My name is Paul de Castelbajac. I’m French, 33 years old, and I’ve spent the last decade selling, managing, failing, learning — and above all, searching for what truly works in sales.

But the story behind Closer Deck began long before that.

The first wake-up call

In 2015, I joined a Paris-based startup straight out of business school. I was ambitious. I wanted financial independence. I dreamed of entrepreneurship, and I believed sales was the best place to start.

On paper, everything looked promising: a good role, a fast-growing company, a decent salary.

In reality… I knew nothing about sales.

The challenge was real.

During my first week, my manager took me to La Défense. He pointed at the skyscrapers — buildings I had never seen before — and said:

“You see that one? And that one? And that one?

In two weeks, you should be having meetings there.”

I looked at him, slightly naïve:

“They’re expecting me?”

“No. It’s your job to fight for those meetings.”

That was it. I had been thrown in at the deep end.

Learning the hard way

Everything had to be built from scratch.

Like many others, I learned on the job. Slowly. Too slowly.

In March 2017, starting on Avenue Kléber, I lacked the right reflexes, the right words, the right structure.

I made mistakes I could have avoided. I wasted time. Even with a great manager, I was improvising, testing, doubting.

And once doubt sets in, it’s one of the worst things for a sales rep.

The obsession

The lack of a clear method became an obsession.

Over the years, one question kept coming back:

"Why isn’t there a simple, clear tool that shows what truly works in sales?"

Not another 300-page theory-heavy book — I bought it.
Not an overhyped bestseller stretching three ideas too far — I bought many.
Not an expensive three-day training programme reserved for a few.

Just the right tactics.

The ones that work.
Ready to use.
When it matters most.

That obsession gave birth to Closer Deck.

A simple, practical tool I wish I’d had on day one.

A human project, born in the field

Closer Deck isn’t just my project.

It’s the result of dozens of conversations with experienced sales professionals, field testing, and real-life feedback.

Different backgrounds. Different journeys. One shared belief:

We can all sell more — and sell better — if we build the right reflexes.

Closer Deck is the synthesis of over 15 years of combined experience, more than 100 hours of curation, and countless real-world exchanges.

A rigorous, six-month refinement process led by sales experts and passionate practitioners — keeping only the best. Nothing else.

A different kind of sales tool

Closer Deck is not:

A dusty manual.
A rigid framework to follow blindly.

It’s a concentrated collection of top performer tactics, including:

💡 52 expert techniques drawn directly from the field.
🧠 The right insight at the right moment in the sales cycle.
⏱️ A clear guide for every stage of the deal.

No bullshit theory.

Just practical tactics — ready to use when it counts.

A tool built for action.

To sell more. And sell better.

A shortcut for every sales professional

I created this deck for myself.

But more importantly, I built it for those who are tired of doubting.

For those wondering whether they would perform better somewhere else — with a different product, a different company, a different team.

Closer Deck was built for them.

And for sales teams who want to improve together, challenge each other daily, and rediscover the enjoyment of selling.

It’s also the perfect tool for managers and founders who want to onboard faster, instil the right reflexes, and build a true performance culture — starting tomorrow.

Having Closer Deck on your desk means giving yourself the opportunity to improve every single day.

It’s a shortcut to grow faster and close stronger.

The answers are there — right in front of you.

This was once just an idea on my desk.

Today, it helps me grow, sell better, and build something bigger.

I hope it helps you just as much.

Now it’s your move.

Sell better. Sell more. And most importantly… enjoy the ride.

Paul

With love from Lyon ❤️