Episode Summary
How Taylor Clonts builds trust-based sales in recruiting and consulting. Brian Chaney talks with Taylor Clonts, Director of Sales at Icon X, about her path from hospitality into staffing, why relationships and reputation often beat cold outreach, and how honesty and clear expectations shape long-term client partnerships. They dig into handling conflict early, what gets lost when early-career teams go fully remote, and the difference between selling a transaction and solving a real problem. Taylor also shares the moments she turns down business on purpose and what that earns her later.

Key Takeaways
Relationships compound over time, and one strong connection can open doors faster than a perfect resume.

Trust is built through honesty, including saying “we are not the best fit for this” and helping anyway.

Sales gets easier when the goal is solving a problem, not forcing a purchase.

Small issues that go unaddressed stack into bigger conflicts, and early communication prevents the blowup.

Early-career growth often accelerates in-office, where people can absorb soft skills by proximity and repetition.

Cold outreach can work, but it performs best as a doorway into a real relationship, not a replacement for one.

Timeline
Opening
00:00:00 Taylor joins from Houston and talks weather, humidity, and Gulf Coast storms
00:01:40 How she “accidentally” found her way into the industry through connections

Career path and entering staffing
00:02:40 Leaving hospitality after having her first child and taking a chance on recruiting
00:05:00 Joining a boutique staffing firm and learning the fundamentals
00:06:10 Moving to Icon X and expanding into consulting and recruitment

What makes sales work
00:08:40 Trust, value, and timing, plus why trust is the lever you control
00:10:30 Turning down business to protect credibility and win future opportunities
00:12:10 Career advice on expectations, reputation, and relationships coming full circle

Communication, conflict, and remote work
00:14:10 Why early-career professionals benefit from being in the office
00:16:00 Tone, texting, and why she prefers phone calls or audio messages
00:18:10 Addressing small problems early before they become a “mountain”

Authenticity and long-term partnerships
00:21:00 Setting realistic expectations and avoiding inflated promises
00:22:30 Selling like a human, not treating people like a transaction
00:27:10 Cold outreach still works, but relationships and referrals carry the weight

Wrap-up
00:30:10 Sales compared to dating and networking “speed dating”
00:37:00 The great chili debate: beans or no beans
00:39:00 Best way to reach Taylor is LinkedIn

Links and Resources
Eikon-X (Icon X)
Burnett Specialists
Stephen F. Austin State University
Houston Grand Hotel – River Oaks (formerly St. Regis Houston)