Building Your Sales Engine – Détails, épisodes et analyse

"If you're not committed to doing the work to get to a goal, don't set the goal. Because all you do is hurt your self-esteem and hurt your confidence." Discover the critical difference between desire and commitment -- the two ingredients of the will to sell that determine whether your sales goals drive you forward or drag you down. Every sales manager has seen it: a rep who knows what to do but won't do it consistently. In this episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford unpack why desire without commitment creates a dangerous gap -- and how managers can uncover a salesperson's compelling why without becoming a persecutor in the relationship. In this episode, you'll learn: The real difference between desire and commitment in sales Four types of motivation -- and why only one is sustainable How to uncover your (or your rep's) compelling why The 1-to-10 commitment scale for honest goal conversations Why caring more than your rep makes YOU the problem The pilot light test: how to know if someone has the drive Why setting uncommitted goals destroys your confidence Host: Mark McGraw -- Building Your Sales Engine Co-host: Josh Pitchford -- Building Your Sales Engine Links: Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcgraw/ Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

"If you don't have a system, it's backyard football, after Thanksgiving dinner, everybody go out there and get open. You score touchdowns every now and then, but there's too much on the line to play backyard football." Discover why having a proven sales system beats winging it -- and how it transforms results for sellers and managers alike. Most salespeople default to the buyer's process without realizing there's another option. In this episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford break down the real benefits of systematizing your sales approach -- from creating predictability and shortening sales cycles to recognizing patterns, combating fear in the moment, and getting to "no" faster. The conversation then shifts to the manager's lens: how a shared system improves forecast accuracy, makes pre-call planning and debriefing actionable, and gives your team a common language for team selling. In this episode, you'll learn: - Why predictability is the #1 benefit of a sales system - How to shape the sales process instead of being shaped by it - The "start with no" mindset that takes all the pressure off - The GATE process: Goals, Actions, Tools, and Exit criteria - How the 10-80-10 concept applies to manager-rep sales calls - Why the most important upfront contract is between seller team members - How a documented system accelerates new rep onboarding 🎙️ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine 🎤 Co-host: Josh Pitchford — Building Your Sales Engine 👇 Timestamps below 👇 ✅ Like + Subscribe for more expert sales insights 🎙️ Full podcast episodes: buildingyoursalesengine.com **Links:** Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Website: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcgraw/ Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

How to build a repeatable channel sales engine—from partner selection to enablement to metrics—with a 30-year channel sales veteran.

Selling through channel partners without a system feels like that old vibrating football game—everyone's running around hoping to score. John Rosati has spent 30 years building channel sales engines that create predictable revenue, and in this episode, he reveals exactly how he does it.

As a channel sales leader at Motorola with experience across distribution, manufacturers reps, and two-tier channels, John knows what separates successful channel programs from chaotic ones. In this conversation with Mark McGraw, he breaks down his "sales engine" framework: partner selection (willingness and ability to invest), enablement (training, co-selling, monkey-see-monkey-do), and metrics (dashboards that drive behavior). You'll learn why Sandler is the "how" that enables every channel tool, how to make it easy for partners to do business with you, and why the best partners invest in their people and infrastructure.

About John Rosati John Rosati is a channel sales executive with 30 years of experience in technology sales, currently leading Motorola's channel partner business for professional communications and radio across North America. Starting his career with cold calls at Motorola (70-100 calls a day), John moved through inside sales, outside sales, and eventually into channel leadership roles managing billion-dollar partner networks. He specializes in building repeatable sales engines for channel partners, partner enablement, co-selling strategies, and using metrics to drive predictable revenue. John is passionate about Sandler Training and has implemented Sandler methodologies across his channel teams to create consistent, scalable results.

🔗 John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrosati911/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• Why selling through channels is a force multiplier when done right

• The "vibrating football game" analogy: What happens without a system

• The sales engine framework: Onboarding, enablement, programs, metrics

• Partner selection: Willingness and ability to invest (the #1 indicator)

• Why mindshare leads to wallet share with channel partners

• The monkey-see-monkey-do approach: Co-selling and ride-alongs

• How Sandler helps channel partners avoid common selling mistakes

• Why traditional sellers want to "throw features and benefits" immediately

• Getting channel partners to qualify: Pain, budget, decision, process

• The challenge: Channel partners hate reporting (and how to make it easier)

• Dashboards and metrics: Leading indicators vs. lagging indicators

• Point of sale metrics: Are products moving off partner shelves?

