The Short Cut to Success

Many years ago, I was interviewing an already very successful gentleman for an Independent Sales Rep position that we had at my company. I call these 1099-Warriors, ‘Free Agents.’

We were seated comfortably in a conference room and our conversation was very natural from the start. Here was a guy who was confident in his abilities, but not arrogant, comfortable enough in his own skin as to be both bold, assertive and yet humble and genuine all at the same time. He was a walking demonstration of his previous success dressed in an expensive suit, wearing a $25,000 watch and had arrived in a brand new top-end Mercedes.

We were synched right from ‘Hello” and I had just spent about 30 minutes discussing our company, product line and lucrative compensation package. I didn’t keep it a secret that I wanted this guy on my team.

Leaning forward, asking spot-on questions very passionately, and plenty of eager to get started eye contact tipped me that he was definitely ready to proceed with our business.

Obvious that we were getting to the point of the conversation that I was going to offer him the position, and that he was going to accept, I stayed with my protocol and asked, “So, do you have any last questions before we wrap this up?”

His face lit up and with all the charm that he had consistently been demonstrating, he replied, "Yes, just one very important one.”

“You’ve been very successful at this venture and built it from the ground up,” he began directing toward me, “and certainly you’ve worn every hat, and earned every accolade that the articles in the business publications have lauded upon you.”

“So, what I want to know, is what is the fastest route to the top,” he inquired eagerly, “In other words, what is the short cut to success here?”

What a great question!

I paused, though I didn’t need to. I readjusted my body language and leaned into him further as implying I was about to give him the best advice he had ever heard, which it was, and smiling just so coyly I replied, “It’s simple Bob, do it right the first time.”

And then I leaned back to watch it settle in. Five seconds later, and his stare and straight face surrendered to the biggest grin I’ve ever seen.

“I’m going to tear this thing out of the frame,” he said.

“I know you will Bob, I know that you will.”

And that is really my advice as I continue to this day with a Rep Team that exceeds 2,000 nationwide, as I personally interview each and every single one of them.

You see, if you partner with the right company, then they, like us, will have a successful, already tested and proven system for success in place.

As a business owner, and with total Rep oversight, I don’t want to see one person struggle. I personally want every single player on the team to earn over $100,000 annually as soon as possible, with many earning much more.

So I know, with 100% certainty that a successful map followed to the letter that has already been proven over and over again IS THE SHORT CUT! No reinventing the wheel! And anything else, is mostly folly, and will in all likelihood make the journey to the end result be longer and more painful than simply following the established system.

You see, I am my own lab-rat, and I have proven in over 25 years of self-employment as a Free Agent myself, that there are no short cuts to success.

But if what you really want is the ‘edge,’ the deck stacked in your favor, then find and follow the proven system. Do the hard work up front, or as I like to say, “Eat the crust first,” referring to eating a piece of pie. Because then, the system becomes your short cut!

And one final admonishment with all due respect: If you are looking to partner with any company whether it be W-2 employment, or 1099 as a Free Agent, dig deep and ask lots of questions about their system. Make sure they have a duplicatable system that has a proven track record for getting you to where you ultimately want to be. If they do, it demonstrates that they care about the success and satisfaction of their teammates. If they don’t it equally reveals that in the long run, that the things that are important to you are not important to them.

So if they don’t have a system, then run like hell!