Most CEOs I work with have a capable team—but still feel like sales is tangled, random, and not creating margin-rich growth.

After 25+ years fixing broken sales across industries, I’ve built and installed custom growth systems that get teams aligned, qualified, and closing with confidence. One client scaled from $6M to $47M by untangling their “sales knots.”

I help small to mid-market B2B CEOs and Founders:

- Map their Route to Revenue
- Uncover their Strategic Value
- Install the GUIDE Selling System™
- And build a sales process that earns margin, trust, and market share

The problem isn’t your product. It’s how your team sells it—and what your buyers believe when they hear from you.

👉 Ready to fix your broken sales system? Let’s map your Route to Revenue. DM me or visit www.bluesalesfly.com

Michael Koory

For my Med Tech and Healthcare technology friends. Give this group a follow or join. They are digging into the root issues. If you’re seeing opportunities for improvement, this group is going for the same goals. 

No sales, just problem identification and resolution.

CEO Growth Advisor | Author | Untangling Revenue Knots & Fixing Broken Sales | Creator of the GUIDE Selling System™

Healthcare Systems & Platform Engineering Council (H-SPEC)

View company: Healthcare Systems & Platform Engineering Council (H-SPEC)

Healthcare platforms are evolving fast. The problem? Too many decisions are made without the people who live with them in production. H-SPEC exists to put practitioners back at the table so real-world constraints, not assumptions, shape the future of healthcare software!

Guiding purpose-driven folks to write a GREAT BOOK FAST (sure to work and attract CLIENTS BEFORE it’s done) 📚 Almost 5X int’l bestseller, publisher, inspir🧡ational coach 🎙️ Radio + podcast host and fun guest

Thanks to their book: 1) G.M.  got 6-figure consulting  2) A.D. spoke at Harvard  3) J.J.  got 5-figure coaching  4) M.J. got a 5-figure workshop fee... BEFORE it was done!  

And 5) Google paid A.S. to speak (because of her book).

Ben Gioia (“joya”) guides purpose-driven consultants, coaches, and small business owners write a high-quality, client-attracting book… in just five weeks. 

Through his Influence With A Heart® Method, Ben offers writing, editing, and business development that gets results. (Ghostwriting available.)

He also provides concierge editing, publishing, and strategic book marketing... plus how to make 6- or 7-figures without selling any books through his Leadership Awake Press.

Ben is an almost 5-time international bestselling author, trained 100s of millionaires at Stanford, and helped create a mindfulness and empathy video game for 20,000 folks at a Fortune 100.

📚RESULTS

“I've been asked to be a guest lecturer at Harvard... before my book is done!” — Anna Devere, TV Producer and Radio Host

“I got a 5-figure coaching gig, thanks to my unfinished book!" — Johnathan Johannes, THE EXCEPTION CODE

"Now, I'm talking at Google and they're gonna pay me!”
— Annemarie Shrouder, BEING BROWN IN A BLACK & WHITE WORLD

“I am fortunate to have gained a 6-FIGURE CLIENT, before my book was done.” — G. M., CEO

“i’m receiving a 5-figure fee for one workshop! We leveraged my unfinished book!” — Monica J. Jenkins, THE COST OF CLUTTER

📚 SPEAKING / CONSULTING / LAUNCHING 

AARP, A Fortune 100, The ALS Association, Condé Nast, ESPN, Hearst, KNBC, KNBY, The Kathy Ireland Network, Stanford, USANA

"I’m Ben Gioia and I'm here to guide you in making good choices (about your book) that bring you high-ticket clients and profitable opportunities, instead of losing dozens of years and millions of dollars. 

"Back in the day, I helped launch the world’s largest magazine (AARP). I started writing at 12 and won a patient services award from The ALS Association (Lou Gehrig's disease.

"On top of facing death 4 times in India (in 72 hours) and hospice volunteering, I read fiction voraciously, have sat more than 157+ days (total) of silent meditation, and give 10% to impact companies. I'm a traveler (23 countries so far) and have lived on four continents."

