤝 Connect with Kara Smith Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karasmithbrown/

💡 Learn More About Conquer: https://conquer.io/

🤝 Connect with Rick Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-smith-094b29b