• Scorecards and competitive rankings to drive partner behavior

• Making it easy to do business with: The holy grail of channel success

• How supply chain challenges during COVID tested "easy and consistent"

• Improving the out-of-box experience to save partners time

• Using AI to make information access more efficient for partners

• Why Sandler is the "how" that turbo-boosts other sales tools

• The importance of hand-to-hand combat: Getting with sellers directly

• Strategic selling, Miller Heiman, and how Sandler enables those frameworks

Links

• Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com

• Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/

• Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine

• John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrosati911/

 

Why traditional therapy can make emotional triggers worse—and how neuroscience-based techniques dissolve limiting beliefs in minutes, not years.

What if reliving your past trauma actually makes it stronger? Rochelle Carrington explains why traditional approaches to emotional healing can deepen the very patterns you're trying to break—and reveals a faster, neuroscience-based alternative.

As a coach specializing in subconscious emotional patterns, Rochelle works with CEOs, business owners, and high achievers who look successful on the outside but are burnt out inside. In this episode with Mark McGraw, she breaks down how emotions drive actions (which create results), why understanding "why" isn't necessary for healing, and how she helps clients dissolve decades-old limiting beliefs in 3-4 weeks. You'll learn about the 95/5 rule of the subconscious mind, why managing emotions doesn't work, and real results like sleeping through the night, doubled revenue, and healed relationships—all from dissolving emotional triggers in minutes.

About Rochelle Carrington Rochelle Carrington is a coach and consultant specializing in helping high achievers dissolve subconscious emotional patterns that drive burnout, stress, and self-sabotage. Using neuroscience-based protocols, she works with CEOs, business owners, and peak performers to release limiting beliefs formed in childhood—without reliving past trauma or telling their stories. Her approach combines neuroscience, somatic psychology, and quantum physics to create rapid, permanent shifts. Rochelle has helped clients sleep through the night after years of insomnia, stop procrastinating, improve relationships, and significantly increase business revenue—all by addressing the emotional patterns running 95% of their actions.

🔗 Rochelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellecarrington/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• Why high achievers with everything externally are burnt out internally

• The problem with traditional therapy: Reliving stories deepens neural pathways

• How emotions create actions, which create results (not the other way around)

• The 95/5 rule: Your subconscious runs 95% of your actions

• Why you don't need to understand "why" to heal emotional triggers

• Subconscious emotional patterns formed before age 7 drive adult behavior

• The nervous system's role: Fight, flight, or freeze responses

• Why procrastination is often a nervous system freeze response

• How emotional triggers get dissolved in 10-15 minutes (not years)

• The difference between managing emotions and dissolving them

• Why discipline and willpower are compensating for underlying beliefs

• Real results: Sleeping through the night, relationships healing, revenue doubling

• The CEO who couldn't stand his company (and expanded to Mexico after 8 weeks)

• How dissolved beliefs create new neural pathways permanently

• The reticular activating system (RAS): Seeing opportunities you couldn't see before

• Why "the why doesn't matter"—just dissolve the emotional charge

• Managing emotions vs. dissolving emotions: Which actually works?

• How limiting beliefs like "I'm not good enough" pile up in childhood

• The water jug analogy: When high achievers finally hit burnout

• Why this approach is becoming the future of peak performance

Links

• Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com

• Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/

• Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine

• Rochelle's Substack: Mindset Matters

 

How to expand relationships in your accounts, identify all the influencers, and protect yourself before your main contact leaves or competitors wedge in.

If you're only talking to one person in your account, you're one resignation away from losing everything. Josh Pitchford reveals why the "best defense is a good offense" when it comes to account relationships—and shares practical frameworks for expanding higher, deeper, and wider.

As a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, Josh helps sales teams protect and grow their key accounts through strategic relationship building. In this episode with Mark McGraw, he breaks down the "3x3" strategy for identifying influencers, explains why relationship maps beat org charts, and shares why you need to know people's "5 to 9" (not just their 9 to 5). You'll learn how to fence your accounts, and expand relationships before your competition does.

• Relationship Map Template: [Link in show notes]

About Josh Pitchford Josh Pitchford is a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, where he helps sales professionals and teams build predictable revenue systems. With extensive experience in enterprise sales and account management, Josh specializes in teaching relationship-building strategies, account planning, and the Sandler methodology. He's passionate about helping sellers move beyond single-point-of-contact relationships to build the depth and breadth needed to protect and expand strategic accounts.