📚 RESOURCES

WILL YOUR BOOK WORK? influencewithaheart.com/booksuccessguaranteed

Hi influencewithaheart.com/connect

TRAINING influencewithaheart.com/brilliant

READ amazon.com/stores/Ben-Gioia/author/B00MOY9ORA

►► ► Let's get your book done, shall we?  🙂 

influencewithaheart.com/connect
+1 347.870.6502

Ben Gioia

Cheers to my book writing/publishing client Johnathan Johannes and the inclusion of his book, THE EXCEPTION CODE, in Forbes.

"The 25 M&A Books Every CEO, Founder, and Business Owner Should Read"

He and I are both ending the week with a BANG! 

(I love to help folks bring their book to the world. )

😊

Guides purpose-driven folks to Write / Finish / Publish their BOOK (sure to work+get CLIENTS before it’s done), Almost 5X int’l bestseller 📚 Founder: Leadership Awake Press 🎙️ Radio+Podcast host 🙂 Story-rific guest

Didja know I was a hospice volunteer for three years? I had the pleasure of being mentored (and befriended) by the incomparable Roy Remer. Roy just wrote a new fabulous book called "Zen Caregiving". 🙂🧡

“There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”
— Rosalynn Carter
 
The past ten years have supported this observation, as the number of caregivers in the US has grown from 42 million to more than 53 million. 

With one in five American adults now in this role, many have found that they are emotionally and spiritually unprepared for the difficult and emotionally taxing task of caring for a seriously ill family member or patient.

"Zen Caregiving" is a new book from the executive director of Zen Caregiving Project, Roy Remer. Roy is the creator of the Mindful Caregiving Education course, a much-needed guide offering practical advice, emotional support, and a path to spiritual solace for the millions of undersupported caregivers in the US.

(Preorders are available, thanks for supporting Roy, his book, and these important messages. Get yours today.)

Designed to be motivational, therapeutic, and practical, "Zen Caregiving" covers:

• the four components of the Zen approach to caregiving — mindfulness, compassion, loss literacy, and self-care
• how to quiet the “thinking mind” to find solace and stay grounded
• methods and approaches for expanding compassion and avoiding burnout
• the value of grief and processing loss
• practical advice for preparing medical directives and end-of-life arrangements
• how to create intimacy with oneself to prioritize self-care one breath at a time

After being a caregiver, developing the Mindful Caregiving Education (MCE) curriculum and teaching MCE courses for many years, Remer was motivated to share what he had learned and taught about mindfulness-based approaches to care.

"Zen Caregiving" is an essential resource for those in need of spiritual guidance and emotional support as they navigate the often turbulent and uncharted waters of caring for a loved one.

Preorders are available, thanks for supporting Roy, his book, and these important messages.

🙂🧡

Guides purpose-driven folks to WRITE / FINISH / PUBLISH their book (sure to work + attract CLIENTS before it’s done), 5X int’l bestseller (almost), Publisher, Writing coach 🎙️ Radio + Podcast host 🙂 Full of story 🧡

Did you know? I’ve spent 20+ years studying and practicing meditation. I've sat more than 157 days of silent retreat (total). I’ve worked with Tibetan, Zen, and Vipassana monks and teachers in India, California, and New York. 

The most effective meditation I’ve come across is metta (loving-kindness), as taught by the Buddha. 🧡

And this is why I’m always talking about smiling. 🙂 

You don’t need to be Buddhist to benefit. Works for atheists and agnostics, too!

Metta (loving-kindness) is the simplest, fastest, and easiest way to a lighter mind, less suffering, and more happiness. 

Back in the day (≈2,600 years ago), the Buddha was teaching farmers, laborers, and the Dalits (oppressed). 

So it had to be simple, memorable, usable, and GIVE IMMEDIATE (and long term) benefits.

How?

