91: Paychex Top Sales Consultant - Andrea Rush: Persistent and Relentless

0:08 Scott Ingram: You're listening to the Sales Success Stories podcast, where we deconstruct world-class sales performers to provide insights and strategies to help you improve. To learn more, visit us at top1.fm. Here's your host, Scott Ingram. This episode is sponsored by the 2020 Sales Success Summit that will happen here in Austin on October 12th and 13th. For complete details, click over to top1summit.com. Today on the Sales Success Stories podcast, my guest is Andrea Rush. Andrea is the top sales consultant at Paychex. She's been in the top 1% of performers the last 8 years and was the outright number one top performer in their last fiscal year. Welcome to the show, Andrea.

0:49 Andrea Rush: Thank you.

0:50 Scott Ingram: So let's start like we always do with some immediate value and just talk about the top 3 things that you believe have contributed the most to your consistent success at Paychex.

1:01 Andrea Rush: I would say urgency, follow-up, and honoring my word/integrity, having integrity. So when I say urgency, everything's urgent to me at Paychex. Every email I get, even if it's on a weekend or if I'm in a meeting, I'll respond to it and say, you know, check back with you in a moment. So everything, even when I run to the bathroom, if I'm at a stoplight, like literally everything is urgent and I operate with that sense every day, and it completely contributes to my number because I collect a lot of data in the field to get, you know, certain rates and proposals or certain things that we need that people lag on. So for instance, I'm in a meeting, right? I say, okay, I need this, this, and this. Let's do this now. So having urgency versus, hey, I'll email you what I need, I'll get it back from you. So I'm picking up things in person as much as I can get. And trying to submit that offer, my proposal or rates, just responding to every email. If someone's in the buying phase and they've got a bunch of questions, you know, the longer you take to respond to them, the longer that prolongs the sales process, right? So I just try to respond to everything the moment that I can. I operate in full urgency with everything, and that completely contributes to my year-to-date number.

2:19 Scott Ingram: Yeah. And then the second thing was follow-up. So maybe talk about that as well.

2:22 Andrea Rush: Yeah, so my follow-up, I literally will follow up with someone. I've emailed people probably 50 to 70 times. I just want to hear the no or the yes. And my follow-up, I mean, people do call into Paychex wanting, you know, people call in and want our products, right? That's an inbound. But really, we're out hunting. So the odds of someone calling my phone every day, hey, I'd like to buy your product if you could just swing by Tuesday at 2, is so rare, right? So because I'm constantly, constantly following up with people. I will email them, of course, but then a lot of people might not be reading their emails, or if I don't have a catchy enough title, it might get missed. So then I'm calling their cell phones, I'm calling the office, the gatekeeper, I'll even text somebody. So just constantly following up. And if you, you know, and that kind of leads into my third one, honoring your word and integrity. If I say I'm going to get you something by the end of the day, you're gonna get it, right? If I say that I'll get back to you with the answer of that question. So it's just doing the things that you say you're going to do and having integrity and just operating in that on a daily basis.

3:29 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Now let's contextualize this a little bit and just talk about your role and, and about Paychex for folks that, and maybe your division in Paychex for those who aren't familiar or wanna be more specifically familiar.

3:38 Andrea Rush: Yeah. So it's human resource and benefits outsourcing. For people that maybe don't want to, you know, pay for an HR person, we're able to bring someone on site. And it's really a single sign-on full solution integration to streamline 401, health insurance benefits, HR in one rooftop, but then come on site and service it.

3:58 Scott Ingram: Easy enough. So before we talk about the specifics of Andrea's results, let me tell you just a bit more about the Sales Success Summit. This is our 3rd annual event that is built for this Sales Success Community that's happening here in Austin on October 12th and 13th. This event is different from every other sales conference out there because it exclusively features the top-performing sales professionals you've heard here on this podcast. And my rule for guests on the show is that they have to be active quota-carrying individual contributors who are either the outright number one top seller in their organization, or at least in the top 1% of performers on a very large team. You won't find any gurus or quote unquote sales experts on the stage at this event, only real practitioners like Andrea. It's an intimate experience with a max of just under 200 participants where you will all get an opportunity to learn from each other. I could go on and on, but the details are available for you at top1summit.com. And the sooner you register, the better your price as tickets increase $50 per month until they're sold out. Again, all the details are at top1summit.com. All right, Andrea, let's talk about those results. What did last year look like? What have your results looked like over time?

