I’ve been at this sales and marketing game for over 3 decades now. Actually pushing 4 decades”¦Yikes!Throughout these years I have had some real highs and lows.In retrospect, the highs turned out to be lows. And the lows have turned out to be highs.I will explain, but first I will try and articulate the mindset I’ve had over the years for you.
From the earliest times I can remember I have never worried too much about my abilities to perform and make money.Even though I was scared on the inside, I pushed through it and went after my dreams.I always felt like something great was around the corner for me. Destiny like.Consequently it gave me the courage to “Dare to Be Great”.
My first big win was being named the ad agency of record for the development of a new community.It was an Arizona based company that hired me and developed the first homes in Dakota Dunes South Dakota.
A community built around an Arnold Palmer golf course. Our marketing agency went up against the bigger advertising agencies and won, it was very validating for me personally.This win gave me the confidence to go after more clients. We had a great few years before I went on to another venture.
A few years later I was hired to start up the first “Enfranchised Jewelry Store” in America. It was a fantastic idea. Completely integrated from diamond mine, the cutter, to retail.I went to school to become a franchise director. A very involved position.We were publicly traded, and I had a showroom model in Minneapolis that I flew prospects in to see.Did a lot of traveling and was flown all over the US, and eventually we were written up in a national magazine as a hot idea.
Within 18 months I had sold 3 franchises, one in South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Things were looking up! Unfortunately we were grossly undercapitalized and went belly up. My dream came and went in less than 2 years’ time.I lost a lot of money on that deal. And at the time it was a real bummer, I thought I was a failure. And I felt shame because many of my friends and family invested money in the stock.It really shook my confidence”¦a real LOW spot.
That was the time I was about to start up my current company it’s all marketing, but instead I was recruited as a GM for a radio station. The universe has a way of healing.I got my confidence back by successfully turning a loser into a profit machine. Our company grew to 100 stations and I was one of the guys that management would send in to support others.It was a great gig and I loved it. I was also given an opportunity to start up another radio station, sales manage a TV station, and over see another 5 GM’s and their radio groups.
It was a fun 9 years. We sold the stations off and they wanted me to move to a larger market, but starting my company was calling me.Plus, right about that time I was about to experiment with a new product”¦I bought 50 steam producing showers from China.That enterprise was a huge risk. I felt compelled to do it though. My long time buddy was living there and I was intrigued.So, a second mortgage later I took the plunge, went and experienced China, put our product in Vegas, LA, and Orlando trade shows, had a ton of interest but in the end it didn’t work out for me.
It was about 2007 and right ahead of the crash, so it kind of stalled. The product (Sanspa) is still around and I personally recommend anyone owning one. But it wasn’t developing fast enough for me so my partners and I split ways.It was high and low for me over this deal. I had a fantastic experience starting up a company, importing products and trying to go national, but it wasn’t what I wanted!
These events brought me back to my sales and marketing idea of my new company “It’s All Marketing”. It took a lot of courage for me because I was a bit lonely, sad, and scared. As I look back at it”¦ just what I needed. That low, lead me to where I am now.
In the future I’ll tell you about how all of the past fit perfectly into why my current company is thriving.In the meantime”¦.Make your life count.Go after what you want.Trust your intuition.Just because it doesn’t work out for you today, doesn’t mean it isn’t exactly what you needed to get to the next stage of what you want.