How to Harness Trust, Empathy, and the Word “No” to Become a Better Closer


When you walk into a negotiation or a sales meeting, you have seven seconds to establish two things: trust and competency. Chris Voss can tell you how to do both—and the answer isn’t what you’d expect.
At the New York Mindshare, Chris Voss, former Chief International Hostage Negotiator for the FBI, delivered a gripping keynote speech on how to succeed in negotiations, business and life. He discusses negotiation strategies and shares anecdotes, drawing on his 20 years of experience dealing with kidnappers, terrorists and sociopaths.
Watch the video to learn the FBI’s tried and true negotiation tactics, including how to coax a subject into a positive frame of mind, how to leverage empathy (“the most durable form of influence there is”), and how to craft calibrated “no” questions.
Intelisys Mindshares train Sales Partners on cloud and connectivity solutions and sales methodology in a cutting-edge interactive format. At Mindshare events, our partners collaborate with other top performing peers and build relationships with the world’s leading cloud and carrier suppliers. Click here for details, dates, and more: https://0cdd42d8b8.nxcli.net/intelisys-mindshare/

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Eddie Acosta

Senior Vice President, Sales

Eddie Acosta serves as Senior Vice President, Sales, where he leads the Intelisys regional sales and business development teams, while architecting the strategy to drive revenue growth and develop exceptional relationships with partners across the United States. In this role, Acosta also oversees the Solutions Engineering and Advanced Technologies teams, driving vision and creating synergies among the teams to best support Intelisys suppliers, partners and the end customer.

Acosta has more than 20 years of sales and management experience in the cloud-based technology services industry. His experience includes leading and managing sales leaders and channel managers, developing and executing go-to-market channel strategies and nurturing strategic partnerships.

Jolynn Antonacci

Vice President, Marketing

As Vice President of Marketing for Intelisys, Jolynn Antonacci oversees the organization’s overall marketing, brand and enablement strategies to support business objectives and drive sales partner success. She is responsible for developing and executing marketing initiatives in close collaboration with the sales team, focusing on events, enablement, and education, ensuring that Intelisys sales partners have the tools and resources needed to grow their business.

Antonacci is a proven channel leader with 20 years of experience driving business growth, executing innovative strategies and fostering strong relationships within the channel. With experience working with both suppliers and sales partners, she has a unique perspective on the business, leveraging her deep industry knowledge to drive impactful results.

Katherine White

Vice President, Channel Exchange

Katherine White serves as Vice President, Channel Exchange, focused on expanding cloud sales, operations, and delivery. She oversees SaaS distribution through Channel Exchange, a modern platform that enables Intelisys sales partners to accelerate procurement, meet customer needs, and expand into new service areas.

White joined ScanSource as Vice President of Business Strategy in 2021, bringing two decades of leadership in sales, operations, and finance, along with a proven history of building relationships and driving organizational change. In that role, she developed and maintained ScanSource’s strategic vision and ensured alignment with its growth goals and core values.

Ken Mills

President

Ken Mills serves as President of Intelisys and is committed to driving growth for Intelisys and our partners. As a distinguished technology executive with over two decades of experience, Ken has previously held leadership roles at EPIC iO, Dell Technologies and Cisco, and served as a fellow with the U.S. Department of State. His strategic mindset has been an integral part of launching innovative products and solutions in the fields of AI, IoT, and 5G. Ken is driven by his curiosity and passion for groundbreaking technology and complex problems, and constantly explores new frontiers in the world of technology.

Monica Lutes

Director, People & Culture

As Director, People & Culture, Monica has worked closely with Intelisys employees and leaders since 2018 and has worked with ScanSource companies since 2016. A Human Resources professional with 11 years of experience encompassing all areas of HR, especially employee relations, recruiting, compliance, and training, Monica approaches her role as Director, People & Culture from a consultative perspective. Her goal is to provide advice and guidance to leaders so they can focus on growing the best teams for the business while also supporting employees’ goals.

Ansley Hoke

SVP Marketing, ScanSource, Inc. and Intelisys

Ansley Hoke is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at ScanSource, Inc., a role she has held since 2019, and extended her leadership to include Intelisys in 2023. She joined the company in 2001, serving in merchandising leadership roles for ScanSource POS and Barcode, including acting Vice President of Merchandising and then later VP of Merchandising for ScanSource Catalyst and overall VP of ScanSource Catalyst. She oversaw sales, supplier relations, and services. Known for her pivotal role in creating effective marketing strategies, Ansley has been integral in driving demand, enhancing partner programs, and significantly contributing to the company’s revenue growth and channel relationships.

Mike Baur

CEO of ScanSource, Inc. and Interim President of Intelisys

Mike Baur serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at ScanSource. Mike has served as the Company’s President or CEO since its inception, as a director since December 1995, and as Chairman of the Board since February 2019. Mike has developed a deep institutional knowledge and perspective regarding ScanSource’s strengths, challenges and opportunities. He has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having served in various leadership and senior management roles in the technology and distribution industries before joining ScanSource. Mike brings strong leadership, entrepreneurial, business building and development skills and experience to the Board.

Stephanie Bouras

Regional Vice President, Southeast

Driven by a partner-first philosophy and a passion for innovation, Bouras embodies a leadership style that’s both compassionate and data-driven. As the Regional Vice President, Southeast, at Intelisys, she’s leveraged her extensive marketing and sales experience to propel her team to new heights. A firm believer in aligning herself with her partners, she sees herself as a collaborator and an integral part of their business. This perspective has allowed her to forge deep connections and drive success. A Florida native, Stephanie’s attention to detail and unwavering commitment to her partners have been key factors in her success.

Michael Raspanti

Regional Vice President, Northeast

Michael joined Intelisys in June of 2020, as a long-time channel veteran. He is responsible for leading the Northeast Region, helping continue the tremendous momentum in one of our strongest markets while also recruiting new up and coming partners that will be the growth engine of our future success.

Kristy Thomas

Vice President, Partner Experience and Enablement

Thomas is responsible for Sales Partner enablement and education for all our technology segments, including CX, managed security, mobility, and connectivity. With over 20 years of executive background in telephony, UCaaS, CCaaS and Cloud services, Kristy enables her customers to think broader and deeper as she guides them through their decision journey. Some of the biggest deals in the channel have become a reality thanks to the expertise and humble excellence Kristy brings to her client’s projects.