5:08 Andrea Rush: So, as we know in sales, our numbers go up every year, and then somehow us top reps just manage to hit it. And yeah, you ever wonder if it ever is going to become unattainable? And the answer has just been no year after year. So, you know, last year it was really stressful, just to give you some insight. So, our ICE number, right? Inner Circle of Excellence. Top 1%, right? It's supposed to hit that. It was $1.25 million last year was that number. And I brought in $619,000 in the last 4 months of the year. And some people do that. So that, that is something that I've never done before. I literally got to a position where I was looking at, you know, third, end of third quarter and I wasn't where I wanted to be. I couldn't really tell you the why behind it because I do the same thing day in and day out. So I just told myself, I have to make ice. This is who I am. And I put together a game plan, went into OT mode, and I remember the last appointment I had, right? Literally, this is the guy that I needed. And luckily we got an extension on a product. Literally, I cried. Like, I was like, you, I was like, I need this sale so bad. It's like a, you know, I was trying to explain it to him. The guy looked at me and I was just like, oh my gosh, you know? And I was crying and I'm like, what am I going to do? So literally we have, the standalone product and they gave us an extension on it and I sold 6 to 8 of them over the phone and did an emailer. So I was just determined, I have to make ice. That is my quota, right? To me. So it was really tough and literally it ended up being number 1 in almost a record-breaking year. And I was really proud of the work that I did. And now sitting in the end of 3rd quarter, you know, right now, I only have to do 400… I say only $400,000, right, versus $618,000. So I've positioned myself very well, but it's stressful. You know, we get attached to our deals. I do, because if I'm working with someone, you know, for 3 months or 4 months, you know, where I think it's a for sure thing against my competition, I know all the ins and outs and why they should pick Paychex or, you know, whatever product we're selling. And I literally just got a no, and I used to get so attached to it, you know, and it kind of slows you down mentally. And I had a really big opportunity with… it was $50,000 in revenue, and they just told me no. But they didn't go with the other vendor. It was just where they're at, you know, with the organization. So I told myself, just let it go. I didn't even respond. I'm like, just let it go. Follow up with them in a few months. Had nothing to do with you. You know, I think a lot of times, you know, we take ourselves so serious and find blame on ourselves. And the quicker I've learned, just the quicker I can move on and try to get that yes, it's just more time that, you know, is not being wasted.

7:53 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Talk more about the mindset piece, because what you said that really piqued my interest is it's who you are, like this top 1% performer. So like, what really drives that?

8:02 Andrea Rush: Yeah, well, I've been trying to be number one in everything in life, right? My job is just where I've really excelled at, and it's a status quo that I have. So once I attain that level, I just can't not be at that, right? And so it is who I am. So when you say Andrea Rush, like, it's my brand that I've worked so hard to build. And what I look forward is to walking on that stage, having… we have a wine and cheese event with the CEO, and all the big people are in the room. And that's like my favorite moment at these national sales conference that we earn, right? And giving a speech was something I really wanted to do. And I've evolved over the years So I've just become a better me, you know, being on time. You know, we take that for granted or think, oh, I'm late, there's traffic, right? But it's actually why I started making sure that I was on time. And it's so amazing. Sometimes I'm early and I'm like, wow, there's so much that happens before, you know, where I used to be scrambling late, right? So I've just worked on my interpersonal skills and being a better person, and that's allowed me to have, you know, record-breaking years. So I could dive into some of those details, but yeah, it is a mindset. It's who I am and I won't accept anything less. And that's just a consistency that I choose to have. When people ask me what quota is, I mean, I kind of laugh. I'm like, quota? You know? And if it's like, if I didn't even make conference, I just, I don't want to say I feel like a loser, but it's just an uncompromisable thing that I have with myself.

9:30 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Talk a little bit more about kind of your own transformation and journey, because you and I have spoken a couple of times before this, and it sounds like who you were on stage giving a presentation maybe a few years ago is very different from this last time.

9:45 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I do a lot of personal development, you know, with a program called Landmark, right? And it's just something I found has nothing to do with Paychex, and it's completely just made me a better individual, literally all around. So when I was even Rookie of the Year, or when I gave a speech before, you know, it was your typical sales quotes and work hard, everything's possible. And I remember my rookie year, I have an Audi A7 and I had the car shipped and had custom plates and I flew to Philadelphia and paid, you know, cash for it, right? I mean, I wrote a check, but essentially it's cash, right? Because I had it in the bank account. I was so proud of it because I'm from Minnesota and Randy Moss was, you know, getting out of jail at that time and I asked him and I actually quoted this, you know, straight cash, homie. I was just so proud and they had a picture of my car, right? And I just thought I was, you know, so awesome and, and how I was doing in life was how I was doing at Paychex. So I, you know, definitely had some pride in me and I wanted Paychex and all the people that know me, especially, you know, the C-level people to know that, you know, I got to this number, but it was a different way. Like I just sharpened who I was. So literally I've taken 10-week seminars on certain topics and I've done about 400 hours. In the last 2 years. And it's just something, you know, I know you ask like, what do you listen to? What do you… that's kind of my thing because I can feel like if I'm having thoughts back in the old ways and stuff. So integrity is something that they instilled in me. Just honoring your word is so important. Being on time, doing the things you say you're going to do. Believe it or not, in sales, a lot of it is listening. I wasn't a good listener. I would just, you know, shake my head. And pretend that I was listening because I just wanted to think about what I was going to say next. But when you actually listen to the client and what their needs are and where their struggles are and what keeps them up at night, and you're literally listening, all of our products have that solution to help that business owner. So it's like, wow, I'm actually listening, and it just helped me present better. So just having all these traits, like I always challenge people, be a better you this year. You know, take your interpersonal skills to the next level. I literally thought it was okay to be on time. And then I had a coaching session on it that said, hey, really, you're being selfish. That tells the other person, you know, my time is more important than yours. I never saw it that way, you know, but it's like the simple thing, just showing up, you know, is step one. So yeah, those are the things that I've, you know, come a long way with and it's definitely helped me in my work life.

12:19 Scott Ingram: Yeah, well, in work life in particular, I know that, you've just kind of found some more balance. It sounds like things have gotten easier. It's not all work all the time, but you're still able to perform at, at the same levels.

