Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Windy City
Just thought I'd let everyone know that we are here in Chicago now (and will be until the end of August) and I will get some pictures on as soon as I can get the camera cord mailed out to us. ( Of all the things to forget, I forgot the cord that allows me to put pictures on our blog! Blogging is one of the few things I can do here because I can't really go anywhere when I'm car-less and have two girls!) Oh and Mitch has sold 3 accounts so far! Yea Mitch, I'm so proud of him! (For those who may not know, Mitch is selling home security systems door-to-door this summer in Chicago, Illinois.) It's been a pretty great adventure so far though. I've lived in Utah basically my whole life so Chicago is quite a change for me. It's also been fun coming up with creative ways to do things, like using baby diaper boxes as laundry baskets. We only had the trunk of our Honda Civic to transport our stuff we would need for 4 months so it was a tight fit just for the basics, especially when you have to pack for a 20-month old and a 4-month old because they are still growing and changing at such a rapid pace. We will miss you all this summer!!!
Friday, April 11, 2008
Mitch's 15-minutes of Fame
Below is an article that was written about Mitch for the upcoming summer of selling in Chicago. This is posted on the APX Alarm Systems website but we just copied and pasted it for everyone to enjoy!
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Mitch Watkins: Sales Pitch Anyone? --by Jessica Stewart April 8, 2008
Provo, Utah - One of the few first year reps that Brown Region Manager Devin Arp will talk about his hopes for is new salesman Mitch Watkins.
Watkins is a neighbor and friend of Arp’s, who has make some of the biggest sacrifices and taken the biggest risks of anyone in the 2008 office.
Mitch, who has been working as a plumber for the past few years and had planned on continuing on in that career, has recently bought a house and has a young family to support. In making the decision to work at Apx, Mitch had to also decide to leave a steady job that was to be his career and put his trust in his manager’s training and counsel.
I ask Watkins what made him make such a 180 degree turn toward Apx’s alarm program, and he tells me that a big part of it was the potential for increased success.
“In my other job, I found that I was working really hard, I was one of the hardest workers at my job, and I really wasn’t getting much out of my hard work. I talked to Devin and found that Apx is a place where you get rewarded for your hard work because you basically set your own salary.”
Mitch also tells me that he’s making this move for his family.
“I want to be the best provider for my family, and I know that nothing is rewarded in life without taking a risk first. Obviously it is a risk to come out and sell during the summer, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take in order to be the best provider I can be for my family.”
And Mitch is already putting a lot of effort into the job preseason. Manager Devin Arp tells me that one of the reasons he is so hopeful for Mitch is his work ethic.
“Every week we do trainings at my house, and I tell him what to work on for next week, and he always does that and more. If I tell him to memorize something, it’s memorized - word for word.”
When I ask him about it, Mitch tells me that he really has been working hard to improve.
“After every training I do with Devin, I come home and just go over everything for like half an hour.”
Mitch also tells me that he is constantly doing sales presentations to his wife and in-laws. He also makes a pitch to every couple or friend that they invite to their house.
“It’s a little more comfortable for me to pitch a friend in my own home than it is a stranger on a doorstep, but you’d be surprised at the feedback. They always let me know how I can improve, and it really helps.”
Pitching his friends and family for practice? This guy is DEDICATED.
While Mitch was still working 50 hours a week and going to school, he was fitting in as much training as he could. Now that he has left his former job, he plans on spending even more time doing preseason selling and training with Devin.
“I really appreciate the time and the way Devin has been training me. He is more open to let me choose when I am ready to make pitches, and wants to find the most effective way for me to learn,” he says.
Watkins tells me that having watched Arp sell a few accounts and having sold one preseason account himself, he is feeling much more comfortable with his pitch, and is very excited for the impending summer.
-----------------------------------------
Mitch Watkins: Sales Pitch Anyone? --by Jessica Stewart April 8, 2008
Provo, Utah - One of the few first year reps that Brown Region Manager Devin Arp will talk about his hopes for is new salesman Mitch Watkins.
Watkins is a neighbor and friend of Arp’s, who has make some of the biggest sacrifices and taken the biggest risks of anyone in the 2008 office.
Mitch, who has been working as a plumber for the past few years and had planned on continuing on in that career, has recently bought a house and has a young family to support. In making the decision to work at Apx, Mitch had to also decide to leave a steady job that was to be his career and put his trust in his manager’s training and counsel.
I ask Watkins what made him make such a 180 degree turn toward Apx’s alarm program, and he tells me that a big part of it was the potential for increased success.
“In my other job, I found that I was working really hard, I was one of the hardest workers at my job, and I really wasn’t getting much out of my hard work. I talked to Devin and found that Apx is a place where you get rewarded for your hard work because you basically set your own salary.”
Mitch also tells me that he’s making this move for his family.
“I want to be the best provider for my family, and I know that nothing is rewarded in life without taking a risk first. Obviously it is a risk to come out and sell during the summer, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take in order to be the best provider I can be for my family.”
And Mitch is already putting a lot of effort into the job preseason. Manager Devin Arp tells me that one of the reasons he is so hopeful for Mitch is his work ethic.
“Every week we do trainings at my house, and I tell him what to work on for next week, and he always does that and more. If I tell him to memorize something, it’s memorized - word for word.”
When I ask him about it, Mitch tells me that he really has been working hard to improve.
“After every training I do with Devin, I come home and just go over everything for like half an hour.”
Mitch also tells me that he is constantly doing sales presentations to his wife and in-laws. He also makes a pitch to every couple or friend that they invite to their house.
“It’s a little more comfortable for me to pitch a friend in my own home than it is a stranger on a doorstep, but you’d be surprised at the feedback. They always let me know how I can improve, and it really helps.”
Pitching his friends and family for practice? This guy is DEDICATED.
While Mitch was still working 50 hours a week and going to school, he was fitting in as much training as he could. Now that he has left his former job, he plans on spending even more time doing preseason selling and training with Devin.
“I really appreciate the time and the way Devin has been training me. He is more open to let me choose when I am ready to make pitches, and wants to find the most effective way for me to learn,” he says.
Watkins tells me that having watched Arp sell a few accounts and having sold one preseason account himself, he is feeling much more comfortable with his pitch, and is very excited for the impending summer.
The Living Aquarium
This was a pretty fun exhibit in Sandy, I think it's pretty new. It was worth checking out. I got a pretty cool shot of a jellyfish too!
The tunnels were probably their favorite part!
Ok, so it's not real, but it's still a pretty cool picture!
I thought it was hilarious that they have a tank of eels in front of them but Madison and Emma are more interested in Kenzie's crying.
More Zoo Pictures
We tried to get a good picture of all the kids on the cougar. Lets just say it didn't work...
Here are Emma and Madison (Madison is Emma's cousin) hugging.
They didn't quite know when to let go, so they took a tumble!Our trip to the Zoo
We went to the zoo last week with the Williams and all the kids loved it. Emma especially loved the turtles. In the picture below she had gotten underneath the bar and was walking along the glass, following the turtle as it swam.
Max, Madison, and Emma in their animal hats (an elephant, giraffe, and turtle).
Poor Kenzie enduring the long day at the zoo.
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