Why I Dropped Out of College to Be a Salesman

[Ubermensch]

I am a salesman.

I started out reading books by Zig Ziglar, and Dale Carnegie. I learned the craft from seasoned and sleazy car salesman. Some of these guys more than dabble with The Force.

My early sales days began in my late teen years, after I dropped out of college (man, what a great move!).

Always be closing. That is my mantra. To me, "close the deal" rhymes with "live forever in history."

No, seriously. You should try being a salesman, or saleswoman... if you haven't already.

Does your customer have a need? Great! Do you fill this niche perfectly? Excellent. However, I have news for you... some very sad news...

Your customer is probably stupid. Don't get me wrong, your customer may be "educated," which only makes matters worse, because then they think they know everything. When, in fact, they don't know what the hell they're doing.

I am a salesman. I am proud to admit this. Technically, I am a business owner. Technically, I am always the CEO of my ventures. Technically, I am an entrepreneur, "in the true sense of the word."

@ChasingPaper Think fast. How many phone calls does it take to prove a whole website full of haters and doubters wrong?

See, here's the thing. There are SOME people out there who think that driving a car nice enough to work for Uber taxi service isn't success. There are SOME people out there who think that making six-figures a year ISN'T good enough.

You know what I want? You know who I want fighting next to me? I want the man or woman who is just as hungry as I am, someone who likes seeing commission checks that can buy some people's homes.

If you've read my posts on this forum, then you've probably noticed - like many have - that there's a whole lot of hate on me. People who don't know me, have never met me - and certainly have no clue about the mayhem going on - have said extremely hateful things.

Not that I'm complaining. The fact is, some of you read this and get fired up. You can't help but respect the defiant will to be great coursing through these sentences. You recognize that I AM FASTLANE, which is why I was quoted in the original copy of the book. You think that was a mistake? LOL. Maybe MJ's kicking himself for doing it... or is he?

Heh-heh-heh.

Anyway, let me tell you why I am a salesman. I a salesman, because you don't need a worthless college degree to sell. I am a salesman, because that is a great way to hone my gift of gab into a money-making skill. I am a salesman, because it allows me to live a global lifestyle. I am a salesman because this skill makes me a free agent to any marketplace at any time.

Jordan Belfort, the real Wolf of Wall Street, says in his training system that you have to sell yourself first. "You have to convince yourself that you're the shit," he emphasizes. I am glad I sold myself on the most important deal of my life: dropping out of college.

I am a salesman - and a proud college dropout - because being a salesman is the ultimate way to make money.

Are you like me? If so, then 2:58 - 3:25 is some of the most beautiful music you've ever heard.

If you're like me, you've hard it rough in life, and have fought through the worst of it. I remember, during some of the worst times, a friend of mine told me "dude, find something to sell."

I am a salesman. I enjoy hunting down customers. I enjoy the art of the close. Nothing excites me more than overcoming objections, getting the prospect to sign on the dotted line, watching commissions deposit into my bank account. I am a salesman, and want to be the number #1 salesman.

I am a salesman, and I want to be the Michael Jordan of sales. I want multiple championships. I am a salesman, and I am here to show the little children that they don't have to be an athlete or an entertainer to make crazy bread... to make panty-dropping, Bugatti-buying money.

 

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[BlakeIC]

Yay

 

[ChrisJTurner]

Just the pure ratio between how many messages you have wrote vs likes, shows that you offer more value than the haters think.

Though, I have noticed you have been on the forum for almost 7 years, what have you been up to with your time?

 

[S&P]

Hell yeah!!!

 

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[M&A]

I am a salesman.

I am a salesman, and I want to be the Michael Jordan of sales. I want multiple championships. I am a salesman, and I am here to show the little children that they don't have to be an athlete or an entertainer to make crazy bread... to make panty-dropping, Bugatti-buying money.

Takes guts to do what you did and drop out, I did the same after I started making a bit of money.

I have one question though, I am trying to sell wall/pool/floor tiles to national tile companies, I am offering them a 100-300% mark up (I am quoting them $6 per tile but they retail at $12-24 for similar styles)

How would you go about this since you are extensively trained in this field ?

I have just been contacting them by email with a sales pitch I created and I hope to hear back sometime this week.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Love the new lambo you bought OP, looks really nice, glad to see you made it and have started posting again for the 18th time or so.

Does this mean you now have 18 lamborghinis? Sick life, I look up to you.

Very jealous of your life and lifestyle, especially those 6 figure phone calls. Respect.

 

[AllenCrawley]

Another thread that the whole purpose is to remind everyone that MJ quoted you in his book. Sigh.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

Another thread that the whole purpose is to remind everyone that MJ quoted you in his book. Sigh.

I think he also wants us to know that he is a salesman.

16 mentions of being a salesman, not including the title

 

[Ubermensch]

Just the pure ratio between how many messages you have wrote vs likes, shows that you offer more value than the haters think.

