John Krause is the top sales performer at Promess and is currently transitioning into a player-coach leadership role. After building a reputation for winning new business in accounts others considered untouchable, he’s now learning a new challenge: helping others succeed rather than simply replicating his own approach.
This conversation explores the mindset behind sustained sales success, including learning from experienced sellers, using rejection as fuel, creating opportunities through referrals and relationships, and maintaining grit through inevitable setbacks. John also shares lessons from moving into management, building trust inside large organizations, and why genuine human connection is becoming even more important in an AI-driven world.
This episode was sponsored by: Nooks
Nooks – One unified workspace where reps work alongside AI agents for every task.
What We Covered:
[00:00] John’s top three success principles
[01:00] Learning from people who’ve already done it
[01:15] Turning “you can’t” into motivation
[01:30] Every opportunity creates another opportunity
[05:00] Growing up around manufacturing and finding sales
[13:00] Why challenges drive him
[14:00] Transitioning from top seller to sales manager
[15:00] The mistake new managers make: trying to clone themselves
[18:00] What he’d change about his early career
[18:45] Breaking into a major account everyone said was impossible
[20:00] Why hunting net-new business became his superpower
[21:00] His process for opening “untouchable” accounts
[22:00] Handling rejection without taking it personally
[25:00] Daily routine: Bible, oatmeal, gym, and early office starts
[34:00] Learning from Anthony Iannarino, Mike Weinberg, and peers
[35:00] Why giving first creates opportunities later
[47:00] The human side of selling in an AI era
[55:00] Building a culture around grit
[56:00] Motivation beyond commissions
[63:00] Leadership lessons for younger sellers
[64:00] Why people are always watching
Quotes:
“Use every opportunity to create another opportunity.”
“Referrals are one of the most powerful tools in sales. We just don’t ask.”
“I was told I’d never sell there. So I took that as a challenge.”
“Once you find the right people, the game gets easy.”
“People are watching more than you realize.”
“Give first. They will always give back.”
“What we do can potentially promote someone.”
Resources Mentioned:
- Anthony Iannarino
- Mike Weinberg
- The Bible
- AI tools and sales technology
- Team book studies and sales development programs
Connect with John Krause on LinkedIn
Sales Success Stories is part of the Sales Success Media family hosted by Scott Ingram