Sales is a Craft
This story is adapted from Carry That Quota, by Jesse Rothstein.
Whether we realize it or not, we are all salespeople.
Most people don’t realize this. Sure, not everyone sells professionally for a living. But we all represent a brand and attempt to get people to invest their time in us and our ideas. Instead of appreciating that fact, however, salespeople are often viewed with disdain. Have you ever been reticent (even ever so slightly) to tell a stranger or a family member what you do for a living? How many times have you encountered an obstacle with a client because of the caricature of the snake-oil salesman or the overly aggressive used car salesperson? Anecdotes and metaphors like these contribute to the sales profession having a negative connotation.
I See Sales Very Differently
From my point of view, sales is a craft — not dissimilar from a doctor performing surgery or a lawyer prosecuting a case — that is both applicable to a wide variety of people and integral to helping people solve problems. When framed that way, sales takes on a whole different meaning. Although there might never be a movie made about the noble hero salesman, we contribute to the world in a meaningful way. I am motivated by my belief that the sales profession is often undervalued.
I’ve sold my entire professional career, and I love the profession. As a result of fifteen years in the field, I’ve attended hundreds of meetings and taken thousands of pages of notes. I’ve also read the many wonderful sales books on the market and highly recommend that you read them, too. Nonetheless, Carry That Quota is designed to fill a particular niche. No one has written a book that is “for the rep” and “by the rep” and a relatively young sales rep at that. My hope is that by providing insights while I’m in the trenches, I can offer a unique perspective on the sales profession.
My book is designed for young salespeople who can learn from my first fifteen years in the field. However, I also hope it proves valuable to all salespeople, regardless of their age and experience, and to a broader audience. Because ultimately, the intention of my book is simple — I want to help salespeople get better at the profession. I’m not proposing that every idea in my book will be relevant for everyone in sales, but my experience tells me that great salespeople should always be looking for an edge, an extra piece of information, or a way to do their job better. That is what my book is designed to do — to provide little tidbits or ideas that may help salespeople get better at their jobs. My book is a collection of ideas and things that have proved valuable for me in the last fifteen years of sales. I hope they help you as much as they have helped me.
My Book Is Also Part of My Legacy
It’s been brewing in my mind since 2015, after a meeting with Jamie Stone, a client, and friend with whom I was working at the time. I have immense respect for Jamie. He is an exceptional businessman (he would later become CEO of one of New Zealand’s largest banks). But more importantly, Jamie, like many New Zealanders, places a tremendous emphasis on legacy, the idea that your life directly connects to what the generations before you did and that you have an obligation to bestow this knowledge and these experiences to the next generation.[1] Jamie suggested that I think more deeply about my legacy. “What about doing something that will be around when you are long gone?” he asked. “Have you ever thought about writing a book?”
It was the first time that the idea of writing a book entered my mind. But here we are, and I tell the story because, as you’ll come to see from my book, I see sales — and work in general — in the broader context of our purpose in life and what we leave behind. Thus, the title of my book, Carry That Quota, is not just about exceeding a sales target but also about the quota we carry in life. What I mean by this is that there should be a sense that we all stand for something. To me, that means embracing the concept of leaving a place better than we found it, in our lives and at work. I care deeply about my legacy and want to share what I’ve learned with you. I’ve felt the pain from preventable failures and can give you strategies, so you don’t have to make those mistakes. I’ve hit the road long and often and want to make it easier for those who come after me. I’ve carefully crafted a work-life balance that helps me be more productive during my “on” hours so I can enjoy my “off” hours more. So, I amassed my notes to share all of these things and more with you. I hope my ideas and experiences improve not only your work but also your life.
Whatever your motivation for picking up my book is, I can’t wait to help you improve so you, too, can carry that quota.
[1] For more on the importance of legacy in New Zealand, see James Kerr, Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teach Us about the Business of Life (London: Constable & Robinson, 2013).
To learn more about carrying on that quota, you can find Carry That Quota on Amazon.
After graduating from Cornell University and beginning his career at Procter & Gamble, Jesse Rothstein worked at several startups before he became a key accounts manager at LinkedIn. In his current role, Jesse is focused on connecting people, data, and technology to enhance overall business performance. His fifteen years of experience spans various industries and continents, providing him with a unique global perspective that drives his performance. For Jesse, sales is truly a craft.
When he’s not working his day job, Jesse enjoys reading, writing, and running in marathons. He also volunteers with several nonprofit organizations in New York City, where he resides with his wife and their daughter.
