.....driven by an unknown force to change history for the better.

It just wasn't happening. I made repeated phone calls to businesses. Most of them hung up on me. A couple of them gave me thirty seconds, and told me to send them literature. All of these were scenarios I had in theory prepared for in my studying, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with for the first time. I was able to schedule an appointment with one Twin Cities dealer who gave me five minutes and told me not interested.

While I was trying to figure out what I was doing wrong, my co-workers, both of whom had spent extensive time in advertising sales weren't making sales either. We got together and quickly revised the business plan. Our largest objection is that we were charging way too much money for a startup company, even though it was fair relative to what the industry was charging, so we changed the price structure to be extremely affordable.

I introduced e-mail into my sales routine which helped, but the rejection was pretty psychologically tough to deal with, especially when I'd really never encountered it to that degree in my previous job. I also learned that I'm not always the best boss of myself. Not in that I was a lenient boss, but I was a boss who was pretty unrelenting in expectations, didn't know how to necessarily do the job or train, and never left even when the workday ended.

Unfortunately, I had chosen the 100% commission pay structure based on business projections. Being that we hadn't made a paying sale, it turned out not to be the best choice I've ever made in retrospect. A week later, we revised the pricing and business plan a third time, still without any success. Several high profile clients when asked what it would take to subscribe to this service replied with "the only way I'd consider it is if it was free."

As a result, my boss decided to dissolve operations in the short term to go back to the drawing board. She decided she needed to bring in some consultants as well as give advertising space for free just to demonstrate the legitimacy of our services. Unfortunately, free advertising equals no pay. My boss apologizes profusely to me and said she felt terrible that I took a chance on this company and it didn't work out.

But to be honest, I knew what I was getting into. I knew there was risk. I'm a big boy and aware of the consequences. So, I took that blow to my ego of being laid off for the first time right on the chin. It stung a little, but I'm still here.

In truth, it's a blessing. Finding a job in 2009 is full time work, which means there's just not enough time in the day to get out of a bad job. I have a year worth of savings to cushion me and provide me the time to find what I want to do. I have no debt outside of my house. I have a girlfriend in the house now bringing in supplementary income. Most people in my position don't have the luxuries that I have, and I'm well aware of that and thankful.

It's my goal to make sure that my tenure of unemployment is not marked by sloth or laziness. To that end, my goal to update this blog everyday has been compromised as I have been busier than all get out.

Hopefully, this ends the sappy poignant tales of how I got here, and now I can focus on what is by far the more important cross-section of time - the future.

Day three, four, and five logs

Lifted weights two of three days

Biked three days

Attended St. Paul Chamber of Commerce Networking Event

Started career exploration exercises from What Color is Your Parachute

Purchased resume paper and other materials

Wrote two cover letters and two targetted resumes

Helped sister write cover letter

Probably a little more.....