Jeff Cowan's Blog

July 22nd, 2009

Selling From My Perspective

By Jeff Cowan

“And I Thought I Was Going the Extra Mile”

This may seem like an odd place to post this message, but I just can’t get it out of my head.

I have a step-daughter, Jen, who I was lucky enough to have come into my life 11 years ago when she was just 15 years of age. I knew she was special; I could just tell. You know the type of person. You meet them and you just know- she was special.

I quickly and repeatedly learned that my suspicions were 100% correct. She was a straight-A student all through high school and college, graduating with top honors. She had accomplished her lifelong dream of becoming a registered nurse. Taking it a step further, she had the option of selecting any type of nursing, specialized or otherwise that she wished to pursue because of her grades, she chose pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (C.H.O.C.).

By selecting this path she knew that she would have to work with very sick children. She was fully informed and made aware that many of these children would be with her for long periods of time with little or no hope of making it home again. She took up this challenge with the bravest of fronts and with a zeal seldom seen in any profession. Some of the stories she and her co-workers share with us fill me with pure wonderment of how anyone could endure some of the things she is constantly challenged with. Frankly, I couldn’t do it and don’t know many who could. In my mind, just by showing up to work every day, she is going the extra mile.

Now here is the kicker. The other day I learned from one of her friends that when Jen loses a patient, it technically means that her official commitment to that case has ended, with that patient, and with that family. Almost all others indeed leave it at that, but she doesn’t. She sits down and writes a note explaining to the family how special their loved one was, and even visits the funeral home and further consoles the family. That is going not only the extra mile, but three or four more.

To say the least, I am a very proud step-dad. Not that I take any credit. Her mom and biological father had instilled in her the type of qualities that led to this type of character long before I came on to the scene, but I can still be proud of her.

I have looked up to many people over the years and have tried to emulate them. I find that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel if a proven method or process has already been established. But when I compare what I considered going the extra mile: a free workshop here or there for a good customer, supplying unexpected prizes to a customer at a walk-around contest, supplying a free DVD set to a struggling store or sending out a trainer to a store that just needs that extra push to succeed, it doesn’t even compare.

Going the extra mile has recently been redefined for me.

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