Spotlight on Success
Featured Interview
David J.P. Fisher (D. Fish)
“Spotlight on Success” is an interview series created by David Levine of I Am Your Virtual Professional. Its purpose is to amplify the voices of today’s business leaders. Each interview provides actionable insights that readers can implement immediately. No fluff, just practical wisdom that enables individuals to move forward with clarity and confidence.
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David J.P. Fisher (D. Fish)
| Company | RockStar Consulting |
|---|---|
| Role | Author and Coach |
| LinkedIn Profile | https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdfish/ |
| Company Website | https://www.davidjpfisher.com/ |
David J.P. Fisher helps modern sales teams succeed by combining social selling with authentic, relationship-driven engagement. The author of 12 books, including best-sellers Hyper-Connected Selling and Networking in the 21st Century, he teaches professionals how to build trust, create opportunity, and generate results by being both social and strategic in how they sell.
Who Should You Nominate?
- Leaders doing meaningful work
- People with insights others can learn from
- Voices worth elevating
Interview Questions
1. What’s one strategy your business used recently that created meaningful growth?
In my in-house role, I’ve spent a lot of time planting seeds and cultivating relationships with cross-functional partners across the organization. It allowed for a large project to get approval and move forward with minimal friction.
2. How has AI or technology changed the way you operate or serve clients?
AI had provided some tools to help with research pre-meeting, but more than anything, it’s highlighted the need to build trust directly with clients. In a sea of sameness, it’s easier than ever to stand out by connecting human-to-human.
3. What’s a customer insight you discovered that changed the way you do business?
In general, I’ve realized that people don’t have as much bandwidth as they’d like to digest what I’m sharing with them. The more I can make my communication and collaboration easier to access and integrate, the more likely I am to get buy in.
4. If a business had to improve ONE area to grow faster in the next 90 days, what should it be?
Clarity. Clarity in messaging, clarity in deliverable, clarity in ideal client. Move away from adding more to your plate and focus on the less.
5. What’s one thing you do consistently that keeps your pipeline healthy?
Post to LinkedIn regularly. Meet for a one-on-one in person or by video chat with someone in my network weekly.
6. What’s a decision you made in the last year that had a bigger impact than you expected, and what led you to make it?:
I’m turning 50 in 2026 and have made this year one that focuses on bringing projects that have lingered over the past few years to completion or I give myself permission to let them go..
7. What’s one process you streamlined that made a noticeable difference in efficiency or results?
I’ve used my Friday checklist for almost 20 years. It’s an evolving list of admin, reporting, and planning that I do every Friday. It acts as a catch all for activities so I don’t have to scramble to do them during the week.
8. What book, podcast, or resource has influenced your thinking or business decisions lately and why?
Meditations for Mortals – Oliver Burkeman, The Rest is History Podcast, Terry Pratchett Discworld novels, Working it Out Podcast
Who Should You Nominate?
- Leaders doing meaningful work
- People with insights others can learn from
- Voices worth elevating
I am Your Virtual Professional's
3 Key Takeaways
# 1
Relationships reduce friction before it shows up.
Investing early in cross-functional relationships made approvals easier later—proof that momentum is often earned long before a project is proposed.
# 2
Technology sharpens the need for humanity, not the opposite.
AI helped with preparation, but real differentiation came from human-to-human trust in a crowded, look-alike landscape.
# 3
Clarity beats capacity.
Clear messaging, clear deliverables, and a clear ideal client drove more buy-in than adding more offers, tools, or activity.
Who Should You Nominate?
- Leaders doing meaningful work
- People with insights others can learn from
- Voices worth elevating
