Hello friend,

Can you believe it’s the end of 2020?

I hope you’ve had a good week since we last spoke, for me, it’s been really nice as it’s the second week left of work for the year! Woo-hoo! Very excited for the holidays.

My wife and I, with a few friends, managed to take a short trip to Rainbow Beach for a few days. If you’re ever in Queensland, make sure to visit the sand dunes called the “Blow Hole”, it’s incredible.

I’d love to share some lessons and content I’ve discovered over the past six or seven days I think you’ll find value in.

🔑 Opportunities Equal Obligations

Just finished chapter five of Company of One by Paul Jarvis, he wrote: “Opportunities are just obligations wearing an appealing mask.” What a quote!

I’ve learnt over my years in the start-up space that you need to increase the surface area of luck to grow the likely-hood of having more opportunity. More opportunity isn’t bad, but it always takes more time, effort and money to maximize the success of that opportunity, which just equals obligation.

Looking at it like an obligation really shifts things, it’s how I’m approaching all ideas and opportunities now and asking myself “what’s involved with making this work? And is it really worth it?”

💲 My Dad’s Sales Process

I asked my dad, who’s been in various sales positions through his life, what is your sales process? His goal is to vet a lead as fast as possible, either they’re someone ready to do business or they’re not someone ready to do business.

If they are, that path is clear, give the person more time and focus on their needs. If they are not, then tactfully conclude interaction as soon as possible with the goal to have them contact you when their situation to do business has changed and they’re ready. It’s a simple starting step toward working together.

How he vets a customer for those two paths is by starting general, defusing their expectation of talking business and asking personal, thoughtful questions. This puts people in clearer states of mind to get back to that sales process.

🚪 Looking For Windows In

A YouTuber I subscribe too put up a fantastic video interviewing a Michael Brown, who told his story of getting a job at Google.

After 20 rejected applications he viewed this as not getting in the door of Google, so he looked outside for a window. He found a company who Google outsources hiring people for internal projects, that was his window, a new way in.

He contacted them and got a position as a packer in a grocery shop for Google. It wasn’t anything flash, but it was a way in. Then he looked for any opportunity to add value and solve problems. He’d send his ideas through to anyone he could after some time he got noticed and offered a newer position.

With a bit of out-of-box thinking and some effort, he’s gone to work on incredible projects at Google. Wow, what a story!

👍 Newly Found Usefulness

2colors.colorion.co – Design resource for quick colour pallets

Video by Ali Abdaal – What makes people successful?

Article by Benjamin Hardy – Achieving regular flow state

Article on Dev – Writing a daily blog for 100 days

💌 Thank You, Friend

I’m grateful for you taking some time out of your life to read my letters. I’d love to hear from you if you found any value here by simply replying and sending me an email.

I have not produced any new articles or videos this week, but here is something I think you might enjoy.

I’d just like to finish saying how important quality friendship is in life. This small getaway was a great reminder that when you surround yourself with good people, your quality of life is improved.

Kind regards,

Ash

P.S – Here’s last week’s letter if you missed it.

And if you’d like to share my letters with your friends, please use this link links.mrash.co/letters that will take them directly to a signup page.