EPISODE 18 | 7.31.2025

Why Even Strategic Entrepreneurs Miss This Negotiation Blind Spot with Derrick Chevalier

Sean M Atkinson and Derrick Chevalier reveal why strategic entrepreneurs lose millions by missing the most important negotiation of all - the one happening inside their own heads. Discover the CNSUF Framework™ that transforms expensive assumptions into informed decisions, why a $100,000 "equal" partnership is never actually equal, and the Vietnam rice paddy lesson that separates skilled negotiators from everyone else. Plus: the Jerry Maguire technique that gets people to share information willingly without them realizing it.
✅ Leads with the counterintuitive insight about internal negotiations
✅ Includes compelling financial stakes ($100K partnership trap)
✅ Mentions the memorable CNSUF Framework™
✅ References the powerful Vietnam story
✅ Under 500 characters
✅ Maintains urgency and practical value

Takeaways:
● The most important negotiation happens inside your head before any external conversation
● Strategic entrepreneurs often miss critical blind spots because they assume they know what they don't know
● True negotiations don't start when parties sit down - they start when you understand what you're facing
● Belief, presumption, and consequence form a chain that controls every decision you make
● "Equal" partnerships are never actually equal when consequences and risks differ
● You can only determine if something was win-win in hindsight, not in the moment
● Skill often overcomes power when you understand the situation better than your counterpart
● The CNSUF Framework™ focuses on uncovering what you don't know in real-time
● Influence impacts thoughts and behaviors without people being aware of it
● Persuasion is obvious - people know when you're trying to convince them
● The Jerry Maguire technique has millions of variations beyond "Help me help you"
Sound Bites:
● "You don't know what you don't know"
● "Skill will often overcome power"
● "The negotiation with other people is far down the road"
● "Help me help you"
● "I know that I do not know"
● "We've never been in an equal position"
● "Sometimes we need to be a cook, sometimes a baker"
● "The body keeps the score"
● "Influence is without them being aware of it"
● "All win is marriage"
● "You only determine if you won in hindsight"
● "What's wrong?" (3 a.m. phone call effect)
● "Are we equal partners?"
● "Maybe not"
● "That's called influence"
Resources:Free 30-Minute Consultation: Schedule a consultation
● Book: Evolve or Be Slaughtered: Negotiation for the 21st Century
● CNSUF Framework™ Training & Certification: Website
● Connect with Derrick: LinkedInYouTube Podcast: The Strategic Thinkers PodcastSubscribe to The Coaches Corner YouTube channel for more insights and presentation walkthroughs

📌 Timestamps:0:00 Introduction & Promise: The Hidden Negotiations Inside Your Head 1:55 Internal vs. External Negotiations: Where Success Really Begins
3:25 The Body Keeps the Score: How Past Experiences Shape Present Decisions
6:46 Beliefs vs. Presumptions vs. Consequences: The Decision-Making Chain
11:45 Fear vs. Gain: Understanding Your Entrepreneurial Operating System
16:33 All-Win vs. Win-Win: Why Most "Fair" Deals Aren't Actually Fair 19:23 The $100,000 Partnership Trap: When Equal Investment Isn't Equal Risk
26:48 Protecting Yourself from the Inevitable: Having Hard Conversations Upfront
29:23 Skill vs. Power: Why Preparation Beats Position Every Time
32:10 Real-Time Clarity: Moving from Hindsight to Foresight in Business Decisions
32:57 Cook, Baker, or Order Out: Choosing the Right Approach for Any Situation
38:18 The Information Cutoff Point: When True Negotiation Actually Begins
40:01 The Rice Paddy Lesson: Life-or-Death Decision Making in Vietnam
44:43 Influence vs. Persuasion: The Distinction That Changes Everything 49:21 The Jerry Maguire Technique: Getting Information Without Asking For It
50:49 The 3 a.m. Phone Call: Master Class in Influence
56:00 The CNSUF Framework: Comprehensive Negotiating Strategies Universal Framework
1:03:03 Context vs. Cookie-Cutter Advice: Why Circumstances Matter More Than Tactics
1:08:25 From Fear to Fearless: Building Confidence Through Understanding
1:11:16 Working with Derrick: Consultation, Training, and Certification Options
1:13:25 Universal Principles: Why These Skills Apply to Every Area of Life