The Art of Sales

Lessons learned fishing with my grandfather.

Hi Friends 👋,

In the amazing and beautiful lakes and rivers of Utah, where crystal-clear waters meet rugged landscapes, my grandfather taught me lessons about fishing that would unknowingly shape my entire approach to sales and business.

These weren't just lessons about catching fish, they were fundamental teachings about patience, understanding, and the artistry of connecting with something larger than ourselves.

My journey into sales began without formal training or education, no courses, no certifications, and no traditional sales roles on my resume. Yet, over fifteen years, I would go on to build multimillion-dollar practices and transform companies through an approach that broke away from conventional sales wisdom. My method? It all came back to those days fishing with my grandfather.

"Fishing isn't just about throwing bait in the water and hoping for the best," my grandfather would say.

He taught me that success required doing your homework, selecting the right bait for the location, understanding the seasons, knowing your target, and most importantly, being willing to learn and adapt.

Some days, we wouldn't catch anything at all but those moments out in nature were never wasted. They were investments in understanding the craft, appreciating the process, and building the foundation for future success.

This philosophy would prove invaluable when I joined Numeric Analytics, where I was tasked with building out a new optimization program for the company. Like an artisanal fisherman who knows every bend in the river, I approached sales not as a numbers game, but as a craft.

This carried through to Keystone Solutions, where within 18 months, I doubled the company's revenue by building out new practice areas in strategy, optimization, analysis, insights reporting, and training.

The parallel between fishing methods and sales approaches became increasingly clear throughout my career. On one end of the spectrum, you have the artisan, the single fisherman with a single pole and line, moving with precision and care, treating each catch with respect. This represents the sales approach I embraced, deeply knowledgeable, nimble, and focused on quality over quantity. While it may not scale as easily as other methods, it produces the highest quality results and builds lasting relationships.

One particular moment stands out that validated this approach. A prospect approached me seeking services that weren't aligned with our expertise. Instead of forcing an ill-fitted solution, I chose honesty, connecting her with a competitor who could better serve her needs.

Her response, "What?!? I've never had a sales person be so honest and transparent with me." Eighteen months later, she returned, not as a client, but as an advocate, referring a connection that resulted in a project four times larger than the one I had declined.

As you move along the spectrum toward more scalable approaches, you find methods that start to look like trolling or long-line fishing, still maintaining some quality but sacrificing the personal touch for volume.

At the far end lies commercial net fishing, representing the traditional enterprise sales approach, massive operations focused solely on volume, causing damage to both the environment and the product in their wake.

The results of these different approaches become evident in the customer experience. Our clients consistently express appreciation for feeling like partners in the process rather than targets. When the sales process feels genuine and respectful, it creates a foundation of trust that benefits everyone involved. Our consulting teams receive clients who are excited and ready to collaborate, rather than feeling manipulated or pressured into a decision.

Today, as the sole salesperson for 33 Sticks, I continue to embrace this artisanal approach. While the traditional high-volume, high-pressure sales tactics may have worked in the past, often fueled by bar visits and entertainment expenses, I believe we're witnessing a shift in the industry. Modern buyers are increasingly seeking authentic connections and sustainable relationships, much like consumers who care about how their fish is sourced.

The lesson from those early fishing days remains clear, success in sales, like success in fishing, isn't about the quantity of lines you cast or the size of your net. It's about understanding your environment, respecting your audience, and having the patience and expertise to create meaningful connections.

Sometimes, the best catch comes not from casting the widest net but from knowing exactly where to place your line.

Much Love 💛

-jason