Podcast Summary: The Entrepreneur DNA

Episode: The Sales Reset: Why Scripts Are Killing Your Closes | Wesleyne Whittaker
Host: Justin Colby (Bleav)
Guest: Wesleyne Whittaker
Date: February 16, 2026

Overview

In this compelling episode, host Justin Colby interviews sales expert and “recovering chemist” Wesleyne Whittaker, diving into her journey from the science lab to sales leadership, and breaking down why traditional scripts hurt more sales than they help. They explore Wesleyne’s unique perspective on the science of sales, her innovative “Belief Selling” framework, and practical strategies for authentic, value-driven selling. The conversation is a blend of personal transformation, actionable sales tactics, and encouragement for anyone struggling to find their path or sell more effectively.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Wesleyne Whittaker’s Journey: From Chemist to Sales Leader

• Career Pivot ([02:38]–[08:50]):
  • Wesleyne began her career as a failure analysis chemist, drawn to curiosity and problem-solving.
  • Her interest in customer engagement and storytelling led to a radical pivot into sales.
  • “I finally figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up, because I loved everything about selling and sales and the whole process.” — Wesleyne ([03:19])
  • She stresses the importance of being open to change and embracing new identity chapters: “Change is good… you can be someone new today than who you were yesterday.” — Justin ([05:28])
• Identity & Self-Discovery:
  • Struggled with letting go of childhood dreams (“doctor and mommy”) and allowed herself to explore new possibilities ([08:26]).
  • Empowers others to “do the things that we love” instead of limiting oneself to societal expectations.

2. Women in Sales: Superpower & Mindset Shifts

• The Power of Curiosity & Questions ([09:00]–[11:15]):
  • Success in sales comes from curiosity and asking great questions—or, as Wesleyne puts it, “what used to get me in trouble is what pays my bills now because I teach people how to ask better questions.” ([09:23])
• Empathy & Emotional IQ:
  • Justin notes women’s inherent empathy as a potential “superpower” in sales if combined with thicker skin for rejection ([10:40]).
  • “If women could harness one thing, they would crush us [men] in the income space—and that’s having a little thicker skin for hearing ‘no.’” — Justin ([10:40])

3. Sales Training: Learning by Doing & Investing in Yourself

• Thrown Into the Deep End ([11:53]–[14:17]):
  • Wesleyne’s first sales role lacked formal training; she learned directly from customers using questions and observation.
  • “A lot of people don’t do that investment in themselves… but I listen to books, pay for seminars out of my own pocket.” — Wesleyne ([13:49])
  • In her first year, she increased territory sales tenfold by leveraging customer curiosity and self-education.

4. Creating Opportunity: The Power of Initiative

• One-to-Many Selling ([16:44]–[18:33]):
  • Wesleyne devised “Lunch and Learns” to meet more prospects, prioritizing the “law of averages” in sales success.
  • “No one taught you that. You just said, ‘Listen, the more people I can talk to, the more sales I’m gonna make.’” — Justin ([17:16])
  • She nurtured graduate students as future customers, understanding the long-term value of relationship-building.

5. The Fortune is in the Follow-Up

• Nurture & Personalization ([18:33]–[23:05]):
  • “You win a sale, you lose a sale in the follow-up.” — Wesleyne ([18:55])
  • Shared a real-world deal that closed after 452 days, attributing success to consistent, value-driven follow-up ([19:43]).
  • Makes follow-ups personal and relevant, drawing from initial discovery: “Build value in your follow-up. If you're not building value, you might as well not do it.” ([20:34])
  • Examples: Sending relevant articles, personalized videos/voice notes, small thoughtful gifts like “sleepy tea” for a tired new mom ([21:38]–[23:05]).
• Memorable Moment:
  “Personalization is king, is queen. It’s the way you make that follow-up work.” — Wesleyne ([22:25])

6. Business-to-Business (B2B) vs. Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Sales

• Sales Process Nuances ([25:00]–[26:38]):
  • B2B: “There is no such thing as a one call close—you shouldn’t do it. Always have at least two calls.”
  • B2C: Possible to close in one call, but risks becoming ‘salesy’ versus building authentic understanding.
  • Critical to focus on customer problems, step into the prospect’s world, and customize solutions (not just push the same script).

7. Framing Value & Micro-Yeses

• Gaining Agreement Throughout ([28:15]–[30:45]):
  • Use “micro-yeses” to build momentum toward closing: confirm each solution step and gain progressive buy-in.
  • Notable Quote: “One of the things I talk about in my book is the micro-yes. By the time we’re at the end, they've already said yes three times. So it shouldn't be hard when you show… what your investment is.” — Wesleyne ([29:15])
  • Always frame cost as “investment,” not expense.

