Most BDR teams are struggling right now. Connect rates are dropping, email is getting ignored, and reps are rushing to get out of the role as fast as possible. Lauren Reeves is doing the opposite, and her team is booking more meetings every single quarter.
In this episode, John sits down with Lauren Reeves, BDR manager at Swap Commerce and one of the most vocal advocates for the SDR and BDR profession in Europe. Lauren built her team from 6 to 40, incentivized her reps to build real personal brands on LinkedIn, and created a culture where people actually want to stay in the seat long enough to get good at it. She shares exactly what is working right now on email, on the phone, and on social, and what is quietly killing results for most teams that are copying the playbook from five years ago.
If you lead a BDR or SDR team, or you are in the role of trying to figure out how to stand out and build a career in sales, this conversation will give you the most practical and honest take on what it actually takes to win right now. Visit www.jbarrows.com and learn how you can Make It Happen.
What You’ll Learn
- The hiring question Lauren asks in every interview
- Why Lauren tells every candidate upfront: I do not work with dicks
- Why good BDRs should stay in the seat for at least 18 months
- Why the no promotion before a year policy creates better salespeople
- What is actually working right now in email
- Why the phone still converts
- How Lauren pays her reps to post on LinkedIn
- What BDRs should post on LinkedIn
- Why costly quarterly targets work better than monthly pressure
- How to spot it in an interview and how to coach it on the floor
Lauren Reeves is a sales leader and outbound specialist with 7 years of experience in the BDR/SDR space, known for developing high-performing business development teams. She began her career as a BDR before moving into management, where she focuses on building ambitious, growth-driven sales professionals and creating environments centered on learning, collaboration, and success. Lauren has driven significant outbound revenue growth, scaled teams across regions, and earned recognition as a top sales manager and leader in the industry.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thelaurenreeves/
John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment.
Connect with John Barrows:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/
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