The Internet shows growth.

I wrote this 5 years ago. It's amazing how we can grow so much in such a short period of time.

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In my current position I work with a sales team on improving closing percentages and lowering cancellations during the 10 day rescission period. The sales team consists of men and women age 19 to 45, with the majority of them being 20-25. They have a marketing department that directly markets individuals, and invites those who are ‘qualified’, to a sales presentation. In sales, qualifications vary service to service and product to product. Generally, a ‘qualified’ prospect must be between the ages of 28 and 70, be working or gainfully retired and have a significant other that they bring with them to the presentation. This particular sales team is fielding 80-120 qualified tours every week. All the sales team has to do is show up for work and the potential sale is waiting to be closed. Would you believe a lot of them complain about their job? I just laugh and think of how many car salespeople would beg for this job given today’s economic state.

When I started this position the team was closing 1 in 8 qualified prospects. Those are dismal numbers in this industry. I took to the sales floor to see what was going wrong. Over the next week I observed, researched and learned everything I could. I couldn’t help but notice the age difference between the prospects and most of the sales team. During my second week, I worked the sales floor, closing 4 out of 11. Now that may seem like an improvement, but it was still barely the industry standard of 1 in 3. I still had a lot of work to do and hadn’t even begun thinking about how to close the age gap.

I was moving to a new condo and was packing. I came across some family photos from my High School and University days. There was one of me during a debating tournament shaking hands with the director of the tournament. I was surrounded by deans, principals, city officials and other people of apparent high morale standard. In my private time, I was your typical 18 year old; drinking on weekends, smoking the odd joint and chasing girls. Somehow I had won these people over. Normally I avoided these types of people like the plague. However, in this picture I looked so innocent, so trustworthy and if a picture really says a thousand words, this one would give a speech on my strong morale fiber and constant altruistic deeds.

The next week I wore a sweater vest every single day. I looked like a preparatory school boy, the honest and trustworthy boy from the picture. I closed 9 out of 11 that week. I equate this to humanity’s subconscious desire to seek out truth and purity. My next contract is in the financial education field. I can only hope that In Vest They Trust.

Feedbacking not backpatting.

The people in your circle who are consistently agreeing with you are not helping you. Earlier today, I asked a good friend of mine his opinion on a business idea I had. After five minutes of us debating back and forth, he apologized for disagreeing while standing his ground. Somehow, in the heat of the moment, I knew that no apology was necessary. At that moment, I knew I had made the leap to a place where I wanted to be professionally. I realized the ideal mindset for success was the one where I believe; the people who disagree with me are the ones I should be talking to.

Sometimes a different road will lead you to the same castle - only faster.

When you go out in the world and tackle 2013, do your best to get more feedback than back pats. It'll show in your bank account at years end.

Allow Me To Re-Phrase That.

'If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.'

This should really read;

'If you want something done right and have no idea how to lead, do it yourself.'


'Don't count your chickens before they hatch.'

This should really read;

'Don't count all of your chickens before they hatch, but go ahead and enjoy the future fruit of your labour before it all comes to fruition - you do only live once.'

'It takes two to tango.'

This should really read;

'Fighting, as in the tango, needs to be started by someone.  In office arguments almost always stem from a poor leader allowing a cancerous team member to remain.  Kill the cancer.'