Jonathan Kochis

Earlier this year my Grandma Fernandes passed away suddenly in her mid-seventies.  I have many fond memories of my Grandma but there's one in particular that will remain with me wherever I go, whatever I do.

When Brendan and I first launched ResIM as a part-time gig back in 2001 I remember receiving much encouragement from my Grandma -- she was always supportive and encouraged me to pursue my goals.  I can't remember the exact date but at some point in those early years I was given a piece of paper with the following poem on it -- it's stuck with me ever since:

If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don’t!

If you’d like to win, but think you can’t,

It’s almost a cinch that you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellow’s will;

It’s all in the state of mind!

If you think you’re outclassed, you are;

You’ve got to think high to rise.

You’ve got to be sure of yourself

Before you can win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the strongest or fastest man;

But sooner or later the man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can!

The poem is called 'The Man Who Thinks He Can' by Walter D. Wintle.  You've probably heard it before but I thought I'd share since it's something I use to help guide me through the rigours of entrepreneurship.

I'm a firm believer in the power of positive intention, of visualizing the home run before you step up to the plate, and that sooner or later the man who wins is the man who thinks he can. Thanks Grandma.

The two most important parts of my job are, in no particular order:

1. Keeping these people happy
2. Keeping these people happily employed

A big portion of the second point involves developing and cultivating new sales opportunities, something I didn't think I'd enjoy as much as I do.  I quite like the sales process and am always looking to fine tune our approach.

With revenue growing each year and more than one person responsible for sales I started to find the ol' whiteboard less-than-satisfactory.  Though I'd tried a couple of apps in the past (Highrise) and investigated a few others (SalesForce) I wasn't ready to fully commit to anything.

My search reached a bit of a lull when I happened on a tweet from fellow ResIM'er Andrew Procter mentioning a twitter account for PipeJump. 

The folks at goodBETAbest provide this description of PipeJump in 25 words or less:

Pipejump.com offers a web based service that manages the lifecycle of a sales opportunity from the drunken pitch you delivered at the pub into a closed deal.

So true.

Only a small percentage of my pitches are made while under the influence, nonetheless I'm really enjoying PipeJump so far, here's why:

1. Add leads in a snap.  It's difficult to keep track of leads when they come from multiple people and multiple directions.  Adding a new lead to PipeJump takes all of about five seconds.
2. Quick view of the pipe.  At this point in the game I've got a pretty good handle on my lead conversion rate.  PipeJump provides a quick view of the dollar value in the pipe at any given point -- I can use this and my conversion rate to (carefully) forecast sales.
3. Lead sources.  Knowing where my leads come from allows me to refocus my efforts and nurture the best sources.  PipeJump has a great graphing tool that, among other things, shows where leads are coming from. (Note: the results are only as good as the data you provide).
4. Move leads through the pipe.  A simple drag-and-drop process makes moving a lead from 'unqualified' all the way to 'closed' a breeze.

There are a couple of things I'd change about PipeJump, like making it easier to change the source of a lead after it's been entered, but in all it's a simple, easy-to-use, and effective application.

As an entrepreneur there are many things I love about what I do, from setting direction and strategy to having the opportunity to assemble a team of great people.  There are also many things I'd rather not deal with, including wondering if I've chosen the right direction and dealing with the red tape of government and bureaucracy.

Until yesterday though, I couldn't really put my finger on the absolute best part of my job.  You see yesterday I facilitated a participatory discovery session with a group of people currently undergoing varying forms of cancer treatment (we're in the planning phase of a virtual experience project for the cancer clinic at LHSC).

Talk about sobering.

Though I listened to stories of fear and anxiety, the kind that can only come after being told you're going to die, I heard more stories of hope, determination, and a desire to outright crush this awful disease.

It was then that I realized the best part of my job is the stories I'm told.  From those that come after staring cancer in the face, to hearing the near impossible success of a small business, to learning about industries and meeting people that normally I would have never come into contact with. While some stories are more significant than others they share the trait of being told with conviction.

May of these stories overlap and weave together to form an incredible narrative that I'm lucky enough to be part of.  The resolve and strength of humankind, be it in fighting a disease or fighting the odds to succeed in other areas of life, is truly remarkable.

People have fascinating stories -- I consider myself privileged to have heard so many.