In this episode of The Art and Science of Complex Sales, Paul Fuller is joined by Steve Gielda, President and Co-founder of Ignite Selling and co-author of Ignite Your Sales Strategy. From hauling copiers out of a van to building a global sales consultancy, Steve brings a rare blend of frontline grit and strategic clarity. Together, they dive into the real reasons B2B sales efforts stall and what high-performing teams do differently to keep deals moving and win more often.
Why Pipelines Stall (6:14)
Steve reveals the biggest myth in pipeline management: that activity equals progress. Sales teams may be logging actions, but without clarity around what really moves a deal forward, opportunities stagnate. His solution? Replace vague sales stages with clearly defined strategic milestones—critical actions that, if skipped, put deals at risk.
Why Coaching Is the Missing Multiplier (21:11)
Sales managers often play the role of closer or CRM enforcer instead of coach. Steve emphasizes that the sales process only becomes a growth engine when managers coach reps through strategic thinking—asking not just what happened, but what matters next. Organizations that invest in coaching see faster pipeline movement and better forecasting.
Why "Checking the Box" Kills Deals (16:09)
Too many reps treat CRM milestones as admin tasks instead of strategic checkpoints. Steve explains how reframing milestones as thinking tools—like identifying true decision criteria and neutralizing internal naysayers—helps reps win more consistently. And when milestones are co-created with reps, adoption and performance soar.
Why Your Sales Strategy Doesn’t Stick (29:14)
Even the best training fails without reinforcement. Steve breaks down how Ignite Selling’s modular, gamified learning approach embeds sales behaviors over time—not in one-off workshops. His programs simulate real-world scenarios and provide tools integrated into CRM platforms for ongoing coaching and performance improvement.
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.