🔗 Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• Why "another lunch with Grant" won't win you more business

• The best defense is a good offense: Building sticky relationships

• The 3x3 strategy: Mapping relationships across and up/down

• How to "put a fence around your account" to block competitors

• Why your competition won't go after your main POC (they'll wedge elsewhere)

• The #1 fear sellers have: Their main point of contact leaving

• Relationship maps vs org charts: Why dotted lines matter

• The advocacy score: Moving people from detractor to champion on a -5 to +5 scale

• Identifying influencers: There are now 14+ people involved in enterprise decisions

• The three levels with influencers: Identify, access, influence

• Bomb-proofing your account: What could go wrong and how to protect yourself

• Why the weather is always changing in your accounts (every 90 days)

• How to know people as people: The "5 to 9" not just the "9 to 5"

• The fuzzy file: Collecting personal information about your contacts

• Unreasonable hospitality: Going the extra mile with thoughtful gestures

• Using AI and Etsy for personalized gifts that deepen relationships

• Mapping to the buyer's network: Connecting your team to theirs

Links

• Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com

• Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/

• Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine

• Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

• Relationship Map Template: [Link in show notes]

 

How to build influence and lead without a title—from an individual contributor to recognized leader in your organization.

Can you be a leader without managing anyone? Absolutely. Darryl Stromberg reveals exactly how to position yourself as a leader even when no one reports to you.

As a Sandler Coach at Sales Engine with 30+ years of experience, Darryl knows what separates people who get promoted from those who get stuck. In this episode, he shares the strategies that helped him mentor 18 people—16 of whom earned promotions, above-average raises, or recognition as top performers.

You'll learn why your spouse's behavior at company events can derail your promotion, how to "manage up" when you have a weak boss, and the critical difference between leadership and management. Whether you're an individual contributor or a manager developing your team, this episode delivers career-accelerating insights.

• Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/

About Darryl Stromberg Darryl Stromberg is a Sandler Coach at Sales Engine, bringing over 30 years of leadership and sales operations experience. His career includes roles as Director of North American Operations and Manager of Sales Operations at Motorola Solutions, where he led teams, streamlined processes, and drove performance improvements. Known for his mentoring and coaching, Darryl has helped dozens of professionals advance their careers through intentional leadership development.

🔗 Darryl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrylstromberg/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• The critical difference between leadership and management

• How to position yourself as a leader through behavior and listening

• Why sitting at the front of the room matters at company events

• The "be entertained, don't be the entertainment" rule for company events

• How your spouse's behavior can disqualify you from promotions

• Why leaders are constant learners (books, articles, videos)

• Building influence through article sharing and mentoring

• Results from Darryl's mentoring: 16 of 18 people promoted or recognized

• The Behavior-Attitude-Technique (BAT) framework for leadership

• Modified monthly performance reviews that drive accountability

• Managing up: How to succeed with weak managers

• Scheduling your own one-on-ones with your boss

• Becoming the "leader of your manager" through influence

• Filling organizational vacuums as an individual contributor

• Why you must do your job first before expanding leadership

• The power of great mentors in career development

• Testing if management is right for you before accepting the role

• Leading projects without direct reports to build leadership muscle

• Building a "dome of trust" with colleagues and leaders

• Why motive matters: Serving others vs. self-promotion

Links

• Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com

• Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/

• Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine

How to run sales kickoffs that actually work—align, enable, inspire—from a CCO who's transformed 3+ organizations.

Most sales kickoffs overwhelm teams with content and drain energy by day three. Lisa Gosselin has cracked the code on SKOs that inspire action, not confusion.

As Chief Commercial Officer at Cars Commerce, Lisa has transformed go-to-market organizations at three different companies—and she's phenomenal at setting vision. In this conversation with Mark McGraw, she breaks down her SKO framework: align the team around vision, enable them with simple playbooks (not 100-page manuals), and inspire them to execute. She also shares a game-changing insight that surprised Mark after 29 years in sales leadership: finish your SKO with a motivational speaker, not product presentations.

If you're planning a sales kickoff or struggling to get your team aligned on vision, this episode is your playbook.

About Lisa Gosselin

Lisa Gosselin is Chief Commercial Officer at Cars Commerce, where she leads go-to-market strategy, deepens strategic partnerships, and drives revenue growth for dealers and OEMs. Appointed in February 2025, Lisa brings 25+ years of commercial leadership across SaaS, ad tech, and data-driven marketing. Previously, as Chief Revenue Officer at Numerator (Bain Capital-backed), she transformed the commercial organization and delivered four consecutive years of double-digit growth. Lisa has also held senior leadership roles at Conversant-Epsilon, Catalina Marketing, Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and Suntory. She specializes in organizational transformation—building high-performing teams and turning vision into execution.

🔗 Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagosselin/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• The 3 pillars of great SKOs: Align, Enable, Inspire

• Why the last day has to be a bang (finish with motivation, not product)

• How to keep teams focused: cadence, governance, shared accountability

• Playbooks that work: simple, dynamic, Q&A-driven (not 100-page manuals)

• Product & marketing alignment: 30 minutes max, no training sessions

• Why you need to repeat the vision until people mock you (Jim Collins principle)

• Client panels vs. motivational speakers: when to use each

• Themes that work: base them on your market challenges, not gimmicks

• The project manager role: who should run your SKO (hint: not you)

• How to sustain momentum after the event: vision, governance, redundancy

Links

Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com
Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/
Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine
Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisagosselin/

How a brain cancer diagnosis became the best thing that ever happened—and what it teaches us about responding to adversity in business and life.

