Many thanks to my newsletter reader for sharing a pivotal moment that changed his life forever. He hopes that by telling his story, others will see themselves more clearly and break through to discover what they’re capable of.
I worked with a business partner for several years. It was an amicable partnership until it wasn’t.
Business had changed. We’d lost some clients. Then I discovered that during our rocky times, my partner had engaged in some financial dishonesty.
I had a tough choice to make. He “got caught.” I couldn’t trust him in the business any longer. It could have been the demise of our firm.
He was the networker, the sales guy, the one with the “Rolodex.” Outgoing, gregarious, charming, the works.
I stewed for a few weeks, then finally confronted him about his financial misdeeds. And there it was. The termination of the partnership.
I was terrified. How would I find new clients?
It was then that I actually came to terms with the fact that we didn’t have enough prospective clients and hadn’t for a few years.
We’d expanded inside the clients we already had (mostly Fortune 1000), and that was how we grew. But no new real clients for 2-3 years.
Ready to throw in the towel, I sat down for coffee with a business colleague who’d been a mutual acquaintance of my former partner and me.
I confessed my lack of hope.
Then he made a statement that changed my entire perspective, both in business and in my personal life.
“Listen, he was the sizzle, you are the steak. Your pipeline will never ever be empty if you just do what you do. Your business will have more referrals than you can handle”.
Previously, I’d tried to “sell” in my former partner’s style. After hearing that, I started representing my company with my expertise, not dazzle.
My pipeline has been full for 20 years.
(Note: Due to the nature of the above article, the author has requested to remain anonymous.)
