Mike Fischer & Jeff Schimmel: Learning Sales by Doing Everything Wrong

By Jennie Bellinger | March 30, 2026 |

About Mike Fischer:

Mike Fischer’s sales career spans more than 40 years, beginning with entrepreneurial hustles such as selling electronics at flea markets and advertising in his high school newspaper. He went on to become a top-performing salesman and manager at major media companies such as NBC and Tribune Media, where he sold over $30 million in advertising in a single year. Mike was also instrumental in driving growth for brands like Ford, Toyota, Sony, and several startups, including one acquired by Disney.

About Jeff Schimmel:

Jeff Schimmel describes himself as an accidental salesman whose nearly 50-year journey includes a door‑to‑door stint with the Fuller Brush Company and selling everything from houseplants and leather goods to pharmaceuticals and fine art. With experience across countless industries and sales environments, Mike and Jeff have truly seen and heard it all and offer a funny, unique perspective on sales in their new book, “Sales Prevention: How To Be The World’s Worst Salesperson.”

In this episode, Jennie, Mike, and Jeff discuss:

Reverse-psychology approach to sales training
Common sales mistakes and bad advice
Humor as a tool to reduce sales stress
Prospecting, follow-up, and time management pitfalls
Turning “worst practices” into a playbook for better selling

Key Takeaways:

Teaching sales through exaggerated “worst practices” can help people quickly recognize and correct their own bad habits.
Humor is a powerful way to relieve the stress of selling and to keep perspective when facing rejection and high-pressure environments.
Many traditional, scripted sales techniques feel manipulative or outdated, and modern buyers can “see them coming from a mile away.”
Simple fundamentals—like consistent prospecting and timely follow-up—are often the real difference between hitting and missing big opportunities.
Reflecting on past failures and cringeworthy moments in your sales career can be one of the fastest paths to growth, self-awareness, and better results.

“Think about whatever. You know, advice. Good advice is out there for salespeople, and just do the opposite.” – Mike Fischer

“Really, the biggest mistake you can make if you want to sell a lot is telling the truth. If you tell the truth, you’re not going to sell very much. You need to lie, and you need to be good at it.” – Jeff Schimmel

Connect with Mike Fischer:
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mikethesalescoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefischerdigitaladsales/

CONNECT WITH JENNIE:
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/badassdirectsalesmastery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badassdirectsalesmastery/

Website: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/

Show: https://badassdirectsalesmastery.com/blog/

YouTube: COMING SOON!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/badassdirectsalesmastery/

Email: jennie@badassdirectsalesmastery.com

Audio production by

Turnkey Podcast Productions.

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