A fighter’s spirit takes on many forms.
They’re seen in boxing champions and cancer survivors, endurance athletes and emergency first responders. Business people, too, have it within them to channel a fighter’s spirit.
A mere two such examples reside in our Little Rock Office. Account Representatives Brett Pollock and Kaylee Bowlin have unique background stories. Kaylee left Datamax two years ago to be a stay-at-home mom, only to return earlier this year dead set on conquering her former territory. Brett spent many years in digital media sales before arriving at Datamax in April. He says Datamax as a company who “really cared about our partners” immediately intrigued him.
No matter how or why they arrived, both Brett and Kaylee exhibit a level of competitiveness, drive, and “Never Give Up-ness” that helps them emerge from their respective territories as winners time and time again…. All in a short amount of time.
“I’ll hear Kaylee proclaim on a regular basis, ‘I’m NOT losing to so and so.’ The biggest thing with both of them, to me, is that sheer competitiveness,” Area Sales Manager Cody Simon said. “It’s just phenomenal the results they’ve been able to put together in such a short amount of time. It comes down to that will to win, and that competitiveness both within themselves and the competition. These two don’t want to lose to another dealer. Plain and simple.”
The sales gig is hard. Really hard. But even when they’re up against the ropes, these three shared characteristics show case the fighter’s spirit that exists in both Kaylee and Brett.
They Don’t Just Seek Rapport. They Crave It.
Brett leans on his natural “gift of gab,” while Kaylee has known all along that she’s an extrovert who needs a career built around people to people relationships. But the point of this: These two are not slinging boxes. They’re orchestrating solid relationships built on trust, stability, and loyalty. And that takes work.
“When you’re able to find common ground with someone, trust begins to build,” Brett says. “And then you’ve got to do what you say you’re going to do. If I tell you I’ll have something by Friday afternoon, my every intention is to have it to you by Friday morning at the latest.”
Kaylee admits that as a sales rep merely hawking a product, it’s not easy to gain trust by a pitch alone. She grew up in the same territory she currently covers surrounding Little Rock (including Benton, Pulaski County, etc.), so she takes full advantage of the realities of the small-town American south. If you know someone, or know someone who they might know as well, it’s easier to get in the door.
“If they have an idea of who you are, that eliminates that initial barrier. 9 times out of 10, I’m able to find that familiarity and find that connection before we even get into the business side of it. I know I’m a people person. So I enjoy that aspect of my job very, very much,” Kaylee said.
They Get Knocked Down. But They Get Up Again.
You ain’t never gonna keep THEM down. Brett recently lost a renewal opportunity that stung hard. As he puts it, “I really lost a big one.” Whether it’s just in his blood or he’s adapted the ability to do so, “anytime I get a no, I brush it off.”
“(After he lost the aforementioned deal), I told myself, if I sulk on this too long, I’ll miss the next one. When things don’t go my way, I focus my brain on the next proposal or the next prospecting call and I go from there… you’ve got to let it roll off,” Brett said.
Kaylee admits that rejection is a little harder for her to take than it is for Brett. She tends to dwell a bit on the relationship she’s worked so hard to create (see above). Even so, she knows as well as anyone: It’s GOT to be on to the next one.
“I don’t remember who it was, but someone in college told me, ‘every rejection, every no, it’s just another step closer to your next sale.’ It may sound cheesy, but I do have to approach it that way,” Kaylee said. “I also feel like Karma steps in at some point: If I’m doing everything I can here, something good is bound to come my way. I like to tell myself after a bad call or a bad meeting, hey, the next one can’t POSSIBLY go as bad as that one.”
They Never, Ever Give Up.
We all have the days. Call it laziness, fatigue, frustration, feeling overwhelmed, or just in a funk. It’s natural. But for those who have it, that’s when the fighter’s spirit pushes through.
“When I’m frustrated or feeling overwhelmed, I start thinking, I’m blessed. I have a family to take care of. I’ve got five dogs and a wife who need to eat. And I grind through it,” Brett said. “They hired me to do a job, and to do it well. Even in the hard times, it’s up to me to be always smiling, in a good mood, and keeping a strong, positive attitude. As long as you stay at it, tomorrow will be better.”
Kaylee’s “never-say-die” attitude started the day she started with the company.
“When I first started out at sales here, I was the youngest in the company. I felt that there might be some preconceived notions about my skillset. That created a high expectation within myself of the standards I need to set for myself. I felt like I had something to prove to everyone, but mostly myself. I refused to believe I wasn’t going to succeed.” Kaylee said.
