I love a good success story, and today I have
a good one. It involves a salesperson named
Mary Anne, who got to the top of the mountain,
fell, and reached the top again.
Mary Anne started her sales career about 12
years ago, and became Rookie of the Year in
her organization. She finished in the top five
the next year, and hit numero uno in year three.
She held that position for three years, and
then fell off her throne, tumbling into mediocrity
for years.
A lot of things happened over the years, an
unsuccessful marraige, too much booze, and way,
way too much food. When Mary Anne started her
sales career she weighed around 135 pounds,
and it would be fair to say that she turned a lot of
heads. After the marraige broke down she gained
a little weight.
Like 100 pounds in two years.
She was, as she she will tell you, fat. And the
fatter she got, the worse everything got. She
will tell you that the old saw about fat people
being jolly isn't true at all.
She tried dieting, and failed at that a couple
of dozen times.
She entertained thoughts about killing herself.
Then by chance she found herself at a restaurant
buffet in front of a very fit looking man. As she was
loading up her plate in true buffet molester style,
she heard someone say, "Put that back."
She turned, and he said, "That's enough food for
a family of four." Then he smiled, and said, "Bon
appetite!" She took her plate back to her table
and took a few bites, and then couldn't eat anymore.
She took her plate, located the fit looking guy and
dropped the plate off on his table. She then walked
away in tears.
She was a couple of steps out the front door when
she turned and saw he was right behind her. He
handed her a card, and said "I can help you." Then
he went back in.
It took her six weeks to call. She made an appointment,
and went in.The fit guy barraged her with questions for
over an hour, then told her how much his services cost.
He wasn't cheap. In fact, he was expensive.
But she signed the contract. Every time she visited him
over the first six weeks she thought she was going to die.
He had handouts and instructions and plans and even
visited her home to clean out her pantry,refrigerator,
and freezer.
At the 12 week mark she discovered that she looked
forward to their sessions. Another strange thing was
happening at work. She was climbing back to the top
of the chart.
At 24 weeks she had lost 54 pounds. She discovered
that the guys at work had a pool running on her weight
loss. A lot of them were betting against her.
At 36 weeks she had shed 70 pounds, and was back
in the top five performers. A lot of men seemed interested
in her again, and the sales just kept rolling along.
At 51 weeks Mary Anne weighed 135 pounds, 100
pounds less than a year previous. The next week, when
all the sales figures for the year were released, she was
number one by $100 dollars.
This year she leads the pack by $50,000. She has
two pictures on her desk. One is her Rookie of Year
picture. The other is her buffet molester picture,
where she weighs 235. Most people don't believe
both pictures are her.
There is a huge relationship between fitness and
performance. I can attest to that personally. I've
never been fat, but the more exercise I get, the
better I feel, and the more sales I make.
Every company should have a fitness program.
If you want to lower the cost of health care, this
is where to start.
From the big saddle,
Jim Whelan
The Chairman of the Board
P.S. Things are pretty shipshape around the
office today, I think I'll take a nice spin on my
bicycle. It seems like perfect day for a 30 mile ride.
thejamesrwhelanagency.com
206 407 3124
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