1. Close your eyes, sit comfortably, and breathe. Put a gentle smile on your face, in your mind, and behind your eyes.

2. Send yourself the sincere wish that you be happy and peaceful. Then think of a time when you were happy, and smile. (If that’s difficult, imagine holding a puppy or a kitten in your arms.)

3. Notice the physical sensation in the center of your chest or heart area (a warm, glowing, pleasant feeling). 🙂 🧡

4. Keep smiling and gently rest your awareness on that feeling or sensation. Let yourself relax as you inhale AND as you exhale.

5. Keep smiling, breathing, and enjoying. Relax with whatever comes up. Keep letting go. 

6. Repeat. 

You can do this while you’re walking, doing dishes, and stuck in traffic. The more you smile and relax, the better your life will be.

(And if you’re so inclined, the practice of metta has been helping people wake up for the last ≈2,600 years.)

So put a smile on your face. 

🙂 🧡

Lighten your mind. 

Let go of suffering. 

And let your book come to life (and into the world) this year.

•••

(Adapted from my fourth book, THE INFLUENCERS FORMULA, co-author Donna Kunde. Photo by Uchral Sanjaadorj on Unsplash.)

Tibetan or Ladakhi child smiling big, wearing red in front of calf

Buddhist monks braving arctic conditions near end of 2,300-mile ‘Walk for Peace’
— by Travis G. Maurer

The Brief

The monks are completing a 120-day, 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace" from Texas to Washington, D.C.
Despite extreme winter weather, the pilgrimage has drawn massive crowds and overwhelming public support across seven states.

The group aims to spread a message of national healing, mindfulness, and the power of shared human kindness.

WAKE FOREST, NC - The group of Buddhist monks and their faithful canine companion, Aloka, arrived in snowy Wake Forest, North Carolina, on Sunday as they enter the final leg of their 2,300-mile cross-country "Walk for Peace."

Their journey has drawn massive crowds, and their message of national healing has resonated in every town they have touched.

What we know

The monks walked through 21-degree weather, through snow, sleet, and over glazed roadways. "The weather was harsh—the kind that makes every step deliberate, every breath visible in the frozen air," a Facebook post shared to their page reads. "And yet, even in this cold, we have been surrounded by warmth."

The monks say despite the ice storm, people came out to the roadway to commune. They described seeing faces through ‘the white curtain of snow—smiling, welcoming, offering what they could."

"From near and far, in person and in spirit, we have felt you walking beside us," the post continued. 

"When we began this journey, we never imagined this. We couldn't have dreamed of the overwhelming love and support that would meet us along the way. It has been unexpected, humbling, more than we ever thought possible."

Big picture view
The 120-day pilgrimage began in Fort Worth, Texas, in October 2025. The group, led by the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, is scheduled to arrive at their final destination in Washington, D.C., in mid-February.

Local perspective

Now on day 92, the monks have traveled through seven states, including Georgia during the holiday season, offering a glimmer of hope ringing in the new year.

What they're saying

The monks thanked everyone who came out to support them on their way and to the various agencies who have helped to facilitate their walk safely.

"This journey began with hope, but you have given us something greater: the lived experience of human kindness, the proof that when people come together with shared intention, extraordinary things become possible," the post reads.

The Source

The details in this article come from the monk's official Walk for Peace page and previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting.

Books make it happen! 💥 Big congrats to my client and friend Johnathan Johannes who just won an International Firebird Book Award for:

The Exception Code
How to Make Culture, Retention and Customer Loyalty Profitable 
by Leading Like No One Else

And here’s why this matters.

Because this isn’t “leadership inspiration” that might feel good, but changes nothing.

This is a practical, profitable, people-first playbook for leaders who want to:

• Build a culture people actually want to stay in
• Reduce churn and drama (the expensive kind)
• Increase loyalty, trust, and performance without becoming a control freak
• Lead in a way that’s unmistakably you (not a copy-paste of someone else’s style)
• Turn retention and customer experience into a real business advantage

If you’re leading a team, a department, a company, or even a family system that depends on your steadiness, this book is for you.

