When I began my sales career, I was working for a small copier dealership and had no clue what I was doing. They provided a day of product training, a territory and then told us to go make it happen. Those were some very scary days. I was just flailing away with no clue as to what to do. I expended a lot of energy, but obtained very few results.

At that time I so wished I had a sales mentor and coach. Someone who could show me how it was done and coach me through the many challenges.

Recently, I've been approached by several young companies with the same issue I had when I was new and inexperienced in sales. Hence the idea to move into helping people grow their sales skills and win in this competitive world.

Fortunately for me, I soon was able to join a large vendor that offered sales training and coaching. I soaked up everything they said. The training provided a map for what to do and when; it was a roadmap for how to do my job. My sales manager provided the coaching and mentoring that I needed. I was so grateful. I wasn't flailing anymore, grew in my skills and became more confident as I gained more experience.

Over the years and after many thousands of transactions, I got better at finding, developing and closing business. I became good starting with territories or regions that had no activity and generate sales.

I became what, in sales, is known as a hunter.  I'm told that only 20% of sales people are classified as hunters, the others are called "farmers"; those who cultivate existing relationships and build on existing sales momentum. Hunters begin with nothing and create business opportunity where none existed before.

Over my career I've been attracted to positions that required one to find, develop and close one's own opportunities; essentially starting with nothing and "making things happen".  

As such, I understand the challenges of finding new business, growing it, and making customers successful in order to create reference accounts for future sales.  

I’m from “the trenches”, not someone who has been an “armchair quarterback”, out of the field for the last 10 or 15 years.  For over 30+ years I have been given blank territories and a phone book and told to “go close business”; make it happen! I've worked with some very talented sales people over the years and have learned a lot from them.

I’ve been the number one salesperson in large sales organizations many times. I have a diverse background having worked in start-ups that provided no support, they had no reputation nor momentum and I've also worked with some of the world's largest software vendors.  One uses different tactics and strategies when working for a small versus a large entity.

There is nothing magical about sales; success is the result of good fundamentals, working hard and working in an intelligent well thought-out manner; anticipating what your competitor will do and how to differentiate yourself are key skills to winning.

In sales there is no prize for second place.  Salespeople must win to survive.  So too with your business; the more you win the greater your success.