It is not the great food that makes you take a step back when you enter the room, it is the incredible caliber of student that fills it.  Each week as Dan Moore announces the winners I am inspired by their accomplishments off of the bookfield.   I recall telling the students I worked with as a Sales Manager that they were most likely going to be successful with or without Southwestern.  Southwestern is merely a catalyst to get you where you want to go faster with better preparation.   These students have learned to overcome challenges and live by Spencer Hays’ motto, “There are two kinds of people in the world: Some find an excuse, and others find a way.”

Last Thursday we were honored to have Southwestern alumni Sam & Cynthia (Dishman) Kirk join us at the President’s Club dinner.  Their son Eugune is going on his second summer with Southwestern and was enjoying some well earned steak.  As the dinner was winding down, Sam recalled how he was with Southwestern for seventeen years and built a tremendous organization.   Sam and Cynthia started Youth About Business, a non profit organization, ten years ago to provide entrepreneurial training to young people in America’s cities.

Sam mentioned to the students headed to the bookfield that one of the greatest lessons he learned at Southwestern was the meaning of success.   So many of us have trouble feeling successful even when we accomplish amazing things.  Sam reminded us that success is doing your best every day.  There are so few things in life we can control, but when we lay our heads down at night we know if we did our best – and that is how we should measure success.   I am so blessed to still work at Southwestern where I have wonderful mentors that surround me and remind me of these lessons.  For those of you who are not so lucky I thought I would include a poem that I think you will recall from your years on the bookfield.

The One in the Glass
by Dale Wimbrow, ©1934

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that one has to say.

For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife
Who judgment upon you must pass.
The person whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the person to please, never mind all the rest,
The one with you clear up to the end.
And you’ve passed your most dangerous and difficult test
If the one in the glass is your friend.

He may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears,
If you’ve cheated the one in the glass.

(Slightly edited to make it more genderless – this is all about doing one’s very best – and no one knows what that is except ourselves!)

Meaning no disrespect to his predecessors, I am always amazed at how Dan’s imagery captures what that first encounter with “Mrs. Jones” may be like. Dan’s words and incredible storytelling inspired me to do battle with my own Mr. Mediocrity on and off the bookfield.  My perspective has changed since sitting in War Memorial during my eight summers as a bookperson, but the lessons still ring true.

For the last 30 years Dan Moore has been jump starting sales school and most of us can not imagine it any other way. As Southwestern’s Sales School entered its second week, 740 screaming students in a packed War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Nashville welcomed Dan to the stage.  When the standing ovation and cheering roar of the crowd ended, Dan was promptly interrupted.

In a special surprise, Dan was joined onstage by his wife and best friend, Maria.  On behalf of all of Southwestern and the students dealers, Tabitha Taylor, serving as emcee, recognized Dan for the extraordinary impact he has had on over 70,000 students – including all of the first-year dealers in the audience he was about to inspire.

With just about all of students who have attended Sales School for the last 30 years trained and mentored by Dan, it all starts for everyone with that Sales School door.  In showing our appreciation, it is now and forever will be known as “Dan’s Door.”  The plaque on the door reads:

“In honor and recognition of the outstanding dedication, commitment, and executed personal development Dan Moore has shown to more than 70,000 students, one door at a time, beginning with this one.”

The surprise and emotion in Dan’s face said it all.  While taken aback by the moment, he graciously and humbly accepted the recognition, then did what any Southwestern Company great would do…  moved to the next door.

I had spent my two previous summers working with a grant funded program called Friend to Friend, bringing educational programs to children in small towns during the summer. Nebraska is full of towns of 300 or less people, and there really isn’t much for kids to do during the summer there. So I spent my time starting up reading programs and bringing in speakers to teach everything from exercise to making rope. I didn’t make much money during those summers, but I did make a difference, and to me, that truly mattered.

My original plan for the summer was to take summer classes. Summer classes were not going to give me an opportunity to make a difference in others’ lives. I made the decision to sell that summer to differentiate myself and to make a difference in the lives of the people I would meet. Staying service-minded saved my attitude many a day on the bookfield when sales were slow. I discovered I was making an impact even when people weren’t buying. Sometimes it was just bringing a smile to someone who needed one, reminding young parents to read to their children, or just sitting down with a family to talk about the importance of education.

The confidence I gained that summer on the bookfield came not only from the challenges I overcame, but from knowing that I could make a difference. Now, as the alumni person at Southwestern, I have the rare opportunity to see how our alumni apply the principles they learned on the bookfield to the rest of their lives. Old habits come back way to easily; it is a challenge to not be just a 90 day wonder.

JT Olson is a great example of Southwestern alumni making a difference. Recently, JT founded the Both Hands Foundation. Both Hands is a non profit organization with a two-fold mission. They serve widows in a very practical way in their communities while raising money to help willing families adopt. Both Hands recently completed their 1st Annual Big Build fundraiser.