12:30 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I literally have done the most international travel that I've ever done. I was the girl that had so much PTO that would roll over and accrue. I'd work every holiday. I'm still working, you know, a lot like Monday through Friday. I'm very dedicated to Paychex before hours, after hours. You know, it's hard to get to this number, right? You have to have that same level of performance and even up your game. But I literally have been to 4 countries in the last 8 months. I took half of December off. I went to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Panama, Australia. My manager's literally like, are you gonna be taking a week off like every month and going to a different country? So having that work-life balance has, yeah, I was always top-heavy with work and I was struggling with like friendships, relationships, and I've been just more focused on flying home to see family. For holidays and things like that and traveling because that work-life balance is completely needed and it gives me more freedom to do that.

13:25 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Now, how did you get into sales in the first place?

13:27 Andrea Rush: Yeah, so I literally worked at Medtronic in a call center and I would talk to all of the sales reps that would call in and order their, they called it trunk stock. So these are people that were operating in the OR room and they needed like their baclofen or, you know, the medication that they'd order for these procedures. So I was talking to them and they were just all so likable, fun people. And finally I'm like, how do I become one of you? They're like, a clinical specialist. Do you have any nursing background or, you know, any medical? I'm like, no. And it literally was like, what trainings do you have? What books are you reading? What certifications? A lot of them, you know, were registered nurses and of course they had that clinical background. So I literally took PTO. And, you know, requested time off. And I went into the operating room, had the scrubs on, and I literally saw them do their procedures. And I just asked that rep a bunch of questions. Managers always call and check their numbers 'cause they wanna know how their reps did for sales. So I had access to that 'cause I was inside sales kind of slash support. And I kept asking them, well, hold on, before I give you your number, I just need to know, are you hiring? Like, what states are you in? 'Cause, you know, it's national and they're headquartered in Minnesota. So I literally interviewed for a clinical specialist position, clearly with no nursing background. I had, you know, my bachelor's degree and things like that, and like a year under my belt at Medtronic. And I worked in the neuro division as kind of an assistant to the VP just to get into Medtronic because that was like a middle school goal of mine. And so I was runner-up for it, right? I didn't get it because someone was more qualified, of course. So at that moment, I realized, you know what, I wanted it so bad and I was taking steps and actions to move forward. So I was like, I need to get into sales. And I've always had that fear because, you know, I had an hourly rate and it was guaranteed and it was safe, right? So making X amount of money allowed me to live my life. I didn't have to worry about the economy ups and downs. So I was always so afraid to have something be based upon commission or performance and not guaranteed. I had a house in my early 20s that I bought. I was really proud of that. And so I got my first job at Rocky Mountain Orthodontics. They're like a dental ortho company based out of Colorado, and they gave me 5 states of territory. So imagine being in a call center where you have to press a button to go to the bathroom, you press a button to go on a break. Everything is like moments of time, right? And you can't just get up, like you're on the phones, like call center. And then someone says, You know, so your manager's in another state, you have 5 states of territory and you have all of the zip codes in them, and then you have some of Winnipeg. We'll just fly you there in Canada. It was like, oh my gosh. And so I had so much freedom and it was, I could do what I wanted, right? You know, with my numbers, I could go see the doctors and stuff. And then they were downsizing, right? And then Paychex and I found each other 10 and a half years ago. So it's completely crazy.

16:32 Scott Ingram: Yeah. So knowing what you know now and, and all the success that you've had in sales, if you were starting over today, what if anything would you do differently?

16:41 Andrea Rush: I definitely would've got into sales younger and started earlier and not had that internal fear of worrying about the financial. I mean, I just had my record-breaking W-2 this year. So it's just like the money that you can make is insane, right? And I know we're not all money motivated, we're motivated differently, but I definitely would've got into sales earlier and not been afraid. And I would've, you know, reached out to top people at organizations and did the same thing and found out like how they got there, what are they reading, what are they doing? And yeah, just earlier.

17:12 Scott Ingram: Yeah, yeah. We call the show Sales Success Stories, so I feel like we ought to tell a story. What's your favorite sales story?

17:19 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I mean, there's so many stories, right? It was interesting. So I've been contemplating, so I had this meeting with a business owner And, you know, in sales, I mean, even being a female, it's just like, I am a bulldog by day, right? But it's like I have emotions, like I am sensitive to things. You know, I, I'm sure we all have a level of that, but I think females might have a little bit more than male. But it's like we get beat up, you know? I mean, I have kind of 2 stories that come to mind. I don't know if I should share, just kind of keep 'em short and share both. But one of 'em was the guy literally said, you know, you are so pushy. Has anyone ever told you that? I said, no, I've been told that I'm professionally persistent. And he got really mad. He wanted me to say like, yes sir, yes sir. And I just, I didn't grow up that way in the Midwest. I just kept saying yes. He hung up on me, then later had asked me to go to lunch and literally I brought paperwork in hand and he just kept telling me how pushy I was. And he literally had called me a not nice name. And I said, thank you. I said, that is an awesome compliment. I just need a couple signatures to move forward. And the guy actually signed up. And he also like made me cry. I mean, I cry, I'm a female. I'm not afraid to say that. So, I mean, what a crazy story, right? And it's like just to have resilience. And another one, just on a side note, like I had a really just good business conversation with a business owner that was just so pleasant, so nice. You know, he didn't have any of the things that I was selling, of course, so it was gonna be a, a huge increase for him, but he just understood and like his business was growing. He was in the private equity business. He was expanding. So it was just so refreshing to have a really good business conversation with someone that needed my product, but actually understood what I was talking about. So many times I think they say you can't sell stupid and you can't fix broken, right? It's, uh, some quotes that resonate in our office and on our team. And it's so hard to get people to see things sometimes. You know, I don't know if it's a culture gap or they just don't understand it cuz they're so focused on the price. They don't understand the value. So this guy just understood everything. He gave me a referral to like a 500-man company and a smaller referral. I just, I think about it all the time, how pleasant it was. And it was just like the perfect fit for my program, that golden child. So it was just, you know, and after getting beat up so much in the field, those are the 2 stories that come to my mind.

