The Power of Curiosity to Grow Sales with Andy Sherman

Mark McGraw sits down with Andy Sherman to discuss curiosity and why it’s a superpower in sales. They cover how curiosity helps you stay grounded when conversations get tense, why it leads to better questions (and better outcomes), and what it takes to build it into a daily habit.

To find our handout for this episode, click here

Tune in to hear the difference between using curiosity as a tactic vs. living it as a principle, and how this shift can change the way you sell, lead, and show up. Join us to learn how to get curious on purpose—and why it might be the most powerful habit you can build.

• Andy starts the conversation by sharing his journey building a business from the ground up, selling it, and now running a Greenville office that still leans heavily on Sandler principles.
• Andy makes a powerful point: just because you've grown doesn’t mean you abandon the basics. The further you go, the more important it becomes to anchor yourself in what works.
• Mark and Andy break down ‘Andy-isms’— and how Andy turned simple Sandler rules into everyday leadership and business principles.
• Andy explains that when a tactic becomes a personal principle, you execute with clarity, confidence, and consistency because it’s no longer just a playbook; it’s who you are.
• Andy shares why he believes curiosity is a superpower in sales. 
• Andy breaks down how curiosity can help you close more deals. When you focus on learning instead of reacting, the fear of losing a deal or the frustration of a price objection fades into the background.
• For those who aren’t naturally curious, Andy shares a practical starting point: don’t answer a question without asking one first. It sounds simple, but it changes the dynamic of all conversations.
• According to Andy, asking before answering forces you to slow down, get clearer, and avoid jumping to the wrong conclusions out of habit or emotion.
• Andy explains that most people respond too fast and usually to the wrong thing. But when you pause and ask a clarifying question, you get to the heart of what really matters.
• Mark and Andy cover how to build curiosity into a daily habit. 
• Mark and Andy agree that curiosity requires courage, especially when it means asking prospects and clients uncomfortable or challenging questions.
• When curiosity becomes part of your identity, asking those questions doesn’t feel bold or risky. It feels honest and human.
• Mark and Andy end the conversation with a shared belief: if you’re trying to convince someone that you can help them when you know you can’t—you’re doing them a disservice. Sales success is about alignment, not persuasion.

Mentioned in This Episode:

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/follow

Sandler.com

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/sandler

Andy Sherman at W.M. Jordan

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/19

Building Your Sales Engine on Linktree