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In this episode of The Art and Science of Complex Sales, Paul Fuller sits down with Andrea Waltz and Richard Fenton, co-authors of Go for No, to explore how a mindset shift around rejection can unlock untapped sales potential.
Together, they challenge the traditional obsession with getting to “yes” and make the case for measuring success by the number of “no's” you collect. From disqualification strategies to embracing failure as a learning tool, this episode is packed with stories, tactics, and mindset shifts that can help sales teams grow in courage, resilience, and results.
The Power of Hearing No (1:08)
Richard shares the origin story of Go for No, sparked by a question that changed his entire outlook on sales: “What did the customer say no to?” This chapter explores how most salespeople stop selling too early and how fear of rejection becomes a self-imposed limit on performance. The lesson is to stop judging your success by the size of the yes and start tracking how many no’s you’re willing to hear.
Quantity Leads, Quality Follows (6:25)
Andrea and Richard tackle the debate between activity volume and skill refinement. They argue that quantity is the leading indicator of success and that obsessing over perfect technique without enough activity leads to stagnation. Reps must fail forward using each no as a step toward improvement and insight.
Persistence Pays Off (13:59)
In a memorable personal story, Richard describes proposing to Andrea over 400 times before she finally said yes. The metaphor holds in sales: consistent, respectful follow-up creates familiarity, trust, and eventually, opportunity. No isn't the end of the conversation—it is often the beginning of a real relationship.
Operationalizing the Go for No Mindset (19:35)
Andrea explains how organizations can embed “Go for No” into culture without overhauling their entire process. From no-tracking challenges to mindset-based workshops, companies that celebrate rejection as a step toward growth see more activity, better morale, and stronger pipelines. Leaders play a crucial role in modeling and reinforcing this behavior.
Paul Fuller’s stated mission is to help others maximize their gifts by using his.
Paul has been a pioneer in the sales process and training, sales as a service, content marketing and CRM. As a previous founder and owner of multiple successful growth organizations in these spaces, Paul has effectively trained and led sales and marketing teams across the world to focus on and achieve dynamic growth.
He firmly believes sales is defined best in three categories:
• Service - helping other get what they need
• Leadership - guiding others toward their vision
• Wayfinding - navigating the path to success together
He is firmly committed to elevating the sales profession through coaching, leading, and empowering others through systems that enable strong performance.
Currently Paul leads revenue growth at Membrain.com - the top sales effectiveness CRM in the world. Working with his team, and a group of over 100 top sales consultant organizations across the globe, they are focused at creating scalable growth through sales excellence in companies and teams in over 80 countries.
Schedule a call with him here.
Find out more about Paul Fuller on LinkedIn
From north to south, east to west, Membrain has thousands of happy clients all over the world.
