Since I was the analytical guy in the group, they approached me to study the business model and give them my opinion. This included factors like how the compensation plan worked and how commissions are structured and paid out. The laws are very strict and they need companies to be transparent. In the process of my investigation over the course of a few months, I was intrigued at what I found. I was amazed at the long term income potential of this business. I knew I had to try it out myself.
So, you can say this business found me, rather than me finding the business. What was the switch like from pure banking to hard core marketing? Was it difficult? The two professions are worlds apart. As an investment banker, I never had to leave my desk. I never went out, never had to pitch anything to anyone. I would only brief the marketing guys as to the market conditions and what they should be recommending to clients. In complete contrast to that, in direct selling here you are in the frontline, selling stuff yourself to people.
This made me uncomfortable in the beginning because it was not my area of expertise. I had never done any kind of marketing in my entire life before this.
However, I saw the potential this business had and quite frankly I was tired of banking. Here was a fantastic business selling great products and services that people needed on a day to day basis.
It was not just about convincing people but about getting them to change their spending habits. For example, a can of Coke that sells for a dollar actually costs only 8 to 9 cents to produce. This convinced me of its success but this is where the misunderstandings about the direct selling industry also come from. One has to understand that when you sell a product at a fair price, and your customer is happy to pay that price for a product that is ethically and accurately described, it cannot be that such a business is dodgy and illegal.
I was fortunate in that I came from a finance background and that gave me a lot of credibility. The first person I spoke to was my chartered accountant. I wanted him to give me an opinion. Believe me, my CA got it faster than I did. So, to answer your question, it took me a day to get my first customer in the business.
After that there was no looking back. People come into QNET from many different backgrounds. And most successful leaders in QNET today have come up the hard way. But in your case, it seems like you made a seamless jump from a successful banking career to a successful networking career! How is that even possible? People have this perception that I was born with a golden spoon! Nothing could be further from the truth. I grew up in a middle class Indian family and frankly, we were broke through most of my childhood.
Unfortunately, as a child I inherited a severe form of eczema a skin condition from my father that left all exposed parts of skin with ugly rashes and break outs. Going to school was a nightmare because kids that age can be rather cruel and because of my appearance at the time, I used to be called a leper!
No one wanted to be friends with me. The condition subsided eventually when I was 11, but my self-confidence was at an all time low and to compound the problem, I developed a terrible stammer. Finally, when I was 16 my parents separated and the same week my younger sister, died in a car crash.
It ripped my family apart and was quite possibly the lowest point of my life. That could not have been an easy, especially at that age. Which makes your transformation all the more amazing. How did you overcome such a challenging phase in your life? Because of my circumstances, I had a lot of pent up aggression.
I decided to channel it into sports. I started playing badminton and tennis and eventually got good at it, which helped me gain self-confidence. It was only when I was around 18 that I finally got over my stammer.
Around this time, I also struck my path and being good at numbers, got into banking. Even then, it was not smooth sailing. I had to drop out due to lack of funds and take a break.
Once I dropped out, I joined a private equity firm and started doing quite well. I went back to school and got my MBA. Since then, I have dabbled in every facet of banking. There have been some good years and some bad years. I know I can pick myself and do it all over again if I have to. How different was it to mentally adjust to networking from banking? By nature I am not a natural networker. It has been a real test of my character. Network Marketing changed who I became.
For the first time in my life I was forced to deal with people and not numbers. And I think deep down in my soul, I just loved it. I was never liked by people because I tended to be a loner and a know-it-all.
Working with people has changed me over the years. Is there one thing you can identify as being a catalyst for your transformation? It literally flipped a switch in me. ISB played a major role in transforming me into a better person. I am now a happier person. VP Dev draws inspiration and motivation from an interesting character named Muhammad Ali. He goes to say that Muhammad Ali is a very misunderstood guy but not for a bit did he ever stop believing in himself.
Even when persecuted and shunned, Muhammad Ali stuck to his principles and never strayed from the truth. VP Dev fervently looks up to Muhammad Ali as his role model because of his value system and the fact that he believed in himself despite persistent opposition. VP Dev loves listening to a wide-ranged genre of music such as opera, RnB and soft rock. He also enjoys globe-trotting. He is passionate about new ventures and creating new businesses, always looking for hidden opportunities in every nook and cranny.
Aside from that, VP Dev is quite the party host and enjoys nothing more than throwing a good party and socializing. Truly living up to his Rockstar title! He goes further to express that battling your ego and emptying your cup is of utmost importance in your journey, be it in this business or any other endeavour you embark on.
Learn and absorb from those with seniority, more experience and better paychecks than you. Do not get stuck on your high horse, always believing that you know best. I have had to let go of many things, issues, where I knew I was right.
0コメント