Although I am currently self-employed as a consultant, if business doesn’t pick up by next year, I’ll probably need to get a job. My savings are insufficient to cover my expenses without additional income. Without additional income, the only way I can make my savings last would be to sell my home and find a…
Should You Be Working Harder?
When I was a teenager, I set my mind on building the perfect superhero physique. I imagined that if I worked out hard enough, I’d get big muscles and look like a total stud. I lifted weights, ran and swam multiple times a week without fail. I joined Pitt’s wrestling team. I drank protein shakes. After…
My Wife Has Lung Cancer
My wife has lung cancer. A few months ago, she woke in pain the middle of the night and couldn’t take a breath. The pain went away after a few hours. I assumed it was a back spasm since she’s had back problems most of her life. She said it felt different. A few weeks…
Go Onsite To Increase Your Close Rate to 90%
The most fun I’ve ever had in my sales career was going onsite to customer locations and touring the facilities. My win rate was over 90% when I did this. (You might think this was due to my stunning good looks and irresistible charm, but you’d be mistaken – although I appreciate the sentiment!) But…
Can I Do Anything to Prevent Mass Shootings?
Like most people in the United States, I’ve been upset by the mass shootings that seem to occur on a near daily basis. Some of the shootings make my heart ache more than others. The Sandy Hook shooting where elementary school kids were killed is one of these. But when I let myself really sink…
How to Sell When Your Product is “A Nice To Have”
My wife Ellen likes to watch home improvement shows like Fixer Upper. I’m not a big fan of these shows. I find them banal and monotonous with far too many commercials. But the worst part is that after watching these shows, Ellen walks into our kitchen, sighs loudly and says, “We really need to put in…
Mr. Carpenter
In high school my favorite teacher was Mr. Carpenter. He taught Computer Science, Trigonometry and Calculus. He ran the Math Club. He led our school’s gifted/honors program. He was a genius. He would think before speaking. He encouraged questions. He pushed us to challenge ourselves academically. He never yelled. He never assigned us busywork. He looked…
When Hustle Isn’t Good Enough
When I asked to try-out for the University of Pittsburgh’s Division 1 Wrestling Team having never wrestled a day in a my life, the head coach warned me that “natural athletic ability isn’t good enough to be successful here.” I was insulted. I proclaimed that I had no natural athletic ability (true but perhaps not…
No News Is Good News
For most of my life, I loved reading the newspaper. As a kid, I started by reading the comics. Then I moved on to the political cartoons. Over time, I grew to enjoy articles about politics, the economy, business and lifestyles – pretty much everything except cars, sports and fashion. Reading exposed me to ideas…
You Might Not Need a Sales Manager
As someone who’s been in sales management for most of his professional life, it may be sacrilegious for me to say it, but you might not need a sales manager. For some companies, a sales manager can make or break your sales team. For others, a sales manager is a waste of money. Money that…