The Business Fixer Blog by Wes Schaeffer, The Sales Whisperer®

Hear How Jesse Hallock Took An Idea to $70 Million...In Flip Flops

Written by Wes Schaeffer | May 17, 2017

Protect yourself while growing...so you can continue to grow

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Sales Tips you'll learn in The Sales Podcast...

How long have you been in sales? Started when he was 17. He was money-motivated but didn't know how he was going to do it.  

How did you get started? Took a year off of college to sell Motorla Razors and Q when those were hot.

He started at T-Mobile and became #1 and earned $17,000 in his first month. (2006-2007)

Zagg—inventor of the invisible shield for your devices—came out and he would refer people to them like crazy.

Jesse thought he could do a better job so he and a co-worker started testing about 500 different products that they thought would work to compete with Zagg. 

They made a trip from Utah to Arizona since it was the top T-Mobile market and Zagg had no presence in the malls there. Signed a lease in the mall there and started selling "Ghost Armor."

Sold $75 the first day. (Three sales.)

They wore ties like that did at T-Mobile then decided to go in with flip flops, t-shirts, and shorts and made about $150.

The first Saturday they sold $850 on

250 locations, 1,000+ employees, etc

Lots of speed bumps.

Three months into their venture their manufacturer just quit.

Three months after that their new manufacturer launched a competitive brand so they took steps to protect themselves and control the manufacturing process.

5 stores in 2008.

2012 they did $70 million.

Retail branding in the malls helped them expand.

They offered great customer service.The experience and culture made the difference.

Sold off the corporate locations and just kept Arizona.

Sold it all in 2014.

His partner got into a bad addiction and three years into their growth he committed suicide.

What sales method do you follow? Empathy is key. Listening is key. Ask great questions.

Private Life

What is in your library? Hundreds. Don't read a book and try to be the book.

What are you reading now? The Illiad

How do you prevent a slump? Live with passion. If you look hard enough you'll find a problem.

Changes

How have markets/sales changed in 5 years? Customers have more access to information than ever before. Educate your customer. Become an authority in your space. People buy when they're ready. 

Alternative Universe

If you were not in sales, what would you do instead? Loves "American Pickers," history, museums.

Final Advice

Do what you love.

Catch Up on Previous Episodes of The Sales Podcast 

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