Larry Kendall's Summer Plans

07/07/2025

The Ninja Selling Podcast

0:00

27:23

Happy summer, Ninjas! Rob Nelson welcomes the founder of Ninja Selling, Larry Kendall, back to the podcast for a special conversation about vision, strategy, and staying in flow. Larry kicks things off with a recap of the annual Guide Camp, a development workshop for Ninja instructors and coaches, highlighting the renewed focus on Ninja Selling's core mission: to change the way the world views salespeople.

The conversation then turns to Larry's big summer project: finishing his highly anticipated new book, Ninja Leadership. Discover Larry's personal strategy for tackling this major endeavor, including how he time blocks his summer, protects his creative energy by working in the early morning hours, and uses a change of scenery to maintain focus and say "no" to distractions.

Finally, Rob and Larry dive into a Q&A session, addressing some of the most common questions from the Ninja Selling Facebook groups. Get Larry's expert advice on how to rebuild a sphere in a new city, what to do when you're struggling to come up with ideas for personal notes (the answer might surprise you), and a powerful, next-level FORD question technique to spark deeper, more meaningful conversations. This episode is packed with inspiration and actionable strategies for your business and life.

Join the community of 16,000+ Ninjas on the Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group for more valuable insights, collaboration, and networking opportunities! Leave a voicemail at 208-MY-NINJA if you’d like to offer more direct feedback. Be sure to check out Ninja Selling Events for upcoming installations and other events, and if you’d like personalized help in achieving your goals, visit Ninja Coaching to connect with one of our fantastic coaches.

Episode Highlights:

A Recap of Guide Camp 2025 and the Focus on the Ninja Movement
The Refined Ninja Mission: Changing the Way the World Views Salespeople
Larry's Summer Project: Announcing the Upcoming Book, Ninja Leadership
Larry's Strategy for Writing a Book: Time Blocking, Protecting Creative Energy, and Changing Your Environment
Building Culture in the "Margins" Between Meetings
Q&A: How to Rebuild Your Sphere After Moving to a New City
Q&A: The Real Reason You're Struggling to Write Personal Notes (and How to Fix It)
Q&A: A Next-Level FORD Question to Spark Deeper Conversations ("What's your favorite summertime activity?")
The "What's in Your Hand?" Follow-Up Question Technique
How to Use FORD and Record to Create "Wow" Experiences

Key Takeaways:

Focus on building relationships, not just chasing transactions, to thrive in any market shift.
To change how the world views salespeople, you must first change how salespeople view themselves and the world.
Protect the first hours of your day for your most important creative work, as they are often your most productive.
Physically changing your location can be an effective strategy for saying "no" and creating space for deep work.
If you're struggling for note-writing ideas, the root problem is likely a lack of "live flow"; increase your conversations.
To start deeper conversations, ask specific, open-ended questions like "What's your favorite summertime activity?" instead of generic ones.
Practice active listening by letting a person's last answer guide your next question, allowing you to go deeper.
The goal of FORD and Record is to uncover details that allow you to create a personalized, high-value "wow" experience.