The Power of Suggestion: Inside the Psychology of High-Stakes Selling
Thu Jan 29 2026
This conversation blew me away. I sat down with Lydia Fenet, an auctioneer who’s raised over a billion dollars, and what started as a chat about charity auctions quickly turned into one of the most insightful masterclasses on sales, persuasion, and audience psychology I’ve ever heard.
Lydia isn’t just good on stage, she’s world-class at reading people, building trust instantly, and closing with confidence. What’s wild is how much of what she does applies directly to startup life: pitching investors, closing enterprise deals, selling your vision.
If you’re a founder, operator, or anyone in business, this episode is packed with tactics that’ll shift how you think about selling anything to anyone.
⏱ Chapter Markers
00:00 – Intro: Why Auctioneering Matters To Entrepreneurs
01:15 – Lydia’s Unconventional Path Into Auctioneering
04:00 – The High-Stakes World Of Charity Auctions
06:15 – Launching The First Auctioneer Talent Agency
08:00 – What Makes A Great Charity Auctioneer?
11:00 – Sales Psychology On Stage
13:45 – Audience Dynamics And Identifying Your “Auction Foil”
17:30 – Anchoring Luxury With Impact: Values-Based Selling
20:00 – The Power Of The Underbidder
22:00 – Auction Tactics That Apply To Enterprise Sales
25:00 – Selling With Empathy, Not A Script
27:30 – The Power Of Suggestion And Painting The Picture
31:00 – Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways
Links:
Lyndia Fenet: Website, LinkedInBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to SuccessBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): Claim Your Confidence: Unlock Your Superpower and Create the Life You WantInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter
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This conversation blew me away. I sat down with Lydia Fenet, an auctioneer who’s raised over a billion dollars, and what started as a chat about charity auctions quickly turned into one of the most insightful masterclasses on sales, persuasion, and audience psychology I’ve ever heard. Lydia isn’t just good on stage, she’s world-class at reading people, building trust instantly, and closing with confidence. What’s wild is how much of what she does applies directly to startup life: pitching investors, closing enterprise deals, selling your vision. If you’re a founder, operator, or anyone in business, this episode is packed with tactics that’ll shift how you think about selling anything to anyone. ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro: Why Auctioneering Matters To Entrepreneurs 01:15 – Lydia’s Unconventional Path Into Auctioneering 04:00 – The High-Stakes World Of Charity Auctions 06:15 – Launching The First Auctioneer Talent Agency 08:00 – What Makes A Great Charity Auctioneer? 11:00 – Sales Psychology On Stage 13:45 – Audience Dynamics And Identifying Your “Auction Foil” 17:30 – Anchoring Luxury With Impact: Values-Based Selling 20:00 – The Power Of The Underbidder 22:00 – Auction Tactics That Apply To Enterprise Sales 25:00 – Selling With Empathy, Not A Script 27:30 – The Power Of Suggestion And Painting The Picture 31:00 – Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways Links: Lyndia Fenet: Website, LinkedInBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to SuccessBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): Claim Your Confidence: Unlock Your Superpower and Create the Life You WantInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter