Last Day
Posted on 27th April 2009, 1:51amToday will be my last day of work. Well, not exactly work, but last day of employment. Hopefully I will never ever have to submit any resumes ever again in my entire life. Hopefully, soon I’ll be on the receiving end for these resumes, creating jobs for people instead of looking for jobs.
I’ve been working for part time for the past 4 months, and things have been good. Well, not fantastic, but at least, enough for myself to survive.
Its not going to be an easy road up ahead. But having a job isn’t easy too, in my opinion. Anyway, even if I were to be an employee, I do feel its more secure hanging around with people who create jobs than people who look for jobs.
Last week, someone told me that entrepreneurship is an “in the blood” trait, not a learned trait.
I should disagree, because I am NOT like what most entrepreneurs are – super salespeople from young, selling dragonball cards and things like that back in school. I was on the buying end of these cards. In fact, I still remember saving up to buy a “masked rider” card for $5.00 from a close friend. The card costs $0.20 from the vending machine, and probably $0.05 to make. Heh. I still have those cards in the drawer now.
Sales? Me doing sales? That’s the last thing I wanted to do. That is the last thing I’d ever dream of doing. Meeting clients, pitching projects… I used to hate all these. And I still do. But I guess selling isn’t a pre-requisite for entrepreneurs… at least, not as much as a gut-wrenching desire to be free, be someone in life, and a bloody ego to do something for yourself.
To be frank, when I left school three years ago, there were two voices in my head. One was a frantic “hey are you CRAZY?” voice, and another was a voice that says “Do it.” I think that kind of confusion wasn’t too good for me.
Now, I’ve banished that first voice. Yes, I AM crazy. So what? Being “in my own world” seems to be one good solution if I want to be an outlier
Its time to take Blogopreneur to the next level.
Must make it happen this time. I’ve realised from my conversations with my current clients WHY they hire me… and I’m going to work harder in that direction.
May 24th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Visit Tim
I used to think that good salespeople are born, not bred.
The born saleperson is knows exactly what to say and when to say it, and he always close the sale. Well I learn that a good salesperson can be taught.
Read all the sales training books you can find, and you learn that certain traits which come ‘naturally’ to a ‘born’ salespersons can just good habits which can be inculcated.
So, when I realised that sales is not just art (which I’m bad at) but science (which I can learn) my life turned 180 degrees around. I leaped with joy.
I moved from a merely mediocre performer to the top 10% of my industry in 3 years, and I was amazed at the progress I’m making every 6 months when I look back.
I think it was the desire to succeed which drives the whole thing.
I think that entrepreneurship is a bit like that. You need to read a lot, talk to good people, get a mentor – hack get a few mentors – and inculcate a strong desire to succeed.
Good luck with Blogoprenuer! You’re doing good work!
Oh, you know what? I’m convinced that entrepreneurship is ALL about sales because you need to continuously prospect (for clients, partners and investors), sell (yourself, your benefits & features, your story), close the sale, get referrals (from happy clients, always ask!) and do it all over again.
Don’t be afraid, or tire, of sales; it’s a cycle and it’s all part of the process.
The successful businessperson is doing it ALL the time.
May 24th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Visit Kian Ann
Thanks Tim for the inspiration!