The New England Patriots just cemented their legacy as one of the greatest football teams of all time by winning Super Bowl 49. They overcame major adversity during the course of the NFL regular season and playoffs to achieve this goal. As a lifelong sales professional and unabashed sports fan, I followed the Patriots all season and observed some great lessons…
An immutable enterprise sales fact: The larger the size of the deal, the higher the likelihood that it will go south or completely off the rails. It’s not really a question of “if” your enterprise deal will go off the rails at some point during the sales campaign, rather it’s a question of “when” and “how…
How do you stay business relevant as you get older? It’s really tough to face the facts when your skill set and attractiveness to potential employers/customers are considered undesirable or obsolete. The current population of the United States is approx. 300 million people and 19% of the population is made up of people between the…
Very few truths are irrefutable in the business world. We’re constantly reminded how fast things are evolving and changing, but not always for the best. One thing stands out that will never change, your business integrity both as an individual and as a company ultimately defines you. Without integrity, there is no trust. Albert Einstein…
I was reading an obituary today in the San Jose Mercury News on Joan Rivers and was struck by the fact that most sales teams could learn a lot from her. There were three particular references to her career and what she will be remembered for that really resonated with me as a sales professional.…
My Grandfather was an amazing storyteller. I recall growing up and looking forward to his visits so we could hear more of his great stories. His stories were filled with exotic experiences, metaphors and drama. Most importantly, they created indelible memories and lifelong lessons for me. Like a precious recipe that’s kept in the family…
Did you ever watch the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” with Steve Martin and John Candy? In the movie, John Candy’s character is named Del Griffith and he is a shower ring salesman. He is also a blabbermouth that tells one boring story after another, oblivious to the fact that he is boring the hell…
According to various reputable sources, there are anywhere from 400K-1M+ consultants in the US (see references attributed at end of blog post). The lower number represents the number of independent consultants whereas the larger number represents a cumulative of independent and consultants working for consulting companies. With so many different consulting options out there, it…
The term NextGen is all too frequently bandied about in technology around NextGen this or NextGen that. Why? Everyone wants an edge and is curious about how things are going to change and become better. There are always huge material benefits and value to being on the leading edge of the next wave of something…
Great musicians and artists are thought to have one piece of work that is their personal opus. It is the ultimate accomplishment that defines their skill and craft at the height of their artistic abilities. It is the culmination of their artistic genius in the form of an artifact that can be appreciated and admired…