Crystal Trino's Journal Oct 19 2006 Entry

October 19. Thursday Night.

Hi Journey.

Three pitches on the road this week. I feel like I could recite our First Unified branch make-over spiel in my sleep.

And play Shelly’s role.

Maybe that’s the secret to success. When I first called on businesses I was so scared my words came out in tiny, telegraphed bursts. Every second I spent in a conference room I desperately wished I was huddled over the prospect’s kitchen table with a splay of swatches in front of us.

But that’s not how you go big. That’s not how you protect yourself from the Viv’s of the world who want to go break away and tow your clients with them. Timidity is just a recipe for staying small.

If we can help three branches at a First Unified, then we close help a thirty-branch bank. I can niche CD into a bigger niche. I know I can.

I guess they call it scale. That’s what I need, Journey, scale.

And not the kind you climb on, either.

By the way, I’m only four pounds over my target weight. Not bad; although I admit that I’ve answered the Keebler elf’s call a couple times this week and dipped into the cookie tin just before bed. Maybe it’s the change of seasons. Last night was the first run of the year in a real sweatshirt. But it’s not yet cold enough to see my breath.

But if we could scale Crystal Designs….wow. I"ve never really thought of it before, J. Up to now I’ve always been busy trying to grab new customers and then get every project invoiced and collected. OK, I’ve not had enormous problems in that area; most of my clients are well-enough off that they always pay. That or they’ve budgeted well enough to save up for their home retrofits.

But no matter how well they’ve budgeted, there’s no way they can pay us as much as the businesses can. The businesses involve more work, but there’s more reward in those fatter budgets.

It was a nice surprise that First Unified asked us to pitch headquarters this week instead of waiting until next. We’ll know by Wednesday if we win the business or not. One of them mentioned in the meeting how much they liked the work Derrick, Isaac, Robinson and Trent did for First Charter.

Shelly just smiled and acknowledged that they were a very good competitor.

No way is she going to dirty her reputation by getting down and rolling around in the mud with them.

Goodnight, Journey.

Journey Today
Crystal Trino's life journey