Honest Selling Professionals Association
Sunday, July 4, 2010 at 9:13AM When I was 12 years old, my dog, Soccer, was an out-of-control mess. Chewed whatever he wanted. Jumped the fence. Barked at everything. And so on.
Dad said, “He’s your dog. Fix this or he’s gone.”
When I asked, “How?” I got, “I have no idea. Figure it out.” (Dad was the type to teach you to swim by tossing you in the deep end.)
With Mom’s help, however, I decided on the plan of heading to the library and reading everything I could get my hands on about dogs.
That was the birth of Gill Wagner, dog whisperer — a lifetime love and hobby I’ve enjoyed for 38 years now.
On February 22, 2010, at the urging of Cindy, my lovely wife, and upon the advice of Dixie Gillaspie, my lovely business coach, I made the decision to follow this lifelong passion as a career.
That’s right, folks, I stopped training salespeople and started working with dogs instead.
But what about the Honest Selling brand?
Announcing the Honest Selling Professionals Association (HSPA)
I may enjoy working with dogs, but I still dream of a day when all buyers are anxious to meet whatever salespeople walk through their doors, instead of fearful, apprehensive and distrusting.
The HSPA’S mission will be to make that day happen … to rebuild the reputation of our profession … to instill an attitude of trust and respect for salespeople everywhere … to create an environment of collaboration between buyers and sellers … to educate salespeople and sales managers in honorable, ethical, non abrasive sales methods … and to teach buyers how to spot salesdrip tactics so they cease to work.
- The paperwork for the association has been filed with the state of Missouri.
- We’ve already gutted the Honest Selling website and are starting to rebuild it for the nonprofit association instead. (Watch along at http://www.honestselling.org if you like.)
- Our international board of directors has been selected — we have our first official board meeting this Tuesday, July 6, 2010.
- The president of our first chapter (St. Louis, of course) has been chosen — she’s joining us at the inaugural board meeting as well.
- Once we get everyone’s bios and photos done we’ll announce who they are to the world.
Contact us if you believe in this mission and:
- you are in St. Louis and interested in serving on that chapter’s board of directors;
- you’re a sales manager or salesperson in St. Louis and interested in possibly joining the association;
- you’re in another city and interested in learning about launching a chapter in your area;
- you have another reason we haven’t listed.
Honest Selling, LLC is dead.
Long live the Honest Selling Professionals Association.
Gill E. Wagner
Founder & Chairman of the Board
Reader Comments (2)
As a lawyer, I deal with the sales aspect of business everyday. We are all selling all of the time, whether we know it or not. The goal has to be to instill trust and respect within the process of selling. Your group looks like it goes a long way towards that end.
I meant to tell you how much I like the logo. It seems to me like something a superhero action figure would wear -- so that seems to fit this organization perfectly!
Cheers!
Kelly