Because when culture is strong, everything gets easier: hiring, retention, customer relationships, growth.

And sleeping :-)

Johnathan, nice one! The award is beautiful.

And the real wins keep happening when your readers close your book and says:

“Okay. I know what to do next. 

"And I can actually do it!”

•••

If you want a full-scope ally and a behind-the-scenes collaborator for your book, hit me up today.

Because you can do you, with a high quality book you're proud of.

"... might just rewrite what you think is possible. I sat down with Ben Gioia (a publisher, strategist, and the founder of Leadership Awake Press), whose journey is straight out of a movie script.

"He's survived meth addiction. Nearly died four times in 72 hours while traveling in India. Landed Stanford keynotes. 

And somewhere in the chaos, he built a business that funds his freedom, serves the world, and gives him space to breathe.
 
"This episode isn't about publishing. 

(Beyond the Bestseller)

"It's about power. Owning your story. Turning pain into leverage. 

"And building a company that doesn't demand your entire existence to thrive."

— Alex S.

Most people don’t need more time to finish their book. They need a lighter mind, a clearer plan, and a book that actually does something in the real world.

If you’re a consultant, coach, speaker, or purpose-driven leader with an idea, a half-done draft, or a “ready…ish” manuscript, this article will help you stop guessing and start moving.

Not with hustle.

With reps, stories, and a simple finish-line plan.

Read it if you want your book to become an authority-builder, trust-builder, door-opener… and the beginning of a whole ecosystem of clients, partners, and opportunities.

(And yes, this can start before the book is even done.)

View newsletter: Your BOOK, BRAND, and BUSINESS

Most people think they need more time to get their book done… when they actually need is a light mind (and a little bit more) (So if you have an idea,

Open article: “A light mind is the right mind to write.” —Ben Gioia by Ben Gioia • 6 min read

“A light mind is the right mind to write.” —Ben Gioia

[new book] "How To Connect With Your Teenager" — congratulations to my friend and client Dr. Alison Metcalfe on this important book!

If you are caring for or parenting teenagers right now, you probably know the quiet heartbreak of feeling shut out from their world: one-word answers, closed bedroom door, phone always in hand. 

You lie awake wondering, Where did I go wrong? And, even more painfully, is my child actually ok?

"How To Connect With Your Teenager" offers two vital truths: first, it is not your fault; second, you matter more than you realise. You are not the cause of your teenager’s struggles, but you are one of the strongest protective factors in their life. 

“As someone who works closely with young people, I found this book both grounding and full of hope. Alison writes with warmth, insight, and real empathy for parents who feel shut out or unsure how to reconnect”
	—Jenny Natusch, Founder of Escape2Make

Instead of blaming you or your teenager, Alison gently shows you what’s really going on beneath the silence, eye rolls, and outbursts: a brain under construction, a world full of noise, and a young person trying to become an adult before they have all the tools. 

You’ll begin to understand why social media, school, family changes, culture, trauma, and neurodiversity can make connection so hard, and why your presence still makes such a difference.

Rather than giving you a list of things you “should” be doing, this book helps you notice what’s already happening in your home and offers small, realistic shifts that fit into real life. 

• You’ll learn how to see behaviour as communication, how to listen without interrogating, and how to choose words that stick like “good chewing gum” in your teenager’s heart instead of criticism that lingers for years. Simple conversations, in ordinary moments, become powerful turning points.

• You’ll discover how to rebuild trust after arguments, support your teenager’s resilience without “toughening them up,” understand both neurotypical and neurodiverse ways of thinking, and use curiosity and empathy to soften stand-offs and reopen the door between you.

• Along the way, you’ll hear from real parents, carers, and teenagers who have lived the messiness of disconnection and found a different way forward. Their stories will help you feel less alone, reduce the shame and self-blame, and remind you that repair is possible, even after very hard seasons.

This is not a manual for perfect parenting. It is a practical, hopeful guide to being a steady, emotionally available adult in a teenager’s life – one safe person they can trust when the world feels too loud. I

f you’re worried about your teenager’s mental health, scared of where things might be heading, or simply longing to feel close to them again, this book will help you take the next gentle, confident step.

