My Little Story - Topsy-Turvy Roller Coaster Ride
I was born and brought up in Bhopal, a small town in the state of Madhya Pradesh. I have always been a little above average student, though never liked formal education.
Later part in life, when I learned more about human psychology and behavior, I realized that I am more of a RIGHT BRAIN person, always interested in creativity, art and music.
I learned Indian Classical & played "Tabla" (Indian drum like instrument) for many years and I still remember playing it for hours in hot summers, without food and water. I loved spending time painting and drawing, and probably that's the reason Solution or Consulting Sales, SEO, field with so much of creativity attracted me so much.
Now, the social pressure and general expectations, pushed me to go for Electrical Engineering, though every day of those four years was more like a punishment for me. When others were sad on graduation day, I had a feeling of great relief, may be similar to how a prisoner would feel when released from the jail.
DOT# 1
Engineer had to go for technical jobs. After first encounter, I realized, I was not made for such jobs.
Being an introvert, "Sales" was nowhere under my purview. I believed it was meant for non-engineers and extrovert, liars, shameless and those party creatures (LOL).
I did try my hands on "electrical engineering" jobs and realized sooner that me and a routine jobs were not made for each other. I didn't know what I wanted, but I was sure what I didn't.
I had to do some job, and that's how I landed in Sales. The DOT. To my luck my first "sales" job was to provide power conditioning solutions to large companies. There was no formal training and the only thing I knew about it that I had to go out and ask if there was any "requirements".
Cold Calls, No Mobiles or Internet, Can You Imagine?
DOT# 2
Then I moved to Chennai, South India. Tempted by money in software industry, I tried my hands in software development. And again this time, I finally concluded that I was definitely not made for such jobs. I had no choice but to go for another job in "sales".
And the DOT again pushed me to "solution sales".
Again, without much skills, it was more of going around, and if lucky, got some sales. Not to mention the performance was no where close to acceptable standards.
Although Worst Nightmare Was About To Happen....
I still vividly remember the smell of conference room in which we were having review. And I remember every word of my manager, still inspires me when I feel low. He said -
"Are You Leading the Losers? If You Are Not Meeting Enough Number Of Prospects Daily, Not Articulating Why Should They Work With You, You Are Not Building Your Business"
"You Can Have Last Quarter. Else Pack Your Bags, and Go Home. Go & Play With The Kids. This Is Not Your Game. Those Who Are Here for Jobs and Salaries, Can Also Go Back Home....
We Are Entrepreneurs ! Run Your Job Like Your Own Business, Else Get Your f*** a*** Out Of This Place."
Those 10 minutes were like million years for me. I knew he meant every word. I felt like a total loser, like someone who couldn't be trusted to even hold down a job, let alone earn a respectable wage.It was such a miserable feeling, a burning sensation somewhere deep inside, & a lump in the throat..
DOT# 3
It was the question of survival. I could hear the sound of my heart beats. Sleepless nights, fear of losing job, insecurity made me restless, and my race was against those 90 days.
I rushed to the business section of "Landmark", a book shop, and bought & read books on selling, building businesses, mindset, skills, communication and borrowed money to invest on the sales training.
I pleaded top performers to take me along with them when going for client meetings. I feel that experienced professionals must take the "freshers" along for such meetings. I observed and learned so much during every meeting.
I started getting to understand the real game, and fortunately, I didn’t have to pack my bags to play with the kids! This humbling phase in my career made me hungry learner forever.
Thanks to those mentors, in short time, I started planning every day, every meeting, every closure, hitting quota and how to "run my business". I started investing time and money on skills development, especially COMMUNICATION.
Some of my most favorites..
with Scott McNealy, Founder, Sun Microsystems
Life in Hotels, Extensive Traveling
Over a period, I started realizing why people call sales the most powerful professions of all, and why its both Science and Art.
I observed certain pattern and worked out a step-by-step blueprint that I followed, for two decades and still follow.
And this formula worked every time. It can create certain success in building business from zero to multi $m if followed with discipline and consistency. MSTK Methodology is based on this intense experience.
I had ultra successful career with technology giants Like IBM, Sun Microsystems, Ingram, Oracle, and my FORMULA helped me overachieving on my goals!
