This Father’s Day 2013, I am again reminded of the first business lesson that my Dad taught me many years ago. This lesson is the main reason that I have survived over 29 years in the investment advice business in Minnesota.
My Dad was a salesman all his life. So was his father. In fact, my Dad’s grandfather began selling cars in Northeastern Iowa when cars were shipped to automobile dealerships in boxes and had to be assembled. In those days people would trade in a horse to buy their first car.
As a fourth generation sales person, I vividly remember the greatest business lesson that my Dad taught me. The lesson was to tell the truth to everyone that you come into contact with in your business career.
My Dad taught me that everyone you sell your product of service to is spending their hard earned money in search of a product or advice that will help them. For that reason, every person deserves the truth.
I once worked at companies where telling the truth to prospects and clients was discouraged. Those companies found it especially hard to tell the truth when it could cost them potential business.
My Dad never got that memo. In his business days, they only had memos; not e-mails.
The business world is full of half-truths. My Dad always operated in the business world of the full truth.
Fortunes have been made by companies and individual who tell customers exactly what they want to hear; and leave the truth to be found out later.
In the automobile and investment advice business, the truth is sometimes hard to find. Each of these industries produces advertisements by talking heads making bold and outrageous claims.
My Dad told me to disregard what is advertised on radio and television about a product or service. He taught me that the most important thing a person looking to buy something needs to hear is the truth from another human being.
I have never, ever forgotten that my Dad taught me to tell the truth.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad. I want you to know how much your lesson about truth has meant to me, your grandchildren, and to my clients too.
Ric Lager
Lager & Company, Inc.
