I love to share with potential professional partners that I am the product of entrepreneurial parents. After reaching his career peak at IBM, my dad chose to go out on his own and start his own business machine sales and service company. Throughout my childhood, I went on sales and service calls with my dad. 99% of these were government offices, hospitals, businesses, schools, and churches that made up our community. I spent many hours on sales and service calls with dad, did my homework while he installed drum and developer, stopped to talk to a customer or prospects multiple times per day, ate breakfast as dad wrote out his list of calls every day, and competitors, brochures and proposal wins and losses were discussed at the dinner table.
Our family was an extension of the business brand. I learned that what customers think about your products and services is HUGE. Products, proposals, competitive pricing, market size, inventory, supply chain, scalability, reputation, and relationships were a part of my upbringing like learning your first language. My siblings and I were famously called to the office throughout our school years to replace the toner or clear a paper jam from the copier. My mom would have me help with invoicing, taking out the trash, calling for copier readings, and making deliveries to put money into my college fund. I have been living in a B2B world for as long as I can remember and thrive on helping businesses be successful because it is in my blood.
It may sound like a terribly boring way to grow up, but it taught me how to talk to people, to not be afraid to work hard, do what is needed to achieve goals, and put yourself out there with a ton of hustle.
My Father's Daughter
My father's U.S. Navy Communications and IBM background made him very adept with machines, technology, and media. He played in the Navy Drum and Bugle Corpse and a rock-n-roll band. For even more fun, he enjoyed restoring British Sports cars. My dad has an excellent eye for color and original design and developed an ear for music. He is meticulous with his work and himself, and values care and humility. I was exposed to British electrical systems, Classic and British Rock music, and design standards before I could drive. It built confidence in getting my hands dirty and developed a perspective on how things work together mechanically, and opened my mind to different art forms and media. I played endlessly with our home video camera and other crazy fresh technology, making songs and movies with my siblings and friends, and my father and I always discussed song lyrics, great presentations, advertising, and messaging.
But Mom Knows Best
My mother didn't miss the opportunity to ensure I got some super applicable skills for writing, finance as well as form, layout, organization, and branding. My mother read to me and my older brother and sister. She taught me about accounting, budgeting, and research. She also made most of my clothes. This meant I spent hours in the pattern books with her and learned about design, creative processes, and bringing themes to life by hand.
Moreover, my resourceful mom put money aside for her children to go to college, something she had not been able to do herself. When it came time for me to put my college fund to use, I did the math and figured out that if I took more classes, I could graduate sooner. My college transcript shows the semesters I took 19 and 24 credit hours to graduate a year early. I figured whatever money I made my first year after college was a BONUS to me! My pursuit and receipt of my MBA was also on a budget and tight timeline with a 4.0 GPA. To this day, you can count on me to blow out every no-cost marketing and business development opportunity that makes sense for your business and to manage budgets like they are my own.
Back to Business
In 2012, my parents sold Southern Technical Services and retired. It was just before I got married to my husband Kristopher, who, of course, had to also be business-minded to survive in this family. My parents have been able to enjoy some much-deserved rest following 40 years in business. I am proud of my entire family, my background, and everything that brought all of us here. I know it is a privileged upbringing, and I try to bless my parents with a little payback for their investment in me. Such as in 2006, when Van Morrison did a 5 venue tour of the U.S. I scored tickets for the folks. I think they loved it.
What did you learn from your childhood that you have taken into your career with great results? Share your story.
Read More Things Like This from Robin:
Don't believe me that I took 24 college credit hours? Check my transcript and remember I did not major in a super complex math or science discipline.