19:40 Scott Ingram: Yeah. What are you most proud of? I mean, you've had a lot of success, a lot of consistent success. What's the high point?

19:47 Andrea Rush: Yeah, so on an interpersonal note, I'll share that, but from a performance standpoint, I moved here, you know, from Minnesota. All my family, everyone I know, my home, everyone's in Minnesota to this day.

19:58 Scott Ingram: And we should say where here is, cuz we haven't said that.

20:00 Andrea Rush: Oh, Houston, Texas. I'm in Houston, Texas. And so I relocated with Paychex. I had no pipeline. Literally, I cry. People are gonna think I cry all the time. It's like, no, I don't. But I had a U-Haul and I was just trying to take a left-hand turn and there's things called loop-arounds, right? I'm like, what? And I'm going the opposite way. My brother's like, you need to move back home. This city's gonna eat you up here. And I literally just cried because I'm like, what is a loop around? Like, and I didn't even know tolls. We don't have any of that in Minnesota. I'm like, you had to pay to drive on roads? So literally completely different, you know, driving roadmap for me and no pipeline. I know nothing about Texas, Houston. Of course I don't know anything geographically or, or anything. And that was the year that I was also number 1 and, you know, hit ice. And I was really proud of myself just because it's, you know, you take a person and put 'em in a whole nother state with all different surroundings, culture. I talk so, you know, I have kind of that New York mentality. I am kind of pushy, you know, I'm in your face a little bit, talk really fast. A lot of people talk slower here. There's some country here, so it's just a different mindset. But also just keeping my consistency, being Rookie of the Year, being number 1 a few times and having that consistency. And I keep selling more and more every year. Like, I'm super proud of that because it's hard. Our job is hard. And, you know, expectations just keep going up every year in the quotas and we have to adapt to that. On the interpersonal side, just like those characteristic traits that I've kind of fine-tuned, you know, we all have room to grow. I love who I've become. I'm just more pleasant to be around. I have more friends, like people like me, like, you know, I get invited to stuff. So it's just, just being a better me and being genuine and, you know, authentic and caring. I just care so much more about people, animals, everything, you know? So I'm, I'm proud of who I've become so far with that.

21:54 Scott Ingram: Nice. Well, let's dig into the hard. What's the most challenging part of all this?

21:59 Andrea Rush: Yeah, the challenging part, like, you know, chargebacks is something that happens for me. You know, you work so hard to sell something and with Paychex it's all or nothing. If someone doesn't stick around for 90 days, you get $0, even if they paid a setup fee, they've, you know, bought your product for a few months. So, you know, there's challenges, right? And it mentally messes with you, right? And it can if you let it. So I've had, you know, even my number one year, well, last year I had $200,000 of chargeback and they all came together back to back to back. And it's just so depressing. It's like, gosh, I just can't get a break. And none of it had anything to do with me. Like, I'll take accountability if it was me. But people going bankrupt or they can't afford something or their business is down, you know, there are circumstances outside of ourselves that we have absolutely no control over. So I used to try to control the things I can't control, right? Mm-hmm. Which is a self-defeating battle. So, you know, handling chargebacks is, is really challenging. You know, time, you know, I was listening to one of your podcasts about the hourly rate. What, know your hourly rate. You know, that was really enlightful because I think it's $250 is what I came up with, right? And it's like, wow, because I waste so much time trying to persuade people, right? And sometimes you get the yeses and sometimes you don't. So I think it's maybe learning how to manage your time more effectively, focusing and following up with the appropriate market, you know, of people that you have likelihood to get a yes from, and not letting those chargebacks… and it could be, you know, a bad month for some people listening. You know, my December tanked. I wasn't even here. I was like traveling the world and Of course, that was like one of my worst Decembers, but then I threw up $180,000 and carried the team just in February. Like you make up for it, right? But those are the things that come to my mind.

23:46 Scott Ingram: Yeah, it sounds like it's really just the mental side of it, right? Just dealing with the ups and downs and riding the rollercoaster that is sales, right?

23:52 Andrea Rush: Yes, it's an emotional job for sure.

23:55 Scott Ingram: Walk us through your kind of the day in the life routine. Like your alarm goes off, what time does that happen? Give us just the whole blow-by-blow of a typical day if there is such a thing.

