I once accepted a job offer with a national fast food chain as a manager. It froze my soul to offer people, hard-working people, jobs beginning with minimum wage and ending a nickle higher..if they were fortunate. I taught diligent, motivated people job skills that would have no transferable value. It was my responsibility to spot folks, hungry young men and women, who were snacking on greasy burgers...then, to fire them. I drew the line at that one. I didn't fire a single soul. Seven weeks later I went in to quit. However, I was fired before I could do so. (Honestly Oh, well, huh?

The job taught me that I've a strong need to be competent. I want to share and encourage others to have pride in their product knowledge. I came to realize that my diligence, my pride in my own competency, my willingness to focus and learn meant that I'd always succeed on a commissioned basis.

I thrive in a setting that demands the best of me; that insists upon product proficiency and the goal of customer satisfaction.