•••

Enjoy the book today and please share this with the right people, thanks!

OMG I didn't post content today! Did the world end? (no). 

Am I gonna be ok? (yes). 

And you are too, even if you don't post every day.

(Breathe.)

:-)

•••

Photo by Shubham Dhage on Unsplash

Rice Krispies on Acid: 4 Lessons 👽 (Discovered during the psychedelic days of university... and how to apply them to your business, leadership, and life.)

Ah, university… a time of great wisdom, perhaps. 🙂

For me, there was a lot of acid, which is where and when this pivotal moment occurred.

🥣 I was standing in my kitchen, “tripping balls” (having taking a bunch of LSD), and eating a bowl of (super colorful) Fruity Pebbles.

I could hear the “snaps”, “crackles”, and “pops” in my bowl.

NOTE: You may know these sounds from Rice Krispies. But I was eating Fruity Pebbles!)

So as my housemate Sal passed by, I said,  “Dude! Look at all the colors… and LISTEN! 

🥣 “It’s Rice Krispies on acid!” said I.

Sal rolled his eyes and walked away...

(Fast forward several decades and that’s when the wisdom gels, completely.) 

🥣 Insight 1. Fruity Pebbles are the same as Rice Krispies… except for added sugar and artificial colors. (Yum!)

Insight 2. People spend so much time focusing on differences... that we often forget how much we actually have in common, regardless of race, color, gender, politics, and religion.

Insight 3. There’s so much more to people and situations than what we can see.

Insight 4. If you want to know the truth, ask and listen.

Let me say that again.

Ask and listen.

Truly listen.

With your ears, eyes, and heart.

Breath and smile.

Because wisdom comes from surprising places and this is why your stories are so powerful.

And sometimes it takes time to transform ridiculous historical moments into wisdom (and a great story).

How about you? 

I invite you to reflect... what's happened in your work and/or life that's a story worth sharing?

What have you turned into wisdom?

↙️↘

Find this helpful? Then please repost! ♻️

BTW, are you following Leadership Awake Press?

(Please do.)

📚 🧡 🙂

Photo by Bram Azink on Unsplash

The publishing world is like the wild, WILD west. 🤠 
It can be gritty, dangerous, and filled with all sorts of confusion, varmints,  and unsavory characters...

... unsavory characters who would love to take your money and waste your time. 🫤

So what do you do?

You get a simple, professional, author-first plan:

1. Before you spend a dollar.
2. Before you lose another year.
3. Before you make an avoidable mistake that costs you momentum, money, and opportunity.

So I’m inviting you to a new monthly training from Leadership Awake Press.

Third Tuesdays. And yes, we’re doing one tomorrow too!

It’s optimized  for purpose-driven leaders, consultants, coaches, speakers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners who want to:

• Publish the right way
• Avoid the biggest pitfalls (the ones that  cost people years and, honestly, millions in opportunity)
• Turn their book into real-world impact and door-opening business outcomes

If your book matters, this is worth 23 minutes of your your time.

Reply “TRAINING” in the comments and and I’ll share details.

"The book has been well received and I just landed a paid speaking gig at a large bank hosting their sales kick off on the 23 January.

"I am also participating in a local book fair on 28 January. 

"Things have been good."

•••

Congratulations to my book writing client and friend Johnathan Johannes for the successes he's creating from, with, and thanks to his book, THE EXCEPTION CODE.

Good news from the Book Oracle! 2026 is the year that you finally get your book done. :-)

Let me show you how...

(holler toward me today)

The Ninja Move — Use Stories The Right Way... because it's not (quite) enough to just tell stories in your book.

Instead, tell the right stories AND make sure to connect the dots for your reader.

Leave that trail of breadcrumbs. Tell them why it matters. 

This does not mean your readers are not smart. It means you are helping them see clearly.

