SESSION DETAILS
Session #1: Integrating Emotional Intelligence into Sales Education
Margaret Burnes Strawbridge, MBA
Sales and Marketing Professor
Conestoga College
In today’s relationship-driven sales environment, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a critical differentiator for sales professionals. This session will equip sales faculty with the tools to integrate EQ into their curriculum to help students build stronger client relationships, improve sales performance, and boost long-term employability.
Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of Sales EQ—its core components including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—and explore its practical applications in modern sales. The session will highlight how EQ can increase client trust, improve adaptability to diverse customer needs, and enhance objection-handling and negotiation outcomes.
Participants will leave with actionable strategies to embed EQ into sales instruction, including:
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Self-Awareness: Guiding students to recognize their emotional triggers in sales contexts.
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Empathy: Teaching students to interpret verbal and non-verbal client cues.
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Active Listening: Training students to deeply understand and respond to client concerns.
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Handling Objections: Framing objections as opportunities for empathetic engagement.
The session will also present curriculum enhancement ideas such as case studies showcasing high-EQ sales approaches, immersive role-plays focused on emotional dynamics, and structured feedback mechanisms to reflect on students’ emotional responses and growth.
Session #2: Transforming Sales Roleplays with Hyperbound and Voice AI
Jeremy Legg, MBA
Sales Professor | Coordinator: Business Development & Sales Post Grad
Conestoga College
This interactive session will provide sales educators with a hands-on look at how AI tools like Hyperbound and ChatGPT/Gemini Voice Mode can transform classroom roleplays and experiential learning. Hyperbound, a cutting-edge sales call simulator powered by low-latency text-to-speech models, enables entire classes to conduct simultaneous cold-call simulations—replicating a high-volume business development team environment. Used in workshops, this tool provides instant, AI-driven feedback and helps students build core sales competencies under realistic conditions. Attendees will explore practical strategies for integrating these technologies into their curriculum, observe a live demo, and discuss pedagogical benefits such as scalability, engagement, and performance-based assessment.
Session #3: State of Sales Report 2025
Matthew Nicolle, President & CEO, ISP Canada
Welcome to The State of Sales 2025—a forward-looking session that examines the evolving landscape of the sales profession. As we navigate rapid advances in technology, shifts in buyer behavior, and an increasingly data-driven marketplace, the skills, tools, and strategies required for sales success are undergoing a transformation. In this session, we’ll explore key trends shaping the future of sales—from AI-powered enablement and hybrid selling models to talent development and the growing demand for emotional intelligence.
Whether you're preparing students for the workforce or leading a sales organization through change, this session will equip you with the knowledge and foresight to thrive in the year ahead.
Matthew Nicolle is a dynamic sales leader, educator, and consultant with deep expertise in revenue enablement and building high-performance sales teams. As President & CEO of ISP Canada and Principal of Sales Training Experts, one of Canada's top sales consulting firms, Matthew brings a results-driven approach to sales transformation across industries.
With a successful background as an enterprise sales leader, Matthew has consistently exceeded targets and earned multiple President’s Club awards, demonstrating his ability to navigate complex sales cycles and close high-value deals. He has worked with both startups and established market leaders, helping them drive growth and improve sales effectiveness.
Matthew also serves as an Adjunct Professor in the MBA program at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, where he teaches in Canada’s first business development and professional sales stream. He holds an MBA from UNB and is a Certified Sales Leader (CSL) and Certified Sales Professional (CSP) with distinction through the Canadian Professional Sales Association, where he is also an Executive Ambassador for the Atlantic Region.
Recognized for his strategic insight and passion for elevating the sales profession, Matthew is a trusted advisor to organizations seeking to sharpen their competitive edge and grow revenue through modern, scalable sales practices.
Session #4: Sales Hackathon
Brennan Summers, VP of Corporate Development, Stukent
Patrick Charlton, Sales Professor, Algonquin College
A sales hackathon is a dynamic and collaborative event that fosters creativity, teamwork, and innovation to drive sales performance and achieve business objectives. It provides a platform for sales professionals to think outside the box, experiment with new ideas, and develop practical solutions to real-world sales challenges.
Done well, a sales hackathon is a dynamic and collaborative event that fosters creativity, teamwork, and innovation to drive sales performance and achieve business objectives.
Hey, what a great activity for our students! We'll try a short, focused sales hackathon in this session to inspire you when you get back into the classroom. And yes, there will be prizes for the best solutions!
Session #5: Expanding the Reach: Strategies for Growing Your Sales Program
Lenita Davis, PhD
Sales Program Director
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
This talk dives into the core principles of creating a dynamic and scalable sales curriculum. Dr. Davis will cover how to align course offerings with evolving market demands, integrate technology-driven learning tools, and incorporate industry feedback to ensure relevance and impact. Further, attendees will gain actionable insights on structuring a progressive curriculum that will engage students, while foster critical sales skills like negotiation, relationship management, and data-driven decision-making. Additionally, the session will highlight methods to corporate partners through interactive content, case studies, and real-world simulations. Dr. Davis will discuss how collaboration with corporations will engage and attract students to your program while teaching them to excel in diverse sales environments. Whether you're launching a new program or refining an existing one, this talk promises to equip you with innovative ideas to elevate your sales program to the next level.
Dr. Lenita Davis is the Director of the Center for Sales and Sales Management at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and President of the University Sales Center Alliance. A recognized leader in sales education, she is the author of Sales Management: Shaping Future Sales Leaders and has led transformative sales programs at multiple universities. Dr. Davis has secured major funding for experiential learning labs, developed industry partnerships, and co-created a widely adopted role-play feedback system used in over 30 institutions. With over 3,000 academic citations, she also serves on the Executive Board of the USCA and has driven national research initiatives. Before academia, she spent over a decade in management roles at Procter & Gamble and James River Corporation. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati, an MBA from Xavier University, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tuskegee University.
Session #6: Professional Selling: A Calling of High Order
Willis Turner, CAE CSE CME
President & CEO
SMEI - Sales & Marketing Executives International Inc.
Based on the 2nd Edition of the Sales Classic first published in 1953 "Open the Mind and Close the Sale: The key to success in selling!"
The presentation will delve into the core principles of selling, emphasizing the importance of sales as a vital profession that drives industry standards and elevates living standards. It will underscore the significance of continuous learning, product knowledge, & understanding customer needs to adapt to evolving market dynamics. The presentation will advocate for a customer-centric approach, focusing on building long-term relationships through trust and mutual benefit. Learn how to inspire your students to regard the sales profession as a calling of high order.
