I met Jeff Samford at a lunch and learn seminar I co-hosted last year. The company he was working for had been acquired and the operations were relocating out of the Richmond area. The new company was much more bureaucratic; that in combination with the possibility of relocating had incented him to take a severance package and start looking at his options.
Jeff had been in consulting and financial services businesses for his entire career. He had jobs that he loved because they were challenging, and he felt like he was making a substantial contribution. But they either required too much travel or the future prospects weren’t so intriguing. He had other jobs where he was closer to home, but they hadn’t provided the challenge or the customer interaction that he was drawn to.
When he and I met, he talked about wanting to find a means to be close to home, travel less, get involved in the community, and be in charge of the decisions. While he didn’t have a lot of direct experience in the sales profession, he enjoys building relationships and networking. He also believes very strongly in providing excellent customer service. On the personal side of his life, it was very important that he have a flexible schedule and have time for his family.
After exploring an array of options, Jeff found Business Partner, a one stop marketing business, to be a fit for both his skills and his goals. Here’s what Jeff has to say about his experience with The Entrepreneur’s Source, “I found Robin to be authentic and caring, while also working diligently to align me with the best opportunities that matched my goals. Throughout the process Robin continued to come back to my goals and challenged me to believe I too could become a successful business owner.”
Business Partner provides a single source for marketing solutions, everything from graphic design, four-color process printing, signs and banners to promotional items/gifts and trade show displays. The business model allows Jeff the flexibility he was looking for and gives him plenty of direct interaction with his customers. Here’s what Jeff has to say about business ownership: “ Wow! It’s been an amazing past eight months where I’ve learned a lot about myself and my abilities to leverage existing relationships and develop new ones to far exceed client numbers. Wearing the various hats of CEO, COO, CFO, Sales and Marketing, etc. has been really challenging. But I am able to draw upon my vast experiences to understand how to spend more time on the business as opposed to spending more time in the business. I’ve hired two sales professionals and am interviewing for a part-time graphic designer who will also serve as project manager. I am really excited about the opportunity of working with marketing directors, business owners and event planners to enhance their marketing plans.”
For all of your marketing needs, contact Jeff Samford at804-612-0582 or via e-mail at jeff.businesspartner@comcast.net. You can also visit his company’s website at www.businesspartner.com.
