Lesson in Humility
Every so often I have been known to tell tales of 3M days gone by as a lesson for my sales reps right now. It's not every day that I get to act all wise and grizzled but occasionally the opportunity does present itself and never known to be shy. . I go off on a tangent.
Way back in 1984 or so I was quite the success selling 3M Microfilm Systems in New Jersey. Now selling microfilm back then was tough duty. We reps at 3M were up against Kodak and Kodak was the Top Dog in the industry.
Funny when I reflect how the 3M brand used to mean something in window films in the old days but compared to Kodak and that Eastman Kodak Yellow Box, well we were the small guys against their Goliath.
Anyway. . I was having a pretty good year having broken the record for the most microfilm cameras ever sold in one year in 3M Microfilm history.
That history went back to the 1950's so I was feeling rather good about myself. The Ego was hugely inflated.
My 3M boss at the time Jack Kelly, alerted me that I would be getting some type of special award and expensive gift at the upcoming National Sales Meeting.
Imagine that??
Wow I thought. .now I get to do some bragging in front of everyone (there were over 300 3M microfilm reps at that time!)
The big moment comes and Lovell Baker who was the National Sales Manager of Microfilm steps up to the microphone and begins a tribute to the success of one rep in New Jersey who broke the camera record, blah blah blah. .he pauses and says "How about some applause for Marty Feldman!!"
Marty Feldman???
The GUY with the bug eyes??
I never lost that "nickname" for the next 7 years in microfilm 3M.
No matter how important you think you are it sure helps to have a sense of humor!!
Plus I learned to never forget a name!!
By the way - -they gave me a lousy 3M Pen. .
A Pen coincidentally that I have every customer use when they sign our Advanced Film Solutions orders!
Irony
Way back in 1984 or so I was quite the success selling 3M Microfilm Systems in New Jersey. Now selling microfilm back then was tough duty. We reps at 3M were up against Kodak and Kodak was the Top Dog in the industry.
Funny when I reflect how the 3M brand used to mean something in window films in the old days but compared to Kodak and that Eastman Kodak Yellow Box, well we were the small guys against their Goliath.
Anyway. . I was having a pretty good year having broken the record for the most microfilm cameras ever sold in one year in 3M Microfilm history.
That history went back to the 1950's so I was feeling rather good about myself. The Ego was hugely inflated.
My 3M boss at the time Jack Kelly, alerted me that I would be getting some type of special award and expensive gift at the upcoming National Sales Meeting.
Imagine that??
Wow I thought. .now I get to do some bragging in front of everyone (there were over 300 3M microfilm reps at that time!)
The big moment comes and Lovell Baker who was the National Sales Manager of Microfilm steps up to the microphone and begins a tribute to the success of one rep in New Jersey who broke the camera record, blah blah blah. .he pauses and says "How about some applause for Marty Feldman!!"
Marty Feldman???
The GUY with the bug eyes??
I never lost that "nickname" for the next 7 years in microfilm 3M.
No matter how important you think you are it sure helps to have a sense of humor!!
Plus I learned to never forget a name!!
By the way - -they gave me a lousy 3M Pen. .
A Pen coincidentally that I have every customer use when they sign our Advanced Film Solutions orders!
Irony
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