Charles Hutchins, Columnists, Operations, Sales & Marketing, V9I3

The BIG 5-0

(Photo courtesy of Markus Winkler on Pexels)

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” — Sophia Loren

It finally happened to me. 

I turned 50 years of age and to be honest with you, I am more energized and excited about the shed industry than ever before. 

I used to be the “young guy” in the business and now not so much. I’ve been selling sheds for 27 of the 50 years that I have been alive, and looking back, I have come to realize just how much I really love what I do.

After evaluating and processing the last 27 years, I wanted to share three of the most important factors that I have come to realize. 

THE CUSTOMER IS KING 

I am here to serve my customers first and foremost. I even have a sign hanging over my office door that reads, “Help my customers.” I hung it up as a reminder that no matter what is going on in the daily rigors of my shed business, I am to serve my customer’s needs. 

You see, the customer can fire us at any time if they feel that they are not important. When I would bring my kids to work with me on Saturdays, I would try to stress just what a blessing it is for a customer to purchase from me. I would tell my kids that every time a customer buys from me that we get to eat. 

Now that my kids are older, they understand what I mean. 

Zig Ziglar said it best when he said that nothing happens until a sale is made. That’s true, but the most important equation in that cycle is the customer (they have all of the money, and they know exactly what they want).

TAKE YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH SERIOUSLY 

I’ve heard it said that our health is our wealth, and I truly believe it and even wrote an article about it. If I feel good, I usually do good, and taking care of your body is an essential part of doing your best daily. 

Imagine if in your lifetime you were only able to pick out the one car of your dreams to drive and last you the rest of your life. You could choose any car that you desired with the understanding that this is the only car you will ever own. 

I’ll bet you a dollar to a donut that you would take extra good care of that vehicle getting it serviced on time for oil changes, keeping it clean, and having the tires rotated and balanced. 

The truth is we can have many cars during our lifetime, but we only get one body! Let me repeat, we only get one body so it’s absolutely imperative that we take extra good care of it. I encourage all of us to do the best that we can to stay healthy. 

Here are four simple things that we can do to better our health: Drink plenty of water, sleep seven to eight hours daily, walk 30 to 45 minutes daily, and eat nutritiously. The first three are free! You either discipline your health or it will discipline you.

TRUST IN THE LORD TO LEAD YOUR LIFE

I feel that this is the No. 1 driver to my personal and business success that I have enjoyed. When I began to put God first in my life, my business really started to take off! 

Early on in the shed business, my sole focus was to make as much money as I possibly could. It was all about me and my pursuit of “selling” my customer. Once I made the decision to put God first, my entire mindset shifted to listening to my customer’s needs and assisting them instead of barreling over them just to make a sale. 

I want to encourage all of us to pray daily and to seek God’s wisdom in all facets of our life. Prayer is so powerful ladies and gentlemen. I read the Bible daily in addition to reading my Billy Graham Devotion that one of my dear friends gave to me as a gift. 

It is my prayer that we all make God the top priority in our lives.

Now that I am 50, it’s time for me to set even larger goals to chase. I personally will strive to live life to the fullest, love and appreciate my family, and keep God No. 1 in my life and know that our best days are just ahead.

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