Gina Smith spent 27 years selling medical devices into hospital operating rooms — and she got there entirely by accident. No role models. No sales background. A career in HR she was tired of.
One conversation with a sales manager who couldn't fill a role. And a "mercy interview" she then went out and won.
In this episode, Gina and Lee dig into what actually drives sales performance in high-stakes, complex environments — and why it has almost nothing to do with product knowledge or closing technique.
What we cover:
How Gina went from HR to 27 years in medical device sales — and why she was skeptical of salespeople herself
Why the best salespeople are introverts who learn to act like extroverts — not the other way around
The shift from OR presence to supply chain gatekeeping, and what it costs sellers who can't adapt
The "painful truth" principle: why telling customers what they don't want to hear builds more trust than protecting the relationship
"Who are you being?" — the question that reveals everything about a salesperson's intent
Why mapping out a sales process on the CFO's whiteboard won't fix the real problem
The difference between selling to people and serving them — and why buyers can always tell which one you're doing
Gina now coaches founders and small sales teams through her practice at ginarsmith.com.
Connect with Gina:
LinkedIn: Gina R. Smith
Website: ginarsmith.com
Connect with Lee:
podcast.thoughtsonselling.com
Let's Talk: meet.acelera.group
