Pony Tales Podcast

About Pony Tales Podcast

We chat with successful entrepreneurs and professionals who share lessons learned by selling door-to-door during college with Southwestern Advantage. The show is not directly affiliated with the internship itself, but invites alumni of the program to share their experience. These stories vary from motivational, outrageous, comedic, instructional, informational and valuable to any person wanting to learn more about personal growth, attitude, discipline, sales, recruiting, work-life balance, entrepreneurship, work ethic, and much more. Listen on your favorite platform.

Publisher

Andres Gamboa

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

30 Nov 2020

Latest episode

31 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 289 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   31 Mar 2026TRANSCRIPT

   #275: Jenny Dunkin and Shelley Haisman sold books...

   Jenny and Shelley share how a simple speaking opportunity led to unexpected momentum, from presenting on mindset at a conference to being invited onto a podcast, and ultimately deciding to write a book with a six-month deadline. They talk about figuring things out as they go, emphasizing that you don’t need to have everything planned before taking action, and how opportunities—from publishing connections to building a website and launching a podcast—came together over time. Throughout the episode, they discuss the role of faith, mindset, and daily habits, including how the first hour of the day can shape everything that follows and how intentional practices like prayer and affirmations have influenced their lives. They also reflect on lessons from Southwestern, including persistence, taking action quickly, and the belief that “everything is figureoutable,” along with stories from their time selling books and how those experiences shaped their outlook. The conversation highlights perspective—how challenges, delays, and even rejection can be reframed—and how their mission has expanded beyond a book into speaking, podcasting, and future plans like coaching and retreats. Where to find Jenny and Shelley: Website: Abundantlyfavored.com Facebook: Abundantly Favored Shelley Bailey Haisman Jenny Dunkin Instagram: @abundantly_favored_ TikTok: @abundantly.favored 00:00:00 Start 00:09:03 Speaking Opportunity & Mindset Talk 00:09:39 First Podcast & Deciding to Write a Book 00:10:29 Taking Action Without Having It Figured Out 00:17:15 Choosing the Right Publisher & Marketing Concerns 00:19:11 Building a Bigger Vision (Website, Podcast, Retreats) 00:21:27 “Everything is Figureoutable” & Taking Action Quickly 00:31:25 Faith, Daily Habits & Starting the Day with Intention 00:42:25 Perspective During Challenges & Delays 00:44:38 Affirmations & “Abundantly Favored” 00:53:14 Rejection is God’s Protection 01:12:25 First Summer Headquarters Story 01:13:37 Worst Territory Experiences (California & Yuma) 01:19:35 Hardest People to Sell To (Teachers) 01:36:29 Cookbook Demo Pranks in the Field 01:40:09 Off-Schedule Stories & Learning Discipline 01:48:00 Mindset Shift: “Everybody’s Getting Them” 01:50:48 “Cheeto Man” & Choosing Your Path

2. 

   8 Jan 2026

   #274: Brandan Tobin Sold Books...

