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Close The Deal Podcast With Sheikha Al-Otaibi

Co-Founder - Interlix Staffing

Cold Calling in Public Changed the Rules

The Sales Activity Everyone Avoids

Cold calling has always carried a stigma. It is uncomfortable, unpredictable, and unforgiving. For decades, sales teams tried to soften it with scripts, layers of qualification, and now automation. What has not changed is the reality that direct conversation still creates opportunity faster than any system built to avoid it.

Sheikha Al-Otaibi understood this early. Not because she studied sales theory, but because she lived it. Before founding a fast growing staffing firm, her first exposure to selling came from calling alumni and donors as a college student. There was no branding, no safety net, and no automation buffer. Just a phone, a list, and rejection.

That experience shaped her approach. Cold calling stopped being something to fear and became a muscle to strengthen.

From Private Skill to Public Advantage

Most sales professionals record calls for internal coaching. Sheikha took a step further. She made the calls public.

Live cold calling on camera is not a gimmick. It is an accountability mechanism. When the conversation is visible, there is no hiding behind theory. Objections are real. Responses must be immediate. The outcome is authentic.

By sharing these calls, she created two parallel results. First, prospects saw exactly how she communicates. Second, audiences learned what real selling looks like when there is no script to lean on.

Visibility became leverage.

Why Polished Sales Content Fails

Sales content often fails because it avoids reality. Perfectly edited advice feels safe but disconnected. Buyers and aspiring sellers do not learn from perfection. They learn from tension.

Live cold calls create tension by default. There is uncertainty in every ring. That uncertainty mirrors the buyer’s internal decision making process. When viewers see objections handled calmly and confidently, credibility transfers naturally.

Sheikha did not chase polish. She focused on honesty. Some calls ended abruptly. Others led to real conversations. Every outcome served a purpose.

The Myth of AI Replacing Conversations

One of the strongest insights from the episode is her perspective on automation. AI can accelerate processes, but it cannot replace judgment, tone, or human connection. Over reliance on tools often sacrifices quality for volume.

Sales does not break because of lack of leads. It breaks because of lack of conversations.

By prioritizing real outreach, Sheikha positioned herself ahead of teams waiting for perfect data or algorithmic certainty. While others optimized dashboards, she optimized dialogue.

Aggressive Does Not Mean Unethical

Persistence is often misunderstood. Aggressive selling is not pressure without value. It is confidence in the solution. When a seller believes deeply that what they offer helps, asking again becomes responsibility, not nuisance.

Sheikha’s approach reflects this belief. She does not stop at the first objection. She listens, reframes, and asks again. That willingness to stay in the conversation is where most deals are either won or abandoned.

Building a Brand Through Repetition

Recording calls did more than generate attention. It reinforced discipline. When every call might be shared, preparation improves. Language tightens. Listening becomes sharper.

Over time, repetition compounds. Hundreds of calls turn into thousands. Patterns emerge. Objections repeat. Confidence grows.

This repetition is what sales training often overlooks. Skill is not built by understanding concepts. It is built by exposure to reality.

Generational Shifts and Visibility

For many experienced professionals, being on camera feels unnatural. For Sheikha’s generation, visibility is default. The difference is not comfort. It is acceptance of imperfection.

Sales rewards those willing to adapt. Refusing to show up publicly is no longer neutral. It is a competitive disadvantage.

Visibility does not require theatrics. It requires presence.

Protecting Emotional Consistency

One of the most mature insights from the conversation is her focus on emotional control. Sales creates highs and lows. Without regulation, momentum becomes unsustainable.

She learned early to avoid celebrating prematurely. Deals are not real until money clears. This mindset protects focus and prevents burnout.

Professional selling is not emotional suppression. It is emotional management.

Why This Model Scales

Live cold calling is not about virality. It is about trust. Trust scales faster than persuasion. When buyers see how you operate, friction decreases.

For her staffing business, this visibility shortened sales cycles and pre qualified prospects before the first meeting. Content became a silent partner in every conversation.

Sales did not change. The transparency around it did.

The Real Takeaway

Cold calling did not make Sheikha successful because it is old school. It made her successful because it forced skill development, accountability, and visibility.

Sales rewards those who execute publicly and consistently.

The phone is still the fastest path to truth.

Watch the full Close The Deal Podcast episode to hear Sheikha Al-Otaibi break down how real conversations and live execution create a modern sales advantage.