The Power of Suggestion: Inside the Psychology of High-Stakes Selling

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