After 15 years alongside Russell Brunson, Robbie Summers launched a business that humanizes commerce, turning conversations into customer-centric connections and empowering entrepreneurs to double their growth.
Who: Robbie Summers, founder and CEO of The Sales Lever.
What: A sales agency and coaching platform designed to transfer the “sales hat” from overwhelmed entrepreneurs to a dedicated team.
When: Founded in early 2024 after Summers departed ClickFunnels, where he had served as VP of Sales for 15 years.
Where: Based in Middleton, Idaho; clients span the U.S. and beyond.
Why: To dispel the stigma around sales and enable business owners to focus on what they do best, while growing revenues.
A Shift from E-Commerce Giant to Independent Innovator
For a decade and a half, Summers worked intimately with Russell Brunson at ClickFunnels, steering the company’s sales trajectory. “I felt like I would be working with Russell for the rest of my life,” Summers admits, recalling the bond and the confidence he had in their joint mission. But in early 2024, he stepped away—and into uncharted territory: his own startup, The Sales Lever.
The transition was seismic. “Starting a business and going through the growing pains of a startup has been amazing,” he said. Launching not only meant building something from scratch, but also redefining sales itself.
Sales with a Soul
At The Sales Lever, the word “sales” sheds its oily undercoat and reveals something far more human. Summers emphasizes the power of listening. “If you make the sale 100% about the customer and listen with the intent to help, sales come easy.”
“You walk into his coaching calls thinking you need more leads. You walk out realizing you needed more clarity.”
– Marley Jaxx, Marketing Strategist
His approach is simple yet potent: identify where a customer is and where they want to be; guide them, rather than push, until they verbalize the gap. It’s no wonder Summers rejects the notion of “greasy sales.” “It’s the only thing that allows you to truly help people,” he says, his voice resonating with a conviction shaped by both empathy and experience.
A New Offering—Sales Coaching for Small Business Owners
The Sales Lever isn’t just a service provider; it’s a training ground. Summers recently appeared on the popular “Passionate Few” podcast hosted by Omar Elatar, an outlet reaching tens of thousands of entrepreneurs. There, he teased a new initiative: a sales coaching product aimed at business owners who need systematic sales training without giving up ownership.
“Our systems and processes help tighten up their sales funnel and take the training off the owner’s plate,” Summers explained. It’s a move designed to scale, not just his own brand’s eight-figure aspirations, but also his clients’, whom he expects to help double in size.
The Philosophy Behind the Hustle
Summers believes his mindset is part prayer, part data-driven discipline. His morning ritual—rising at 5:30 a.m. to read industry books, then walking his dogs—sets a tone of reflection and focus. In business calls, alarms ping across his day to keep him anchored in purpose.
“Robbie isn’t just teaching sales—he’s redeeming it.”
– Omar Elatar, host of The Passionate Few
Interwoven with these habits is his faith. “I use prayer and meditation to stay grounded,” he shares. When problems arise, Summers doesn’t panic; he breaks them down, communicates, and crafts game plans.
He views failure—they say—as “learning experiences.” If a deal falls through, he studies what went wrong, adjusts, and moves forward. Despite a firm belief in tireless effort as the key to mastery, Summers also recognizes the suffocating pressure often felt by small business owners. His goal: lift that burden so entrepreneurs can dream, create, and yes, sell.
Mentors, Hobbies, and a Vision for Expansion
Summers credits his growth to mentors such as Dr. Joe Vitale, Steve Larsen, Marley Jaxx, and Doug Andrews. Their influence has shaped his empathetic sales philosophy, which he now imparts to his clients.
Outside work, Summers embraces the tactile: woodworking, metalworking, astronomy, wilderness excursions, firearms shooting, and collecting books. These pursuits, he says, remind him there’s more to life than charts and pipelines.
Looking ahead, he envisions The Sales Lever joining the ranks of eight‑figure firms. But more than that, he wants to rebrand the act of selling into something constructive and reputation‑enhancing. “Nothing happens in this world until a sale is made,” he reminds. His mission is to show entrepreneurs that selling is, in essence, the art of helping people make informed decisions.
In a world wary of pushy pitches, Robbie Summers is quietly rebuilding the edifice of commerce on trust and service. It’s a minimalist transformation—sell less, listen more. Yet its implications are profound: as The Sales Lever scales and empowers clients to do the same, Summers’ real legacy may be one less job title and one more mindset—where sales isn’t the task to fear, but the bridge to make.
There’s an old saying in sales: “Always be closing.”
Robbie Summers has a new one:
“Always be caring.”
The data may show conversions.
But the impact?
It shows up in confidence, clarity, and clients who come back not because they were sold…
…but because they were seen.
And maybe—just maybe—maybe-that’s the sale that matters most.
To learn more about The Sales Lever, visit their website here.
By Deneen White
Award-winning journalist, keynote speaker, and senior business features editor at The Miami News. Deneen covers founders reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship through service, story, and strategy.
Email tips: deneen@deneenwhite.com
Follow: @deneenmwhite
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