2000 Imperfect Actions that turns into million dollars.
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When I start my first stated my Computer Company 15 years ago with $300 dollars, I had to do a lot of cold calls. I had just quest my job at the Dentist office and to start my own business. My husband kept his job so that we would have at least one pay check. This was before the days of the internet, and people did business by phone and fax machine. The only way for me to get the word out about my business was to cold call. I had no business; it was just me in my house.
My goal was to make 100 cold calls every day. I remember thinking to myself that is easy enough; I have a great products and great price. People are going to be happy that I called. By the end of the day someone will buy something form me.
Well, after my first 7 calls… I was so discouraged. People said to me “How did you get this number?!” I was hanged up on, screamed at, and cursed at… I couldn’t believe none of them would even want to hear what I had to say.
A part of me wanted to stop calling. I thought to myself. “This day had started out bad, maybe I should try again tomorrow. Wait for a new day! Or maybe I can watch a little TV…take a break!? No one would know…”
But then, there is the other part of me that knew that I cannot stop! I needed to get some support, something to keep me going. So, I call my husband at his work. I recalled telling him how bad it was, I was totally emotional and almost in tears. My dear husband said one sentence to me, “Honey, you just got to get back on the phone.” So, I did. I made 93 more calls that day. No sells. I continue to make 100 calls every day for 2 weeks until I got my first sales. Two thousand calls and I sold one$14.00 floppy drive plus labor. Then when I got to my customer with my floppy drive, I found out that I got a bad floppy drive unit. An item that normally only has 1% failure rate. Yep! I had that one in a hundred in my hands…
To make a long story short I survived. Two months later my husband quit his job to join me in our company. Six months into our business, we have hired a full time sales person and part time technician. Our business was getting to be too much to be in our house, so we moved to our first shop. Three years later we became a Corporation. Twelve years after our start day, I sold our multi million dollars corporation for a very profitable amount and I retired for the first time.
The point to all of this is. Yes, it took 2000 calls to sale the first $14 dollar product. But the rest of the sales did get easier. And had I stop after the first 7 calls I would never found out.
2000 Imperfect Actions that turns into millions.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Other related post by Giovanna
Giovanna,
I loved this story. Wow, I didn’t realise you were a retired millionaire! Hats off to you. It’s personal stories like this that we need to hear everytime we feel discouraged because the results aren’t appearing as quickly as we’d like them to. Thank you so much for sharing this. I will remember your story for a long time.
Hi Giovanna
You certainly have come far. Wonderful!
You are right, they say that so many people quit when they are just about to make a breakthrough.
Juliet
Hi Gio .. & you continue on with your perseverance .. it’s great you’re still out there working & learning as you go .. doing imperfect actions to get improvement & then get more challenges ..
Thanks for sharing the story .. Hilary
Hi Daphne
Well, my retirement lasted than 6 months. Because that was when I found I life purpose in life, is to spread the philosophy of Imperfect Action is better than No Action. So that other can do the same.
Thanks for you comment and support to the philosophy.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Juliet
The main reason of me doing my work is to spread the philosophy of Imperfect Action it to inspire people to contiune to take action and don’t quit unti they get to where they want to go.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Hilary
It is after I sold the company that is when I realized my purpose in life is to spread the philosophy of Imperfect Action. So that it can inspire and empower other to achieve their dreams.
Thanks for your comment
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Wow- great story about perseverance! Edison comes to mind as well- 10,000 + attempts till he got that first working light bulb. You are an inspiration to us all Giovanna!
Hi Jay
I am just an every day folks whom keep taking actions. And I wish that for everyone
Thanks for your comment, I enjoy reading them.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Giovanna, It was great knowing this part of your story in more details. We all be disappointed, depressed, or feel agravated one way or the other. But despite of going through these emotions, if quite, nothing left. We will go trough these emotions again. So we should not quit. Thank you for your sharing.
Hi Shaw
Yes, we can’t quit! Keep it up on youur dreams you will get there.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your thoughtwith us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
This good and inspiring story indeed.
Resonates with Michael Jordan’s NIKE ad - “I failed that, and i missed that. I kept trying failing agian and again. …..That is why I succeed” or something like that
Thank for the encouragement!
I’m new to your blog, but this was a great story. Thank you for sharing, it is easy to give up when we feel “beaten”, support and determination is critical! Congratulations to you and good luck with your endeavors now. I love the name - imperfect action is better than no action.
No more excuses right!
Hi Shaw
The key to it all is to keep doing it and don’t quite. That is the only way to be great at anything.
Thanks for your comment and sharing with us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Alik
You are right about Michael Jordan, he didn’t become the Michael Jordan that we know until he try, try and try again. That is the way to success.
Thanks for your comment and added with the Michael Jordan story.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Jacques
That is right, just do it! That is what we have to do.
Thanks for your comment.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Stacey
Welcome to my blog. I am glad you enjoy the blog. When we feel beaten that is when we must go on, because that is the time we will find out what we are made of.
Thanks for your comment and I look forward to reading more of them
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
I’m just in AWE, Giovanna, that you were able to make those 2000 phone calls! Two weeks is not a long time, but two weeks of ‘face to face’ hostility and rejection is a LOT to handle!
Hi Emma
It did feel like a lot at the time, but now looking back it looks to be a small price to pay.
Thanks for your comment and sharing your thought with us.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
I love the results of persistent action!
Some challenges you can blast like dynamite while others are more like chipping away at the stone.
Hi J.D.
I really like what you said about “Some challenges you can blast like dynamite while others are more like chipping away at the stone.” Well said
Thank you for your comment and your added value to this post.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
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