What does it take to build high-performing sales teams in an AI-driven world? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Leala Dueno, CRO and Founder at LATTIX, to discuss sales leadership, team development, mentorship, CRM strategy, AI, and what it takes to create repeatable revenue growth. Leala shares lessons from her journey building and scaling sales organizations, leading enterprise growth initiatives, and helping companies navigate the evolving relationship between data security, AI, and business growth. The conversation explores the realities of sales leadership, the importance of resilience, how to manage up effectively, and why CRM and AI are transforming the future of sales organizations. What You'll Learn • How great mentors can accelerate career growth • Why ego often becomes a barrier to sales success • The mindset needed to overcome setbacks in sales • Lessons from building and scaling high-performing teams • How successful leaders manage up and influence stakeholders • Why CRM must evolve beyond a system of record • How AI is changing sales operations and decision-making • The risks organizations face when adopting AI • Why data quality is critical for growth and forecasting • Leadership principles that help teams perform consistently About Leala Dueno Leala Dueno is the CRO and Founder at LATTIX, a company building trust infrastructure for the AI era. She is a revenue leader and startup operator with extensive experience building and scaling sales and account management teams across global technology organizations. Throughout her career, Leala has led enterprise growth initiatives, developed go-to-market strategies, and managed multimillion-dollar portfolios across technology services and AI-driven solutions. At LATTIX, she is helping define a new category at the intersection of data security, AI, and zero-trust infrastructure, enabling organizations to securely share, control, and trust their data across increasingly complex environments. Her leadership approach focuses on building repeatable revenue systems, developing talent, and helping organizations adapt to the rapidly changing technology landscape. Connect with Leala Dueno LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lealadueno/ Learn More About LATTIX: https://lattix.com About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value: 👍 Hit Like and help more sales professionals find this conversation. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a Sales Lead Dog episode. 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. What leadership lesson has had the biggest impact on

What separates great sales leaders from the rest? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Aaron Coleman, Chief Revenue Officer at ZSuite Technologies, to discuss sales leadership, team development, process discipline, CRM adoption, AI, and what it takes to build a consistent revenue engine. With more than 25 years of experience in financial technology sales and revenue leadership, Aaron has built and led high-performing teams across the financial services industry. He shares practical lessons on leadership, prospecting, coaching, sales culture, and why successful organizations never stop focusing on the fundamentals. Aaron also explains how banks evaluate technology investments, how sales teams can navigate long buying cycles, and why AI is becoming an essential tool for modern revenue organizations. What You'll Learn • Why discipline and consistency still drive sales success • The importance of curiosity in sales and leadership • Leadership lessons learned from great and poor managers • How to build a culture of collaboration across remote teams • Why sales leaders should coach to strengths, not weaknesses • The key to managing long and complex sales cycles • How top sales organizations qualify opportunities more effectively • Why process matters more than talent alone • How AI is changing prospecting, CRM, and customer engagement • The future of revenue leadership in financial technology About Aaron Coleman Aaron Coleman is the Chief Revenue Officer at ZSuite Technologies, a bank technology company that helps financial institutions grow commercial deposits through virtual account management solutions. At ZSuite Technologies, Aaron leads sales and marketing efforts, helping banks and credit unions transform operational challenges into scalable opportunities for growth. With more than 25 years of experience in financial technology sales and revenue leadership, he has built and led high-performing teams, expanded client relationships, and developed revenue strategies across the financial services landscape. Known for his results-driven leadership style and ability to translate complex banking technology into clear business value, Aaron focuses on building strong partnerships, repeatable growth strategies, and sales cultures that deliver results. Connect with Aaron Coleman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-coleman/ ZSuite Technologies: https://zsuitetech.com About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value: 👍 Hit Like and help more sales professionals find this conversation. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a Sales Lead Dog episode. 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. What sales leadership lesson from Aaron resonated most with you?

In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Listy Limon, Chief Revenue Officer at GFS Home Loans, to discuss leadership, mortgage sales, AI, CRM adoption, customer trust, and building high-performing sales teams in a challenging market. With more than 20 years of experience across the mortgage industry, Listy shares practical lessons on leadership, structure, accountability, and why service continues to separate top producers from everyone else. She also explains how AI, digital branding, and changing customer expectations are reshaping the mortgage industry faster than many professionals realize. Listy is known for combining strategic leadership with hands-on execution, helping teams grow while staying deeply connected to customers and day-to-day operations. The conversation also explores sales culture, coaching, CRM discipline, and what it takes to stay relevant in an increasingly digital sales environment. What You’ll Learn • Why trust and service matter more than rates alone • How AI is changing customer behavior in mortgage sales • The importance of structure and consistency in leadership • Why personal branding now impacts referrals and revenue • How CRM discipline improves sales performance • What separates top-performing loan officers from the rest • Lessons from leading through a difficult mortgage market • Why transparency and communication build stronger teams • How to create accountability without fear-based leadership Guest Information Listy Limon Chief Revenue Officer, GFS Home Loans LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/listylimon/ Listy Limon is a passionate, people-first mortgage executive with over 20 years of hands-on experience across all areas of the industry. As Chief Revenue Officer at GFS Home Loans, she leads national growth initiatives, develops high-performing teams, and drives revenue growth through a strong focus on people, process, and purpose. Recognized as a NEXT Powerhouse Leader and one of NMP Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Mortgage Professionals, Listy combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership. She is passionate about empowering teams, improving customer experience, and helping shape the next generation of leaders. Based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, Listy is also a proud mother of three boys and enjoys spending time outdoors fishing and attending live music events with her husband Frankie. About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value: 👍 Hit Like and help more sales professionals find this conversation. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss a Sales Lead Dog episode. 💬 Drop your biggest takeaway in the comments. What leadership lesson stood out most to you?