Now I had to get a job in a completely new field, I still have a file of the 373 rejection letters, I need to pull it out sometimes when I get discouraged about not being able to realize a dream.  I did get that job finally, as a trainer for accounting software, should be a cinch given my background, right?  Wrong! No one ever trained me on DOS.  I was Windows all the way back from 1991, so to make a long story short I was failing miserably, except for one aspect.  Every time I came back from a client’s location, I also brought a sales order with me. I guess I was a natural evangelist for technology sales. 

During this timeframe, I also was introduced to a Sales Automation Tool called TeleMagic.  So, my role and title changed at this organization, I was promoted to Director of Sales, and Emerging Technologies, Sales Force Automation.  I learned how to build a business from scratch from within a business.  This role lasted for five years.  Eventually technologies change and so do software leaders.  I started losing sales to GoldMine.  I discussed this with the president of the company I was working he didn’t want to commit to another software.  I decided I would fulfill my destiny and start my own company. 

Typical story, right?  I started over my garage.  Soon I outgrew my office and rented a suite of offices in Shelton CT, where I grew this company from Me to Me + 12.  We were the top 5 GoldMine resellers for 7 straight years from 2001 – 2007 and won The Business Solution Architect Award for one of our solutions during 2006.  We specialized in Hi-Tech firms, Consumer Products companies and Financial Companies, (financial firms included multiple sectors).   I had brand names also, Priceline, Toyota, Mercedes Benz, and Smith and Wesson.  On the Financial front I was doing a lot of business with wealth management firms such as Meryl Lynch.

I went from $0.00 to $3 Million Dollars in sales during the eight-year period.  Like everything else in technology, the industry changed and Sales Force Automation became Client Relationship Management. Microsoft recruited my company during 2003 to take on Microsoft CRM.  Within a year, I became a Gold Managed partner of Microsoft.   Everything was on track except the technology was demanding greater attention to infrastructure, I decided I wanted to change again.  I sold my company to a larger regional firm.  This allowed me to focuses on Client Relationship Management and CRM Solutions. 

CIBER hired me as a National Practice Leader and a Pre-Sales Architect.  This was my first taste at enterprise deals and working for a large company.  Unfortunately, CIBER could not compete with offshore firms, so I moved on to Infosys.  This was the first global firm I worked for.  I was hired as Principal Process and Domain Financial Services North America. 

During my time at Infosys, I transitioned to Global Sales for Microsoft CRM, and Portfolio Owner for the Agency Relationship Management System.  Here I led a rotating team of 10 full time employees at two delivery locations in India; our focus was to ideate and build building an insurance solution for Microsoft CRM focused on Fortune 500 carriers and large agencies.  Our first major transformation deal was for Allstate Insurance, Northbrook, IL. During this time, I was also managing day to day, a Global Private Equity firm, (a client of Infosys) growing this team from 3 to 10 full time employees, exceeding revenue targets and client satisfaction ratings.

IBM recruited me and I accepted the position as Associate Partner Sales and Delivery, North America.  This role was expanded to Global Centre of Competency Dynamics CRM, and the Portfolio Owner of The IBM Banking Solution™.  Click Here for a comprehensive view at my roles and responsibilities at IBM.