2014 In Review

A ConCardia Tournament at ChessieCon this fall.

This has been quite an eventful year for me. I took a shot at turning ConCardia into a real business and missed the mark. I got back into the car business. I took over a bookshop. And, of course, I crossed that great threshold of moving from not being a parent to being a parent.

During 2013, ConCardia was growing and I felt that if only I was freed from the constraints of a car salesman's schedule, I could really make something happen with it. When I left Volkswagen last December, I decided to take advantage of Unemployment to give ConCardia the old college try. As it turns out, the market for it is very different from my initial concept. Unemployment ran out, and it became time to find regular work again. I am glad that I gave it a shot. I am back at a car dealership, and I am working as many hours as ever, but now I know that I gave ConCardia its shot. It's a fun project to run, and people enjoy it, but it will likely never provide my living.

My daughter gets an early start with networking, smoozing the
President of the Young Professionals of Eastern Connecticut
at a recent event.

This process also brought me to land at a great dealership with wonderful people. I enjoy my time here. I can really see being here for a very long time, at least as long as it is led by the same great people and has the same pleasant environment for staff as well as customers.

When 2014 began, I had the sensation of going down a waterslide. I had faith that things would end up in a good place, but I knew that I had precious little influence in the events to unfold. The best I could do would be to approach it with faith and love and hope for the best.

Inspiring baby is inspiring!

As I look at 2015, I expect a more settled year. Of course, with my daughter, there will be huge changes: first steps, maybe first words, and who knows what else. But coming into this year I was unsettled and seeking. I was unsatisfied with where I lived, the lack of people I knew, and my career trajectory. Now, I am living in a better place. I have people I work with whom I believe will become friends. I know some wonderful people through networking, especially the Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals of Eastern CT. I have a job which I enjoy and which will provide for my needs and enable me to put money aside.

Most importantly, I have a focus which can set all the varied threads of my life in focus: my daughter. I need a good job and good income potential so I can give her what she needs. I work to build ConCardia so we will have the means to involve her in the convention community as she grows. I seek friends and associates to be a resource for her as she grows up. This sense of focus, combined with having the resources to serve her, give me a sense of satisfaction and direction that I lacked 12 months ago.

So, here's to a happy and stable new year!

Why Kia?

The best selling of the Kia line is the Soul. So, you could say
that in my new job, I buy and sell Souls.
Bad jokes are my forte.

After a brief stint at Valenti VW in Mystic, I have now settled in at Michael Kia in Groton, Connecticut. This is a bit of a shift for me because the value proposition for a Kia is very different from that of a Volkswagen. Kia is a more affordable vehicle, offering more technology and warranty for less money. However, that is not what brought me here.

In college, I once got the advice that if you find a good professor, you should take any class with them that you can, no matter the subject. The experience of learning from a good teacher is more valuable than any particular field of study. I feel that the same thing applies for managers. I got to know my current manager after meeting him at a Chamber of Commerce event. We had been talking for a couple months about my trying to get some kind of training position in the dealer group. When that fell through, he offered me a sales job here. I liked his attitude and approach, so I gave it a shot, and I'm glad I did.

Actually, this is our Forte. No, I never do get tired of puns,
why do you ask?

This showroom has the most upbeat and positive team I have ever worked with. The management and sales staff work together as a team. Proper process exists to make sure that vehicles are ready and paperwork is quick and efficient. The benefits me because it means I can focus on the sales process, and it benefits the customer because they find a calmer, more friendly environment and a more efficient buying process.

All in all, I am very pleased with my new selling home, and I look forward to having a lot of fun and helping a lot of people to solve their car needs.