In a comment on last week's WSJ op-ed, John Fox of Venture Marketing offered the following thought: "it is exasperating to find so little sales training or formal education available [for entrepreneurs]."
This is a subtle yet insightful point. A colleague once suggested that if our aim is to create more entrepreneurs or at least better prepare potential entrepreneurs, we should replace all entrepreneurship education programs with basic sales courses. After all, and to Fox's point, entrepreneurs are engaged at every step of the way in selling something: an idea, themselves, a product, a vision.
In Fortune 1000 companies or the smallest start-up, nothing good happens until someone sells something!
Posted by: Len Denton | November 09, 2009 at 04:35 PM
The invisible hand is at work. Entrepreneurs have only in the past decade or so really claimed the celebrity-like status that they have. The dotcom boom created some of that. It's now quite sexy to be an entrepreneur of any type. That will balance out. It will go from being a swear word, to a sex symbol, to just another respected career path and when it becomes the last, it will be formally taught in schools (better).
Posted by: Dustin | November 12, 2009 at 12:35 PM
I would have to agree with you concerning this point. The fundamental truth is that no current or aspiring entreprenuer can be successful in business until he or she sells something. No income is generated, nor addition help hired, neither is equipment is bought until something is sold by the entreprenuer. Selling in my opinion should be the first course taught when considering going into entreprenuership.
Posted by: Terrance Fairley | November 13, 2009 at 11:42 PM
I'm often of the opinion that some people you simply cannot teach sales too. It's a natural instinct to a certain degree.
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