Lessons from a Janitor Turned CEO with John Walker

No matter the size or sector of your business, there are certain first principles that you should follow. That said, the busyness of the workday (and our lengthy to-do lists) make it harder to adhere to those principles. So what can you do to better serve your prospects and customers? In this episode of Connection Loop, Dubb Creative Director Shannon Leonard and John Walker discuss some of those first principles. Insights shared in this discussion include the following:

• Life is about commitment and actually following up on your promises. If you do what you say you are going to do, you will be ahead of 70% of others. And if you do a little bit more than that? There is no stopping you. It is an extremely simple concept, but it can take you a long way. Whether you have small or large career goals, make sure that you are staying true to your promises or commitments.
  
• We are all in business to make money. That is inescapable. That being said, if you don’t get some enjoyment out of providing a service to customers, you are going to have an uphill battle. Seeing your business through the eyes of your customer is critical. By doing so, you can better understand their problems and the ways that your business can address those problems. Moreover, it helps you build strong relationships with customers and prospects.
  
• Be fully transparent. When interacting with prospects or customers, don’t have any hidden agendas. We all want to make the sale and hit our sales quotas, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of a long-term prospect or customer relationship. Therefore, when approaching a prospect or customer, embrace honesty. Being upfront will help you build trust and provide value even beyond this initial encounter.
  
• One of the most important things when making a career transition is to embrace opportunities. Before making the leap, it is difficult, let alone impossible, to see what new doors will be opened to you. When you come across those doors, don’t hesitate to open them. They may lead you to your next great chance to grow your business or reach your career goals.
  
• By building trust with your customers, you may find new and unexpected ways to grow your business. In other words, opportunities will emerge that wouldn't have emerged if you hadn’t spent that time building that trust. Even though it is hard to predict what those opportunities will be before they occur, your odds are good that they will emerge.
  

This is a great discussion for anyone that wants to better serve their customers and grow their businesses. Whether you are looking for better ways to connect with customers or are navigating a significant career transition, you will get a lot out of this episode. We hope you enjoy it!

John Walker is a farmer and a former employee at Verizon. At Verizon, he held a variety of roles, including executive director of operations technology and sales CX, executive director of IT, and a member of technical services. John attended Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and received his MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Want to learn more from John about his business experiences and how you can accomplish your business goals?

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