Guest Appearances

In this value-packed episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, hosts Scott Leese and Richard Harris dive deep with John Karsant, Founder and CEO of LevelUp Leads (levelupleads.io), on what's actually working in appointment setting and sales development in early 2025. John reveals why the majority of companies have negative experiences with outsourced sales development, and how his approach of radical honesty and setting realistic expectations has led to greater client success. As cold calling continues to drive 80-90% of his agency's results, John shares tactical insights on what's working now, including: Why permission-based openers are becoming less effective and what's replacing them. How tone, pace, and delivery matter more than the actual script content. The role of AI in SDR training, coaching, and call analysis at scale. Why adding a free SDR to struggling accounts helps identify the real problems faster. The conversation takes an unexpected turn when John admits "I'm not a good salesperson, but I'm a terrible liar," revealing how authenticity and a calm, measured approach can be more effective than traditional high-pressure sales tactics. For sales leaders struggling with prospecting effectiveness or considering outsourcing their appointment setting, this episode provides a candid look at what works, what doesn't, and how to evaluate if outsourcing is right for your business. John's unique perspective on entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and building trust in a crowded market offers valuable insights for anyone in sales leadership. Whether you're an SDR, sales manager, or founder handling your own outbound efforts, you'll walk away with actionable strategies to improve your prospecting results and better qualify potential partners. Follow John Karsant on LinkedIn ( / johnkarsant ) or visit levelupleads.io to learn more about his approach to sales development.

LevelUp Leads is a B2B Sales Development agency and a done-for-you appointment setting service. We act as an extended part of your team and offer Fractional and Full Service SDRs backed by our team and tech stack to run outbound Email, LinkedIn, or Cold Call campaigns to generate meetings for you. Our team leads your outbound strategy, sourcing relevant data, implementing our tech stack, copywriting, and managing your campaigns to create pipeline and revenue. This means your team is kept busy closing more deals.

In this episode, Will Martin interviews John Karsant, founder and CEO of LevelUp Leads, about all things outbound sales. They discuss the challenges of outbound sales for SMBs, the importance of defining the ideal customer profile (ICP), and the common mistakes companies make in their outbound efforts. They also touch on the tech stack and data tools used in outbound sales, as well as the importance of effective copywriting and strategy in cold outreach. In this conversation, John Karsant discusses the effectiveness of different outbound channels, with a focus on cold calling and email. He emphasizes the importance of instant feedback and the ability to make adjustments quickly when using cold calling. He also mentions the value of conferences and events in generating leads. John shares his strategies for approaching different industries and highlights the significance of having case studies and a proven track record of success. He discusses the importance of hiring skilled SDRs and providing them with better training and compensation. Finally, he mentions the need for continuous improvement and adaptation in the outbound industry.

Watch this episode of B2B Pipeline Pioneers In this episode of B2B Pipeline Pioneers, we sit down with John Karsant, Founder & CEO of LevelUp Leads, a B2B sales development agency specializing in helping small to mid-sized businesses overcome prospecting challenges. John shares his journey from eight years in lead generation to launching LevelUp Leads in 2021. He discusses how his agency acts as an extension of their clients’ teams, sourcing new contacts and running outbound email, LinkedIn, and cold call campaigns to fill pipelines and keep sales teams focused on closing deals. We dive deep into: How to define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and why it’s critical for growth The importance of leveraging sales, marketing, and branding to stand out in competitive markets Strategies for small to mid-sized businesses to maximize prospecting efforts despite limited bandwidth If you’re looking to refine your ICP, build a stronger pipeline, and learn actionable tips to generate more meetings, this episode is packed with insights from a seasoned expert. Tune in and learn how to level up your sales development!

Josh sits down with John Karsant, the mastermind behind LevelUp Leads, to explore how to define your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and turn it into real sales success. 💼✨

From the resurgence of cold calling 📞 to creating human-to-human connections 🤝, John shares how his team at LevelUp Leads helps small and midsize businesses level up their prospecting game. Plus, Josh reveals his personal experience with over 2,000 conversations and how you can achieve 100% inbound marketing success without spam, ads, or hard selling. 🌟