"It was one of the best things that ever happened to me." That's how David Karp describes his brain cancer diagnosis—and he means it.

On his 60th birthday, David got a call from a neuro-oncologist confirming he had a tumor in his brain. Instead of falling into despair, he made a choice—and that choice changed everything.

In this conversation with Mark McGraw, David shares the mindset shifts that helped him navigate adversity: deciding it's not about you, pre-deciding how you'll respond before crisis hits, and being a "person person" instead of a "people person." He also shares the "dog poop principle"—a moment on January 1st that prepared him for the hardest year of his life.

If you're facing adversity in business, health, or life, this episode is a masterclass in perspective, resilience, and choosing growth over fear.

About David Karp:
David Karp is Chief Customer Officer at Disqo, where he leads customer success for some of the world's biggest brands measuring brand advertising impact. With decades of experience in sales, account management, and customer success, David specializes in closing operational gaps and championing the customer. He's been married for 36+ years, is rooted in his faith, and believes in showing up for others—especially when life gets hard.

🔗 David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidalankarp/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• The brain cancer diagnosis on his 60th birthday—and why David calls it "the best thing"

• How to pre-decide your response to adversity before it happens

• The "dog poop principle": What stepping in dog poop taught him about perspective

• Why "it's not about you" is the most powerful mindset shift in crisis

• The roller coaster analogy: Holding hands through the terrifying moments

• How David influenced 10+ men to start going to the doctor

• Be a "person person," not a "people person"—the power of presence

• Why 80% of people you meet are going through something serious

• The sphere of control vs. influence: What you can actually change

• Learning from adversity: Growth-minded lessons from failure and hardship

Links

Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com
Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com
Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine

How to build a sustainable sales career by prioritizing quality prospecting, strategic partnerships, and giving value—without burning out on empty activity.

🔗 Download exclusive sales resources at: buildingyoursalesengine.com/giveaway

Most salespeople start their careers chasing numbers—60, 70, 80 dials a day—hoping volume will lead to wins. Rich Simons did exactly that. But 17 years later, he's built a thriving sales career by flipping the script: quality over quantity, relationships over transactions, and giving over taking.

In this conversation with Mark McGraw, Rich shares his journey from cold-calling burnout to sales leadership. He walks through his morning routine (prayer, physical, then professional), why he plans each day the night before, and how speaking at industry events became his #1 prospecting channel. Rich also explains why LinkedIn has become "noisy," how to network with authenticity, and why he's intentional about slowing down the sales process to truly understand his clients' businesses.

If you're tired of grinding through empty activity or want to build a sales career rooted in relationships and real value, this episode delivers a proven blueprint.

About Rich Simons

Rich Simons leads sales at Edge Business Systems in Georgia. With 17+ years in B2B sales, he's known for building deep client relationships, strategic partnerships, and mentoring emerging sales talent.

🔗 Connect with Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richsimons/

Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine

In This Episode:

• Why "quality per day" beats "volume per day" for sustainable success

• Rich's morning routine: prayer, physical, professional

• Planning your day the night before (and why it matters)

• How to define a "win" and track small victories

• The hunter vs. farmer mistake and staying in your role long enough to succeed

• Speaking in front of groups: the underutilized prospecting channel

• Why LinkedIn is "noisy" and how to network with authenticity

• Listening for symptoms (not explicit requests) to connect people

• The philosophy of giving to your network without keeping score

• Mentoring the next generation and why most people want to help

Links
Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com
Podcast Webpage page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/
Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine
Rich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richsimons/

 

 

Why Q4 isn't 92 selling days — and how to keep deals from slipping to January.

🔗 Download exclusive sales resources at: buildingyoursalesengine.com/giveaway

The calendar says 92 days in Q4. The reality? Subtract weekends, holidays, PTO, and slowdowns in legal and purchasing — and you've got a fraction of that. In this conversation, Mark McGraw and Sandler trainer Josh Pitchford map out how to close strong when time is short:

• Count your real selling days and plan around them

• Start earlier — budgets are set sooner every year

• Get higher in the organization to accelerate decisions

• Map the path to the PO: timeline, events, people

• Quantify the cost of delay (the $250K/month example)

• Be in the room where decisions happen

• Prepare for the handful of predictable objections

Links:
Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com
Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/40
Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine
Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/