Daddy Bring Home the Bacon
I remember the day like the back of my hand. It was May 2009, the start of winter and with that came darkness and rain. In the morning I awoke earlier than normal. I set off to see a client to seal the deal on a placement which I needed to pay this month’s rent.
This was important as business had been lean of late, really lean. The global financial crisis had hit hard and I’d had no business for months. I had $8 in the bank and bills to pay. My staff knew things were a bit grim but we had been soldering on, a little like mice in wheels – working hard but getting nowhere.
It was difficult not getting caught up in all the noise when firms like mine were being forced to the wall.
I left the house kissing my wife goodbye and set off. Arriving at my client’s business I was early, actually very early. This was O.K for me, sitting on my own in the car, in the dark. I sat in the car watching the rain, in quiet anticipation. I was both nervous and excited at the same time. I was nervous about needing to pay the rent and excited at the prospect of delivering on this.
Then it came – not a phone call, but a text. The text simply read “can’t make meeting”. No sorry, no reason, just a text saying he couldn’t make it. My heart sank as I started the engine and I drove home. I didn’t want to go back to the office. I didn’t want the team to see I hadn’t closed the deal.
I told myself that everything would be O.K. I had another meeting later that morning with another client which could only be good news. After an hour or so, it was time to head back to the city for my next meeting. This would be good I told myself. I was about 5 minutes away when I got a phone call. It was my next meeting “sorry I can’t make the meeting”. Whack! At that point everything slowed down. I can’t remember driving home, but when I arrived back home I immediately went downstairs. I sat on the edge of the bed and wept. That I remember – I remember my wife with her arm around me. And I remember my little boy, who was three at the time, asking me what was wrong. He didn’t understand what was wrong with daddy.
I had two ways I could turn. One way was to give up and admit to myself that this was just all too hard, or the other way was to pull myself together, to refocus and go back to what I knew I was good at – Selling. I chose the second option and as I walked out the door I still remember my little boy standing there and saying “Daddy bring home the bacon”.
In that instant, I made the choice. I was not a quitter. Deep down I knew that if I kept applying myself, kept trying to win business, kept doing what I knew worked, things would fall into place. I planned and maintained my focus and discipline. I called, I networked – I would not be beaten. Family, staff and clients were counting on me.
Then it came – I was in Wellington, New Zealand, in cab on the way to the city when one of my clients called me. I’d had someone on interview and my guy was one out of the three my client had seen. I was in no position mince my words, so asked the direct question. “Are you going to offer him the job?”……Yes.
We’re 5 years on and business is great. I’ve got a great group of clients I work with and the trials of the Global Financial Crisis have really galvanised those relationships. It hasn’t all been easy but we’ve done it. And the lesson learned. When the going gets tough, dig deep and don’t doubt your ability. You need to adapt. You need to deliver.
Takeout:
- Understand what your purpose is and pursue that with passion
- Never give up
- Don’t be afraid of asking the tough questions