If you are like me and most other sales people I run into; you took your first job in sales as a great way to pay the bills. Professional selling offers a large number of people an ‘above average’ income without any manual labour. In short it is a great way to make a living.
I entered University with dreams of becoming a lawyer. It sounds silly to write it now, but during High School I really loved reading John Grisham books. No doubt that played into my decision to want to become a lawyer. Grisham’s books were exciting thrillers with lead character’s making lots of money and get into all kinds of trouble. Who wouldn’t like that?
The reality, I found out, was much different; long hours, grueling case work, working all through the night, pouring of tedious mountains of paper-work and that was just law school. I ultimately decided law school and being a lawyer wasn’t for me.
(I do find it funny that throughout my life I have gravitated towards professionals that make a hobby of writing John Grisham, David Chilton author of ‘The Wealthy Barber’, Donald Trump)
I graduated University with my degree and began my search for a job. I had really enjoyed Politics in University and I had even interned for a major political party one summer, so I decided to get a job in Government. The job I got paid well and was boring beyond belief.
I was 0 for 2 on career choices and starting to get a little nervous about my decision making skills. I did what most people I believe do. I found a career by falling back on something I knew very well. Both of my parents had been in sales their entire careers. I had grown up around the dinner table with conversations of selling and customer interactions. My parents had always told me, “you would be great in sales” and “you should try sales, you’re a natural” It turns out that this early education would result in success in my selling career.
My first professional selling job was selling Home Appliance Wholesale. Wholesale, meaning I represented the manufacturer of the appliances to their customer’s; retail appliance stores. After my first few rocky months I gained my confidence plus the trust of the customers and started doing very well.
Understanding Industry Fundamentals
I would quickly realize the importance of industry fundamentals when you are relying on the industry to provide you a long and prosperous career. I had become a Regional Sales Director and was making good money. I had noticed increasing competition to the independent home appliance retailers that made up my customer base, but I hadn’t paid it that much attention. There is competition in everything, right?
Soon the trend of Multi-National Big Box stores selling appliances at discount prices would be inescapable. More and more competition was squeezing the market making it very difficult for smaller retailers to compete. As a consumer it was great, lower and lower prices. For a sales representative relying on small appliance retailers to place orders it was a nightmare.
During this time my personal and professional lives were both doing well. I had gotten married in Jamaica, gone on my honeymoon to Jamaica, bought my first house, and was soon to become a father. I was doing what most young people do when starting out in life.
The increase in my responsibility to my wife and soon to be born child perhaps gave me reason to take a second look at my career. Was this the industry for me for the long haul? A book I was reading at this time started me thinking long and hard about the answer to this question. The book was “Jump In: Even If You Don’t Know How to Swim” by Mark Burnett. If you are not familiar with Mark Burnett he is the Executive Producer of Survivor and The Apprentice.
In his book Mark Burnett shares a story from his past that chronicles his life as he moves to the U.S.A from England, becomes a nanny, then sells t-shirts at the beach in California and turns selling t-shirts into a successful marketing company. His journey is very interesting if you haven’t read the book I recommend you to read it.
However, it is the turn Mark Burnett takes in his life that captured my attention. Mark Burnett was running a successful marketing company with all the appearances of success cars, home, etc…and decided he was being successful at the wrong thing. Mark Burnett decided his passion was not being served by his marketing company; it was this decision to change direction’s that lead Burnett to create ‘Survivor’ and then ‘The Apprentice’ with Donald Trump.
My story is not nearly as dramatic a Mark Burnett’s however I was about to make a major career decision.
Is your industry recession proof?
You likely know the answer to ‘is your industry recession proof?’ because we are in the midst of a multi-year recession. I decided I didn’t want to merely survive only during good times. I wanted to be successful regardless of the state of the economy. This led me to make a decision to leave the home appliance industry. At the time the real estate market was in severe decline, the auto industry was being bailed out by governments in North America, and the home appliance market was slowing rapidly.
As consumer purchases go in size and order of importance; 1st is Housing, 2nd is Car and 3rd is Home Appliances. With # 1 and 2 in trouble I didn’t want to wait for the shoe to drop on #3!
People will always have to eat
I took a more rational approach to choosing which industry I would enter now. I looked at industry forecasts and growth projections. I learned basic principles of what goes into making an industries economic outlook and I came up with two criteria I needed to satisfy:
1. The industry needed to be recession-proof. ie: still strong during tough times.
2. The industry needed to have long term growth prospects.
With these two principles firmly rooted I looked for sales positions in industries that would make the grade.
I found a field sales reps job in the Consumer Packaged Industry (CPG) or as it is known in Europe the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). I took a 50% cut in pay and began building up my field level experience in my new CPG industry.
My change in career path has been a tough journey. Ultimately my family had to sell our cars and our house to move to a smaller house to manage on my lower salary. However, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
As I am writing this post I am a National Account Manager for the 3rd largest food company in Canada and one of the largest food companies in the world. It has taken me 5 years to build up my experience and skills in the CPG industry and I am very confident about the growth potential the CPG industry offers.
If you are reading this post feeling you need to make a change in your career. I understand where you are at. It is not too late to make a change and find an industry that will allow you grow. I was able to make a major change to a long bright future for my family. Before you make a major industry change in your career understand the journey will be long and humbling. You will need to sacrifice; possibly even sell possessions to make ends meet. Know it can be done.
If you have questions about making a major career move please comment on this post or message me directly.
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