It's a funny thing how the older I get the further away I feel from current technology. Perhaps it's because I've given into the attitude of, 'what does it matter keeping up if it's only going to change again tomorrow.'

Currently I have a Samsung flip phone, that’s where this photo came from. It’s not the most technologically advanced phone ever, it only has 20 buttons. I got so sick of my Palm Treo three years ago because I kept hanging up on people when it touched my ear while I was talking. It doesn't sound like it's much better off nowadays as my cousin called me from Texas last week on his new Treo. We don't talk much and that day wasn't supposed to be an exception but he accidently dialed me when he brushed up against the phone screen. If that weren't enough after we talked he accidentally called me back. That's not a frustration I want to go through with my clients, "oh it's just my haberdasher dialing me from his pocket again."

With my friends and clients texting me at an unprecedented rate I feel it necessary to get something with a keyboard. But what phone? I think I'm going to take about 6 months to research my next new phone. That's when T-Mobile says they'll chip in to buy it if I sign up for a longer contract. I saw phones on ebay this weekend so that is an option. My friend Sunny from www.techlab102.com sells & repairs cell phones so I’ll be sure to talk with him as well.

I want to be informed when I buy so I know I’m getting the right phone for what I do. Another friend/client of mine has a phone that syncs throughout the day with his computer and his truck so no matter where he is he knows where he’s supposed to be. I was thinking he must have a Cadillac truck or something but he told me it is a Honda Ridgeline & it greets him with a review of his schedule in the morning. I like that idea.

After about 6 months of frustration I tossed my Palm in the garbage & started writing my schedule on paper again, but in today’s world that is no longer an option. Now I want a phone that will work with my haberdashering. The options are endless… which phone is right for me?

I talked to someone about buying one of those unlocked Apple phones one Ebay. I was told they would work fine on a network besides AT&T but if I wanted to do any online updates then Apple would relock the phone.

So again I ask, ‘which phone?’ Anyone?

My Best,

Jeff Collins
Professional Haberdasher
http://www.MyHaberdasher.com

That's right, December 13th they are locking me up & throwing away the key.

I'm going to jail & the only way I can get out is to raise $1300 to help fight Muscular Dystrophy.

If you have benefited this year from good fortune please help spread some joy to those who have had less.

Even $1 helps. Thank you for considering helping me with this cause. I appreciate you.

Please visit https://www.mdaevent.org/ParticipantInfo.aspx?j=49e0b48f-ecd6-4e1e-a349-4d2a131651e4

Or click on the Muscular Dystrophy link on my Zoodango Page.

My Best,

Jeff Collins
Professional Haberdasher
www.MyHaberdasher.com

I found Accounting to be a good foundation for me in business and in understanding the financials behind it. However, my sales background in selling books door-to-door with the Southwestern Co. really taught me how to run a business.

Sales is the world's oldest job and it is not something they teach in college. They teach marketing which is merely related. If you want your product or service to be purchased it has to be sold. My advice for a college student interested in business would be to start brainstorming about what small business you can start now or how you take a few hundred bucks, like James Sun, and invest it to try your hand at reading the market. Do something to get your feet wet that will be a learning experience for you.

If you want to work for a big company they are going to want to know you played "the game" in college. They can see your final score by looking at your GPA, activities and perhaps any job you held while going to school. That is what they can gauge you on before your interviews.

I have talked with many business people over the years and I have asked them if college taught them what they needed to know to succeed in business. None of them could directly apply their college learning to their work outside of it being a foundation. But what college did teach them was to learn 'to learn.' It helped them with their ability to gather information & to solve problems. Problem solving is a big reason a company is willing to pay you. Be a problem solver!

My Best,

Jeff Collins
Professional Haberdasher
www.MyHaberdasher.com

Last week a customer of mine who owns and runs a company gave me a little insight into his hiring practices for finding motivated salespeople. I found it to be an interesting twist on HR, one that my friend Charmel, a local recruiter, may disagree with.

My client told me that he likes hiring sales people who are hungry to earn money. That seems pretty common, but he can sometimes take this a step further. He goes so far as choosing a candidate who has a tendency to extend himself or herself financially. He believes these salespeople, given difficult but realistic quotas, are more likely to achieve and often exceed them. They attain high goals because they need to earn higher commissions and bonuses due to the lavish lifestyle they enjoy. They have given themselves no choice but to succeed.

At first this seemed brilliant to me. But somewhere deep inside me there were caution lights & sirens going off. This salesperson is either going to be a complete success or a disastrous failure; there’s not much middle ground for them. One or two bad months and this person could be in a financial hardship situation. All of a sudden, instead of concentrating on work they are trying to sell an extra sports car or they are worried if they can refinance their home. Or worse, they are doing shady things in your business to inflate numbers or overcharge customers. Ouch.

There is something to be said for having people on your sales staff who are money motivated but care always needs to be employed. Some people say that 'money is the root of all evil.' They are misquoting the Bible. It states ‘the love of money is the root of all evil.'

One exercise to use with new salespeople is to have them complete the sentence: I work in order to.... When I first answered this question in 1994 I said 'to earn money.' My salesmanager asked me what I would do with the money. At the time I talked about the car I wanted, where I wanted to live, places I wanted to travel, etc. As I talked it out I began to catch my own vision of why I was working.

Now I am fortunate enough to love what I do but also to work so I can afford all the things my family deserves, give back to the community and help others by practicing my craft.

My Best,

Jeff Collins
Professional Haberdasher
www.MyHaberdasher.com