I Hired a Drug Dealer as a Sales Agent
He made $1,120 on his first night
While working for a commission-based company, I spoke to an unlikely recruit the night before. As he picked up the phone, the sound of dice bouncing on the table, followed by a snap of the finger, confirmed an obvious truth: he was in the middle of a dice game, but this wasn’t the game that had his heart.
The local whispers suggested that he was heartless, had a passion for pounding his fist on fearful faces, and packed enough ammo to make his enemies faceless. However, despite my anticipation of having a conversation with a reckless and intense man, I discovered the opposite.
His tone of voice combined with the two-second pauses that followed each sentence suggested that he was cool-headed and calculative.
After digesting the commission structure, he began to verbally calculate his potential earnings.
To my surprise
Despite his computer illiteracy (each associate must familiarize himself with the sales website) he signed up for my perceived “pyramid scheme.”
I was wrong about this guy
I didn’t expect him to make a sale. He was a master salesman of a different business, sold products that lacked legality, and ruled with an iron fist.
But what happened next surprised me
After my late-night call with what seemed like a low-budget Pablo Escobar, I went to bed.
The next morning, I jumped out of bed and logged into my back office to view the previous day’s earnings.
His earnings: $1,120 | My earnings: $80
Slapped by the wet hand of disbelief, I picked up the phone and called him.
“Bro, we got off the phone after 9 p.m. last night. It’s only six a.m. How did you make fourteen sales?”
I fish with a net, not a hook.
Key Message
Never underestimate or disqualify someone by their reputation. And remember, fish with a net, not a hook.