Checking off the steps in a manual is following, not leading. Often, it’s attitude, more than aptitude, that determines altitude. I have learned that only when we are put in a position to fail, can we truly succeed. I didn’t learn those buzz phrases from any sales seminar, but from my years working in sales and sales management …
Business Strategy
Life’s Wisdom Packed In A Takeout Lunch
Price’s Chicken Coop already had 17 years of success in Charlotte when I arrived in 1979. It was stuck in the middle of a row of similar old buildings way before the arrival of the looming apartment buildings, trendy shops, or the LYNX Blue Line. The menu was taped in the window. I had been warned to study it before entering so I could be ready to order without hesitation and pay the exact amount in cash, never plastic. The recommendation I had received that day, almost 40 years ago, was 100% correct. It’s still the best chicken in Charlotte …
When “NO” Was Not A Choice
Smucker’s would be the ideal fit for us. But when I finally got the Region Manager on the phone, he told me he would only be in Charlotte for one day and his interview schedule was already full. Sorry. Later that evening, my thoughts started to come together. I was not going to accept his NO answer. Period.
My First Meeting … Walking
I had a meeting – my first scheduled walking meeting. The organizer just wrote, “Walk at 10:30 AM – Freedom Park.” No written agenda, no coffee served, no “death by PowerPoint,” just fresh air, exercise, and conversation.
Give It Up for Pokémon Go!
In the short time following the game’s release on July 6, 2016, Pokémon Go has gained over 10 million American users. These gamers are now outside, walking around parks and noteworthy places in their neighborhoods, searching for Pokémon, instead of sitting inside on their sofas. That’s right, the players are up and moving – walking! Getting EXERCISE, even if they don’t realize it.
Stop getting Ready, Choose to Start
Do you wait before beginning a new venture, only to miss the opportunity? Do what you want to do, but stop only getting ready. Planning is important but, “Ready, Fire, Aim – with Trust” could be the best advice. That way you can keep aiming after you have already begun, trusting the process. Take for example, my friend Larry …
The Perfect Person for the Simplest Job Is You
Can something like delivering bread be the key to business success? You bet! Sometimes, you may be just the person to do the simplest job. Case in point. Even though every customer was important, it was always special when I got an appointment with the president of my largest distributor customer. Those meetings could turn to gold – overnight. That day, Howard, Jr. was giving me his complete attention, at least until his phone rang …
Starting your own business? Ten things I wish I knew 35 years ago.
It’s true that each business has at least a few unique qualities, yet if your business will be larger than just yourself and will interact with Clients, Customers, and Co-Workers, you will need some guideposts along the way. Here are mine.
“Are you out of your mind?”
After twenty years of paying rent, it was time to buy a building we could call our own. Upcycling … finding a tired building, that others might tear down, and giving it new life with an even higher purpose would be better for the environment – as well as for my bottom line. My 2002 search took me to an area in Charlotte that today is being branded as Queen’s Park.
Which Road do I Take?
The Cheshire cat asked where I wanted to go. Was he asking about a place, a destination? Yes, but maybe he was asking more. Maybe he was asking about a state of mind, of being. Maybe it was about an attitude that would help me make choices to steer my journey – things I needed to pack and have handy for the trip.