Best Job in the World
About 21 years ago I was standing in a ski boat, in the dead of winter, in the rain, camera in hand, taking pictures of Eskimo Escapades. I was somewhat unhappy, to say the least. My fancy new camera was getting wet, I was cold, and wondering why I had chosen to get into the publishing industry. I was having to work weekends, and I was not looking forward to selling advertising the next week. I was feeling sorry for myself.
The man driving the boat was Rogan Oliver, the advertising sales manager for a local television station. Here was a man who I felt certain could appreciate my frustration and would happily commiserate. The action paused as we waited in line to pick up another participant. “How are things at the station?” I asked.
“Never better!” he replied. I was stunned.
“You sell advertising, don’t you?” I asked, expecting him to acknowledge the difficulty of advertising sales.
“Yes,” he said, “and I have the best job in the world.”
I had no idea how that could be true, but I certainly wanted to know how he had come to that conclusion.
“Would you mind explaining?” I asked.
Rogan didn’t hesitate.
“I get to go out every day and meet new people. Most are business owners or managers and I get to know them and learn about their businesses. Often I become friends with the people I meet. I take the time to really understand their business and then craft a marketing plan that will increase their sales. That creates more profit for their company and an opportunity for growth, which means more jobs are created. So in doing my job, I not only help my customers, I help our community grow and prosper. It is a win at every level and that is why I have the best job in the world.”
I was so overwhelmed that all I could do was utter a simple thank you. Those words changed me, and they changed the course of what I would do with the magazine. The next sales call I made, the customer asked me how I was and I shared my new paradigm. “Never better, I have the best job in the world.”
Attitude is everything, and as my attitude changed, so did the community response to the publication. I had the opportunity to chart the course of the publication’s editorial mission, and that mission was to write about the good in our community. Articles bring light to that which needs to be shared with the community at large. Getting to sing the song of just how great our little corner of the world really is, getting to help local businesses grow, truly makes this the best job in the world. But it is more than just that. I was learning, just as Bruce Fox talks about in this month’s Insights, the value of communication and how it can change people for the better.
All of that is only possible because of you and your support. So with an open heart, I thank you for being on this journey with myself and my team.