break the pattern

turn conversations into pipeline

Author

Cam Walker
February 03, 2026

Borrowed Wisdom

This week: Millions in the pipe

There's only 4 pillars between you and millions in pipeline.

Here's where most reps go wrong. They dial with the sole purpose of booking a meeting, and when they don't get it, they burn out.

So what's the fix? Stop treating a meeting as your only win.

You should chase completions. This could be reaching the right person, someone who is not an admin or a gatekeeper.

While also getting to a yes, a no, a not me, or a not now.

When you reframe it this way, every call will teach you something.

Are you targeting the right people? Are you saying the right things? When should you follow up? Within one to three months of focusing on completions, your pipeline explodes.

Every cold call needs 4 things:

  • an introduction

  • a reason for the call

  • a pitch

  • a call to action

Most reps combine the intro and the pitch together in the first ten seconds. This is why they get hung up on.

After 20,000+ cold calls, I can confidently say don’t do it.

You need to break the cold call pattern everyone knows. It should build towards a conversation, not a pitch slap.

Pillar 1: The script opens up by making sure you have the right person.

"You weren't expecting my call. It's actually the first time I've reached you. I was hoping you might be able to help me out for just a brief moment."

It's a small request, and it gets a YES early on in the call from most people.

Pillar 2: From there, you introduce yourself and your company.

Pillar 3: Then comes the pattern interrupt; this is a line that buys you time without pressuring them.

"I was calling to see if it makes sense to connect at another time when I'm not catching you out of the blue."

Now they want to know what it's about. You've earned their attention.

Pillar 4: Once you have their attention, deliver your pitch. Then ask one question to validate whether they actually have the problem you solve.

Your call to action?

"How does your calendar look this week for 10 to 15 minutes?"

Most sales reps waste their time and energy chasing the meeting.

This framework allows for conversations and turns those conversations into pipeline.

To-Go Bites

  1. Get a YES early

  2. Break the pattern

  3. Chase completions

  4. Validate before you close

  5. Use the pattern interrupt

  6. Reframe your call to action

  7. Earn attention before you pitch

  8. Every call teaches you something

  9. Pipeline comes from conversation

  10. Never combine your intro and pitch

Worth The Open

Favorite content from surfing the web this week

  1. Stay alive

  2. Storytelling is HOT right now

  3. Kobe Bryant on doing the basics

  4. James Clear on the boring fundamentals bringing success

Thanks for reading

— Cam