The thought has run around my brain for some time and this new year is a good time to begin the process. I want to take LarryHendrick.com back to a blog. I miss writing articles about subjects I enjoy. Sometimes they are quite random in nature but that is how my brain (and most people I know) works.
Subject Matter
My interests are wider than they are deep and I’m okay with that. I like old cars (not these new fangled things), sales, tech, and even a few that don’t come to mind right now.
I wrote on all this subjects year ago on different blogs. I wrote about sales on Motivation on the Run, tech on Business Unusual, and the rest on Letters to Mom and LarryHendrick.com. However, I will not use multiple blogs this go round. It will all be on File Under Misc. at the url of LarryHendrick.com.
As subjects come to me, I will strive to put my thoughts to text and hit “publish” to go live. I may even be the only reader once the articles are published but that doesn’t matter. I think better when I wrestle with my thoughts, particularly in writing. It just makes you circle a subject and look at it from many directions, and that is a good thing.
Sales
I’ve spent my entire life in sales, one way or another. Sometimes it was direct and other times it was in a peripheral manner.
My first job after graduation was at a very busy Service Station on the corner of a freeway and a busy through street. This was before self-serve gas was allowed. (During my time there, self-serve pumping of gasoline began and we (as well as most service stations) dedicated one pump island to that. Most people didn’t use it at first but over time that business grew).
With self-service, you got a 2-cent/gallon discount but gave up all the perks that younger people aren’t even aware of. We washed all the windows around the car, checked tire pressure, checked under the hood (oil, fan belts, power steering, air filters, etc) because it was the norm.
There were no convenience stores selling gas at that time. All stations were full-service and the customers liked it. We fixed flats, washed and waxed vehicles, and did every service that now requires a trip to 5 or 6 different location.
That is all gone for better or worse.
How does this relate to sales? Not only did I get paid a salary but also, a small commission on products and services I sold. I will write more on this first job and others as they relate to sales and how the twist and turns of life play into choices.
Tech
I love most technologies. It began with digital organizers. As a salesman, it was imperative to keep up with customers and their needs. The old written planner was so ancient. I discovered a device at Radio Shack (a tech store for the younger folks) build by Rolodex especially for Radio Shack. I went though two of those covering several years. It was finally discontinued.
After researching (no google then) I decided to move to the Sharp Wizard. It was great and had enough memory to hold all my customer data, all the products they bought and their current pricing. And all that was in a device slightly larger than a deck of cards.
Then came computers that were very expensive at the time. My first was a RS-4P. It was a Radio Shack model and the P stood for portable. It was not a convenient computer to carry around. It was a computer body with an included screen and a clip on cover to protect the screen during transport. The operating system was TRS-DOS, Radio Shacks on version of a disk operating system. It required two 5-1/4″ floppy discs to work. One was the OS and the other was to store you files.
It was fantastic! Really.
Cars
Growing up in the sixties was the heyday of great cars. Muscle cars were the norm and cool looking street rods were not rare. Today is different.
When I grew up, a driver’s license was legal at 14. No restrictions were on the licenses, either. It was a full-fledged adult driver’s license. The only requirement was taking Driver’s Ed, which was provided by the school system. Cars were furnished by a local dealer and me and two other boys spent two weeks driving and riding in a new Chevrolet with Coach Kendrick.
It was great fun and soon, a friend and I were cruising the “drag” in both Canyon and Amarillo.
Other Subjects and Thoughts
If this all comes to fruition, there will be other thoughts that are put to print, also. That will happen as circumstances present themselves. I’m not sure what the topic or header will be but it will be something I want to work through.
Until next time…