I have loved numbers for as long as I can remember. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been a counter. As a child, I’d count the steps it took to walk to the grocery store. I’d divide my toy soldiers into equally numbered teams. I asked people’s ages and would figure out how many…
I Don’t Want Your $2.7M Penthouse Condo
Last weekend my son did an art event in a penthouse condo that was on the market. My wife and I went to the event to support him. The artwork was incredible. The artists and their families were an eclectic cast of characters. The condo, not so much. Even if I had the money to afford…
How to Make Sales with No Leads, No Marketing and No Track Record
Once upon a time, I joined a 3 man startup to sell Intrusion Detection Service. I realized in my first week that our product was vaporware – we had no software, no service and no customers. But we needed to generate sales so we could make payroll and run the business. Not to mention, I needed…
Old Man
Last year I had a work trip to Pittsburgh, my old hometown. While there, I arranged to have dinner with some friends who I hadn’t seen for several years. We planned to meet at my hotel and walk to a nearby restaurant. Since it was summer, I took advantage of the great weather to take…
What is it you do and how do you make money?
Recently I had a conversation with a former colleague who asked me, “So what exactly is it that you do and how do you make money?” I’ve gotten this question several times in the past year, so I thought I should share my response in a post.
Fashionista
My wife says I dress like nobody loves me. But her attempts to shame me into dressing better will never work. I already know she loves me. I’ve never had much of a sense of style. As a child, I couldn’t figure what colors matched. I hated having to wear uncomfortable “school clothes” and couldn’t wait…
Crunch Time
My dog Snickers is spoiled. I’m up first, so every morning, I feed and walk her long before my wife Ellen wakes up. Then I head into the garage to work out. A few hours later, when Ellen wakes up, she feeds Snickers “dog cookies” (dehydrated chicken jerky that costs as much as filet mignon)….
Stop Being A Whiny Crybaby
When did it become a badge of honor to act like a whiny crybaby? Although I avoided it as much as possible, I was occasionally bullied as a kid – by my sister, by classmates, and even by some of my friends. Sometimes I was teased. Other times I was “tortured” (pinched, scratched, punched etc)….
There Are No Victims In Sales
When I was a little kid, my sister and I would often share the last piece of cake or candy. My sister was older and bigger than me, so she’d split the treat and give me the smaller piece. It was never fair. One day, when I was about 8, I read an article that…
How To Target Decision Makers At The Right Accounts To Sell The Largest Deals
This week I received this question from Allison who sells a website security solution. How can I make sure I am targeting the right Decision Makers at the right accounts to sell the largest possible deals?