Michael Pozun’s new book argues sales starts with people, not transactions

Michael J. Pozun III has released Retail Out Of It: Leadership, Sales, and the Mindset Beyond the Scoreboard, a book that pushes sales and leadership readers to rethink success, influence and human connection. The book is out now in paperback and eBook, and each paperback or hardcover sold will send $3 to three nonprofits.

Why it matters: - Retail Out Of It takes aim at a results-at-all-costs mindset in sales and leadership. - The book argues stronger outcomes begin when leaders stop treating people like transactions. - Pozun says the message applies beyond sales to managers, executives, entrepreneurs, coaches, and anyone who leads or influences others.

What happened: - Michael J. Pozun III released Retail Out Of It: Leadership, Sales, and the Mindset Beyond the Scoreboard. - The book is available now in paperback and eBook, with additional formats forthcoming. - The book is described as Pozun’s first book. - Pozun says he wrote the book after realizing he was writing about people, not a traditional sales manual.

The details: - The book challenges conventional thinking about sales, leadership, influence, and achievement. - Pozun argues the right question is what happens when the transaction is removed from the relationship. - The book rejects gimmicks, scripts, and manipulation in favor of curiosity, trust, communication, and genuine human connection. - The book examines how assumptions affect relationships and why listening can be more powerful than talking. - Pozun says leaders can stay competitive without reducing every interaction to a number. - The book draws on decades of leadership, sales, competition, coaching, successes, failures, business, athletics, relationships, and Pozun’s own mistakes and experiences. - Pozun said the project forced him to reconsider his own definition of success. - Pozun said growing up in Pennsylvania, he was the kid not everyone expected to succeed. - Pozun said competition, titles, numbers, and professional accomplishments became part of his personal scoreboard. - Pozun said he does not want the book to prove what he has accomplished. - Pozun said he wants the book to help someone else accomplish more.

Between the lines: - The book frames success as contribution rather than self-validation. - That shift gives the book a broader message than a standard sales playbook. - The emphasis on people over outcomes reflects a leadership style built around trust and relationship-building. - The book’s final message, “Chase the dream, not the dollar,” reinforces that theme.

What’s next: - Each paperback and hardcover sale will generate a $3 donation, split as $1 each to the Alzheimer's Association, C5 Youth Foundation of Texas, and the ASPCA. - More formats are expected to follow the current paperback and eBook release. - More information and book resources are available here.

The bottom line: - Pozun’s book argues the scoreboard eventually disappears, but the impact on people remains.