So help them see clearly. :-)

Here are five words/ phrases you can use to connect the dots:

1. Because… 

2. Here’s why this is important… 

3. What this means to you is… 

4. If you remember nothing else, remember this… 

5. This is why you want to do this…

Again, stories are great.

But when you connect the dots for your reader, those stories shine.

•••

More goodness like this here:

https://lnkd.in/eQWrFPHE?

Photo by Studbee on Unsplash

Q2. “How old were you when you truly knew, heard, and / or understood that your voice matters?”

(That’s an illuminating question (from a LinkedIn survey.))

BUT for the full picture, we have to start with Question 1:

Q1: “How old were you when you realized you’re an artist / creative?" 
(however you define it)

Most folks knew by age ten, with 70% knowing by the time they were 20 years old.

However, when asked, 

“How old were you when you truly knew, heard, or understood that your voice matters?”

A whopping 75%(!) percent didn’t know until they were over 21, with the majority not knowing until after 40!

😢 💔

So I’m here to tell you and remind you that your voice matters.

And yet creating the future you want (with your book done), can often feel overwhelming.

So replace overwhelming with exciting, you’ll immediately enjoy a completely different experience. 

Because here’s a beautiful opportunity to create more influence, income, and impact as you bring your dreams to life.

• Knowing  your voice matters is the foundation that elevates everything.

• Sharing your story will change your life.

• Your book will change the lives of the people you serve.

Today is a great day to get started.

How?

23 minutes of training today Tuesday by Leadership Awake Press, so you can solve those pesky publishing perplexities.

And bring your book into the world.

•••

(See events or featured.)

(I'm so excited to teach this!) Imagine: by summer of 2026 (yes, this year) your book is done and in your hands.

Excitement, accomplishment, maybe even some trepidation.

And you did it!

And when you think back to writing it, you did the right things…

---->> You used the book doors to attract paying clients, strategic partners, and quality referrals (while creating impact).

And you did it all, long before the book was done.

How?

That’s what this training is about.  

It’s called:

Get Your Book Over the Finish Line, Fast and Right (plus the 9 Kinds of Stories Anyone Can Use)
Why join?

1. Because you have stories to share. 

2. Because there’s a proven path for your book that brings 5- and 6- figure outcomes (before it's published).

3. Because you can stop living with the regret of (still) not getting your book done and into the world.

Super exciting :-)

Imagine this: by summer of 2026 (yes, this year) your book is done and in your hands. 

Excitement, accomplishment, maybe even some trepidation.

And you did it!

And when you think back to writing it, you did the right things…

---->> You used the book doors to attract paying clients, strategic partners, and quality referrals (while creating impact).

And you did it all, long before the book was done.

How?

That’s what this training is about.  It’s called:

Get Your Book Over the Finish Line, Fast and Right (plus the 9 Kinds of Stories Anyone Can Use)

Why join?

1. Because you have stories to share. 

2. Because there’s a proven path for your book that brings 5- and 6- figure outcomes (before it's published).

3. Because you can stop living with the regret of (still) not getting your book done and into the world.

(Regrets suck.)

So it’s time to set yourself free and give yourself the gift of your dream.

Smile, relax, and say the first yes to yourself (by attending the training).

Because this session will open your eyes, open your heart, and blow your mind.

See you on the 13th of January :-)

↙️↘

Does this resonate?
♻️🙂 
• See Events or Featured to RSVP and get the Zoom link. (Register by email if you prefer the replay.)

John Brewton, Ben Gioia and 1 other connection attending

View event: Get Your Book Over the Finish Line Fast + 9 Kinds o' Story Anyone Can Use  

Get Your Book Over the Finish Line Fast + 9 Kinds o' Story Anyone Can Use  

Get your book published.

Before that, get it edited.

Before that, get it done.

Before that, start writing.

How?

This will help.

View event: How To Get Started, Get It Done, and Take Your Book Over the Finish Line 🏆

How To Get Started, Get It Done, and Take Your Book Over the Finish Line 🏆

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