Pick up a Tool and See What You Can Create
How did you get into your profession?
For Anton, the story’s quite interesting. It began when he walked into a hardware store to buy tools.
“I’ve always been sort of handyman and just love tools. While at the store, the manager and I got into a long conversation about tools. Seeing how much I knew, he offered me a job as a salesperson. That’s how I got into sales,” tells Anton, a B2B sales manager for SME companies at Kyivstar.
It’s amazing how opportunities present themselves, isn’t it? Anton’s story highlights that we must take a chance on what we want when the moment arises.
During our chat with Anton, we learn more about improving and expanding your toolset and the importance of investing in yourself. So, keep on reading!
1. Get a cloth and clean
Do you remember when Mr. Miyagi tells Daniel, “Wax on, wax off” in the Karate Kid?
The deeper meaning behind that scene is that you can learn profound lessons from mundane tasks. Even wiping a car with a cloth can build character.
Anton actually has had such an experience. While serving in the navy, he had to clean tables at night.
“When you have to clean 100 tables with a cloth, you must have discipline and focus. It really made me stronger,” attests Anton.
When Anton first began working at Kyivstar, his previous time in the navy served him well. He was first assigned to handle B2B sales in Crimea.
“Working in Crimea was difficult because Kyivstar’s competitor controlled the vast majority of the market. It was a huge challenge for me. The experience showed me, even more, the value of working hard and staying persistent. You have to continually improve to succeed in sales.”
That challenging first experience helped catapult Anton’s career at Kyivstar. When he transferred to Kyiv, he was ready to shine.
“I was the best salesperson at Kyivstar for three years. I then got promoted to sales manager!”
2. Grab a shovel and dig
If you wanted to discover gold, you would get a shovel. Then, you would go to where there’s actually gold and start digging.
Wait, what’s the lesson here?
It’s that, to get the most out of yourself, you must dig for more. Never settle. Ask Anton for advice on being a good salesperson, and you’ll get a similar answer.
“The good salesperson doesn’t sit and wait. When you can’t find answers, if you’re a good salesperson, you find the people and resources that can answer your question,” states Anton.
Throughout his career, Anton has applied this idea to his daily work. It’s what drives him ahead.
“Here’s some career advice that someone once told me that I always keep in mind: ‘Improve yourself. Improve your skills. Do what you like and aim to the best you can be at it.’”
So, as Anton believes, you must consistently build your skillset. Because when you have more tools, you can do even more.
“Now, when I give advice, I like to stress first finding an interesting company or job, and then working hard and investing in yourself. Show what you can do. This will open a lot of doors. All managers look for people who can do more.”
3. Build a faster bike and ride
Anton’s love of riding bikes began when he was a child. In fact, one of his earliest memories was when he accidentally sent his bike rolling across the highway.
“My mother wasn’t happy at all about that,” warmly recalls Anton.
Anton still rides bikes today. He actually rides for long distances and times himself. He’s getting increasingly faster, thanks to a better bike and commitment to adapting his strategy.
“Getting better at cycling first requires a good bike, being fit, and staying focused on the road. You also must have the right mindset — just like in sales.”
To Anton, riding a bike across town or in the countryside mirrors navigating the changes currently happening in sales. As experts say, a learning mindset is what will move you towards your goals.
“I emphasize continuous improvement with my sales team. Change is always happening. Tomorrow there will be new products, tariffs, and bundles. Tech is always going forward. People who work in our department must be ready to adapt,” affirms Anton.
After all, new tools, like CRM systems, the cloud, and big data, are revolutionizing the sales game at Kyivstar. You must learn to utilize them if you’re to succeed.
“Our company is growing every year. The speed of change is amazing. We’re growing more easily. For instance, we understand the future is cloud, big data, AI and smart CRM solutions for our client. We’re seeing where the future is and we’re staying flexible enough to ensure we get there.”
So, success in any field requires being agile. Never sit down (i.e. get complacent). Because the world will pass you by.
“When potential hires ask me about Kyivstar, I actually stress this idea of improving yourself. We have a good platform to grow your professional skills and personality. If you want to grow, you must join our team.”
4. Choose a drill and make the hole
Theodore Levitt, a legendary economist and Harvard Business School professor, once said, “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”
In other words, give your clients the solution. That’s how Anton goes about the selling process.
“A great B2B salesperson goes to the client with a way to solve their problems. This is why you must know what drives your customers’ decisions, what their needs are,” exclaims Anton.
To better understand the client, Anton believes it’s all about building relationships. That’s how you know what hole to drill (i.e. the solution you need to provide).
“Clients should become your friends. When selling tools to farmers at my previous job, I learned this. When your customer is your friend, getting them the right solution becomes easy.”
Of course, advanced tech has made it easier to know what clients want. Yet a personal connection still matters, Anton believes.
“At Kyivstar, new technologies like big data help to understand the customer better and make processes more efficient. I make full use of those tools, but I still make time to establish a personal connection. A human approach, combined with technology, is the best way to do sales.”
5. Turn on the radio and chill
Having success in your career is a matter of investing in yourself and improving your toolset. However, making that process sustainable does require that you take time to relax. Otherwise, you’ll fall down before you reach the skies.
So, invest in your personal wellbeing. For Anton, that means listening to music, such as the rap group Kasta for fun or lounge music for concentration, and riding his bike all around town. He also enjoys traveling, especially to cities in Italy like Verona and Rome.
“I also like Milan because the city has so much style,” notes Anton.
Anton’s time outside of Kyivstar is what fuels him when he gets back. Whether it’s sightseeing or playing sports, he makes sure to enjoy the ride that is life.
“I have a lot of hobbies. Right now, though, I’m focused on practicing my English. Spending time with family is also very important. Birthdays are always a celebration in my family. My wife and I often talk about future plans as well, which will hopefully include a lot of traveling!”
Invest in yourself today
Many folks say investing in yourself is the best thing you could ever do. Anton’s story is a testament to that belief.
Now, take the lesson from this discussion and run with it. Go out, build your toolset, and never stop working hard for what you want. And you’ll create something magical.
