In this episode of the Bootstrapped Unicorns Podcast, Dave Shufelt shares his entrepreneurial journey of transitioning from door knocker to owner of Shade Masters USA, a successful decor manufacturing business. Throughout his career, Dave has experienced the nuances of various industries through roles in companies like ADT, a pizza machine company, and even a vinyl installation business, building a vast, versatile skillset along the way. His dedication to building authentic relationships and understanding people's needs has cultivated a high client retention and close ratio, proving the effectiveness of his nurturing approach to sales. Listen in as Dave advises on navigating career aspirations, the importance of rapport, and the value of adapting established business models for a successful entrepreneurial venture.

49:01 Learning from Sales Experiences

31:51 Transition to Ownership

49:02 Building the New Business

52:04 Business Values and Client Trust

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There is a magnetic draw to the script of 'From Door Knocker to Luxury Decor Manufacturer The Bootstrapped Unicorns Podcast Episode 6' which chronicles a character’s journey from being an ordinary door-to-door salesperson to becoming a significant player in the world of luxury decor. It offers an inspiring view into what diligent work, relationship-building skills, and a little creativity can accomplish in the business world.

The script features the character, Dave, a salesperson whose impressive work ethic and keen understanding of his customers' needs enabled him to excel in his sales career. Initially, he worked for ADT, selling home security systems door-to-door in very demanding conditions. Despite the challenges, Dave thrived, even referring to a 'bowl of no’s' as fuel that pushed him to find the 'yes.' His unique approach involved modifying strategies to get there before anyone else by legally finding information on people moving into homes, which was a game-changer, as it meant dealing with less competition and more open doors.

This perceptiveness about his clientele enabled Dave to make another exciting career move. After his time in ADT, he sold automated pizza ovens to businesses. Despite dealing with larger entities than before, Dave’s sales approach did not differ too much. He continued to place relationship building at the forefront, leveraging the belief that people do business with individuals they know, like, and trust.

Dave’s third move landed him in the Shade industry. As usual, he focused more on understanding his customers’ motives than on selling a product. The personal connection he developed helped him achieve a 70-80% close ratio, an incredible achievement in the sales world. The average sale amounted to $5,000 - $6,000, with the largest sale reaching $95,000.

Dave's journey took an even more impressive turn when he transitioned from salesperson to business owner. His past experiences set him up for this transition, equipping him with an understanding of his clientele and the operations of their preferred products. While many people may look to innovate completely when starting a business, Dave's approach seemed to work against that grain. Instead, he stuck with a business model similar to that of his previous employer, adjusting it as necessary to suit the new circumstances of ownership.

From his learner's journey with ADT, gaining experience in the art and process of sales, to refining his skills through several industries and eventually stepping confidently into the role of business owner, Dave's journey provides impactful insights on the relationship between sales and entrepreneurship. It underscores the potential for significant growth when a salesperson – who is on the front line, interacting and engaging with customers – sees an opportunity to extend their customer commitment from sales pitch to a business vision and grabs it.

Overall, Dave's journey from sales to entrepreneurship sparks an interesting conversation on the power of relationship-building in the business world and gives credence to the idea of starting a business based on a tried-and-true model, rather than developing one from scratch. With an open mind, a focus on what works, and an unwavering commitment to satisfy one's customers, one can also transition from being an effective salesperson to an even more successful business owner.

PODCAST TOPIC KEYWORDS:

Shade Masters USA, window treatment, Hunter Douglas, Universal custom windows, retractable shades, sales, leads, vendors, business ownership, business model, BNI, Networking, ADT, Business to Business, Customer Relationship Management

IMPORTANT OTHER LINKS:

Our Show Website: Https://www.BootstrappedUnicorns.com

Our Company Website: https://www.C47Films.com

Shade Masters of Central Florida: https://shademastersusa.com/

The BU Private (FREE) Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bootstrappedunicorns/

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