Barry Farber is a jack-of-all-trades, a successful speaker, trainer, entrepreneur and author who says the two most important words for growing any business are simply these: Show up.
“When it was raining, when I didn’t feel like it, when other guys were taking a break, I showed up,” Farber told WEALTH magazine in an exclusive interview. “And I got the sale.”
Farber got his start in sales when he was putting himself through school, selling 25-cent, fold-up sunglasses for five dollars a pair. By the time he was in his early 20s, he was working several jobs – from real estate sales to telemarketing to medical products sales.
Since those humble beginnings, Farber recently has been named “hottest speaker of the year” by Successful Meetings magazine, authored 11 books, hosted a successful radio show, brokered and agented the Evel Knievel roller coaster that Six Flags Theme Parks launched in the summer of 2008, and won three Telly Awards as Executive Producer of the Jackie Mason Television Show . He also co-invented the FoldzFlat® Pen, which has sold plenty on the QVC network.
Farber’s tips for mega-success? Don’t give up, and look for opportunity everywhere.
“I used to say you should just do one thing and do it really well,” Farber said. “But now I know I underestimated the power of synergy. With each new thing I’ve tried, I’ve made new contacts and learned new things. I’ve dealt with rejection and come back stronger. I’ve done many things, but everything has had a single purpose: to break through barriers.”
Here are Farber’s top five tips for growing your business and creating wealth and synergy now:
1. Find out what you love to do, what you are truly passionate about. “If you’re not one hundred percent there, you gotta move on,” he says.
2. In tough times, explore other areas you have talents in. “Even when you try something new and it doesn’t work, you’ve gained experience and contacts,” Farber says. “Too many people get comfortable where they are. By going into another venue, you open up a whole new area of contacts.”
3. Don’t give up. If you’re on the one-yard line, push a little harder and you may break through.
4. When things are good, don’t get complacent. “I’m selling and cold-calling contacts when things are great, because that’s the best time,” Farber says. “Our confidence is good. When we are not doing well, that’s the worst time to cold-call, because while your enthusiasm is contagious, so is desperation and depression.”
5. Find the good in adversity. “Maybe family is more important, and that’s what you should focus on right now,” Farber says. “Sometimes money is a measure of success, but how about family? How about giving back? How about enjoying what you are doing? You have one short life, and you can let adversity either grind you down or polish you up.”
Barry Farber’s Mind Mapping Strategy:
To get the creative juices flowing, do what Farber does: Take out a blank sheet of paper and give yourself an hour to brainstorm. Ask yourself questions like, “What can I do differently that will make me more productive?” and “What can I try that would add value to my current activities?”
Jot down your ideas and try the ones that seem best. Repeat this activity weekly (or monthly).
“Winston Churchill said that the pessimist will see difficulty in every opportunity, while the optimist will see opportunity in every difficulty,” Farber says. “I choose to be an optimist.”
Barry Farber has trained more than 300,000 salespeople, business owners, managers and executives on how to break through barriers to achieve their sales, management, and personal goals. Some of his clients include AT&T, American Express, Chase, ESPN/ABC Sports, Merck, Nestle Waters, UPS and Verizon.
Tags: adversity, Barry Farber, business growth, sales, synergy