8. Scripts vs. Self-Trust: Resetting the Sales Mindset

• Against Scripts ([35:50]–[37:29]):
  • Scripts inhibit authentic, customer-centric conversations.
  • Preparation matters more than rote scripting: “There's a difference between scripts and preparation.”
  • “If you're just sitting in front of a customer and you're reading a script like a robot, you're practicing your skill on your prospect… You should only have one question. After that, everything needs to come from them.” ([36:05], [36:41])
• Importance of Humanity in Sales:
  “You're trying to be so perfect, you forget to be human. Every human being wants to be seen and wants to be heard.” — Wesleyne ([37:29])

9. Dealing with Resistance & Loss

• Handling Setbacks ([39:28]–[41:40]):
  • “It's okay to lose, but it's not okay to lose the same way twice.”
  • Losses are opportunities to refine process—not indictments of ability.
  • Analyze lost deals for patterns: Are you targeting the wrong prospects?
  • Find your “ideal avatar,” not just a random customer.

10. Sales Operations: The Power of Notes & CRM

• The Value of Data ([41:57]–[43:12]):
  • “You gotta be an avid note taker… If you remember that much, you don’t have enough people in your pipeline.”
  • CRMs are essential for scaling, follow-up, and maintaining relationship continuity.

11. Sales Leadership: Managing vs. Leading

• Development Over Numbers ([43:58]–[45:40]):
  • Management isn’t just about KPIs—leaders must invest in their people and own their development.
  • “Have you given this person 100% of what they need to be successful in this role? 100% of the time, the answer is no.”

Wesleyne’s “Belief Selling” Framework & Book

• Belief Selling ([34:19]–[35:49]):
  • Framework combines mindset and skillset.
  • Stages: Break a Barrier → Embrace the Hard → Learn New Skills.
  • If you haven’t overcome call anxiety or rejection, you’ll never truly thrive—mindset must precede skillset.
  • Book: The Sales Reset: Forget the Scripts. Trust Yourself. Win Consistently. (Out Feb 10, 2026).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “What used to get me in trouble is what pays my bills now because I teach people how to ask better questions.” — Wesleyne ([09:23])
• “The fortune is in the follow up. You win a sale, you lose a sale in the follow up.” — Wesleyne ([18:55])
• “Build value in your follow up. If you’re not building value, you might as well not do it because you’re in the noise.” — Wesleyne ([20:34])
• “Personalization is king, is queen. It’s the way you make that follow up work.” — Wesleyne ([22:25])
• “It's okay to lose, but it's not okay to lose the same way twice.” — Wesleyne ([39:39])
• “You're trying to be so perfect, you forget to be human.” — Wesleyne ([37:34])
• “Preparation matters more than scripts. Focus on the human in front of you, not your lines.” — Wesleyne ([36:05])

Timestamps for Key Sections

• [02:38] Chemist to sales: Bridging the gap
• [08:26] Breaking your identity & self-discovery
• [10:40] Women’s strengths (& challenges) in sales
• [13:49] Investing in yourself, early sales success
• [16:44] One-to-many selling, lunch & learns
• [18:55] “Fortune is in the follow-up” — nurture and follow-up strategies
• [22:25] Personalization & memorable follow-up examples
• [25:00] B2B vs B2C sales process
• [29:15] Using micro-yeses to guide sales conversations
• [35:50] Why scripts kill closes—favoring preparation over robots
• [39:39] Dealing with rejection and resistance
• [41:57] Importance of note-taking and CRMs
• [43:58] Leading vs managing sales teams (developing people)

Flow & Tone

The episode balances personal storytelling, practical sales advice, and an empowering conversational tone. Both host and guest are candid and motivational. Wesleyne’s warmth and depth of experience shine through; Justin is energetic, affirming, and incisively curious.

In Summary

If you want to sell more, forget the rigid scripts and focus on curiosity, empathy, and human connection. Wesleyne Whittaker offers a blueprint for self-trust, authentic conversations, and personalized nurturing that builds not just sales, but relationships. Whether you’re struggling with prospecting, afraid of rejection, or leading a sales team, this episode will reset your thinking—and your results.

Find more about Wesleyne at transformsales.com or on LinkedIn/Instagram (@wesleynewhittaker)

Her book “The Sales Reset” launches February 10, 2026 (Amazon).