“Actually, everything I know about branding and life I learned by selling shoes.”

The Scene:

Residents gathering and mingling in the party room of my condominium building in Minneapolis. Very modern. Stylish. About 90 minutes into the evening. Been through the chatter-filled line at the buffet table (nice eclectic contemporary spread, very colorful). I am not exactly sure why I am there, given my off-the-charts “introvert” profile and attending without Bentley (my sidekick miniature dapple dachshund) to buffer those awkward moments when trying to trigger conversation. “Hi, I’m Brian; who are you?” Compelling, huh? Having Bentley with me is a can’t-miss catalyst for breaking the ice. Instead, we are all playing “blind words bluff” using the typical banter about local versus transplanted, weather conditions, how long you’ve been a resident and might you be the person whose dog left a “mound of joy” in the elevator last week (for real. What’s with that?).

I have navigated to my current end position on the cherry-red couch sitting in the middle of the room: excellent survey vantage point. Sitting next to me on my left is a seemingly friendly guy, mid 30’s, who works for the international sales division of Northwest Airlines, just recently acquired by Delta. Topics about corporate transitions are a conversational comfort zone for, oh a good 20 minutes or so. (It’s been many years since I can carry on a sports conversation beyond 45-seconds with any semblance of actually knowing what I’m talking about and not coming across like a total hack. We make eye contact, I give him my trite dialogue opener and then he asks the question, the answer to which I have come to realize defines the man I am becoming and why I write stories.

“So, you seem to know a lot about branding and corporate dynamics. Do you have a degree in business?” 

“Well, no.  Actually, everything I know about branding and life I learned by selling shoes.”

After one of those puzzling expressions, sort of the way Bentley tilts his head wondering what the heck I am talking about when I speak to him, he replies, “Really? That’s interesting.” I think he really wanted to say, “Wow, look at the time…I left my place in a hurry and forgot to vaccinate and tick-dip the dogs before I came here and, well, you know….” Instead he continued, “Tell me what you mean.”

And so the story continues….

Let me say a few things about why I am writing about this in the first place. It will also give more clarity as to what this has to do with my previously submitted introduction, taking place in biblical Jerusalem around a campfire with Jesus and the guys (grace, please).

This is not about chasing, finding and moving new kinds of cheese. It’s not about the twenty-seventh habit. It’s not about what happens after the first minute of management. It’s not based on Harvard Business School research. It’s not even about going from Great to…where do you go after Great anyway?

It’s about my perspectives from interacting with people through communication, transaction and business. It’s about the commerce of faith. It’s about my experiences and thought architecture that (given the right setting, need and passion) can be applied to any job, mission or endeavor with people mobilizing together to accomplish a shared goal. It’s a conversation I hope compels you to stop, consider and answer the single most important question I ask my clients, 30+ years of consulting...and counting: “What business are you in…really?” Your answer to that question and its implications as to how we TransAct with each other is what this is all about. For business. For faith. For life.

OK, so back to the cherry-red couch, the mixed nuts and story. And yes, it all really did start with selling shoes. 

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