We are all on LinkedIn to get business, to get a job, for either ourselves or our companies, to build our brand or theirs. So we work to survive, but we could survive without work! But could we survive without our workmates? Probably. Yes we could.
But would I trade them in?
· Would I like to bypass even those who were a pain in the ass, who riled me, who ripped me off, who got the better of me?
· Or those whom I loved working with?
· Or those who made a huge difference in my life?
· Or the customers who died in service?
Only saw the Round Tower in Clondalkin this morning on telly and thought of Martin Buggler, who was IT Manager in the Eastern Health Board, I think he was 48 when he died and his funeral was wonderful, what a man he turned out to be, and I only knew a tiny bit of it.
I am about to launch something, that I feel is huge for me, that will make the difference for the rest of my life, and it is about sales. I didn’t learn all from books or college. I trained as an engineer and got that degree in college.
So your experience over the last 32 years has given me mine.
That and more will be included in the framework launch. A framework to help a business build a customer acquisition machine, monthly and annual recurring revenue, practical, predictable, sellable.
My first sales job was in Bryan S Ryan with Gary Rafter, Adrienne Prendergast and Paul Whelan, they taught me a thing or two!
I moved from there after a year to Matrix Maintenance. I loved what Stuart Docking taught me about running a business, doing business with people, how to treat people ad his stories about rugby!
When he moved on, I had a bit of fun holding the fort against his attack, then Brian Howlett joined. He was an inspiration, a GodFather and he brought me to a whole new level of confidence and skill.
I got introduced to CARA as the Matrix Group/BA Systems boat was coming ashore for the last time and I met Ron Maher. I always reckoned he hired me because I didn’t play golf! He was a 2 handicap at one stage. Ron painted pretty pictures, he left me and the prospect with a vision of possibility. The odd time I would read him back my notes and point out what he actually said, rather than what he actually meant. We spent 11 years together, ups and downs, we definitely delivered on potential and lead the way where others followed, but I made a friend for life.
We reconnected again recently as he entered the biggest challenge of his life, but he was up for the fight. He didn’t lose many sales. But he has lost this one. God Bless you friend.