Though, I have noticed you have been on the forum for almost 7 years, what have you been up to with your time?

Working, brother. Working.

I have a very low post count, because I spend my time hustling, not posting in forums.

You know what my haters are like? They're like those people who post negative comments below Youtube videos... I see these people, and I think to myself: Why are you posting this? What are you hoping to accomplish?

My haters need someone to hate. Why do you think they can't help but post in my threads... threads they just hate so much?

Oh, well. Back to the money. Hm. Maybe that's what makes the haters mad. The fact that I'm gettin' it.

 

[Ubermensch]

Love the new lambo you bought OP, looks really nice, glad to see you made it and have started posting again for the 18th time or so.

Does this mean you now have 18 lamborghinis? Sick life, I look up to you.

Very jealous of your life and lifestyle, especially those 6 figure phone calls. Respect.

Not trying to make you jealous of my lifestyle, GC. Fact is, even though my presentation upsets you, it inspires others. I don't write for you. I write for them.

Like I've said before, there are people on this site who've seen my credentials. Not that you would. Because you're not good enough. You're a sad, empty, worthless human being.

Haha. Just kidding. I mean, why would I say that, 'cause I don't know you. Hahahaha. Man, I love messing you haters!

 

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[Ubermensch]

Takes guts to do what you did and drop out, I did the same after I started making a bit of money.

I have one question though, I am trying to sell wall/pool/floor tiles to national tile companies, I am offering them a 100-300% mark up (I am quoting them $6 per tile but they retail at $12-24 for similar styles)

How would you go about this since you are extensively trained in this field ?

I have just been contacting them by email with a sales pitch I created and I hope to hear back sometime this week.

Couple thoughts.

One, evolve beyond e-mail marketing. It's too easy for someone to just delete and ignore your message. Find a way to get the decision maker on the phone, especially if you're trying to land national accounts.

Also, imagine what would happen if you tried contacting local and regional wall/pool/floor guys, instead of just hunting the whales. You could probably find phone numbers for those guys real quick in the yellow pages or on Manta.com.

 

[Digamma]

Ok, man. Budding salesman here. Dropped out of college too, tried a few things, made some cash.
Now I'm getting more and more interested in selling as "the" skill to focus on. I was a developer, but F*ck that, I hate doing it professionally.

Got any advice? I'm currently starting doing some freelancing work and learning copywriting and marketing by doing it.
Hopefully, I'm gonna make some digital product too.

The idea being learning the basics and then move where the action is (geographically) to do stuff offline too.

 

[Ubermensch]

Ok, man. Budding salesman here. Dropped out of college too, tried a few things, made some cash.

Good, good.

Most people are scared of dropping out of college. If you can sell, you shouldn't be afraid at all. If you can sell, you'll always be in demand by the hottest and latest products and services.

Selling puts you in the position to go Fastlane immediately. There are plenty of Fastlane ideas out there already, fresh markets to attack, juicy niches to exploit. The owners and creators of these Fastlane concepts have a need themselves; they need to sell their product. So, be their dream come true.

Here's my advice. Get good at all aspects of selling. Perfect your craft. Approach it the way a Ninja approaches his life. Study the greats. Learn Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Study Jordan Belfort's Straight Line System. Read Thomas J. Stanley's books on selling and marketing strategies.

Get good to the point where you can sell to anyone - C-suite executives, Fortune 500 customers, small business owners, consumer... all levels. Eventually, focus on a niche, on a particular field you're good at. Finance? Real Estate? Insurance? Energy? Get so good that your results speak for themselves. Get so good that you walk into situations that may or may not offer a salary... it doesn't matter, because you'll sell on 100% commission and make way more money that way.

And if you're really smart, you'll internationlize yourself with all the fresh bread you'll be making.

It's a fresh new world out there. Go sell something.

 

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[RBefort]

I think you come off really wrong in your post, yet again. Haven't read a ton of your others, and wouldn't be in the class of "haters," but I think you should re-tone your post and turn this thread into some gold of some sort. Yeah, you said you were a salesman, you had haters, MJ quoted you or whatever that deal is. I've learned nothing in this post as far as a purpose, except hearing a new song. If you want to be of value, provide value to the forum. Gloating over and over to people about being a big salesman (which you haven't really provided proof of, not that we need/expect it) doesn't really do much for anyone. I can say over and over how cool of entrepreneur I am, big bad a$$, yada yada...what good does it do? Teach me something! Again, not hating you personally because I have nothing to "hate" or be "jealous" of (except this post).

EDIT: You finally did say something useful AFTER someone asked you the question for a tip. Can you just erase most of your OP?

 

[GuestUser113]

 

[mars]

I don't get all the request of proof from @Ubermensch? Isn't the reference in the book enough? As long as I have been on this forum I have very rarely seen anyone actually provide "proof" - bank statement, income tax, screenshots.

If there are people that have shared income with the forum can we see those links?

