Knock. Knock. Knock.

A true crossroads in my life occurred the summer after my junior year at University. At the time, I was still in close cahoots with the current Presidential Administration. I was offered a non-paid, volunteer, full time summer internship with the United States of America's, Department of Commerce.

My other life option for that 1 particular summer, was to join the national, historic, Southwestern program. An attempt to follow their rigorous sales training, and super gut wrenching methodology. The Southwestern Program, is a summer program where college students literally sell books, software, encyclopedias and education material DOOR to DOOR. Yes, this working opportunity also did not guarantee income either. Yet on the Sample Spectrum, some salespeople earned as little as $3,000 per summer working 80 hours per week, while a few self generated as much as $30,000 dollars per summer. In essence, each university summer program student and worker is an independent contractor for the Nashville based products wholesaler.

I went to my father wishing for monetary help that summer, in hopes of landing the internship in Washington D.C and living free of charge. Basically, the entire cost of Washington D.C. summer housing, food, transportation, entertainment, and all would have fallen upon and been billed my parental units. It didn't happen! My father said no way. My opportunity to intern with the United States Department of Commerce was nullified. In hind-site, if the position would have at least offered some sort of monetary stipend, perhaps my life and that summer would have been different? Thus, the sliding door decisions of life philosophy, and reviewing the past.

Onward to the Door-to-Door intense, very real unknowns of selling books full time. Our initial 1 week training took place in Nashville, Tennessee. It was there the executives trained us students on the sales inventory, outside sales techniques, scripts, and paired the masses into social sales groups.

After this 1 week of training, I personally was sent with a sales group and team of roughly 30 to 40 people to Northeast Arkansas. Northeast, Arkansas is not exactly Hawaii. I would describe the Northeast Arkansas geographic and visual environment as drag, normal, ho-hum, slightly downtrodden, boring, unappealing, and middle America-esque. The 3 members of my specific sales team were located in the city of Paragould, Arkansas. There we lived in a basement. Yes, we all lived in a basement of a host family's residence. It was not luxurious living. The host family would occasional feed us, and was just friendly and kind enough. We were never actually there, except to sleep, shower, and that's it.

Each morning, our group ate a large, hearty breakfast at a neighborhood diner. We read inspirational, positive sales quotes, stocked our book bags, and danced. Yes, all 3 of us youthful males physically danced for a couple minutes every morning, to "get excited". We brainwashed ourselves into a positive, healthy, happy, and terrific sales attitude.

It still resonates in my brain to this day, "Healthy, clap clap, Happy, clap, clap, Terrific, clap, clap."

After the morning ritual, we were then solo, and each drifted to our own unique territories. I was lucky enough to have a car that summer, so I worked the country of the area. This terrain included county roads, gravel roads, acreage home sites, and remote dwellers. Selling books door to door, is thus far the most challenging, grueling and un-enjoyable job I have ever had. It was difficult. Did I say grueling already? Face to Face rejection was a 25X-30X daily constant. For every 30 doors, families or people I encountered face to face, I averaged about 3 to 4 yes answers and sales. My knock to sales ratio, was par for the Southwestern Program. Everyday was knock, knock, knock, and selling books door to-door. Our sales demographic plan was to target youthful families. New families and parents are the ones whom most relish buying books, caring for, and educating their children, adolescents, and teenagers. I did meet some wonderful people, parents, teachers, business owners and solid people that summer. Despite the cold calling, there were warm sale interactions, and some fun times too. It was not all doom and gloom.

The only no work, FREE DAY, was Sunday. We were able to sleep in a little on Sunday. Our 40 person larger sales group would meet up, talk shop, maybe watch a movie, played Ultimate Frisbee, and goof around a little. On Mondays it was back to the grind of knocking on doors 80 hours a week.

What did I learn that particular summer? Well I did earn $6,000 dollars in 3 months, where-as my government internship would have put me in the red. I learned to persevere. I, George Vance McGee learned how to handle face to face rejection, and positively move forward from it. I learned the intricacies and timings of the sales process. I became a qualified salesmen. I acquired inner self confidence and purpose in my life. I eye-witnessed true family values in household living rooms first hand. I became aware of what work ethic really is. It was a challenging summer. It also helped transform me into the positive thinking, go-getter and working man, I am today.

In current times, the internet, advertising, e-commerce, and the retail commercial marketplace have progressed and changed how American Consumers purchase goods. But the practice of door-to-door sales taught us program alumni the societal, personal, and inner elements of the transferable sales process.