Advance Auto Parts’ Post

When the pitch comes my way I swing for the fences That’s me about to get in a new Porche GT4 with a CEO that flew into Atlanta to hang out with me for half a day. 😎 Let me explain. We had hours of conversation over several weeks leading up to this moment. Including the founders of the company. Everything was going well. In fact, two weeks before this picture was taken we had a phone call. He told me he let the other candidates for this CRO role move on and I was the only one left. 👏🏼 In these scenarios you typically think “This is looking good. I have a 99% chance of landing this role.” Excitement sets in big time. So I did what anyone would do… I booked us lunch at The Porche Experience center and a few laps with a pro driver ripping us 100mph around the F1 track 😏 Non paid plug: 🔌 If you ever visit ATL this should be at the top of your list. It’s 5 miles from the airport. You won’t regret it. I’m all for creating experiences both in life and in the sales process. He had no idea where we were headed when I picked him up from the airport. But he must have said 10 times during and afterwards “this is so cool, such a great idea” For the sake of not writing a book. This opportunity didn’t pan out. (Crazy right?) I had to walk away. But here’s why I wrote the post. DO NOT let your foot off the gas (see what I did there?) in your job search. Even when it looks like there is a 99.9% chance you will land the role. Even if you have an offer in front of you. Do not stop applying or continuing the process with other opportunities. I give this advice all the time and in this case I didn’t follow it. Lesson learned. ✅ Keep your foot on the gas. Don’t be afraid to take big swings and create unforgettable experiences. In life, job searching, and in sales. Remember to stay persistent. Sometimes what you thought was a fastball over center plate turns into a curve ball. ⚾️ Pivot and keep moving forward. ❤️✌🏼

10 Career Lessons I learned from AE's who earned over $1 million in a single year.  1. Winning is more fun as a team sport.  2. Be known for being detail-oriented.  3. Overcommunicate until it's annoying.  4. Always ask for resources you need.  5. Don't wait around to get permission.  6. Nobody likes working with a**holes.  7. Make friends with different teams.  8. Don't stress about the little things.  9. Always come back to your "Why". 10. Have a 100% follow-through rate. I was lucky enough to work with an elite group of sales reps throughout my career. Every day I would study their professional habits. And it helped shape my career. PS. Ever worked with a million-dollar sales rep?

"So do you just talk?" 🗣️🤔 Interestingly enough, it's one of the main questions my family and friends pose when I talk about being an Account Manager. And I don't fault them! Before jumping into the role, that's how I saw it too - AM's, CSM's, and everyone with a similar title within the field - just talk to a client that reaches out. Yet, after a few years in the field, I can confidently say it's so much more. And the importance should never be underestimated. Here are the 8 crucial things that every AM should strive to accomplish: ➔ Establish a bond with your client 💪 ➔ Represent their needs within your company 🔄 ➔ Always find ways to provide value 🌟 ➔ Proactively reach out and regularly check-in 📞 ➔ Ease their life by having a single-point contact⏳ ➔ Educate and strategically guide your clients 📈 ➔ Align your goals with the clients objectives 🎯 ➔ Ensure that your wins are their wins 🙌 I could go on for ages - but the crucial thing is, the importance and significance of a representative within a partner/supplier company cannot be understated. And that is what an AM is! Someone that a client can rely on for whatever need they have. 🤝 Any common misconceptions about your role? Let me know in the comments! 👇