The Both Hands Big Build team worked on Debbie Jackson’s home while raising money for orphans. Debbie lost her husband to a heart attack on Memorial Day, 2004. She has done a terrific job of raising three kids on her own, however, there are a few things around her home that needed addressing. Check out the video below of the service done during the Both Hands Big Build. To learn more about JT and Both Hands check out his alumni spotlight at www.wesoldbooks.com/spotlight-JTOlson.

Though she has been officially off of the Southwestern bookfield for nearly 5 years, Haley Price is still selling books.   Only now, she’s written and illustrated the books that she’s selling. 

While not writing, Haley works in global advertising sales for Microsoft in New York, NY.  Through her experience with Southwestern and beyond, she has learned the importance of having a positive attitude, working hard for what you want, and believing in your dreams. 

Haley continues to reference her days slinging books from house to house; and cannot wait until a book kid comes knocking on her door, “I’m going to give that kid the best pony story ever!”

Find out more about Haley’s book at http://www.todayisthebestdayofmylife.com/ or check out her blog at http://blog.todayisthebestdayofmylife.com/.

Recently, fellow Southwestern alum Josh Crews wrote about about what he gained from his six summers selling with Southwestern on his blog.  Josh sold from 2000-2006 with the Winning Tradition -The Standard group.  

The value of the Southwestern experience

By Josh Crews

I heard about Southwestern almost 10 years ago and sold books the next summer (2000).  I did average my first summer, but kept coming back and improving each summer and became a top salesperson.

These are three benefits that I received from selling books with Southwestern

A rescue from the disease of growing up in modern America

In school, I was really smart.  A lot people are, and don’t have to work hard to do well.  So I end up filling in the time with TV, video games, and conversations about nothing.

I really wish I had been working during that time, because work is great for the mind, body and soul.  To illustrate this point, think of the wealthy American family today.  The parents grew up working, didn’t have a lot of money then, but built up wealth over their lifetime.  Their kids didn’t have to work, and now are either “failing to launch” into adulthood, or worse, are addicted to drugs or video games.

For many middle-class college students today, the hard work of a Southwestern summer is a refreshing cure to a disease they didn’t know they had.  Many Southwestern students feel alive at the end of their summer; amazed at what they can accomplish in a day.

That was my experience.

Learning the law of reaping and sowing in 3 months

There is a law, worked by God into human life, “you reap what you sow”.  And sometimes it takes years or decades to prove true.  Take the example of a neglected marriage: it may take 25 years; but the pain of not investing in your relationship will be much greater than the “pain” of being intentional now.  Neglect sown now will reap misery later.  It’s a law of reality.

The reap-what-you-sow principle gets accelerated into 3 months with Southwestern.  In selling books if you invest good habits, encourage your roommates, treat customers well, work the schedule, learn your presentations; you will harvest a rewarding summer.

If you sow compromising the schedule, mistreating customers, and not being coachable; you’ll reap a crummy summer.

The value of experiencing that principle in a Southwestern summer helps me everyday in my job, community and marriage.

Instant self-employment experience when it’s safe to fail

A person who can create their own customers from nothing is much more happy and economically secure than one who fears having to run their own business.

I do not preach the virtue of economic independence; I’d rather live like George Muller who relied on God in prayer for all his needs; but I do recommend avoiding economic dependence on your employer.

Southwestern allows you to gain that experience in college, where it’s really OK if you have a financially terrible summer, because you’re just a college student (no family, no mortgage…)

Summary

I got into Southwestern for the money.  And the money was great.  Today I’m most thankful for how Southwestern changed me as a young man in ways that will be paying dividends to me for the next 50 years.

This fall, I had the pleasure of working ”check out” for a couple of weeks.  Every year I really enjoy getting the chance to see the students as they finalize their Southwestern summer.  Every bookperson can recall how crazy big checkout weeks are and what a team effort is required to get all of the students back to campus on time.  Through all the craziness, book counts, and number crunching (which I must admit the nerd in me enjoys) is the unique opportunity of watching a hard working young person reap the rewards of their efforts.

Yes I am proud to work at a place where you are rewarded for your results and not just your intentions.  Can you imagine if we gave out awards in sales school for those who intended to work hard and have a great summer?  What sort of message would that send?  An environment where there is no politics or red tape involved in your success brings a certain amount of peace to each day.  If you work hard you will get results; if you get results you will be rewarded.  What a simple lesson in controllables for young people to understand.  Of course in most professional work places there is a little politics going on, however, I learned on the bookfield that good things come to those who work.

Setting goals and thinking big are part of the process, but it is the hard work and results that count.  As more and more schools turn to “no fail” policies, simple life lessons are being lost.  In my eight summers on the bookfield as a Southwestern salesman my results were not always extraordinary, but the lessons learned always were.

I am proud to be part of the 150 year Southwestern tradition that still believes that results should be rewarded and the lessons learned will always be the biggest reward.

