President of Southwestern Ventures, Priit Martin, explains why simple isn't always easy, and new and different isn't always effective, and why success boils down to the basics.Hear Priit's full interview in Episode 465 of The Action Catalyst.
One thing that I am selling myself is the idea that you don't need to reinvent everything just because it feels cool or looks cool or sounds different. The pendulum can swing too far, right? As I was just saying that it's been fun figuring out how to do things different. But the challenge sometimes also has been how to make sure that the core things are the same.
The things you learn that schedule is important, right? Having good goals and clarity is important. Making sure that... It doesn't matter if it's a business meeting or you're talking to whoever it is. Doing good and consistent self-talk and self-motivation is important. So that's one of the ideas that I'm selling to myself and also to all of our salespeople.
Because with them as well, it is easy to not understand what makes you successful at something. In sales, at least, people tend to think that what makes you successful is the fancy stuff. It's this my special joke or my special clothes I have. It's the way that I always leave office at 3.30, whatever it is. And it is my job to remind them that on average, what makes you good is doing the basics.
And sometimes it's a challenge. I am selling the idea of thinking long term to my own team and to our salespeople. Because when you are young, when you are in your early 20s, there's this common feeling that by the time you are 30 or 35, your life should be complete. However much money you want to make, you need to have your 10 million by 35 and then it's time to retire. And then you're done.
Truth is, when you are 35, you have probably had 15 good years where you're actually productive and creative and adding value to society. And people live to like 90 or 100 now. So even if we looked at you, you stay productive until you are 80 or so, 35, you have 45 more years to go. That's a hell of a long time.
So sometimes it's a challenge to sell the idea of thinking and planning longer than six months ahead or one year ahead. Especially in sales, people run into this trouble that they don't like being uncomfortable. And if you start selling something new, if... The first six months are hard. There's this feeling that it must be the wrong thing I'm doing. And it's not.
Most of the times it can be the right thing. Just need to go through the uncomfortable part, right? And learn. Have enough patience and learn. Yeah, really well said.