What do you think?
Rate this book
Never Ask for the Sale: Supercharge Your Business with the Power of Passionate Ambivalence
A tech leader and executive coach's actionable guide for anyone looking to supercharge their selling prowess and close the deal with authenticity and integrity.
Sue Heilbronner launched an executive coaching, facilitation, and speaking solo entrepreneurial venture which grew from zero to $1 million in annual revenue in six years. Now, she offers her insight into salespersonship in an irreverent, direct, and actionable guide to success in sales.
Never Ask For The Sale goes beyond simple tips, and influences the reader’s overall understanding of selling. Sue Heilbronner shares decades of experience, stories, tools, and exercises to coach people to be more successful at achieving their goals by aligning their work with their greatest strengths, and marketing that cohesive story with a winning sales passionate ambivalence. Heilbronner introduces this concept as the strategic yet honest practice of presenting oneself as selective in the work they take on while enthusiastic about their area of expertise.
At the heart of the book is the notion that any successful seller, in any context, is fantastic at selling themself—whether that is within services in a solopreneur business, an early-stage startup, a college application, or a nonprofit mission. Never Ask For The Sale prompts deep self-awareness admixed with highly pragmatic calls to action at the intersection of coaching, personal growth, conscious leadership, and sales.
Sue Heilbronner launched an executive coaching, facilitation, and speaking solo entrepreneurial venture which grew from zero to $1 million in annual revenue in six years. Now, she offers her insight into salespersonship in an irreverent, direct, and actionable guide to success in sales.
Never Ask For The Sale goes beyond simple tips, and influences the reader’s overall understanding of selling. Sue Heilbronner shares decades of experience, stories, tools, and exercises to coach people to be more successful at achieving their goals by aligning their work with their greatest strengths, and marketing that cohesive story with a winning sales passionate ambivalence. Heilbronner introduces this concept as the strategic yet honest practice of presenting oneself as selective in the work they take on while enthusiastic about their area of expertise.
At the heart of the book is the notion that any successful seller, in any context, is fantastic at selling themself—whether that is within services in a solopreneur business, an early-stage startup, a college application, or a nonprofit mission. Never Ask For The Sale prompts deep self-awareness admixed with highly pragmatic calls to action at the intersection of coaching, personal growth, conscious leadership, and sales.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2025
5 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Sue Heilbronner
5 books6 followersSue is a sought-after speaker, author, startup CEO, mentor, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship, facilitator, strategic advisor, Conscious Leadership coach, co-founder of the MergeLane investment fund, creator of the Leadership Camp training program for high-potential leaders, former federal prosecutor, and a direct and fearless catalyst for change.
Sue has the privilege of bringing her high-impact speaking, TED and TEDx-style speaker coaching, facilitation, coaching, Conscious Leadership, and consulting expertise to companies around the world. She’s worked with teams and leaders from Facebook, G2, Salesforce, Gainsight, Kiva, Uptake, Oracle, and more.
Sue has been a CEO and CRO for digital marketing, technology, and e-commerce companies since the earliest days of the Internet. She began her career as an attorney – last as a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She transitioned to business by founding an online baby gift company in 1999, which she later sold when she joined Discovery Communications, the parent company of Discovery Channel and 15 other international networks.
Sue went on to lead companies in the interactive travel, digital publishing, e-commerce, home maintenance, and online education sectors. Sue serves as a mentor with Techstars and an adjunct professor of law and entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Law School.
Sue is a powerful presence who inspires audiences with her authenticity, directness, quick mind, and humor.
Sue earned a BA from Oberlin College and a JD and Master of Public Policy from Duke University. She lives in Boulder and Chicago.
Sue has the privilege of bringing her high-impact speaking, TED and TEDx-style speaker coaching, facilitation, coaching, Conscious Leadership, and consulting expertise to companies around the world. She’s worked with teams and leaders from Facebook, G2, Salesforce, Gainsight, Kiva, Uptake, Oracle, and more.
Sue has been a CEO and CRO for digital marketing, technology, and e-commerce companies since the earliest days of the Internet. She began her career as an attorney – last as a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. She transitioned to business by founding an online baby gift company in 1999, which she later sold when she joined Discovery Communications, the parent company of Discovery Channel and 15 other international networks.
Sue went on to lead companies in the interactive travel, digital publishing, e-commerce, home maintenance, and online education sectors. Sue serves as a mentor with Techstars and an adjunct professor of law and entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Law School.
Sue is a powerful presence who inspires audiences with her authenticity, directness, quick mind, and humor.
Sue earned a BA from Oberlin College and a JD and Master of Public Policy from Duke University. She lives in Boulder and Chicago.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 10, 2025
I’m sold! A North Star for anyone navigating the modern attention economy.
Never Ask for the Sale begins with two core insights: whether we are advancing a product, policy or mission, we are invariably selling ourselves, and successful selling requires aligning our motivations, passions and gifts with our approach.
For Sue, a key aspect of the approach is the concept of “passionate ambivalence.” Who, after all, enjoys being on the sold-to side of the hard sell? Dogged-pursuit, whether in business or romantic relationships, often causes us to recoil. Sue invites us to sell like an athlete in the coveted zone, to identify our strengths and motivations, show up with passion and preparation, but maintain detachment from the results. We must leave space for the person on the other side of the sale to realize they want what we’re selling.
Sue models this concept on every page in a book fueled by tireless passion balanced with humility, candor, and vulnerability.
The first part of the book is a one-on-one coaching intensive, complete with thoughtful prompts to help identify what motivates us and what we fear. Somehow the exercises feel highly individualized, with Sue present, challenging and cheering us, along the way.
