Jeff told me he wanted to do something where he reaped more of the rewards for himself. He wanted to do something that energized him. He also wanted to feel like he was making his way on his own terms. He told me that sales was a great fit for him because he loved interacting with new people and then being able to have ongoing conversations with them while providing a valuable service. But he was tired of selling for someone else, tired of watching the games that companies play with quotas and objectives, tired seeing his skills being consistently undervalued, and tired of enriching a faceless corporate entity instead of banking more of the rewards personally. It was time for Jeff to do something for himself, and to take charge of his own destiny.
As we began the discovery process, Jeff found two businesses that attracted him for very different reasons. When we compared the two businesses to his goals, here’s what we found: The first one he thought would ramp up more quickly and provide more immediate cash flow but he couldn’t see himself in it for the long haul. The second one supported his long term goals better, but he was concerned about the short term. I asked Jeff which was more important to him. After thinking about it, he responded that a business that would take him to his long term objectives made more sense. As a result, Jeff selected Sandler Training. Here’s what Jeff had to say about our process: “Overwhelmingly positive, mind-expanding experience. It helped me define my personal goals for the first time – something that is neither encouraged nor valued by most employers.”
Sandler Training offers a distinctive style of training that covers not only sales and revenue development, but also human relations skills, and leadership development. This business allows Jeff to use the sales expertise he had developed, interact with people every day, have flexibility in his schedule and build a robust business. Here’s what Jeff has to say about business ownership today: “This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, hands down. But I am happier now than I’ve ever been, I’m firmly in control of my own life, and I can see true financial independence down the road. That would never have happened at my corporate job because my employment there was always at the whim of somebody else.”
Jeff owns and operates the Sandler Training office in the Northern Virginia/DC Metro area. He works primarily with business owners, company presidents & CEOs, entrepreneurs, and sales and sales management professionals. Jeff can be reached at 703.677.3150, via email at jeffnay@sandler.com, or online at www.nay.sandler.com.
Sandler Training, formerly known as Sandler Sales Institute, is the leading provider of sales and management training with 225 licensed trainers throughout the U.S. and internationally. The company provides a full range of sales and management training programs, with powerful coordination and customization benefits throughout its extensive franchise network. Among its many achievements, Entrepreneur Magazine has awarded Sandler Training its #1 ranking for Training Programs 8 times since 1994, including the past three years 2006, 2007, and 2008.