Reflecting on My First Day at a previous company – 4 Valuable Lessons! Today, I'm taking a moment to look back on my very first day at a previous employment. It was an unforgettable experience that taught me several crucial lessons: * The Power of Rapport Building: My first day took me to a new territory and state, and I had to be bold from the get-go, initiating rapport building almost immediately. This experience reinforced the vital role of establishing connections in sales. * Pre-Call Planning: Previously, I'd just hit the road without much planning. However, I quickly realized the importance of being tactical, strategic, and cost-effective with fuel usage. It's now a habit to book appointments with clients before heading out, saving time and resources. * The Value of Integrity: I faced questions I couldn't immediately answer due to my first day on the job. However, I made a promise to provide feedback and stuck to it. This commitment to honesty and integrity not only earned respect but also trust from my clients. * Staying Connected with Training Peers: My training school mates became my second family. We continued to share our experiences from our first days in the "outside world." This support network allowed us to draw strength from one another and navigate the challenges together. If you're passionate about sales and marketing, especially in emerging markets, I invite you to connect with me for more insights, tips, and strategies. Let's continue learning and growing together! 🌍 #FirstDay #SalesTips #ProfessionalGrowth

https://lnkd.in/d_yhqyWi MORE EVALUATION MORE DE-EVALUATED MORE COMPETENT MORE CONFIDENT ??? VISION OF THOUGHT Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash Did you know that by having a greater degree of autonomy, you can feel more competent and confident? That’s because self-autonomy is linked to self-determination. When you are self-determined, you evaluate the why behind the things you do. As a result, you feel in more control — which gives you a sense of freedom. Specifically, self-determination provides 3 basic psychological needs: Competence — you feel effective in meeting the needs of your environment Autonomy — you feel authentic, act with volition and have meaningful input Relatedness — you feel connected and cared for by others So what can make you self-determined?

As per the research, the actual drivers of performance is difficult to disentangle and hence people tend to evaluate competence based on other factors. This means that we have to do more than produce results to convince people of our expertise. One way to do this is by demonstrating confidence in your abilities.

🎉 It's Friday, and you know what that means—time to spotlight some of our top jobs of the week! 🌟 Whether you're eyeing a Sales Manager position, dreaming of leading a team as a Marketing Director, or ready to innovate as an Engineer, we've got you covered. Not quite what you're after? No worries! Our job board has hundreds of other opportunities - link in the comments!

Another Friday inspiration ✨ A year and a month ago I got fired.... Fast forward to today, I am finishing up a month-long Sales training where I was teaching and sharing all of my knowledge and all the skills that I have developed with two of our sales interns Sara Kostova and Josif Rushkov ....in the same company!  😀 On top of that, my Sales team leader Stefan Zivkovic asks me to stay another month in Sales.... the same guy that fired me :D insane right?! 🤩 How did I manage to do that? 🤔 I have put the focus only on me, on my personal development! I didn't waste any time on finding who to blame, including me. I set everything aside and I gave myself a bit of time to do some self-analysis. Become aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Wrote some personal and professional goals. I was and still meditate at least two times a day, physical movements at least 6 times a week, focused on getting the right nutrition and sleep. 💡 Remember! Every bit helps... start by changing one thing and develop a new habit. Our life can turn around in unexpected ways but it has to start with us.  So, don't waste your time on finding why life has been one way and not another...or to prove that you are right and someone has done you harm...pointless, you will only satisfy your ego but you still be in the same place. Find ways on how you can create the life that you want... then see how life will turn around "on its own". Have an amazing wknd people! 💗

There are so many people starting new jobs this month and it’s amazing to see 🙌 I have a little cheat code for you all: Learn your new role *out loud* on here. As in, write about what you’re learning and post it Usually when I start a new job, I get a higher number of impressions. If you’re in a customer facing role (like sales), that means more eyeballs that you can very organically tell about your new product. It might not equal any meetings, but it’s a great way to learn how to talk about what you’re doing. You’ll get dm’s and have conversations and it's a fun way to get comfy with what you're doing. You never know who's paying attention 🤷🏻♀️

I love this, and have been speaking about it for years. The confidence-competence loop is a powerful concept. As someone becomes more competent in a particular skill or area, their confidence naturally increases. This increased confidence then leads to further improvement and competence, creating a positive feedback loop. With each cycle, momentum builds, and individuals often find themselves achieving greater success and overcoming obstacles they might have previously considered insurmountable. It's a self-reinforcing process that can propel people to great heights in their personal and professional lives.