24:05 Andrea Rush: Yeah, and it's kind of simple, but I mean, wake up at like 6 or 6:30. Most of my meetings, you know, I start the workday at 8, but a lot of people for some reason in my market, they want to meet at like 9 or 10. So I literally wake up, I go right to my kitchen table, and that's where my computer is. That's where all like my printer is, all my proposals. And I do all of my non-revenue-driving things early morning. So I just feel so good if I've followed up with like 20 people and The world's just waking up at 7:00 AM or, you know, so I have a pipeline list. I use an Excel spreadsheet, nothing fancy, and it just kind of reminds me, literally my brain thinks about so many things at once and I'm all over the place, like mentally just, I gotta do this, I gotta do this. I even wake up in the middle of the night sometimes to go bathroom and I'm like, you know what, I gotta email Jan and I'll, I'll shoot out an email cuz it's fresh on my mind and I know they'll get it in the morning, right? So it's literally looking at my pipeline list. Who needs following up? Is it an action item of an email? Is it I need data and they only gave me one of the 3 or 5 things? You know, is it time to follow up to get that yes or no? Because now's the appropriate time, you know. So it's email, maybe I'll follow up with a text. So it's literally looking at my book of business, you know, and it's… I love having that list of organization because I literally will forget about people. I see about 15 to 20 people a week And there's always something you got to follow up on, right? And then we keep seeing new people. So that list helps me with structure, and then I do all the appropriate action items, the emails. I'll do my price proposals as well. And, you know, we use Salesforce, so I have to log all my calls, right? It's non-revenue driving. I hate that because I use my Outlook calendar. But so it's just updating my Salesforce, doing my metrics, all of those type of things. And then, you know, I try to set appointments every hour and a half. My territory, I'm blessed. I know some people have more challenging, you know, geographic territory. Everything's within 20 minutes, so I can see 4 to 5 people a day. Of course, people cancel, right? We get no-shows, they forget about us. So I'm making sure… I always ask myself, there's a little saying that I have, is this making me money? And if it's during the day and it's not, I just stop because I got sidetracked, right? And so it's like, no, I'm gonna do this later. So it's telemarketing. I do a lot of email marketing. You know, 36% of my business the other year came from that. So it's just anything that is revenue driving that can get me meetings or appointments. That's what I'll do to fill those gaps. I rarely take a lunch break. You know, I eat on the go, have little bars when I'm driving throughout the day. I'm not calling my friend to see how Peggy's doing or calling my mom. It's literally, I'm following up with partners. You know, we have different divisions. We refer back and forth. Got a lot of new reps that are trying to figure it out out there. So it's calling partners, I'm following up with whoever I said I was gonna follow up with. So it's all revenue-driving activity. I don't have a lot of time to listen to stuff 'cause I don't have that windshield time. So I'm just trying to do things while I'm driving on the road and knock those calls out. So it's just nonstop, just go, go, go, Paychex and working and revenue-driving things.

27:08 Scott Ingram: Yeah. What does the prospecting motion look like? You, you talked about email was a big piece of that and, and you're making calls. When does that happen and how do you sort of structure that?

27:17 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I do do that during the day and I'll do it at night too because it is technically revenue driving, right? Because it's almost like telemarketing 1,000 people at one time, assuming that they read their emails. So you have to have a catchy title. So yeah, I will telemarket, you know, new people that come on board, you know, with Paychex. I have a list that I can get access to that wasn't referred. So I will, you know, telemarket the new day list. Follow up with partners to try to generate referrals and just do those emails and telemarketing.

27:46 Scott Ingram: So when does that stop? What's the end of the day look like?

27:49 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I don't even know if I have a timeline. Like literally I feel like I'm working every night, right? So I try to relax and just watch Netflix at a certain time and just veg out with the TV and, and eat dinner. So I mean, there's times I'm working till 7 to 8 o'clock. You know, some days are busier than others where I have to do more follow-ups. Some people didn't gimme all the data that I needed. So it's, you know, turning that around, following up on DocuSigns, right? Even though DocuSign seems like this beautiful system that you just get it and you sign it, right? I'm constantly following up with business owners to sign DocuSign. And a lot of people are like, well, I haven't looked at it yet, or I haven't booted up my computer. And it's like, you can get that on your cell phone. Like just click, click, click, click. It's so easy. You don't need to print it out. So it's funny cuz I find myself following up with people to do DocuSigns.

28:36 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Yeah. Do you just kind of talk them through it on the phone? Is that part of the strategy? Like rather than, hey, go do that. It's like, why don't we do this together?

28:43 Andrea Rush: Yeah. It's really because, you know, they said yes over the phone. Right. So I'm generating, you know, the paperwork and sending it to 'em. I send the daily reminders as well. And we'll even set up an appointment to talk about the documents. You know, any objection, it's just like, okay, let's just get on the phone and talk about that. You know, we'll go through everything. There's no contracts. It's no big deal. We earn the business every month. You know, this is just standard. Documents, right? So yeah, it's so much follow-up in this job.

29:06 Scott Ingram: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Are there any other kind of habits or routines that are really just core to the way that you function beyond what you've already described?

29:16 Andrea Rush: Yeah, and habits. So yeah, because I'm always being, you know, who I am and fine-tuning myself, which allows me to take my sales to the next level. I listen. So like when I'm walking my dog, you know, on the weekends, or when I get home in the night or early morning, Or when I am driving and I actually can listen to something, I just always surround myself with things that help me grow. You know, I can't tell you, like, I love Tony Robbins. He's so inspirational. Like listening to him, I'm just so happy. I'm positive. I listen to like positive energy things, like just anything to better myself, whether it's like with relationships or sales or closing business or just being a better person, influencing people. So I'm just always listening to something. That is positive in whatever form that you can, you know, that's out there. And I think that's important too, because what we, you know, listen to becomes our words and, you know, out of the mouth we speak. And so that's just something, you know, I use Audible, right? And I'm just always listening to positive things that either help me in some way, shape, or form. And then just staying true to the follow-ups and the hustle and the emails and proposals and, and all that, and just honoring my word. So. Yeah.

