When it comes to modern selling, few voices carry more practical weight, or more personality, than Wes Schaeffer, host of *
A former Air Force officer turned sales leader, Wes has built a reputation for teaching people how to sell smarter, automate ethically, and never lose the human element. Wes has explored every facet of selling in the AI era through The BJJ and Biz Podcast, where he’s interviewed hundreds of founders, marketers, and operators, covering both automation’s upside and its very real dangers.
As AI tools promise to replace intuition and personalization, Wes remains clear: “Humanity is the next killer app.” In this conversation, he shares what that means for every salesperson, founder, and leader trying to navigate 2025’s noisy, automated landscape.
1️⃣ How has AI changed the sales landscape, and what’s still the same?
Wes: AI has made it easier to gather data and automate outreach, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. People still buy from people they like, trust, and remember. What’s different is that AI can now help youfind and understand those people faster.
On The BJJ and Biz Podcast, I tell guests all the time, 'If you don’t have a real conversation as you sell, you’re just automating rejection.' AI gives you speed, but not connection.
2️⃣ You often say, “humanity is the next killer app.” What do you mean by that?
Wes: We’ve automated ourselves into numbness…and dumbness. Everyone’s inbox looks the same. Every pitch comes from the same guru who sold an overpriced retreat that became an overpriced masterclass that became an overpriced Black Friday sale that became an overpriced AI prompt that every side-hustle bro bought to resell to their unsuspecting clients who thought they were hiring an agency.
The salespeople who are winning today are the ones who sound alive. The ones who make you laugh, who actually listen, who remember your real concerns, be they professional or personal. I talk about this constantly on my podcast; it’s not about better tech, it’s about better timing and tone. The irony is that in a world full of machines, sounding human is now a differentiator.
3️⃣ What’s the biggest mistake companies make when adopting sales automation tools?
Wes: They expect technology to fix a human problem. If your reps can’t sell without HubSpot, no CRM in the world is going to save you.
On The BJJ and Biz Podcast, I’ve had guests from billion-dollar startups admit they used automation to hide from prospects. Automation should make good reps faster, not make average reps lazier.
4️⃣ How should sales teams actually be using AI right now?
Wes: Use it to prepare, not to pretend. Let AI help you summarize notes, build cadences, and analyze win-loss patterns. But when you’re on the call, be fully present.
If you need ChatGPT to write your discovery questions, you’re not selling, you’re performing. I tell my audience every week: AI can give you words, but not wisdom.
5️⃣ You blend martial arts and business. How does Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu relate to selling in the AI era?
Wes: In Jiu-Jitsu, you don’t panic, you adapt. You learn timing, leverage, and control. Same thing in sales.
AI has introduced new “attacks,” but the principles are timeless: stay calm, study your opponent, and use their momentum. The best sellers aren’t the strongest or the fastest; they’re the ones who stay composed when things change.
I’ve had black belts, CEOs, and authors on The BJJ and Biz Podcast who all say the same thing: mastery is just controlled curiosity under pressure.
6️⃣ What advice do you give to leaders overwhelmed by all the new AI tools?
Wes: Don’t chase tools, chase truth. Before you buy the next shiny SaaS product, ask, “What problem am I solving?”
If you can’t answer that, you’re not ready for the tool. I’ve talked with tech founders on The BJJ and Biz Podcast who built million-dollar platforms no one needed. If you’re buying software just because everyone else is, congratulations, you’re the demo, not the deal.
7️⃣ What skills will matter most for salespeople over the next five years?
Wes:
Curiosity, communication, and courage.
Curiosity helps you ask better questions.
Communication builds trust.
Courage helps you tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.
AI can mimic curiosity and communication, but not courage. Until a bot can look someone in the eye and say, “No, this isn’t a fit,” we still have a job.
8️⃣ Do you think AI will ever close deals on its own?
Wes: Yes. It’s happening now, and it will continue to get better. But what kind of deal? What size? Who will be held responsible if the deal structure is wrong? There will always be hard-chargers, fast-movers, and early-adopters who will assume the risk if they can be first to market, so they’ll demand to NOT speak with a human since “everyone is silly, stupid, and ignorant. I know what I want. Give it to me. I have places to be, things to do, and deals to crush!” But that’s a small percentage of the population. AI can suggest timing, write a great follow-up, suggest options and alternatives, but it doesn’t understand fear, ego, or pride, the real drivers of every deal. That will require a sales professional to land.
Selling is about emotion wrapped in logic. Until machines feel rejection, they’ll never truly sell. I ask every tech guest on my show the same thing: “If AI’s so smart, why can’t it negotiate a raise?”
9️⃣ For sellers trying to balance technology and authenticity, what’s your rule of thumb?
Wes:
If it saves timeandmakes you more personal, use it.
If it saves timebut makes you less human, skip it.
Efficiency without empathy is just spam at scale. Use technology to amplify your personality, not replace it.
That’s the mindset I share with every guest onThe BJJ and Biz Podcast: tools come and go, but trust compounds.
Whether he’s on the mat practicing Jiu-Jitsu or behind the mic hosting The BJJ and Biz Podcast, his philosophy remains the same: don’t automate the moments that make you human.
As businesses race to plug in AI everywhere, Wes offers a refreshing reset. One that every salesperson, marketer, and leader should hear before their next pitch.
🎧 Listen & Learn
→ The BJJ and Biz Podcast with Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer®
Weekly conversations on selling smarter, marketing better, and leading with authenticity, featuring entrepreneurs, authors, and practitioners who understand thatwords still matter.