Handle Success Like You Handle Failure

12.?????Handle?Success?Like You Handle?Failure

Both of my uncles are general contractors. After many years of blood, sweat, and tears poured into each jobsite, they each have successful companies. I grew up working for each of them as I learned the construction trades of framing, interior trim work, and remodeling. Shortly after college, I landed my first real job on the other side of the “construction fence” as a lumber salesman. For the next 10-plus years, I immersed myself into the role of an outside sales representative servicing contractors for a nationally known retail lumber yard. A commission-based sales position, combined with lumber being a volatile commodity in a recession, does not always bode well for a family of five. It was time to make a career change.?

In 2015, I came to Brikksen with an open mind and a ton of fresh ideas. As everyone who is in the fastener industry already knows, the learning curve for fasteners is long and brutal. I had spent years building business acumen in a difficult market with a commodity product. The combination of an overwhelming learning curve while working from a desk for an 8-hour day almost crushed me! But through perseverance, determination, a drive to succeed, and the challenge to become better I am still here. And I still have a ton of ideas.?

We are not always able to willfully mandate the events that happen in life. There are things within our control that we are responsible for. Things beyond our control occur are out of our hands. How we respond and how we handle things beyond predictability is called resolve. Being forced to learn a new industry while not having the freedom to set my own schedule and interact face-to-face with customers was challenging. It forced me to reexamine how I conducted business and taught me new approaches to become a better sales representative.?

Handling success like you handle failure forces you to set goals. It is more difficult to stay on top than it is to continue the climb to success. We celebrate wins here at Brikksen, and we praise hard work and effort. Yet we continuously evaluate how we can improve, and we propel ourselves to achieve the next level of success. However, our success is not always based upon sales figures and profit. Our goal is to further professional development, groom young fastener professionals, and provide value-added information to the fastener industry.?

Always look for ways to improve personally and find avenues to advance the organization for the better. Take time to evaluate the areas within your control and then make the necessary adjustments. Handle success like you handle failure by constantly sharpening the tools you have been given and by finding more effective ways to hone your craft.?