I started to train martial arts at the age of 12. I somehow had always been interested in martial arts, not the sake of fighting but something else. But still it was a coincidence that I started to train with my friends, who had seen a show of Korean masters performing in our town. I don’t think I would have like the show that much and it was better that I didn’t take part in it, but went directly to the training. Best friends make you do things that are best for you, even if you don’t know what they are and why to follow. You just have to trust your guts and that is what happened to me a long time ago, and it took me to a journey, I never could have dreamed of.

My first real sales experience was at a telemarketing firm, where I sold magazines over the phone. I knew I needed work experience, since I would not make a living by teaching martial arts and I had to get some real work experience. The only job I got in July was in telesales. The job was difficult. It was not easy to pick up the phone and call strangers. Some names were more scary than others and often I had decided in my head, I could not sell to that person, without even having a conversation.

When I started training martial arts, I weighed about 35kgs and had poor hand-leg coordination and very little strength. I had played different sports, so I had stamina and willingness to learn. I knew, I could learn quickly, but not being flexible was my biggest problem. Almost all my friends improved their flexibility quickly, but somehow I just didn’t. In Finland we go to sauna few times a week and everytime I tried to stretch and get more flexible, when my muscles were warm. Still, I didn’t get flexible and people didn’t call me talented. It wasn’t always fun to be the weakest and the least talented person in the dojang (training room). But the feeling, when I got the yellow belt and felt that I had accomplished something, was very motivating and I continued to train. I was the only one in my group of friends, who graduated to the black belt. In the end, I spend 100 days a year with my master training martial arts and moved abroad to teach martial arts.

Few years after my first real job in telesales, I had graduated from the university and worked a year in Ireland and found myself trying to land a job in Finland. I applied to over 200 jobs, but sales positions were the only ones I got into interviewing stage. I knew, I had to start from the bottom and thought that getting a job in sales, would be my only chance to get a career. I had no other skills to offer to my possible employer than just my ability to speak and listen. I took the first job that was offered to me and started selling advertising. 10 years later, I’ve had a successful sales career and become a sales director to one of the biggest media companies in Finland.

This blog is about how I perceive sales to be similar with martial arts. I will look into how my training has helped me to succeed in work life and especially in sales. My topics will be written from martial arts perspective and then modified to sales environment. Please be free to comment and I hope we will have insightful discussions.