Once you have aligned your purpose, passion, competencies and gifts, you’re ready for the second gift of the book: a practical, step-by-step guide to growing and sustaining your presence and brand.
Never Ask for the Sale is for anyone navigating the modern attention economy. As a nonprofit executive selling mission-informed ideas to policymakers and funders alike, I found its encyclopedic approach to selling authentic, heartfelt and useful.
Never Ask for the Sale begins with two core insights: whether we are advancing a product, policy or mission, we are invariably selling ourselves, and successful selling requires aligning our motivations, passions and gifts with our approach.
For Sue, a key aspect of the approach is the concept of “passionate ambivalence.” Who, after all, enjoys being on the sold-to side of the hard sell? Dogged-pursuit, whether in business or romantic relationships, often causes us to recoil. Sue invites us to sell like an athlete in the coveted zone, to identify our strengths and motivations, show up with passion and preparation, but maintain detachment from the results. We must leave space for the person on the other side of the sale to realize they want what we’re selling.
Sue models this concept on every page in a book fueled by tireless passion balanced with humility, candor, and vulnerability.
The first part of the book is a one-on-one coaching intensive, complete with thoughtful prompts to help identify what motivates us and what we fear. Somehow the exercises feel highly individualized, with Sue present, challenging and cheering us, along the way.
Once you have aligned your purpose, passion, competencies and gifts, you’re ready for the second gift of the book: a practical, step-by-step guide to growing and sustaining your presence and brand.
Never Ask for the Sale is for anyone navigating the modern attention economy. As a nonprofit executive selling mission-informed ideas to policymakers and funders alike, I found its encyclopedic approach to selling authentic, heartfelt and useful.
September 29, 2025
While this book is most apt for people starting solo businesses (“solopreneurs”), it is valuable for anyone who wants to center their personal values and unique gifts when positioning themselves within their careers. Workbook-style exercises guide the reader through greater self awareness and clarity on what drives your best work (and life) and how to tell your story. Great for those wanting to re-examine their professional priorities or market themselves for a role or career change (in addition to those who more directly need to “sell” themselves as solopreneurs). When it comes to the exercises, you will get out of them what you put in - but if you put in the time and effort to do them, you’ll reap major rewards that otherwise you can only get through expensive, structured career workshops and programs. In fact, these are the same exercises that the author normally charges big bucks for in her own workshops or solo coaching engagements!
For people who actually are or think they may want to become solopreneurs, the latter ~half of the book should be required reading. Highly practical tips and real case studies on how to structure your sales funnel, whether you’re new to solopreneurship or have been at it for years. Even though I don’t fall into the solopreneur category, it was engaging and informative for anyone with a remote interest in business strategy - and spurred me to recommend the book to solopreneurs I know. Especially for those who wince at the idea of “sales!”
For people who actually are or think they may want to become solopreneurs, the latter ~half of the book should be required reading. Highly practical tips and real case studies on how to structure your sales funnel, whether you’re new to solopreneurship or have been at it for years. Even though I don’t fall into the solopreneur category, it was engaging and informative for anyone with a remote interest in business strategy - and spurred me to recommend the book to solopreneurs I know. Especially for those who wince at the idea of “sales!”
September 15, 2025
This is a great read—my copy is already full of highlights and page markers so I can use it as a handbook to coach myself and the biz dev folks on my team. Part personal branding guide (including deeply personal desires, limiting beliefs and zone of genius as well as shaping an external brand position), part selling manual (in the most human, authentic way), part tactical game plan for making a living by doing work you love. It’s designed mostly for people running or thinking about building a solo consulting, coaching, or other you-centered business. But it is also highly relevant for anyone doing sales or business development that depends on something they personally will deliver. (That’s me, as someone in a consulting firm.) it’s also just pretty ridiculously great for anybody who wants to think about standing firmly in the value they bring to their work. Super engaging with loads of real life examples from a wide range of people; and very practical steps and exercises to move on. You’ll never let go of the idea of YOUmanship.
September 10, 2025
This book is nothing like any Sales book / course / lesson I've heard before.
The author is deliciously candid about the sensitive topic of selling, in way that lets us behind the curtain of a women who used authenticity to create a thriving career.
Unlike many "sales" techniques which feel like they take me away from myself and my joy, this book showed me how to get closer to myself, more honest, and in right relationship with those whom I serve.
The author is deliciously candid about the sensitive topic of selling, in way that lets us behind the curtain of a women who used authenticity to create a thriving career.
Unlike many "sales" techniques which feel like they take me away from myself and my joy, this book showed me how to get closer to myself, more honest, and in right relationship with those whom I serve.
September 11, 2025
I loved this refreshing take on sales. Sue's clear writing style and years of experience as a coach make it both easy and fun to apply "passionate ambivalence" to your life. The read feels more like a personal coaching session than reading a business book. The wisdom in Never Ask for the Sale is not just for entrepreneurs (though great for them!), but really can apply to so many areas of one's life where what you are selling is really yourself. Highly recommend!
September 11, 2025
This is the perfect book for someone like me who has always had the ick for a transactional "hard-sale" and "never thought I'd be good at sales".
I have found selling "something" was always easier than "selling yourself" (as a consultant, solopreneur, etc.) and something I'm still learning and working on.
Hence, why I'm stoked for this book.
I have found selling "something" was always easier than "selling yourself" (as a consultant, solopreneur, etc.) and something I'm still learning and working on.
Hence, why I'm stoked for this book.
October 11, 2025
I’m a big fan of conscious leadership and appreciated how Sue incorporated that into this book about selling. I really enjoyed hearing about Sue’s journey and the hands-on activities in the book. Whether you work in sales or not, I think this is worth a read!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews