Ep # 182: How Strategic Qualification Improves Pipeline Quality and Win Rates ft. Boris Cho (VP Growth, ChangeMakers)

In this episode of Across The Funnel, Ioanna Onasi sits down with Boris Cho, VP, Growth at ChangeMakers, to explore how trust-based growth works in high-stakes consulting, why credibility has to come before pipeline, and how strong discovery shapes better client outcomes. Boris breaks down the difference between transactional selling and consultative growth, explains why referrals, reputation, and strategic partnerships matter more than brute-force outreach, and shares how his team prepares for meetings by understanding the client’s business, category, and stakeholder dynamics. The conversation also digs into coaching, with a clear case for one-on-one development, active listening, and slowing down before jumping into recommendations, while also covering where many sales leaders go wrong by confusing activity with strategy and chasing volume instead of the right problems.