I mentioned in a previous post a transition in my career, one from sales person to consultant.
Now, let me be clear, the act of selling is what generally pays for my consulting (the carriers pay me for the business I bring them, although I do have a fee based set of offerings...let's focus on the grander theme).
But, I self identify now as consultant.
How did I transform to this new height? Simply put, I just decided to. I found myself in a new role that allowed me to embrace the transformation, allowed me to self-define, allowed me to truly be the franchise that I've been working to become for years.
I suppose that I'm being a bit too simplistic. My transformation took the better part of two decades to come to fruition. I possess a wealth of knowledge that can only come from the amount of OTJ (on the job) training, that the better part of two decades brings in my field. Blood, sweat, and tears. Trial by fire. Drinking from the firehose, again and again and again. A bit of an autodidact, smarter than the average bear.
I could call myself an Account Manager, or Account Executive, or Business Development Director....longhand jargon that equate to salesman.
I've opined that every role in any business is one of two things: Sales or Sales Support. From CEO to engineer to janitor, ones role is to either sell or retain the business they go about...to do a job, and well, to get new business or keep that which we already have.
So...I no longer need to use sales in how I define myself, it's inherent. It's understood.
I am a consultant.
Now, let me be clear, the act of selling is what generally pays for my consulting (the carriers pay me for the business I bring them, although I do have a fee based set of offerings...let's focus on the grander theme).
But, I self identify now as consultant.
How did I transform to this new height? Simply put, I just decided to. I found myself in a new role that allowed me to embrace the transformation, allowed me to self-define, allowed me to truly be the franchise that I've been working to become for years.
I suppose that I'm being a bit too simplistic. My transformation took the better part of two decades to come to fruition. I possess a wealth of knowledge that can only come from the amount of OTJ (on the job) training, that the better part of two decades brings in my field. Blood, sweat, and tears. Trial by fire. Drinking from the firehose, again and again and again. A bit of an autodidact, smarter than the average bear.
I could call myself an Account Manager, or Account Executive, or Business Development Director....longhand jargon that equate to salesman.
I've opined that every role in any business is one of two things: Sales or Sales Support. From CEO to engineer to janitor, ones role is to either sell or retain the business they go about...to do a job, and well, to get new business or keep that which we already have.
So...I no longer need to use sales in how I define myself, it's inherent. It's understood.
I am a consultant.
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