Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt featuring Michelle Curran
In this episode of the Selling from the Heart Podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Michelle "MACE" Curran, a former F-16 fighter pilot and lead solo pilot for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Michelle shares her journey from combat missions to high-stakes performances and how she overcame fear, doubt, and uncertainty in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
The discussion explores how sales professionals can apply these same principles—from mental resilience to trust and focus—to thrive in their careers. Michelle shares practical strategies to shift perspectives, reframe fear, and embrace leadership.
Michelle Curran, call sign “MACE,” is a combat veteran and trailblazing former F-16 fighter pilot with 13 years of service in the United States Air Force. As the lead solo pilot for the elite Air Force Thunderbirds from 2019 to 2021, she was the second woman ever to hold this position, inspiring millions with her aerial performances. With 1,500 flight hours, including 163 combat hours in Afghanistan, Michelle’s career epitomizes grit, determination, and teamwork.
Now the founder of Upside Down Dreams, Michelle shares her action-packed stories and hard-won lessons to help audiences conquer self-doubt, reframe challenges, and achieve their dreams. Featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and CBS Evening News, she continues to inspire as a speaker, mentor, and advocate."
SHOW SUMMARY
In this episode of the Selling from the Heart podcast, hosts Larry Levine and Darrell Amy are joined by Michelle Curran, former F-16 fighter pilot and lead solo pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds. Michelle, known for her call sign 'MACE,' shares her journey, the importance of authenticity in sales, and how to leverage fear as a superpower. The episode highlights Michele's upcoming book, 'The Flipside.' Michelle discusses the significance of focus, trust, and accountability both in the cockpit and in the sales profession. Listeners also get a heartwarming story of Michelle surprising a young admirer on the Kelly Clarkson Show. This episode is filled with actionable insights for sales professionals and leaders looking to build genuine relationships and trust in their careers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Creating Value in Sales: Effective selling is about genuinely helping and providing value to the customer, not just pitching a product.
- Importance of Empathy: Empathy is crucial in sales. Understand and align with your customers' needs and perspectives.
- Active Listening: Great sales meetings involve active listening, where the salesperson speaks less and listens more to understand the customer's challenges.
- Follow-Up Strategy: Following up with potential clients needs to include adding value in each touch point, rather than just checking in for updates.
- Becoming an Expert: Knowing your industry, company, and client's business thoroughly can significantly enhance sales effectiveness.
- Financial Understanding: Understanding your clients' financials and how business decisions impact their P&L and balance sheets is essential for meaningful conversations.
- Effective Sales Meeting: Break sales meetings into diagnosis and prescription phases – first understand the problem, then present your solution tailored to that problem.
- Consistency in Outreach: It takes multiple touchpoints to engage a prospect; persistence coupled with value-driven outreach is key.
QUOTES
- “People are pretty quick to pick up on when there's a disconnect there.”
- “When you focus on how you can deliver the most value to the person you're speaking to, it reduces that anxiety so much.”
- “There's an opportunity to get judged there. There's an opportunity to fail in front of everyone.”
- “Consistent accountability eventually just becomes the norm and it gets less scary to people.”
- “Getting into task-focused mode and having a clear mission helps mitigate fear and distraction.”
Learn more about Michelle Curran:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/macecurran/
Learn more about Darrell and Larry:
Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/
Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevine1992/
Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Explore the secrets of heart-centered leadership and thriving workplace cultures with Culture from the Heart Podcast—nominate a visionary CEO at www.culturefromtheheart.com!
Order Larry Levine’s book, Selling in a Post-Trust World! Get it on Barnes & Noble and access exclusive content!
SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL!
Stay updated with the latest episodes and leadership tips: Selling from the Heart YouTube
Get Your Daily Dose of Inspiration:
Click Here for Your Daily Dose
Listen On
New to Selling From the Heart Podcast?
Here are some great episodes to start with.
