How to Fix Pipelines, Elevate CS, and Sell With Zero Shame

In this episode of Knocking to 10, fractional CRO and top 100 sales leader Lindsay Rios joins to break down the mindset and mechanics behind building a sales org that actually works.

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From her early days selling BMWs on the lot to building HubSpot’s enterprise motion to advising fast-growing PLG startups, Lindsay has seen how pipeline problems really form and how to fix them. Her take? Mental health is a revenue lever. Customer success belongs at the start. And if your CRM is a mess, your forecast is fiction.

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🔑 5 Key Takeaways from Lindsay Rios

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1. A “Poopy Pipeline” Isn’t Just Sloppy. It’s a Threat to Your Forecast.

“Most orgs don’t realize how bad their pipeline is until they feel the pain. Forecasting misses. Wasted opps. Total guesswork.”

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Lindsay defines a poopy pipeline as one filled with bad opps, inconsistent process, and zero seller ownership. The fix starts with visibility and accountability, not just more deals.

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2. Forecasting Fails Are Often Just Pipeline Symptoms

“If your sales leader can’t forecast accurately, don’t fire them. Fix the system.”

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Lindsay argues that most forecasting issues stem from poorly managed, unqualified pipelines. Before blaming the rep or the manager, look at the structure. The right RevOps layer can fix it.

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3. CS Should Be Your First Hire in PLG

“You will not make it if you have a churn problem. Full stop.”

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For product-led businesses, Lindsay believes CS belongs at the start of the GTM team. Retention isn’t a late-stage metric. It is a go-to-market strategy. Time-to-value is the new close rate.

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4. Early-Stage RevOps Is a Mindset, Not a Title

“RevOps isn’t something you hire at Series C. It’s a lifestyle from day one.”

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Even in lean teams, Lindsay encourages founders and sales leads to think like RevOps leaders. That means tracking conversions, loss reasons, pipeline velocity, and real buyer behavior. Even if it starts in a spreadsheet.

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5. Nailing Your ICP Isn’t Optional. It’s Survival.

“Every time I join a company, I end up helping them fix their ICP. Even the ones doing $30M plus ARR.”

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ICP problems show up when Sales, CS, Marketing, and Product are all running different plays. Lindsay shows how to get everyone aligned on the real buyers and how to say no to everything else.

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💬 Best Quote

“Poopy pipeline just means you have no control. You’re not forecasting. You’re guessing.”

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🧠 Who This Episode Is For

This episode is a wake-up call for:

- Founders trying to scale clean, not just fast

- RevOps leads fixing messy CRM hygiene

- Sales managers struggling to coach and forecast

- PLG teams with churn problems they don’t fully understand

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📌 Final Thought

If your CRM is full of junk, your CS team is reactive, and your sales manager is flying blind, you don’t need another playbook. You need Lindsay Rios. This episode breaks down how to clean house, narrow focus, and scale with clarity.