The Activator Advantage with Matt Dixon
Brainfluence
In this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley welcomes back Matt Dixon, founding partner of DCM Insights and co-author of the bestselling "The Challenger Sale." Dixon shares insights from his latest book, The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently, which is rooted in groundbreaking research on how top professionals win and grow client relationships in the increasingly competitive world of professional services. Dixon unpacks the five distinct profiles that partners in fields like law, accounting, and consulting tend to fall into, with a particular focus on the...
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Audacious with Mark Schaefer: How Humans Win in an AI World
Brainfluence
Brainfluence host Roger Dooley sits down with marketing thought leader and bestselling author Mark Schaefer, who returns to the show with insights from his latest book, Audacious. Mark shares his unique approach to writing—how each of his books is inspired by real problems facing marketers—and discusses the existential challenges and opportunities posed by AI-driven marketing. Discover how both brands and individuals can stand out in an age of overwhelming content, why out-humaning AI is the key to survival, and what it means to be “audacious” in a world often dominated by the dull and...
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iMotions, Affectiva and Neuromarketing with Peter Hartzbech
Brainfluence
This episode features Peter Hartzbech of iMotions, who discusses the company's biosensor software platform for studying human behavior. Key points: iMotions provides a software platform that uses biosensors like eye tracking, galvanic skin response, EEG, voice analysis, and facial expression analysis to study human behavior in both academic and commercial research. The company serves diverse sectors including academia, consumer insights, and human factors, offering tools for understanding human-to-human and human-to-machine interactions. Imotions helps brands with early-stage R&D,...
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Cruise Industry Insider: Making Waves with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo
Brainfluence
In the latest episode of the Brainfluence podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, then Vice Chairman of External Affairs at Royal Caribbean Group and former CEO of Celebrity Cruises. Since then, Lutoff-Perlo became Chairwoman of the Board of the Hornblower Group and serves on the Board of Directors for AutoNation, AHC Group, and Amerant Bank. Lisa's journey from a low-level salesperson to a top executive is inspiring. Her latest book is . We covered a wide range of topics including the resurgence of the cruise industry post-pandemic, the innovative use of technology...
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Marshall Goldsmith’s AI Legacy: Free MarshallBot for Better Leadership Globally
Brainfluence
Join world-renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith as he explores his groundbreaking AI venture - MarshallBot. After decades of coaching Fortune 500 CEOs and writing 40 bestselling books, Goldsmith is now democratizing his leadership wisdom through an AI that thinks and responds just like him. In this fascinating conversation, he shares insights about training his AI, discusses the challenges top executives face with "winning too much," and explains why he's giving away his lifetime of knowledge for free. Whether you're a leader, coach, or just curious about the future of AI-powered...
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AI Podcasts, Google NotebookLM and Pricing Psychology
Brainfluence
Here's a departure from the usual Brainfluence format: Are you ready for AI podcasts? Roger does a solo introduction and explanation of NotebookLM, and then turns the show over to two AI hosts, AI Greg and AI Eva, who talk about pricing psychology. Their discussion is based on the pricing section in Roger's book, . Show notes, videos, resources:
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The Future of Airline Customer Experience: Call Centers, AI and New Regulations with Mario Matulich
Brainfluence
Discover how the airline industry is transforming and how airlines are beginning to reverse a long decline in customer experience. In this wide ranging interview, customer experience expert Mario Matulich reveals the impact of new government regulations, AI advancements, and evolving call center strategies on your future travel experiences. Learn about: New airline refund policies and what they mean for you How AI is revolutionizing customer service interactions The changing role of human agents in call centers Surprising ways airlines may compete for your loyalty Whether you're a frequent...
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The Illusion of Choice with Richard Shotton
Brainfluence
In this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley welcomes back Richard Shotton, a marketing expert with 23 years of experience working with major brands like Google and Mondelez. Shotton specializes in applying behavioral science to marketing and is the author of two books, including his latest, "The Illusion of Choice: 16.5 Psychological Biases That Influence What We Buy." LIsteners will learn about the reliability of behavioral science findings in marketing, the power of precise numbers in advertising, and how to use psychological principles like the "generation effect" to make marketing...
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Better Customer Interactions: New HBR Study
Brainfluence
In this Brainfluence episode, we discuss some surprising customer experience findings from a Harvard Business Review study. Our guest, Mauro Carobene, VP and Global Head of Customer Interaction Suite at Tata Communications, sponsor of the study, joins me to share insights on how enterprises are managing and improving customer interactions today. Mauro notes that despite the high priority placed on improving customer interactions—emphasized by 94-97% of global CXOs and decision-makers—only a minority feel they are doing enough. Tune in as we explore the challenges posed by data silos, the...
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Tightwads and Spendthrifts with Scott Rick
Brainfluence
In this episode of Brainfluence, Roger Dooley sits down with Scott Rick, author of "Tightwads and Spendthrifts," to delve into the psychological forces that shape our spending behaviors. Are you a tightwad who feels pain with every purchase or a spendthrift who can't resist a good deal? Scott Rick explains how these financial tendencies are formed, their impact on our happiness, and how they affect our relationships. Listeners will learn about the "tightwad-spendthrift scale" and the psychological mechanisms driving these behaviors. Scott discusses the concept of "categorical thinking" and its...
info_outlineIn this episode of Brainfluence, host Roger Dooley welcomes back Matt Dixon, founding partner of DCM Insights and co-author of the bestselling "The Challenger Sale." Dixon shares insights from his latest book, The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently, which is rooted in groundbreaking research on how top professionals win and grow client relationships in the increasingly competitive world of professional services. Dixon unpacks the five distinct profiles that partners in fields like law, accounting, and consulting tend to fall into, with a particular focus on the "Activator"—a proactive, well-networked rainmaker who brings new ideas to clients and promotes deep collaboration within firms.
Dixon explains that while only about 15–20% of partners naturally exhibit strong activator traits, everyone can learn to adopt key behaviors that set activators apart: maintaining a regular business development cadence, building broad and deep networks, and proactively creating value for clients. He reveals that the biggest client complaint isn’t over-contact; instead, it’s wishing they heard more from their trusted advisors with fresh insights and opportunities. The conversation offers practical takeaways for both leaders and individuals in professional services who want to move beyond waiting for the phone to ring and instead, become indispensable partners in their clients’ success.
The Activator Advantage on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3FjUSED
Connect with Matt:
Website - https://www.dcminsights.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewxdixon/
Show notes, audio, text, links - https://www.rogerdooley.com/activator-advantage-matt-dixon/
Connect with Roger:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dooley/
https://twitter.com/rogerdooley
https://www.threads.net/@rogerdooley
https://www.facebook.com/roger.dooley
https://www.instagram.com/rogerdooley/
Roger’s Stuff:
Website: https://www.rogerdooley.com
Neuromarketing: https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog
Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/
About Matt Dixon:
Matt Dixon is an acclaimed business researcher and author best known for co-writing "The Challenger Sale," published in 2011. After the book’s release, he spent years traveling internationally to share its groundbreaking B2B sales insights with teams across the globe. Early in his journey—around 2012 or 2013—Dixon was invited to present his research to one of the world’s top strategy consulting firms, marking the start of his influential role in shaping sales practices for leading professional organizations.