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Welcome back to the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Massey. This week on the podcast, we were joined by Emma Pacey, Trading Director at one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains. In our conversation, Emma lifted the lid on what we called the double negotiation - the balance between securing great deals with suppliers and negotiating just as effectively inside the organisation to align teams, priorities, and strategy. Today, I’m joined by Robin Hoyle to unpack the key takeaways from that discussion — from the art of internal persuasion to the traits that separate good suppliers from truly great partners. And why Robin? Well, he’s a leading figure in the learning and development space, a regular speaker at global conferences, the author of two books on learning culture, and a former Sales Director who’s been in the hot seat of high-stakes negotiation himself. In short, he knows his stuff. Let’s dive in.

In this episode, we sit down with Emma Pacey, Trading Director from one of the UK's largest supermarket chains to uncover the often-overlooked reality of their role: negotiation isn't just about driving hard bargains with suppliers—it's about winning hearts and minds internally, too. Our guest reveals why success at the trading desk requires a delicate balance of external negotiation prowess with suppliers and the equally critical skill of building consensus across internal teams—from category managers and marketing to finance and operations. Discover how the best Trading Directors navigate competing priorities, secure stakeholder buy-in, and align diverse departments behind a unified commercial strategy. We also explore what separates good suppliers from great ones when it comes to the negotiating table. Our guest shares real examples of how suppliers who understand the challenges supermarkets face can transform potentially difficult negotiations into collaborative partnerships—and why preparation and fluency in "buyer speak" can be the difference between a rejected proposal and a long-term contract. Whether you're in retail buying, supplier management, or interested in the tough commercial mechanics of the supermarket industry, this conversation offers rare insights into the negotiations of those who decide what lands on Britain's shelve - and at what price.  

Welcome back to the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Massey. This week on the podcast we had the pleasure of being joined by entrepreneur and sales leader Mike Pritchett. In our chat we discussed where AI ends, and where humans must begin in order to balance automation and authenticity in the sales world. Today I am joined by Robin Hoyle, to discuss the key takeaways from our conversation with Mike. And what makes Robin such an expert you might ask – well, he is very well known in the L&D industry, addresses leaders all over the world at conferences and summits, is the author of two books around learning culture and has walked in Sales Director shoes himself.  Suffice to say, he knows his stuff.

The Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast returns with a brand-new series and we’re kicking it off with our first guest: entrepreneur, founder, and sales leader Mike Pritchett. 🎙️ Episode 1: Sales enablement reimagined — Where AI ends and humans begin AI is transforming prospecting, outreach and efficiency… But can it ever replace trust, humour, empathy and real connection? In this episode, Mike breaks down: ✨ The moments where AI supercharges sales ✨ The moments where only humans can win the deal ✨ Why emotional intelligence is becoming the ultimate sales differentiator ✨ How to “add value, not noise” in an AI-saturated world One you don’t want to miss!

On this week’s episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, we explore the value of trust, how to be the conductor of your own corporate orchestra, and real-world challenges and lessons from the sales front line.  Join Robin Hoyle and Rachel Masseyas they reflect on the main takeaways of their conversation with Rebecca Bromwich, Global Account Director at VodafoneThree.

In the latest episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, Robin Hoyle and Rachel Massey are joined by Rebecca Bromwich, Global Account Director at VodafoneThree. They explored why embracing “two-faced” strategies is essential in today’s complex buying landscape. A good salesperson must adapt fluidly – not to deceive, but to balance customer-facing finesse with internal strategic alignment. Together, they dive into the evolving world of modern sales, unpacking universal truths and proven approaches that resonate across industries, teams, and roles.

On this week’s episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, we explore the true value of working collaboratively to solve problems, to build the customers’ vision, through honesty and preparedness.  Join Robin Hoyle and Rachel Massey as they reflect on the main takeaways of their conversation with Myles Davidson Head of Sales at Zühlke Group, including the benefit of putting processes and strategies in place and working in an environment which is less pressured and having the time to build working relationships. 

In the latest episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, Robin Hoyle and Rachel Massey are joined by Myles Davidson Head of Sales at Zühlke Group.  They discussed how sales skills improvement can help demystify sales for their specialised consultants and technical experts, allowing them to align their solutions precisely with customer challenges, building deeper trust through value-focused dialogue. 

On this week’s episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, we explore the transformative journey of today's sales professionals.  Join Nick Martin and Tony Hughes as they reflect on the main three takeaways of their conversation with Steve Lindsey, the Managing Director of Lincoln West and the organiser of the National Sales Conference.  From collaboration and innovative ways of learning, to helping senior sales leaders and salespeople understand what ‘good’ looks like when interacting with customers, listen in to the latest episode now. 

In the latest episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, guest host Nick Martin and Huthwaite’s CEO Tony Hughes sit down with Steve Lindsey, the Managing Director of Lincoln West and the organiser of the National Sales Conference. They discuss the transformative journey of today’s sales professionals through the lens of the National Sales Conference (NSC). Sharing insight on the importance of collaboration for sales success and personal development, Steve discusses how the events organisation has witnessed and responded to the emerging needs of sales professionals across the UK.  

In this week’s Quick Win episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast, Rachel Massey and Robin Hoyle reflect on the key takeaways from their recent conversation with Jane Banks, Founder and Managing Director of Pure Valegro. Discussing how technically skilled professionals need a mindset shift to transition from technical experts to commercially effective salespeople, they also uncover the key strategies to help professionals have  value-led, customer-centric sales conversations.

How do you help technically skilled professionals become commercially successful salespeople? In the latest episode of the Mastering Sales and Negotiations podcast Rachel Massey and Robin Hoyle are joined by Jane Banks, Founder and Managing Director of Pure Valegro.  Sharing insights from her extensive experience coaching sales professionals, this episode discusses one of the most common challenges many industries face, how to turn technical expertise into commercial success. Jane also explores the mindset shift necessary to turn deep technical knowledge into impactful, customer-focused sales conversations, covering the essential role of managers in supporting that transition and how to avoid common pitfalls like feature dumping, instead of focusing on the customer truly needs and wants.

On this week’s Mastering Sales and Negotiations, we uncover the secrets to aligning sales and marketing for rapid growth. Join Rachel Massey and Robin Hoyle as they explore: Why the disconnect between sales and marketing hinders growth.How the buying cycle can unify sales and marketing efforts.Practical strategies to bridge the gap and drive better results.

In this episode, Robin Hoyle and Rachel Massey are joined by Karen Woodhead, Executive VP at Global Marketing for Qoria, the ASX listed leader in child digital safety solutions, to discuss the Buying Cycle’s role in high-growth success. Karen shares her insights on how successful B2B companies can transform their revenue operations by putting the buying cycle at the centre of their strategy.

On this week’s Mastering Sales and Negotiations, we uncover the key to mastering B2B pitches. Join Rachel Massey and Robin Hoyle as they explore: Why shifting to a solutions-oriented approach drives better results; How creative industries can overcome the negative perception of sales; Practical strategies for crafting persuasive presentations that win clients.