Jerry Heffel, President Emeritus of Southwestern, has always been a man I aspired to model my life after.  I have great respect for how he lives his life by sound principles.  I’ve had the privilege of talking with many alumni that worked with Jerry throughout his time with Southwestern.  It is wonderful to see him through their eyes and understand what a great impact he has had on each of them.  You can always count on Jerry to do what he says he is going to do.  Because of that I was not surprised when I read the following in the African Leadership newsletter:

 

Jerry Heffel, Chairman of African Leadership’s Board of Trustees and partner in Oasis Wellness, got more than he bargained for on his second trip to Africa.

While he was visiting a K-6 school in a cramped one room building, a little girl gave him a hand scrawled note.  It thanked him for coming and asked if someone would give them desks and two books.  “No problem,” Jerry thought.  When he spoke, he promised that African Leadership would provide these things.

Afterward, he was puzzled as to why the girl would ask for only two books.  He showed the note to Larry Warren, who burst out laughing.  The girl had written “blocks,” not “books.”  In Africa, “block” means building.  Jerry had just promised the people two school buildings!

Jerry called a couple of long time friends who have hearts for Africa.  God used their generosity to build the two school buildings Jerry had “accidentally” promised.  Recently returning to Africa for his third trip, Jerry and his two friends, Rick Desoto and Keith Holland, had the priviledge of participating in the dedication ceremony.  “Every time you go to Africa, it just gets better,” says Jerry.

After talking to hundreds of families, he said he realized how important the home is in the development of families and communities.”It’s where families come together to share and grow with one another. All the relational aspects of life happen at the home,” Nubern said.

I also learned of another two-summer bookwoman, Carolina Canavati who is biking with the Texas 4000 for Cancer this summer.  She will bike 4,800 miles from Austin, TX to Anchorage, Alaska, raising money to support the fight against cancer. 

I know there are countless alumni serving others and I hope to tell you more about them as time goes on.  Until I sold books through Southwestern, I’m not sure I truly realized how much your life is enriched when you are serving others. 

Most of the time I look at the calendar and wonder where all the time went.  At the end of each Southwestern summer I felt very much the same way.  However, in the midst of those twelve weeks on the bookfield there was an occasional day I thought would never end.  It was those days I was grateful I had learned to help control my attitude by breaking up my goals.  During my cross country years I quickly learned to focus on getting to that next tree, then the stop sign…etc.  If I focused on the whole race at once it seemed impossible.  At Southwestern I broke the summer down to weeks, the weeks down to days, and the days down to goal periods. 

During those later weeks on the bookfield I sometimes needed a little more to keep me going.  It was then I started to dedicate my weeks to different things.  By far, my favorite week was Service Week.  I spent my mental energy that week focusing on providing the best service I could to everyone I met.  And that didn’t mean making sure they all bought books.  I could have been making an elderly woman smile, or reminding parents how important it is to read to their kids.  We make a difference every day.  I would also give away a Volume Library set that week.  What an amazing feeling!  That week always flew by, and lo and behold, it was usually one of my best sales weeks of the summer.  When I stopped worrying about myself and the things I wanted, and focused on helping others get what they needed, everything fell in to place. 

Being service-miinded is just one of the many lessons of the bookfield.  Good luck Adam and Carolina!   ]]> http://www.southwesternalumniblog.com/southwestern_company/its-hard-to-be-nervous-when-your-minds-on-service/feed/ 0 http://www.southwesternalumniblog.com/southwestern_company/remember-the-pony/ http://www.southwesternalumniblog.com/southwestern_company/remember-the-pony/#comments Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:30:13 +0000 Becky Sudman http://www.southwesternalumniblog.com/?p=115

In January 2009 CNBC started a ”Pony Blog“.   “The Pony blog’s intent is to find the lighter side of the economic crisis and distract you with humor long enough for the seeds of hope to spring forth from the rubble.”  It is quite refreshing to see the media finding the positive in the current ecomonic situation.  Now most people may pause and ask themselves, what do ponies have to do with the ecomony or positive thinking.  However, if you have attended a Southwestern Company Sales School since 1956, you remember the pony.  I attended eight Sales Schools and I ALWAYS looked forward to hearing Mort Utley tell The Pony Story.  In fact, until now I didn’t realize that anyone but Mort told the story.  Well the truth is no one can tell it quite like Mort. Many days during my Southwestern summers I would be going into that last gravy goal period sitting on zero.  (Translation:  zero sales for the day with 2.5 hours left)  At that point, my affirmation would switch to “there’s gotta be a pony somewhere”. I learned so many life lessons selling books.  I would have said I was a postive thinker before my Southwestern experience, but the bookfield taught me how to harness my thoughts.  At first it amazed me that, by continually telling myself outloud good things were going to happen, they did.  We really do believe what we tell ourselves; so why do we tell ourselves such bad things?  By focusing on finding the yes’s and getting the no’s off my list I could make my attitude do a complete 180. I would like to say that I am an expert at applying this lesson off the bookfield, but I’m not…yet.   Guarding our self-talk can be difficult in a world filled with so many outside negative influences.  The ponies are all around us; we just need to remember to look for them. Until now the video of Mort has been only shown in the Southwestern Sales School.  Today I would like to share with you “The Pony Story”.

Remember the Pony

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