30:24 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Let's go back to the Landmark thing because Landmark has kind of mixed reputation, right? Some people really love it and some people think it's a cult or something.

30:33 Andrea Rush: Yep, I've heard that.

30:35 Scott Ingram: Just maybe talk more about the details of your experience. How did you get into that and some of the difference that it's made for you?

30:41 Andrea Rush: Yeah, literally, you know, being a top rep, you just kind of assume that people will refer you because you can close and make the money. And that's usually what a lot of people want, money, right? And so I wasn't connecting with people like I've been performing and getting to this number really by myself. You know, I know they say it like takes a team, it takes an army, but like I had to work, I thought, you know, so much harder because I wasn't getting a lot of referrals. So just operating independently, I only can control myself. So I started doing one-to-ones with my payroll partners and I was just letting them know like, hey, I'm a real person and you know, I have a heart. I do cry. I'm not just a bulldog, you know? And then I just started apologizing to people, but Scott, I didn't know why. I was just like, I'm sorry. And like, I would, you know, I was just like, oh, you know? And literally I was like, okay, now that they know I'm a real person, like they're gonna start referring. They know I have a heart, like I'm a human. And nothing was changing. And in my last one-to-one with one of my partners, her name was Natalie. And you know, we didn't have a great partnership. Literally we're at a coffee shop and she said, do you think there's something you don't know that you don't know? And I was like, uh, Well, wait, if I don't know it, well, of course I don't know that I don't. I was like, yeah. And she's like, you should just sign up for this seminar thing. Like, it changed my life and I learned about my dad and my childhood. And I was like, what? And I was just kind of desperate at that point because, you know, having no family here, not having a lot of friends really, cuz you gotta make friends, but I'm always working. And it was like, okay. So this guy called me and was talking to me over the phone. I showed up, I was kind of desperate. I'm like, you know, and I love self-development, right? So I show up to the seminar and there's maybe like 8 people in a room and I'm still not sure what this is, right? I just went to it and it was like an introduction thing and everyone was just sharing where they wanna be better. There was a guy that's like, I just wake up and do the same thing every day. You know, I'm married, I'm just, I'm not super happy. Someone lost like their daughter to cancer and I'm just crying, feeling for these people. So I'd signed up for this. The forum is what they call it. And one thing I will share, because it completely was eye-opening and every sales rep listening to this will be able to relate, but I've just been trying to be number one at everything in life, right? And what I learned in this forum was just so enlightening. I never would've learned this without this work. And so, you know, just trying to be number one all the time, everyone's like, how do we, uh, replicate you? Or how do we, you know, I'm like, I have no idea where this drive came from. I really don't, because my parents didn't pay me to get good grades. I had perfect attendance in high school. I got my master's degree. I went to college in high school, post-secondary. Like, so I've just been always making myself excel, but I never really knew why. Right. And so I discovered in this forum, and literally, you know, when I was 10, my parents were getting divorced and I had a half sister I didn't know about. My dad told me and I was like, what? I'm the baby girl. I'm the only girl, you know? And I realized in that moment, I told myself, I'm second best. I have to share my dad's love. And she came before me. I didn't know that subconsciously. So all this time I've been trying to prove to the world that I'm number one, you know, in any area that I can. So having learned that, it just opened up so much for me. And I'm like, I'm successful because of a lie that I told myself when I was 10. And so it's allowed me to have a relationship with my half sister. You know, I was always resentful from her. And then I knew my why. Everyone's like, what's your why? And it was like, because, you know, all these awards that I have in my house, right? 65+. It's like, that's who I was. And it's almost like I said goodbye to my awards and it's like, I'm gonna be a top rep because of just being a good person and having these traits in me. It's not gonna be because I need to prove to the world or to Paychex that I'm number one. So the why was completely different this last year, and that's really what I wanted to portray to everyone at conference and when I was giving that speech, but, you know, I never would've figured that out. Right. And so, yeah, people do think it's a cult. I do usually sign up for, I've been on a 4-month break, like no one's harassing me to like go do seminars or I was gonna do a leadership program. So it's kind of just something that I, I don't need it. I just appreciate it. But yeah, there is rumors out there about cults and things like that. Yeah.

34:57 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Generally though, I hear pretty positive things for the folks that have been in it, and obviously it's been helpful for you. So, you know, one of those things that you, you have to make your own decisions about that stuff and check it out. What about just the day-to-day tools? Like, are there apps that are core to the way that you function? Like, what are those pieces?

35:16 Andrea Rush: Yes, I use Outlook. I'm sure we all have Outlook on our phone. I'm better with that than Salesforce. Feels like top reps always struggle with administrative stuff, right, and logging their calls. So Outlook is like my savior, right? And Of course, my Google Maps. I never know where I'm going. So it's like if my maps are down, it's like, oh my gosh, where am I going? But yeah, so my Outlook calendar is just, it's revolving, it's living, breathing. I can update it. It's on, you know, it's on my phone. And I know that seems so simple, but my calendar really dictates every moment of my day. So, you know, again, when are you available? You know, when you're doing a calendar close, or I just, I use my Outlook. I don't really have any other extra apps per se. I'm kind of simple. It's more like who I'm being during the day, right? And the, the traits that we have. But yeah.

