Interview with Jim Potts – Founder of Lewis and Clark Outfitters
What are some of the most valuable things you gained from your experience in the Southwestern Advantage sales and leadership program?
There were so many it is hard to say exactly but I would list the following but not in any particular order.
- How to overcome adversity in life
- How to develop a habit of doing those things required for success that most people don’t do
- Skills in leading others
- Skills in helping others overcome adversities in life and find purpose
- The effectiveness of valuing others
- How to create a momentum around what I am doing to make it successful
What was the most difficult part of your Southwestern Advantage experience?
Facing the risk of failure and facing rejection over and over.
What are a couple pieces of advice you would offer a first year salesperson?
Learn to find something valuable in the person you are talking to at the moment. Stay focused and keep
on a schedule no matter what.
Before you were invited to sell, what was your plan after graduation (work, grad school, etc)?
A career in coaching
Tell us about your career path taken after Southwestern Advantage.
After my Southwestern days I went into insurance sales and then financial consulting. I
basically designed and set up administration of profit sharing plans and other employee
benefit plans. One of the biggest sales I ever made was to a Fortune 100 company in 1979.
I designed their Profit Sharing Plan for the entire company and it is still working for them
today just like it was in 79. I ended up with many more large companies as clients as a
result, and I could never have done that had it not been for my book selling experiences.