The Universe had to hit me over the head with a 2×4!
REWIND BACK TO 1999
I thought I was happily moving along in the corporate world. Always had a good job and was very successful in sales.
I was offered and accepted a client manager position with a large marketing firm and was responsible for creating and facilitating a sales workshop for one of the major Canadian banks.
During that time my VP and I decided to add a coaching element to the program. Much as we both had heard a lot about this coaching stuff neither one of us knew exactly what it was. I will always be immensely grateful for my VP telling me to go get myself trained as a coach.
This was a turning point in my life.
Although I found my passion, I was crippled with the fear of letting go of a steady pay cheque, and came up with many “reasons” not to step into full time coaching.
It took the Universe hitting me over the head with a 2×4 before I was ready to move onto the next, and most fulfilling phase of my life.
Due to budget constraints the contract with the bank was cancelled and I had some serious decisions to make.
I took a deep breath and hung out my shingle.
Part of my sales winning formula is tenacity, I don’t give up. In other areas of my life it shows up as a stubborn streak. This is where that part of my design got in the way.
Due to my lack of experience in coaching, I was convinced that the biggest contribution I could make was selling coach training for managers.
My own coach at the time kept asking if perhaps I should combine both of my talents, sales and coaching and become a sales coach. Nope. Stubborn.
Coaching was in its infancy in Canada in 1999 and selling coach training for managers was an uphill battle. Most companies thought coaching was associated with golf and tennis.
After making $3,600 in my first year in business I decided to take my head out of my rear end.
I got into action and started making cold calls with regards to my Sales Coaching practice.
It was a slow start.
My second year, I made another $3,600 and took a part-time job with Adam’s gum, stocking gum in Walmart for $14 an hour. Oh Joy!!
Did I mention that I am tenacious? I was unstoppable.
My third year in business I supported myself.
HE WAS “PREPARED” FOR MY CALL
One of the clients who found me through my web site was a Financial Advisor with the largest wealth management firm in Canada.
I made an effective referral request and was given the name of the head of training and development, Ron C.
Since my core competency in sales is cold calling (there are 23 of us in the world who love to cold call and I know all of us by first name) I called Ron.
He was “prepared” for the call.
I have known Ron for 13 years now and when I say he was prepared, I mean he was prepared to coach me on my cold calling technique and send me on my merry way. I had the meeting scheduled within 2 minutes.
THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP
I have now worked with 2,500 Advisors in Canada and the US.
I relish in immersing myself in one industry and truly understanding the day to day challenges that Advisors face in building their books of business.