35:58 Scott Ingram: Do you subscribe to a particular sales philosophy?

36:02 Andrea Rush: I really believe that everyone can be a top rep. I really do from the bottom of my heart. You know, I don't think it's like, oh, you're born with it or not. Literally like what we do, and I'm sure we all share this on this podcast, if people want it bad enough, I really believe if you, you know, you vision it, you believe it, anything, you can achieve it. And that's it. Like, what you put in is what you get out. That's always been my mantra. And what you believe you can achieve, you can make it a reality. You just have to do the work. I think a lot of people just aren't willing to do the work, or my territory's too far, or, you know, we come up with these excuses. It's not us, it's the circumstances that are changing, or we have a new system, or I have new territory or, or my pipeline, you know, it's this, this, and this. It's like, no, it's you. Like, I really believe it's the individual, whether it's the mindset, you know, and people will ride with me, you know, they'll fly in. I just had someone ride in from Nashville and it's like, you can do this. Everyone can do this. It's, do you have the drive and the desire to do it? Because if you do, anything is possible. And I really believe that from the bottom of my heart, you know?

37:13 Scott Ingram: Yeah. How do you go about maintaining the mindset piece of this? Because that's a big part of, of what you're doing. It's very clear.

37:21 Andrea Rush: Yes. So it's just staying positive, you know, focusing on the things that we can control because again, I've wasted hours of the latter, right? So just being positive and always pushing forward. Someone said that I'm like the most resilient person they know and that I just move on. I'm like, Really? Because I think I kind of get stuck. But, you know, I guess you do have to move on. And because when bad things happen to us or we lose that deal or something that's affecting our number in a negative way, it's so easy to get caught up on that and think of all these excuses and all these things. You just got to keep moving forward, right? And just be like, that's in the past. I did what I did. And if you knew that you gave it your all, I can mentally move forward. If there was nothing you could have did differently and you did everything right, You just gotta move on. So it's literally looking at the finish line, focusing on that ultimate end goal, and not getting caught up with the little stuff or the negative things or, you know, things that can bring one down mentally and kill that positive energy and that mindset. And then I'm surrounding myself with all this positive things throughout the day, right? Or on breaks or whenever that is, morning or after hours walking my dog, you know? So I'm constantly got positive things in my ear, which completely contributes to my output and, and my thoughts throughout the day.

38:36 Scott Ingram: Yeah. What's your goal setting process like? 'Cause you alluded to it in terms of your success last year, right? You came to the end of Q3, like, holy crud, I've got this huge gap. And so clearly you sort of applied that process. What is that process? How often do you do it?

38:50 Andrea Rush: Yeah, it's funny. So when I first, you know, moved to Texas, you know, I'm always worried about my number. I used to write the revenue I needed on Post-it notes and put it in my car, put it, you know, in my bathroom. But I don't do that anymore. So what it is, is, you know, so our ICE number this year is $1.3 million, right? It went up. And so if you think about it, like on the, let's just say it's the first month of the fiscal year, $1.3 million looks like a huge dollar amount and it's overwhelming. It could be, you know, just mentally defeating. So I literally break it up by month and even week, right? So because if you take that number, divide it into 52 weeks, whatever that number is, It's like now I have something manageable that's feasible, right? So it's monthly, right? So if I didn't hit my number last month, I add that delta to the following month. I have to do this plus that. And I focus just kind of on monthly year-to-date numbers, right? And that's really helpful for me. Like we just did a contest, right? It's funny how contests change behavior, right? We even, even step it up more. We had a $10,000 contest and of course it started when I was on my way to Dubai and I had half of the month off. I'm like, of course they would do a contest when I'm, out of the country, you know? And so my February was amazing, right? And I worked until the last hour and turned in 4 deals on the last day of the fiscal month. And one call closed some, someone I'd never even met before, right? Having that urgency, you know, and operating with that is really important. But yeah, just always felt the number, just breaking it out, I think is completely helpful, whether it's weekly, daily, or monthly. I think that makes any large astronomical number achievable and just more feasible.

40:27 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Yeah. How would you describe your style?

40:30 Andrea Rush: So, I'm definitely Type A. I think most of us are. It's funny because I've just heard last week, you're a bulldog, you're a beast. And I was like, thank you, I think. So, I am pretty relentless and very Type A during the day. And I am a bulldog, right? I call myself a dragon slayer and I take that off when I get home at the end of the day. I take the dragon slayer costume off. And I just, you know, I'm just me at peace with myself. So yeah, I'd say bulldog beast. Definitely not afraid to ask for the business. I mean, I'm very blunt, you know, but nice about it.

41:04 Scott Ingram: Yeah. Is there something you believe that the average sales rep would think is crazy?

41:10 Andrea Rush: Yeah, literally, like even resorting to earlier, I believe that everyone's capable of being on this podcast if they really want to, right? And being number one. And a lot of people, I'm sure, are like shaking their head like, nope, not me, it's not in my cards, or I wasn't born, you know, uh, with those excuses or self inner negative talk. So I really believe that everyone is able to be successful. It's just they have to have that drive and willpower. And I think people might think I'm crazy for that.

