The Butler Project

Since I started interviewing millionaires a few months ago I have been struck by how many of them started their career in sales. I’ve spoken to two who have started selling pest control (and subsequently achieved financial freedom owning pest control businesses), and one who started selling encyclopedias door-to-door and parlayed the income into a portfolio of rental properties that allowed him to retire at a young age.

I spoke to another who learned the furniture business as a floor salesman at a local furniture store and went on to open his own stores, which also allowed him to be permanently financially independent. One of my more recent conversations was with a man who has spent his whole career in technology sales, and although he’s never owned his own company, he’s been able to acquire and sell enough stock options with his company that he could now retire any time he felt like it.

Model the Millionaires - Learn to Sell

I believe everyone should learn to sell.

Now, I’m not talking about selling in the soft sense that you always hear: “everyone is in sales….all communication is sales…if you’re a manager you’re in sales…if you’re a parent you’re in sales…if you’re dating you’re in sales…etc.” That’s all fine and it’s true to an extent. We all have to persuade in our everyday life, and you can call that selling.

But there is a big difference between convincing your subordinates at work to complete their tasks and convincing a real life sales prospect to give you money in exchange for your product. That’s why there are millions of successful managers and millions of washed out salespeople.

Asking people to part with their hard-earned money is not easy, and the truth is they say ‘no’ the vast majority of the time. That’s why so many salespeople quit, and that’s why it pays so well. Early on I stopped caring when people said no, but that’s another post.

Here are three big benefits of becoming successful in sales:

1. Sales allows you to acquire cash much more quickly than a salaried job, and you have much greater control over your income than you would with a salary or hourly wage.

2. Sales requires you learn the some of the most important skills in business: goal setting, persistence, determination, accountability, long term perspective, and a high tolerance for rejection and frustration.

3. Success in sales gives you real flexibility in your work life, allowing you to finally be free of an office and a time clock. I know that’s one of the most cliche statements you’ll ever hear, but it also happens to be true - and thank goodness.

Sales and Entrepreneurship Go Hand In Hand

After I had been in commission only sales for about two years I talked about it with a close friend of mine who had also spent a lot of time in the sales world. He knew about my aspirations of business ownership and this is what he said:

“I’m really glad you got into sales and you became successful at it. Commission sales is the closest thing to entrepreneurship because the skill sets necessary for success are so similar. So many brilliant people have incredible product ideas every day, but their business can never get off the ground because they don’t know how to sell their idea or their product. If you’ve had success in sales you’ve already won most of the battle because it’s just a question of finding the right product and using the skills you already have to sell it.”

That’s one of the most true and significant statements anyone has ever made to me, and I’ve seen it come true in my financial life. I spent four years working for a company, first just as a sales rep and then as a sales manager. I lost all fear of talking to people and asking them to buy my product. When I started in sales I was terrified of the phone. Today I have no fear of calling strangers and striking up a conversation with them.

Thanks to that confidence I had no fear as I walked away from my stable corporate job to start my own business. I knew there might be ups and downs in my income, but I had already experienced that in my sales job. I knew there could be setbacks and disappointments, but I wasn’t worried because those are things I dealt with a thousand times over the last four years.

Confidence and Peace of Mind

What do I love most about my career in sales? Being successful in sales has given me pure confidence and peace of mind. After four years of having my paycheck be 100% my responsibility, I no longer have any concern over whether I’ll be able to pay the bills. If my business fails, I know I can get any one of 1o sales jobs and have my normal income back within 90 days or so. That’s a great feeling.

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Related Posts:
An Introduction to The Butler Project
3 Essentials for Entrepreneurs: Mentors, Money, and People
Interview With A Millionaire: You Just Have to Suit Up Everyday
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