Ideas

Shouldn't selling be easier than it is? Those on the outside might reply with a dismissive smirk: “How hard can it be?” But those of us on the inside – despite sales' reputation as a cushy way of life – see it differently.

And by easier, I don't mean a more pleasant and comfortable experience for salespeople. I mean a more streamlined and efficient path to a decision; a decision by the customer on whether to move forward with us, or by us on whether – and how – to continue moving forward with the customer. Because that's ultimately all that selling really is.

How likely is it that a local graduate of a New Berlin high school would end up leading a global company that excels in innovation?

Frank Krejci is the CEO of STRATTEC Security Corp., a global company that designs and manufactures access control products for the automotive industry and other markets. If you own an American car, you're likely using STRATTEC's technology to gain access to your car.

Krejci was a student at New Berlin High School when his wrestling coach asked him if he had considered going to Yale for college. Krejci didn't know where Yale was. He ended up wrestling at Yale and then went on to Harvard Business School, where they taught business thinking instead of structured equations.