   In this episode, the conversation covers Brandan Tobin’s summers selling books, the people he learned from, and the experiences that shaped how he approaches sales and leadership today. Brandan talks about starting out skeptical of the program, thinking it might be a scam, and showing up to Nashville realizing it was very real and very serious. He shares stories from the field, including recruiting challenges, managing a large group early in his career, and learning how confidence, persistence, and systems affect performance. The discussion moves into how he tracked referrals using a handwritten notebook, how that system worked for him, and why building something you understand matters more than using a tool you don’t. The episode also explores Brandan’s work building CRM systems, what differentiates their approach from platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce, and why follow-up systems often matter more than lead quality. He explains how automations, voicemail drops, texting, and consistent follow-up impact conversion rates. Along the way, there are memorable field stories, including bike crashes, host families, nurses who bought books, and moments where persistence paid off in unexpected ways. The conversation wraps with reflections on faith, alignment with business partners, and why being on the same page matters regardless of belief. 00:01:53 – Early connections, sales school, and shared experiences 00:02:22 – Introduction to Brandan Tobin and background 00:03:45 – Growth awards, leadership roles, and early success 00:13:03 – Using CRM systems to manage buyers and follow-up 00:18:00 – Building CRM tools to help small businesses compete 00:21:47 – Why follow-up systems outperform lead quality 00:29:18 – Helping business owners define their sales process 00:33:37 – Pivoting from consulting to software development 00:35:32 – Using voicemail drops and reminders to drive action 00:45:08 – Recruiting stories and standout leaders 01:10:29 – Host families, delivery challenges, and field logistics 01:11:22 – Managing a large organization with limited experience 01:21:18 – Tracking referrals with a handwritten system 01:36:33 – Memorable field stories and “sit-downs” 01:37:26 – Bike crash story and persistence in the field 01:51:46 – Lessons on treating strangers and people skills 01:52:43 – Meeting a famous athlete in the field 02:06:26 – Faith, relationships, and being aligned with partners 02:07:16 – Closing thoughts and how to connect after the episode Brandan Tobin is a believer in Christ and a humble salesman. His mission is to expand God’s kingdom by helping good people grow great businesses and increase their charitable giving.As the CRO with Knowledge Gap Consulting, Brandan leads the sales team and is still in the field, helping salespeople and entrepreneurs convert more leads in less time with custom built, AI-powered, CRM solutions. Over his nearly 20 year career in sales and business, Brandan built sales teams and sold for a variety of industries, including mortgage, real estate, solar, SaaS software and of course, books.He hit the double growth award his 2nd summer, and the quadruple growth award his 3rd summer, delivering over 8,000 units after hitting Mort, Chairman’s and PC several times. As a 19 year old sophomore and B manager, Brandan helped lead a group of 22 first years and only 3 other managers, also on their B summers….and not a single person quit.Brandan went on to close more than $7,000,000 of annually recurring revenue as an account executive for various tech companies until partnering with Joe Ignace, another SW alum, to sell their own software, Velocity 360.None of it came easily or naturally and Brandan will be the first to tell you, none of it would’vebeen possible without the grace of God, being coachable, and really great mentors.

3. 

   23 Oct 2025

   #273: Linda Schwader sold books.

   In this episode, Linda shares her journey from selling books in the 1970s to becoming one of the first women to manage and lead in Southwestern’s history. She talks about her first summer selling in Jackson, Mississippi, the nerves, the first door, the first sale, and the moment she almost quit — but didn’t. That decision shaped everything that came after. Linda recalls becoming a stockbroker after leaving Southwestern, realizing it wasn’t for her, and returning to the company with new purpose. She later joined Family Heritage, where she recruited and trained a team that remains successful decades later. From there, she became a certified trainer, teaching Integrity Selling and goal-setting programs that helped people learn how to sell and believe in themselves. She describes attending Tony Robbins’ early live events, walking through fire, and spending ten life-changing days in Hawaii that shifted how she viewed goals, family, and purpose. That experience led to years as a professional speaker, trainer, and coach, helping others find clarity and motivation. Linda also shares how COVID pushed her to take her work online, how she learned to sell virtually, and how she now works with women creating retreats and online programs. Her story includes raising a family, moving across the country, mentoring others, and rediscovering herself through each chapter. Along the way, she talks about being one of the only women at sales school, learning to get indoors in the South, recruiting over 100 people, leading teams, and the friendships that have lasted over 50 years — friendships that still make her laugh until she cries. By the end, Linda reflects on a lifetime of lessons about rejection, confidence, attitude, and how a single summer job can change the trajectory of a life.

Inside a recent episode

#275: Jenny Dunkin and Shelley Haisman sold books...

Published 31 Mar 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] It's going to be great. And I'm like, there's nothing wrong with it. It's great. But I told him, don't say that because you're saying that. And then later you're hearing yourself lying. And so you're telling your brain that it's not true because you're not believing it. So it's way better if you say something that's true first and then talk about how you're going to change that because that's way more powerful. So for example, when it was raining, they told him, it's like with sunshine, we love the rain. And it's like, no, we don't. Let's be real. […]

Who has been a guest on Pony Tales Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• John Carey
• Lester Crafton
• Victoria Varberg
• Theo Davies

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

18,261

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

51 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

48 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 47 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

51

Contact Pony Tales Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.