Episode 5 | The Reflect

The Reflect: Episode 5

?? In Episode 5 of The Sales People Podcast , we sat down with Josh Ashley-Collins , founder of PLAYBOOK and Four4 Creatives , to explore his journey from the grind of FX sales to building two successful businesses in Dubai. Having sold across three continents and navigated the highs and lows of solo entrepreneurship, Josh shared invaluable insights into resilience, relationships, and redefining what it means to sell.

What I Loved: Josh’s ability to cut through the noise and focus on solving customer problems stood out. His approach is all about listening first and tailoring solutions, not just pushing products.

What Challenged Me: Hearing about Josh’s year-long battle to raise investment purely based on an idea was a real reminder of the tenacity required to get a startup off the ground.

Top 5 Takeaways:

1?? Listen Before You Pitch Josh’s success comes from asking the right questions, understanding customer pain points, and offering solutions that actually matter.

2?? Relationships Are Everything In Dubai’s fast-moving market, networking and building trust are crucial. Josh credits his success to fostering genuine connections across the industry.

3?? Start Small, Dream Big Josh focused on high-quality clients when building Playbook, opting for fewer, premium partnerships to build credibility and scale sustainably.

4?? Resilience is a Superpower The grind of 150 daily calls in FX sales gave Josh the mental toughness needed to weather the challenges of entrepreneurship.

5?? Flexibility Wins Josh has a knack for spotting opportunities and adapting his businesses to meet evolving market needs—a lesson for anyone looking to stay ahead.

Final Thought: Josh’s journey is a brilliant reminder that success in sales and entrepreneurship is built on resilience, relationships, and relentless adaptability. Whether you’re in sales or thinking of launching a startup, there’s so much to take away from his story.

?? Tune in to Episode 5 of The Sales People Podcast to hear Josh’s inspiring story and practical advice for thriving in Dubai’s competitive market.