I met Carl Holmes on Monday.

He’s ‘one of us’.

A person who’s like-minded.

Easy to get on with.

Enjoyable to be around.

One of us.

I’d asked him if he would be interested in doing some development work for me using a platform called Knack.

We’d booked a discovery call to talk about the project.

To prep for the call, he asked me for an outline of the project, the essentials and a wish list.

It took me ten minutes.

I fired it off last Friday night.

To be honest, I thought I’d be repeating myself on Monday.

What happened next thrilled me…

Our Zoom started with the usual pleasantries.

Then Carl hit me with this:

‘Michael, I hope you don’t mind, but instead of waiting until the discovery call today, I’ve built your app.  I’d like to show you what I’ve done and, if you like it and the price is good for you, then we have a deal. If it’s not for you then it’s cost me the weekend, but if it is and you’re happy with the fee, then it’s yours.’

He then spent the next 30 minutes talking me through what he’d created. It was amazing!

Did he get the job? Of course.

He’d got the job before he started the pitch. Carl is, ‘One of us!’

Are you?

What makes someone ‘one of us’. I’d love to know what you think below.

If you like the idea of being part of a group of people who could be best described as ‘One of us’ then you need to find out more about TEAM17. It’s my private member’s group and it’s very special. I’m hosting a Zoom Open Evening on September 20th, registration is open now and if you want to discover more about what it means to be one of us then please book your seat. You can find out more and grab your place here:

comments

  1. September 9th 2021 by Martin Stubbings

    A few characteristics that I would suggest:
    Customer service orientated.
    Easy to work with.
    Diligent.
    Good listener.
    Puts own ego to one side, it’s not all about me. I listen to some people and it is all about them (in their mind)
    Martin.

  2. September 9th 2021 by JINNY MORGAN LEWTAS

    One of us. A person who:
    comfortably speaks in conversation with no fluff or flamboyance;
    listens to others and provides support and advice when it’s needed;
    can read a situation and know the response that is needed;
    doesn’t feel they will be judged by sticking their neck out amongst fellow ‘us-ers’;
    feels included and accepted in the community;
    has the same aspirations, passions and goals as other ‘us-ers’;
    has a sense of humour;

  3. September 9th 2021 by Paul Cooling

    I approached a well Known high street bank (it begins with B and ends with clays) a few years ago to say that I was setting up a new business with my wife and would they send me details of their charges. They’d been bankers for our long established family firm for many, many years and I thought they would be keen to help.

    I also made contact with the new branch manager for Handelsbanken who were in the process of setting up a new office in Sevenoaks and who I’d met at a couple of local town trade events.

    I received a two page document from Barclays – “Further to your request, please see current charges below blah, blah, blah”!

    The response from Nick at Handelsbanken went along the following lines:
    “Really! You’re setting up a new business? How exciting! Can I come and see you and I’d like to bring Andre, my business manager, along with me too. This sounds very interesting…….”

    To be honest we never really made a comparison of the charges. The deal was done before they’d even arrived. Over the following five years around £7 M went through the Handelsbanken account and we never even got a call from B… Bank to ask if they were competitive or to find out why we did not proceed with them.

    Even today, Nick has retired and Andre was promoted within the bank but the new team are just as friendly and efficient. They are real people in an actual branch that we can visit if we need to. I have recommended Handelsbanken many times especially to anyone who complains about the lack of service available from banks these days.
    No wonder they are regarded as being one of the most progressive of the “Challenger Banks”!

    Best regards,
    Paul Cooling
    Chairman
    Coolings Nurseries Ltd, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt, Nr Sevenoaks, TN14 7NN –

  4. September 10th 2021 by Jackie Watson

    A ‘can do’ person. I used to run a virtually all female team and our moto was ‘YES we can’. I had the poster of the female American tool worker from the 40’s hanging in the office. We were known for getting things done. Never having the thought ‘no’ just looking at how it can happen.

add comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *