Posts by Jeff Burgess
Creating Value: Success Happens When You Build a Team That Loves Their Work
Action breeds inspiration more than inspiration breeds action. ~ Willem Dafoe Why Trust Is the Heart of Team Building Among the joys I had throughout my forty-five years within (and withstanding) the computer industry was team building. As I began to land large accounts, it was instrumental to have a knowledgeable team as the inside…
Read MoreHow Technology Innovation Changed Everything: From Walkmans to AI
Without doubt, technology has really changed the world since the 1980s. I am not so sure whether it has made us lazier or better. Perhaps a little of both. The so-called “hot technology” when I landed feet-first in the computer industry a lifetime ago, in 1979, was the Sony Walkman. Visualize yourself walking down the street…
Read MoreWhy Becoming Grandpa Is Like Getting a Complete Life Reboot
Our family was blessed with our first grandchild just over nine months ago. John Jeffrey – named after both my son-in-law’s late father and me – is his official name. His street name is Johnny. Grandpa Love: Finding Joy in Every New Moment Joanne and I have always had grand dogs throughout our forty-plus years…
Read MoreThe Soundtrack of My Life: How the Band YES Influenced Me
How 1960s Music Shaped my Life and a Generation For as long as I can remember, starting in 1964 as a seven-year-old, music filled the void in my psyche. Of course, that all started with The Beatles for me and millions of others around the world. I started taking guitar lessons two weeks later, and…
Read MoreHow to Turn Painful Childhood Memories into Powerful Life Lessons
Childhood Chaos and Painful Family Dynamics Growing up, I was one of four kids, plus a stepsister twelve years older than me. The stepsister, Judy, never had a chance after her dad married my mother. Especially after my sister was born seven years after my twin brother, Jim, and me. She became my mother’s sole…
Read MoreSelling with Grit and Grace: The 99% Confidence Rule
Selling with Grit and Grace I base much of my selling success on taking the time to do my homework. For those who know me, that first sentence may raise an eyebrow or two. People always considered me impatient. After a while, it no longer bothered me, as I happened to run at a different…
Read MoreHow I Finally Got My College Education Right
Way back in the fall of 1975, after graduating from high school three months earlier, I entered college at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. This was roughly two hours, and from my family home, but it may as well have been on another planet for me. My parents and I took two trips to…
Read MoreFrom Warehouse to Boardroom: Lessons from the Ground Up
After that not-so-subtle kick in the ass from my concerned father, I landed a warehouse job within a few days. It did not matter whether that company stored vacuum cleaner parts or automotive parts. That was the least of my concerns. I was on a mission to make my dad proud of me again. I…
Read MoreWhy I Donate All My Book Profits to the Wounded Warrior Project
Why Donate ALL Book Profits to the WWP? Ever since the publication of It Worked For Me!, people have occasionally asked why I chose to donate all the book profits to the Wounded Warrior Project. It’s a fair question, especially considering that several excellent charitable programs exist that support our veteran heroes. A Personal Connection…
Read More10 Easy Business Rules That Apply to Everyday Life
The Power of OTFD: How Speed, Accountability, and Quality Built a $100M Brand Success A $100M company was built around a simple business mantra based upon OTFD (Out the Fucking Door). If you find that offensive, you likely worked at one of our so-called competitors. We preferred to consider them as pretenders. “Just Like BCD,”…
Read More