Raúl Gorrín: Can we control our success?

By Raúl Gorrín. Christopher Paul "Chris" Gardner  has quoted these words time and time again as a motivational speaker. He is an is an American entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker and philanthropist. Gardner established the brokerage firm , Gardner Rich and company in Chicago, an "institutional brokerage firm specializing in the execution of debt, equity and derivative products transactions for some of the nation’s largest institutions, public pension plans and unions.  

 After Gardner sold his small stake in Gardner Rich in a multi-million dollar deal in 2006, he became CEO and founder of Christopher Gardner International Holdings, with offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.  During a visit to South Africa to observe elections around the time of the 10th anniversary of the end of apartheid, Gardner met with Nelson Mandela to discuss possible investment in South African emerging markets as indicated in his 2006 autobiography. Gardner is reportedly developing an investment venture with South Africa that will create hundreds of jobs and introduce millions in foreign currency into the nation. Gardner became no doubt a very successful entrepreneur.

David Hawkins, author of the book titled, Power vs. Force wrote

To be a success, it’s necessary to embrace and operate from the principles that produce success, not just imitate the actions of successful people—for to really do what they do, it’s necessary to be like they are.

Successful people follow other successful people’s actions and principles and incorporate them into our own self. So let’s learn from Mr. Gardner’s actions and what made him successful.

The difference between a successful salesperson and a mediocre one often lies in the nuances of social behavior and the skills for building relationships and controlling another person’s perception. That is one of the reasons that we are told to dress for success. A stockbroker would tend to wear a rolex watch so that his client sees that sign of success. The image we give will have a direct correlation on how our potential customers accept us.

Another key to success is to learn as much as you can about your trade and to become the best at it. Gardner became friends with a Bob Bridges, who organized meetings between Gardner and branch managers at the major stock brokerage firms that offered training programs—such as Merrill Lynch, Paine Webber, E.F. Hutton, Dean Witter Reynolds and Smith Barney. Gardner returned home from jail because he could not pay for parking tickets. With no experience, no college education, virtually no connections, and with the same casual outfit he had been wearing on the day he was taken into custody, Gardner gained a position in Dean Witter Reynolds stock brokerage training program. However, this offered no salary. Gardner worked to become a top trainee at Dean Witter Reynolds. He arrived at the office early and stayed late each day, persistently making calls to prospective clients with his goal being 200 calls per day. All this and for zero salary. His perseverance paid off when, in 1982, Gardner passed his Series 7 Exam on the first try and became a full employee of the firm. Eventually, Gardner was recruited by Bear Stearns & Company in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, none of Gardner's co-workers knew that he and his son were homeless in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco for nearly a year. Gardner often scrambled to place his child in daycare, stood in soup kitchens and slept wherever he and his son could find safety—in his office after hours, at flophouses, motels, parks, airports, on public transport and even in a locked bathroom at a BART station.

 Regardless of his challenges, he never reveals his lowly circumstances to his colleagues, even going so far as to lend one of his bosses five dollars for cab fare, a sum that he cannot afford. Perception was that important to Gardner. He also made sure to wear nice suits and pressed shirts despite not having the money. He would give up food to look good at an internship in which he was not paid. On the last day of his internship, his boss complimented his clothes and told him to come in wearing those impressive clothes the next day. From hundreds of others he was chosen for a full time job and was no longer a free intern.  Mr.  Gardner was to go on to make millions in that field.

Mr. Gardner was willing to work for free to learn his trade and he was willing to live in a homeless shelter to achieve his goals of being the best at what he did. He tried to learn from the very best and copy and learn from them. Lastly despite his circumstance of being homeless and living in shelters, his outside image to his bosses and clients was one of incredible success. By Raúl Gorrín.