Today I’m reflecting on something my father told me over 40 years ago. My dad was a manufacturer’s rep, aka: traveling salesman. He had a 5-state territory of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa. He sold “housewares” to department stores throughout the Midwest, and was gone more than he was home. While he was off on one of his 2 week trips, numerous boxes of samples would arrive on our screened in porch in good old, Webster Groves.
We never had lots of money, but enough to pay the bills. I grew up spoiled in my affluent community, and didn’t even know it. As a teenager, I failed to appreciate my dad – after all, he was seldom home (or so it seemed), and even when he was home he would spend 10 hour days trying to interest department store buyers in his products.
I have to admit that along with not appreciating my dad, I really didn’t like the products he was selling. After a road trip, my dad would unpack the boxes of samples that we had stored up for his arrival. Out would come frilly, lace covered boxes designed to fit over Kleenex boxes, complicated, little cheap pine wood mirrors for the bathroom walls, numerous types of tasteless, kitchen canisters (I still find the name, “Lee Ransburg” on the bottom of antique store canister sets, and it chills me to the bone!), and other equally tasteless products for the average American housewife of the 50’s. I can tell you firsthand how socially traumatic it was to be the son of a then, modern-day peddler!
One day while I watched my father get ready to lug his 40 pound briefcase all over downtown St. Louis, I asked him how he could be so cheerful about spending another long day going store to store trying to sell the garbage he called housewares. I’ve never been able to beat around the bush…
My dad just smiled and dumped his philosophy of sales on me – something of infinite value that I didn’t appreciate at the time. He said, “Well, when I get up in the morning I figure about 90% of the people I contact today will say ‘No’ – I’m looking for the 10% who will say ‘Yes.’ ”
At the time, I felt it was a stupid answer, but I am realizing now, over 40 years later, how wise his answer was. Truly amazing how smart he got as I got older!
I’m also reminded of the time my mother took me on the annual clothes buying spree that always preceded the school year. She’d buy everything, from slacks (no bluejeans in my school!!) to new winter coats. I figured we really didn’t have much money to throw away on clothing, and I told her so. Her wise saying went like this, “It’s important to know when to save and when to spend.” Again, it has appreciated in value for over 40 years.
I’ve never started out in business before, so when I began selling real estate several years ago I actually thought I would make a lot of money quickly. What I found was that I was spending (we call it “investing”) money quickly while making none. For the first year and a half I was depressed watching others succeed while I was just marking time, then one day a ray of light hit me head on – I was truly the most unthankful person I knew, and it was crushing to see it so clearly.
I’m still not getting rich quickly, but I’m much happier – and genuinely. I’m learning to be very thankful for everything I have and everything I have been given. I realize now that since I really didn’t bring anything into the world with me, everything I have has been given to me in one form or another. And I am thankful for all of it.
I’m old enough now to begin reminding myself of my dad. That can be a shock! I’m looking for that 10% everyday – all I have to do is plow patiently through the other 90%. And every now and then I buy my wife a meal at a restaurant, whether we have money or not – it’s important to know when to spend.
I never wanted to grow up and be a salesman; ever! A worse fate I never could imagine! Yet here I am, sitting behind my computer and calling folks to see if they want to buy what I’m selling. Maybe something else my dad told me over 30 years ago applies:
“Like it or not, everyone sells something.”
John
