Buyer confidence is at an all-time low — and more data isn't fixing it. In this episode, Lee sits down with Tom Pisello (The ROI Guy), value-selling pioneer and founder of GeniusDrive, to unpack why B2B deals stall even when the numbers are solid.

Tom and Lee explore Aristotle's three buy buttons, the shift from FOMO to fear of messing up, why trust now drives 50% of the purchase decision, and what vendors need to do differently in an era of AI-accelerated complexity.

Topics covered:

• High-performance driving as a sales metaphor: your car goes where your eyes go
• Why emotional connection precedes logical justification in every buying decision
• The confidence gap: why two-thirds of buyers regret purchases shortly after signing
• Collective buying committees, compromise, and eroded confidence
• AI's role in accelerating value frameworks — from six months to six days
• The outcome economy and why token-maxing is the wrong metric
• Leadership in an era of rapid, disorienting change

References and further reading:

• Frugalnomics Survival Guide by Tom Pisello — Tom's foundational work on value selling and the three buy buttons that drive every B2B purchase decision
• The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein — the book (and film) behind Tom's keynote framework, and the source of the episode's central metaphor
• The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson — foundational work on the role of emotion in B2B purchase decisions
• Todd Caponi — trust and transparency expert, author of The Transparency Sale; recommended by Tom as essential listening on the trust dimension of selling
• Lee's forthcoming books: The Second Meeting and Together We Win

Connect with Tom Pisello:

• LinkedIn: Tom Pisello (The ROI Guy)
• Podcast: Value Coffee Talk
• Website: geniusdrive.com/community