Is artificial intelligence coming for your sales job? Not if you understand the power of business acumen, value selling, and strategic adoption of tools that amplify, not replace, human expertise. In this high-impact episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin and Sean tackle the loud claims of AI-induced layoffs with a grounded, practical message for salespeople and sales managers: evolve or fall behind. This is not a doomsday episode; it's a wake-up call, a roadmap, and a motivational boost for anyone in the world of revenue generation, sales processes, and messaging strategy.

Whether you're a frontline salesperson or a VP of sales leading a team, this conversation will inspire you to rethink how you work, what skills future-proof your career, and how AI can become your competitive advantage instead of your competitor.

Key Topics Discussed

• The 4 Irreplaceable Skills That Safeguard Sales Careers (01:00) Sean breaks down a framework for evaluating whether your job is AI-proof, hint: if you’re in B2B sales and good at it, you're likely already building a durable edge.

• How AI Mirrors the Arrival of the Internet in Sales Evolution (04:10) Kevin draws a compelling parallel between today's AI landscape and the early days of the internet, showing why this shift is just as transformative.

• Sales Management and Strategic Value in an AI World (02:46 & 07:31) From leadership and team building to messaging and workflow design, the episode highlights why sales managers need to think beyond quotas and towards long-term enablement.

• A Personal Story of Old-School Sales and the Power of Adapting Tools (08:00) Sean shares a nostalgic (and relevant) story about his father’s sales career before personal computers, offering perspective on how sales adapts across generations.

• Weaponizing Your Time: Using AI to Amplify Human Strengths (13:00) Kevin delivers a call to action on how to audit your own sales day and offload low-value tasks through automation, freeing up more time for high-impact strategy and consultation.

Key Quotes

“You won’t lose your job to AI, you’ll lose your job to a better salesperson who uses AI.” – Sean O’Shaughnessey (01:02)

“If you’re not using AI, or any sales technology, you’re not doing your job. You’re underperforming.” – Kevin Lawson (06:11)

“Sales worked before computers, and it will work after AI. What changes is how well you adapt the tools available.” – Sean O’Shaughnessey (10:04)

“Your time is your greatest asset, and your biggest liability, when you’re not using it to its highest utility.” – Kevin Lawson (14:00)

Additional Resources

• Sean’s original blog post on this topic (available in the B2B Sales Lab and LinkedIn) https://newsales.expert/2025/06/b2b-sales-in-the-age-of-ai-why-top-salespeople-will-thrive-while-the-repetitive-roles-disappear/

• B2B Sales Lab community discussion on sales evolution and AI https://b2b-sales-lab.com/

• Tools mentioned: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini (as starting points for AI integration)

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Audit your sales day for repeatable, low-value tasks that can be automated. Pick one of them, like researching prospects, summarizing meeting notes, or drafting follow-ups, and replace it with an AI tool like ChatGPT or Perplexity. You’ll recover time, increase productivity, and move closer to building a modern, AI-augmented sales practice.

Final Summary

This episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales isn’t about fear, it’s about focus. Sales success today requires a sharp blend of strategic thinking, tool adoption, and human skills that are nearly impossible to replicate. Kevin and Sean lay out a blueprint that every sales leader, rep, and business owner should follow to thrive in this new era. If you’re serious about sales management, value selling, messaging clarity, and staying ahead of disruption, this episode will give you the mindset and tactical clarity to act now. Don’t just listen, level up.

B2B Sales Lab is a private, member-led community for sales professionals who want actionable insights, not theory. It’s a space to ask real questions, share proven practices, and connect with others who are serious about improving revenue performance. Designed and led by veteran sales leaders, the Lab is where strategy meets execution. Join us at b2b-sales-lab.com

You can reach out to Sean at New Sales Expert, LLC - [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

You can reach out to Kevin at Lighthouse Sales Advisors & Sales Xceleration - [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwlawson/

You can book time on Kevin's calendar at https://lighthousesalesadvisors.pipedrive.com/scheduler/JP7rZXH3/virtual-meeting-booking-time-with-kevin

You can book time on Sean's calendar at http://newsales.expert/sean-oshaughnessey-calendar/