Here, you can find how many recognition and awards, I won for my performance almost every year. Biggest of all remains, a dream came true, spending time in person with one of the most inspirational technopreneurs, Scott McNealy, at Hawaii, Honolulu.
That's when I looked back seeing how DOTS were connecting to "solution sales". What the heck? Lol.
I have been fortunate to have worked with some of the best tough taskmaster sales leaders, who exposed me to different challenging profiles in Sales that Included : Direct sales (SMB, Enterprise), territory, regions and also country business.
I have also performed channels, product management roles, and done business development through marketing initiatives or products.
Successfully executed some of the toughest forms of selling taking strategic routes like incremental sales and competitive markets sales.
Traveled extensively across India and to many countries.
My absence at home was rewarded, when I took my family to many exotic locations, including Maldives, StarCruise, Hawaii etc.
And of course sending my parents abroad for vacation remains the best incentive this noble profession of sales blessed me with.
DOT# 4
I saw a big gap, and in every struggling sales professional or a young startup entrepreneur, I would meet, I saw my own self.
I could feel some pressure was building inside. On one side I had a leadership role and a nice job. On the other, there was this strange feeling. A thought was taking shape - why not go and share the learning, experience and serve the nextgen of these professionals and entrepreneurs.
That's How Corem Sales Consulting was born, with a Mission - To Deliver Highly Effective Business, Sales & Personal Transformation Education, Business Acceleration & Empowerment Consulting Services & Programs, and Develop An Efficient Hub Of The Best Leadership Resources.
I had no clue, but I had taken a leap of faith. Faith that somehow this dot would also connect in future.
I needed business mentors who would teach me how to teach.
So, I looked around for the best mentors in the field of human behavioral science & KT, who could help me building necessary skills. And I reached out to Chris, Harv & Blair Singer.
Chris Howard
T. Harv Eker
Blair Singer
I started with skills and mindset training. Conducted numerous sessions for sales professionals, managers, entrepreneurs and also the university students. These training led me to consulting. Every day was learning, and I started making notes of what I was doing and why. When you breathe something for years, it becomes your subconscious behavior, and I started going deeper into every action & step I was taking.
And that's when I realized, that I don't have to "teach" and "preach".
The most powerful and effective way is to invisibly facilitate individuals and businesses move from current state to the desired one. The "Sales" persona has to take backseat, desire to take credit, greed for recognition, temptation to become "Hero" in the eyes of external world, all these emotions must be kept under control.. and replaced with EMPOWERING the team. That's when one can truly enable the people who build business.
Not to teach how to do business but providing scaffolding of Mindset, Skills, Tools and Knowledge, accelerating the momentum - MSTK.
This opened the doors for me to consult businesses and started helping setting up the sales system. It took me some time to refine my formula, and that finally gave birth to MSTK Methodology, undoubtedly the most powerful result oriented system to transform technology companies to powerhouses.
Though I have worked with 100s of entrepreneurs & sales leaders directly, indirectly and virtually, I have had long term engagement with about 70 businesses (and counting).
Realizing that the marketplace has evolved, buyers can get all the information by just a click of mouse, pushed me to get into learning the best ways to ensure that the B2B businesses are digitally enabled.
With the advent of AI, ML, Automation, if we do not adapt to the new realities, we will cease to exist sooner or later. Its just a matter of time.
DOT# 5
I had to convince myself hard to write books. You know that voice of fear inside the head..! Now, these books are serving thousands of entrepreneurs & sales professionals, and one of them has been the Amazon Best Sellers !
I am sure, you can relate to the all or few of those DOTS. There are multiple such dots in between and many to follow.
We are all in the same boat. We go through all possible roller coaster ride of emotions, face crazy situations and handle so many types of people. I don't have some "Magic Wand" or "7 Secret Steps To Achieve Professional & Business Success Overnight" or "Press A Button" solution. Because there is none.
It's only that through these massive setbacks, successes, failures, hard work and achievements, I could figure out a systematic blueprint to approach the subject of "building technology business".
All of us work hard, but success happens much faster when you follow a proven system of those who’ve already made the mistakes, and keep improving.
That's it !
The little baby steps, tons of hard work is guaranteed to take us further on our journey and goals. That's the only idea of sharing my story with you.
May You Achieve Your Desired Goals, Wishing You Amazing Life & Success,
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