THE STATE OF SALES IN 2026
A Conversation With Julie Copeland and Scott Stringfellow
Julie Copeland, Director of Client Success at CEO Coaching International, and Scott Stringfellow, Founder of NewGTM.ai join CreativeScience.io Editor-in-Chief, Luke Jones, and Senior Contributor, Sam Johnson, to discuss the sales landscape as 2026 begins.
The conversation focuses heavily on AI, which has brought heavy disruption to sales without a clear consensus on its use and what it can achieve. Julie discusses how a human-in-the loop approach is still needed with an emphasis on the human touch. Scott discusses how new playbooks are needed and details the strengths and weaknesses of current-state AI tools.
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About the Participants
Julie Copeland

As Director of Client Success at CEO Coaching International, Julie Copeland connects CEOs and founders with coaches who fit their goals, stage, and leadership style. She brings a practical, human-first approach that turns “finding a coach” into a confident, well-matched decision.
Scott Stringfellow

Scott Stringfellow is the founder of NewGTM.ai, a company focused on modernizing outbound sales and go-to-market strategies with the power of artificial intelligence. He is recognized for helping organizations build top-tier go-to-market teams and for driving business growth with cutting-edge digital transformation initiatives. Drawing from 20 years of sales experience, he builds impactful strategies for implementing the latest sales technologies and playbooks to help teams use these tools to hit and exceed goals.
Luke M. Jones

Luke M. Jones, Editor-in-Chief of CreativeScience.io, has over a decade of experience in digital marketing, leveraging his expertise in inbound marketing, SEO, PPC, and marketing automation to drive growth and lead strategic campaigns. He holds a B.A. in Journalism with a concentration in Graphic Design from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Jones is recognized for his resourceful problem-solving, team leadership, and ability to execute high-impact marketing initiatives.
Sam Johnson

Sam Johnson is a strategic marketing leader with more than a decade of experience driving revenue and brand growth through content syndication and digital advertising. At Madison Logic and later at Dianomi, he evolved from a campaign executor into a trusted advisor for many of the world’s most recognized brands in finance and B2B. He bridges performance marketing expertise and brand integrity, backed by a client-first mindset and a sharp eye for long-term results.