 

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[theag]

 

[Bila]

You are a salesman and a true poet.

 

[randomnumber314]

Nobody is "hating on you" because they think you're not making money, it's most likely because you're the Charlie Sheen of the forum who feels the need to "leave this place until you make it" about once a month, then return and pontificate about how you're "winning." Do you realize that at least one person who replied to your OP is busy building a brand that is going to be worth millions? He's not writing posts about how hard his life was and how great he is. He is just killing it, quietly.

Grow up Charlie.

 

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[randomnumber314]

Just the pure ratio between how many messages you have wrote vs likes, shows that you offer more value than the haters think.

Though, I have noticed you have been on the forum for almost 7 years, what have you been up to with your time?

Is that sarcasm? You've been here for 11 days and have 1/6th of his Rep bank that's taken him 7 years to amass.

 

[Lathan]

Honestly, I just read a whole lot of nothing. I just don't feel like much was said in all of that text.

This seems like something you should write in your personal journal or something.

I see these people, and I think to myself: Why are you posting this? What are you hoping to accomplish?

Oddly enough, I think to myself that very same thing when I read your posts.

 

[ChrisJTurner]

Is that sarcasm? You've been here for 11 days and have 1/6th of his Rep bank that's taken him 7 years to amass.

I dont know how you misunderstood that as sarcasm?

... you know what they say about assumptions?

It was just a simple question given that he has been on the forum for so long and amassed so many likes and was just curious to know what he has been up to.
Aint nothing wrong with seeking wisdom brother.
To be fair, I am not that kind of guy to be sarcastic. I am here to seek advice/give advice and hopefully gain wisdom along the way.

Peace

 

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[Ubermensch]

Just the pure ratio between how many messages you have wrote vs likes, shows that you offer more value than the haters think.

Though, I have noticed you have been on the forum for almost 7 years, what have you been up to with your time?

I dont know how you misunderstood that as sarcasm?

... you know what they say about assumptions?

It was just a simple question given that he has been on the forum for so long and amassed so many likes and was just curious to know what he has been up to.
Aint nothing wrong with seeking wisdom brother.
To be fair, I am not that kind of guy to be sarcastic. I am here to seek advice/give advice and hopefully gain wisdom along the way.

Peace

I didn't take your post as sarcasm.

Relative to other members with a long forum lifespan, I do not have many forum points. One reason is that I often give points away; a couple of months ago, I gave away $1,000 points.

The main reason, however, is that I simply do not post very often. Around 2008, I stopped posting, because I started a moderately successful business. With all due respect, this forum is not vital to my life. I do not have a posting addiction, nor do I feel a need to prove myself to people who don't know me.

Today, my reason for posting is the same as when I began. My posts are like fishing. In a sea full of haters, I get "bites" from people who like the bait in my posts. My posts aren't for every fish in the sea. My posts are for the kid who feels like this:

My posts are for the guy or girl who think that a movie like Boiler Room doesn't have to have a crappy ending, where the whole concept of getting rich turns out to be a farce. My posts are for the guy or girl who sees through the B.S. life that's pitched to him from an early age.

My posts are for the person who is obsessed enough with Gordon Gekko and Bud Fox that they are able to quote his lines, like the above scene in Boiler Room.

"I just don't get it man!? I read your post and I get motivated. I see myself in your post. But, I see so much hate from the forum. When have people here ever showed proof of income or value creation..short of MJ in the book. But, everything you post has to be meet with doubt and extreme hate. I didn't hear all this shit in JackEdwards threads or Zendolphins threads. And we all know how that ended."

I won't share the user's identity, because that's not important, and I did not receive his permission to do so. Yet, the fact that I motivated someone is cool to me, especially because I made many of the posts on this forum precisely when I was feeling unmotivated. Sometimes, I posted when going through extreme depression and pain.

I am a salesman. I have worked 100% commission gigs since the age of 19, so I know the pain of the grind, and I know how the game can beat you up. My words on this site should be a reminder to anyone (including myself) out there trying to get it that there may be long periods of pain: Periods when those closest to you doubt you, periods when, in the words of Nietzsche: Every morsel of life that you chew is bitter and hard to swallow.

I know the affect that my words have on people, because I keep it real. I was honest about the pain I went through. @S&P knows that gain does NOT come without pain. In my posts, he detected astronomical levels of self-belief, an indomitable attitude that now fuels the fire he breathes.

People will continue to misunderstand my posts, to take statements out of context, distort their meaning and blow them out of proportion. They will still get their panties all in a bunch, because they don't like (or can't understand) the frequency or infrequency of my posts. They will still get all huffy about my "grand declarations" or my cocky attitude.

[

 

[axiom]

Another thread that the whole purpose is to remind everyone that MJ quoted you in his book. Sigh.

Holy sh*t... I didn't know @Ubermensch was quoted in the book.

@Thiago Machado @Cyriex Did you guys know that?