Letter on the Third — November 2022

Dear Datamax Family,

Perhaps one of the most legendary coaches of all time, John Wooden, once said, “A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”

There is any number of coaching moments during your tenure here at Datamax. Your mentors, managers, or maybe even actual coaches offer lessons and leave impressions that make a professional impact. We’re all being coached by one person or another, so the question becomes… are we listening? Are we absorbing the message? Are we dissing the message? And when we do become inspired by others, are we paying it forward? Like Wooden says, great coaches have the opportunity to change lives.

I know one coach who impacted mine.

It was my junior year in high school, and I was doing great. I was even starting in some of the practices, moving ahead of a senior on the depth chart. One day at practice, the coach asked the team: “Who do you think should be in the starting lineup?” Being an underclassman, I naturally mentioned the senior’s name ahead of my own. And then a funny thing happened: The first game rolled around, and he didn’t put me in the starting lineup.

After the game, I asked him: “What happened coach, did I do something wrong?” He responded: “Why should I start you if you don’t feel you should start?” That lesson stuck with me throughout my life. It reminded me that you’ve got to believe in yourself. And you can never give up.

I know another “coach” who instilled in me the “passion to be the best.”

40-odd years ago, Dick Callier was the VP of Sales when I first started in sales with Datamax. I believe he sensed that I was willing to learn, so he took me under his wing. Often after hours, he and I would stay up and talk about what we were doing in the company, ways we could learn, and ideas on how we could improve. One time, in the middle of a discussion, we pulled out a whole tray of shook cards (before CRMs, these were index cards that contained prospect information). We asked the simple question: how many calls could a person make in a day? We took these cards and went out and made calls. We drummed up leads, and it was an “aha” moment for me of what happens when you make the extra calls.

Two things Dick Callier would always share with me: 1. “Make sure that you’re looking at the positives in people.” 2. “Don’t ever give up."

We’ve all been coached up. Are we paying it forward?

I’m here to tell you, given everything going on in the world right now, I know that things get frustrating and times can be tough. If I had any “coaching tips” for you here, it would be this. Believe in yourself. Have that passion to be the best. Make sure you’re looking at the positives in people.

And never give up. Never, ever give up.

The Best is Yet to Be.