More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Every day in my house was deals day; everything was up for negotiation.
The quality of an answer is determined by the quality of the question.
An opportunity means change. An opportunity means action. But most of all, an opportunity means the chance of failure. And it’s the potential for failure, more than failure itself, that stops so many people from beginning anything.
“So you’re either incredibly smart or just someone who knows how to do what’s asked of them incredibly well. Which is it?”
Reader: Ending a pitch with “Sound fair?” is a common sales tactic. Most people don’t want to be viewed as unfair or unreasonable, so they’re more likely to give in, especially when what someone is pitching does sound fair enough. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
As far as anyone was concerned, our home was their home, and in some ways, the family you choose can be stronger than the one you’re given or, in my case, missing.
Reader: Believing that you can somehow prevent change is the surest way to fail. Whether in life or sales, nothing ever stays the same.
“He’s going to choke like B-Rabbit in 8 Mile!” someone shouted.
Reader: If you are a Black man, the key to any white person’s heart is the ability to shuck, jive, or freestyle. But use it wisely and sparingly. Otherwise you’re liable to turn into Steve Harvey.
He was a privileged son of a bitch, but he actually did believe in what he was saying and what the company stood for. I had to give him that.
I should’ve known from the Middle Passage to never trust a white man who says, “Take a seat.” It could be your last.
master’s in organizational psychology from USC,
Poor people and God usually go hand in hand because it’s easier to explain why some people have so much and others have so little when there’s a master plan.
I’m tired of all these mind games. Every day is a test, and it all jus’ seems mad unfair, you know? Like why do I gotta be twice as good?” “You gotta play their game to be able to win it, D. And it doesn’ matter if you gotta be twice or three times as good. What matters is that you don’ let them beat you once, and say, ‘Game over.’ ’Cause if you quit now, it’s gonna be much harder to get back up.”
Contrary to popular belief, “fairness” has no place in sales. It is not a meritocracy. Every salesperson comes into the game with a different set of advantages and disadvantages, but it’s knowing how to double down on what makes you special that will help you get ahead.
I just stared at him. He went on to explain what the other SDR teams were named. Prospect-tang Clan Tupac ShaCall A Tribe Called Qualify De La Sales LauRing Hill Christ. This is what happens when you have a company with zero Black people in it.
Salespeople are often separated into two camps: those who love to win and those who hate to lose. Before joining Sumwun, I was one of the latter. But once you taste what it feels like to win, to really win something meaningful—like your spot on the dream team—you will do everything to protect that feeling. Be careful of winning, it’s one of the most dangerous things you can ever do.
I know it’ll make me sound soft, but every time I saw her felt like I was seeing her for the first time, like the earth only orbited the sun so it could see her from all angles.
“Thanks, but no thanks. Uber is a predatory company that takes advantage of immigrants; ignores safety precautions for its riders, especially women; and is everything that’s wrong in a world run by narrow-minded, solely profit-driven white men.”
I looked out the window, closed my eyes, and heard Ma’s voice. It’s the duty of every man and woman who has achieved some success in life to pass it on, because when we’re gone, what matters most isn’t what we were able to attain but who we were able to help.
“Rule number one,” I shouted, making them all straighten up. “Only friends are allowed in, and they must be people of color. We’re not against white people, but we are simply ignoring them. They’ve had a mile head start and we’re only a few feet off the starting line.
Once you learn how to sell, to truly sell, anything is possible.”
Reader: Hell hath no fury like a white man scorned. Especially in the world of business. If you’re going to do something to piss them off, be prepared for them to strike back sooner or later.
“I want to know whether you’re involved with these Happy Campers. I want you to look me in the eye and tell me you’re not behind this. Because if you are, you’re compromising everything we’ve done here by bringing race into the mix. If you hadn’t noticed, race isn’t all that popular a topic these days, especially for startups.” Funny. Race was popular when he brought me on Rise and Shine, America for “optics.”
“Race isn’t popular, Buck. It’s a dirty word. But diversity isn’t. Everyone’s talking about it. And the more people talk about it, the more attention it’ll bring to whoever’s leading the charge. And since you’ve hired more than a handful of”—he paused—“people of color, who better to present on this than you, right?”