Personality Profile:

Will Dahlstrom is 'Captain Sales'

Newly-promoted Field Manager Will Dahlstrom's nickname is not a joke—it accurately represents the time and energy Will puts into his career opportunity. From his home base in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Will combs half a continent making sales and recruiting dealers for his growing organization.

"Will is an excellent manager and will do big things in this company," says Australian Sales and Development Mgr. Alvin Preston. Will's long-range goals are to become an area manager and to develop a sales program for a large continental area.

"Will has the outstanding quality of being a dedicated, consistent recruiter, and an excellent salesman," says Sales Coordinator Geoff Ovitz, from whose group Will found the opportunity.

Will won the company's Rookie of the Year award three years ago, and "hasn't looked back since. He understands the importance of contacting his managers every day," says Geoff. "There is fantastic teamwork between Will" and his wife, Division Manager Cindy Dahlstrom, who was raised in a company family.

To achieve his goals, Will emphasizes the steps he is taking: "By building the best organization in Australia, by developing the best sales system possible, and by becoming the best manager in the world."

Will gives advice to others, for success, "Learn everything you can, for this makes us wiser. Frequent (daily) reaffirmation of your goals, faith, and beliefs will provide a constant source of personal motivation and will aid you in maintaining a consistently positive attitude. Meet each of life's challenges and welcome them, for they make us stronger."

Among Will's best leadership characteristics, according to Geoff, is his "extreme loyalty to his people, to his managers, and to this company. Will is also very conscientious in organizing and keeping good records."

Beginning his day early, Will is in his office by 8:00 a.m. planning his daily schedule and working on sales technique improvements. He trains his new recruits from 9:00 to 11:00, and then generates appointments until 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. Will schedules afternoon presentations, either for his own personal sales or for hands-on training of his recruits, through the afternoon. Then he makes displays and boosts his own sales efforts until at least 10:00 p.m.

Will holds US$527,509.41 in lifetime personal production, making him a member of the sales Hall of Fame. He holds six memberships in the Climber Club and 11 Ace Dealer memberships. In addition, he is an international meeting winner.

He sets a good example for his dealers to emulate, as a member of the Recruiting Consistency Club.

Will has the background to be a good trainer, with his bachelor of education degree. He enjoys playing chess, tennis, backgammon, and golf. He develops personal growth through his avid interest in reading, and through his enjoyment of role-playing games.

Will's favorite quote shows his compassion for others: "Once 1 was sad because I had no shoes. Then I met a man who had no feet."

His funniest experience as a dealer was the time he planned to put shaving cream on his field manager's car as a joke. Only, he got mixed up and covered his regional manager's car instead. (He cleaned it up himself.)

Will and Cindy often tour large areas of Australia. "They bought a new van that they could sleep and cook in," says Geoff, "and would take off from their home in Brisbane on selling trips for sometimes up to three months."

The experience which most admirably demonstrates the couple's "success spirit" occurred on one of these extended trips. "On their way to Darwin, after hitting a water buffalo in the road, their van was damaged," explains Geoff. "However, they still wrote sales—and refused to let their attitude get down."

Keep up the excellent work, and congratulations, Will, as you continue to "Say YES to Success" as a promising manager.