When I was a little kid and still believed in Santa Claus, I would prepare my Christmas list months in advance. I followed a simple, proven method for building my list. Write down anything I wanted from TV commercials like Rockem Sockem Robots, Slinky, and a Big Wheel. Add stuff my friends owned like Color TVs,…
Author: Steve Ainslie
We All Need A Kick In The A$$ Sometimes
A few years ago I was doing a pipeline deep dive for my team and I saw that my top rep’s pipeline was way too low. This rep (let’s call him JC since that’s his name) was one of the few “natural salesmen” I’ve ever met. He had the hustle, the attitude and the skills…
I Should Have Been A Plumber
There have been many times in my life when I wished I had become a plumber. Since I was academically gifted and did very well in school, there was never any doubt in my mind that I was destined to go to college and become a successful (aka white collar) professional. I remember taking career…
My Friend Bought A Mansion
A friend of mine recently bought a mansion. It’s 6,000 square feet with 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms and three balconies. He paid $1M for it. The house is magnificent. It looks like something out of Tuscany. But I have to wonder, is it really worth the cost? For me – not a chance.
When My Step-Daughter Died
Early that morning when I looked at my cell phone, I saw 10 missed calls from my step-daughter’s ex-boyfriend. I remember thinking, “I wonder why he’s calling? Maybe he needs my help or something happened to his mother.” I called him back and he told me that Liz had died of an overdose on a stranger’s bathroom…
Stop Trying To Motivate Your Sales Team
When I was a sales manager, I was often told to motivate the sales team. Executive Management wanted me to “light a fire under the reps”. Middle Management said, “encourage their competitive spirit”. Even reps would sometimes say, “I need you to motivate me.” I hate to burst everyone’s bubble, but sales managers can’t motivate…
Limiting Choices Makes My Life Better
I purposely limit things I own, activities I do, where I invest time and how I spend money because having fewer choices makes my life better. Dressing in the morning is easy because I choose 1 of 2 pairs of shorts, any of my plain T-shirts and 1 of 2 pairs of shoes. Eating is…
Part-Time Job, Full-Time Life
When I had a full time job I wasted a lot of time. 75% of all administrative work and reporting was unnecessary. Every job included some kind of CYA bullshit. “Make-work” was the worst. Every business had useless meetings, mandatory trainings, or some other outdated process that was a complete time suck. As a sales…
Mole Men (And Women)
I’m glad that I didn’t become a doctor or nurse. I like being outside too much. During the last 5 days, I spent nearly 40 hours in the hospital with my wife as she recovered from surgery. Post-surgery she was put in the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). There were no available beds in the hospital’s regular…
The Magic Of Off Hours
There’s something magical about off hours. When I delivered the New York Times, I’d start work at 1AM and finish around 4AM. Except on weekends, the neighborhood streets were deserted except for me and the guy who delivered the USA Today. The homes on my ritzy neighborhood route were dark except for the uplighting…