I was discussing our new business and the referral network’s relationship-driven nature with my mom recently. I mentioned to her that as I start recruiting sales agents for the team, I’ll be seeking individuals similar to my dad. His exceptional business acumen and sales skills were unparalleled, as I had the privilege of witnessing throughout his entire career, where he specialized in selling Yellow Pages. I used to joke that he could sell a ketchup popsicle to someone wearing white gloves. He was like the Arnold Palmer of sales—a true legend.

The year was 1969, and I was just a fourth-grader in Cleveland, Ohio. At the tender age of nine, I hadn’t lived long enough in Ohio to truly feel the loss of our impending move. From the moment I arrived at St. Gregory the Great until the day I graduated from SUNY Buffalo, its streets, schools, basketball courts, and golf courses became my home. The timing of our move couldn’t have been better. My dad had been selected to join a new sales team tasked with expanding LM Berry’s Yellow Page presence in Western New York. He excelled at what he did, and so we set off for Buffalo. Growing up, I had the privilege of learning social and selling skills at our kitchen table, being exposed to Emotional Intelligence throughout my upbringing.

When I landed my first sales job at PAYCHEX in 1982, I shared the news with my mom and dad, and they were overjoyed that I was following in similar footsteps. I became a cold-calling expert, walking the same path, knocking on doors, making cold calls, and even writing handwritten thank-you notes, just as he did. His farming background had instilled in him an early riser’s mentality, and I, too, became an early riser. He milked cows every morning, while I delivered newspapers. Who needed an alarm clock when there was work to be done? Rising early and working hard became a way of life.

My dad excelled at selling one thing, and he did it exceptionally well. As we now recruit our own elite sales team forty-five years later, I find myself wondering how much more he could have achieved if he had other products to offer his loyal clientele. Nonetheless, we’ve developed an impressive product lineup, and we’ll make these products and services available to our tenants, agents, and the global commissioned sales force.

Yet, my father’s story isn’t solely about selling one thing effectively; it’s a tale of dedication, hard work, and a commitment to nurturing relationships that endure. As I grew up, I observed that my dad had a devoted following of clients. Every year, when renewal time came, he sold those ads with unwavering confidence, renewing one account after another, crisscrossing cities throughout New York State. Recently, two close friends shared their experiences with my dad. John Stigelneier from roofing once remarked, “Norm was just chatting with me one day, and he sold me an ad without me even realizing it.” And Peter Tunkey from National Car Rental, reflecting on four years of persistent calls, said, “He eventually won me over in the most professional manner, and our ad grew larger each year.”

In the days when Yellow Pages served as the equivalent of Google from the ’50s to the ’90s, my dad was at the forefront. I mentioned to my mom that Google didn’t exist back then and that if my dad were selling today, he’d be the top performer in Google sales. In those times, finding what you needed relied on Yellow Pages, word of mouth, and encyclopedias. As I grew up, one thing was clear—my dad had a devoted client base. When renewal time arrived, he approached these renewals with utmost confidence, traveling from city to city across New York State. I happened to run into Lee Federaconi, who used to buy ads from my dad, and he spontaneously said, “Your father often joined me for lunch and kept in touch after my renewal. That’s what real salespeople do. He always had kind words and compliments to offer.”

My dad specialized in selling one thing, and he did it brilliantly. Now, forty-five years after my dad’s recruitment, we are assembling our own elite sales teams. In my high school yearbook, I expressed my desire to wear a suit to work and follow in my dad’s footsteps. I can’t help but wonder how much more he could have achieved if he had additional offerings for his loyal following.

Ultimately, my father’s story transcends excelling in selling just one thing; it’s a story of dedication, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to cultivating lifelong relationships. As we move forward, we aim to honor his memory by embodying these values in everything we do.

Norm showing me a few tractor tips from his upbringing as a farmer.