The most important job I ever had...

Out of all the jobs I have ever held, the one that had the most impact on my life was Newspaper Logistics Engineer, more commonly referred to as “paper boy.”? It was my first job that came with a paycheck and I started when I was twelve years old. When I started my town had two newspapers. Let me rephrase that. My town had one news organization that published two papers per day. You read that correctly. We had a morning paper and an afternoon paper. So obviously I wanted an afternoon route, since sleep was such a valuable commodity to the pre-teen mind. Nope. All the “choice” routes were taken and the only ones that were available were for the morning paper. I didn’t care. I accepted the only morning route that was within walking distance to my house. Each day at 5am, a lady came by and dropped off about 35 papers that I had to fold up, shove into my double-sided body bag (not sure of the actual name of that device), lugged them about a half mile in the pitch dark of early morning to the start of my route and began dispensing them door to door - not in mailboxes, not thrown on the front lawn, but on the porch or through the mail slot, whatever the customer had requested.? Did I mention that 35 morning papers weighed approximately 40 pounds? And, if memory serves me correctly, it was either 20 degrees below zero, snowing, raining, or all of the above, every day. There was one day when the roads were icy, it was freezing and there was a steady downpour. Midway through my route was a brutal hill that I had to hike (it was always the most dreaded part of my day). On that day I got about two-thirds up the hill, slipped on the ice and slid down to the bottom. My entire body writhed in pain. I was freezing, angry and soaking wet now carrying a giant bag full of soggy, unreadable newspapers. And since it would be 15 years before I owned a cell phone, I couldn’t get in touch with my Dad and ask for help. I just had to trudge through, finish delivering the papers and limp home to nurse my impending frostbite.

Admittedly, not every day was as harrowing, but most involved some degree of unpleasantness. And all of this for a meager sum of around $12 per week, with tips being my primary source of income, though they were infrequent. Adding to the challenge, I had to collect the money myself, going door to door, not just once a week, but often on a daily basis. The odds of customers being home on the day I came knocking were not in my favor.

Reflecting over 40 years later, I recognize that this seemingly humble job was the most significant of my life, imparting invaluable life lessons. It instilled a strong work ethic, as I faced the elements each day at 5 am. The perseverance required to complete the route and the tenacity needed for collecting payments became inherent in my character. This experience also taught me the true value of a dollar, earned through hard work and determination.

But the most valuable lesson I learned from my time as a paperboy was this – how to sell. Allow me to elaborate. Throughout my tenure with said news organization there would be various campaigns to enroll new customers along my route.? The “prizes” usually amounted to one or, maybe, five dollars for each customer you signed up.? I tried a couple of times but generally, every house on my route either already got the morning paper or had already indicated their lack of interest - remember, most houses already got the evening paper and were not interested in, yet, another one.

Eagerly, I set out to enroll as many new subscribers as possible, envisioning reaching the coveted hundred-dollar milestone. The reality, however, was that I enrolled no one. Yet, in this apparent failure, I unearthed the most profound business lesson of my life. My sales pitch remained consistent for every house, essentially offering nothing. A pivotal moment occurred when a prospect questioned the rationale for subscribing to the morning paper when they already received the evening edition—a valid query. My response? To earn $10 and possibly win a trip to Disneyworld. This prompted the prospect to enlighten me: to gain a new customer, I needed to demonstrate how the subscription would benefit them, not merely focus on my gains. While this wisdom may seem evident now, it was a revelation for a twelve-year-old.

The mantra I gleaned that day has proven invaluable in myriad aspects of my life, despite never pursuing a career in sales. We are constantly engaged in selling, whether aiming to secure a job or prevail in an argument. The key lies in showcasing the benefits for the other party, a strategy that often leads to successful outcomes.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, that formidable first job offered lessons about life and work surpassing what any undergraduate or postgraduate courses could provide. I am grateful for the experience and empathize with today's young people, who may miss out on such transformative opportunities.