41:36 Scott Ingram: So maybe we've already covered this with just the landmark shift, but I wonder what's the most important decision you've had to make to get where you are today?

41:45 Andrea Rush: Literally, it was leaving my family and loved ones behind in Minnesota and moving to Houston, right? So this is a PEO state. You know, I didn't even know that product. That was another one of my challenges too. I didn't even have a product I couldn't even sell in the Midwest because the market wasn't strong. So I learned one of our most revenue-driving products, the PEO, and learned that product. It's… that pays out the most. And moving here was a complete leap of faith, right? I knew nothing about anything. It's been challenging, right? Because my house has been broken into, my car's been broken into. You know, I moved during the flood, like the flood happened that never happened. So there's been a lot of challenges, but had I not moved to Houston, I definitely wouldn't have had the record-breaking years that I did because I stepped out of my comfort zone and learned a product I didn't know that I was more intimidated about and said, this isn't fair. I have to sell against people that sell PEO. Can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? So I came and learned that and That was probably my biggest life change, right?

42:42 Scott Ingram: What brought you to Houston? Was it an open territory or what triggered that?

42:46 Andrea Rush: So every time I went to these national sales conference, I'd say, hey everyone, I would move anywhere. I hate winter and I'm always cold. And so I'm like, tell your managers, tell your friends. So I like literally was marketing myself at all the, you know, our, our national sales conferences. And someone reached out to me and said, hey, we've got an opening in Houston. And I was like, okay. And she's now moved up 3 levels of management, but it was the boss's territory at that time that was moving from a rep to a boss. So I flew in and literally, yeah, I had no kids, no boyfriend, nothing like was, you know, tying me down. I knew nothing about Texas. I literally thought it was all cowboys and like country. I had no idea, you know, this big city here. And so it literally was just an opportunity that someone gave me. I flew in and then within 24 hours I said yes, and then I moved here. I mean, it was that crazy and that impulsive.

43:36 Scott Ingram: Wow. Wow. There's something about this place too, though, and this industry. When I worked for ADP back in the day, the number one rep in the country at ADP was in Houston. David Weiss, who's been on the show a couple of times, also works for ADP, a little bit different space. He works in the RPO space, but he's number one here. And now here you are. So I don't know what's in the water here in Houston, but it seems to be good for those in your industry.

44:00 Andrea Rush: Yeah, it's, you know, lots of thriving business owners, right? And it's one of the… was it the 3rd largest city? So there's just lots of opportunity here. And as you know, just surrounding us, there's, you know, these high-rise buildings going up. There's construction all the time. Yeah, you know, it's a big, good city.

44:14 Scott Ingram: Yeah, yeah. Well, this is a fun one too. I guess I didn't call it out earlier. You might be able to hear it because the audio probably sounds a little bit different, but came out and getting a chance to spend time face to face with, with Andrea. So I usually don't get to do my interviews this way, but it's fun when I do. So thanks for having me over. Let's talk about just advice you would have, particularly for somebody that is brand new into sales. So they're just getting their start. What would you suggest to them just to help them build a really good foundation and be able to have the kind of success that you've had over time?

44:43 Andrea Rush: Yeah, literally it's finding the top reps in your division and going out in the field and riding with them. Because, you know, I have a new rep right now, right? And we even hung out, you know, at a soccer game last night, right? So it's like we're getting to know each other and have that relationship, but I'm taking her under my wing. Like she doesn't know anything about Paychex. She's super new. You know, she's like, I don't know how to telemarket. What are word tracks and things like that? Literally, I spent a whole day with her and I think that's invaluable because when you're coming outta training, everything's textbook, right? They're telling you about product knowledge, but when you get in the field, that's kind of out the door because it's, you gotta get that real life experience and it's completely different than the actual training modules that you're going through. So it's literally being in the field. Seeing what successful people do, how they talk about the product, the way they portray it to the, you know, the prospect, and just living and breathing with that and picking their brain, you know. And then I know one of the other questions that piggybacks that is even people that have been in the game for a while and they're struggling. That's my same advice, you know. Some people just got to put their pride aside. And if you want to get better, you know, I say if you want to be a ninja, you got to surround yourself with ninjas. You know, and just get in the field with those people and get as much exposure.

45:56 Scott Ingram: Yeah. What's interesting is when I reached back out to set up this conversation, because Ryan Alvord, who was on the show a number of years ago, recommended you and said, hey, Andrea's the new number one. You thought that I was within Paychex and you were so open, like, didn't know who I was, but I could tell you just sort of threw the door open, like, hey, what are you in my division? Like, how can I help? What fascinates me, and I've seen this on LinkedIn a couple of times, where folks think that, oh, you know, the number 1 rep, they're so focused on their number, they're so focused on other things, they're not going to make the time for me. That's clearly not the case with you. I don't ever see that, honestly. Maybe share your perspective with those that are newer in sales and are scared to reach out to the top reps in their company. How do you, as a top rep, view that?

46:43 Andrea Rush: Yeah, it's sad because I wish, you know, we're all of us top reps on here, we're a bundle of knowledge and resource. And I almost like get offended. I'm like, why is no one calling me? Like, I have so much I could share, you know? And I, I really admire people that call. And that's just a story that someone makes up in their head, right? It's something that hasn't even happened. We're telling ourselves a story and it's becoming real for us, right? So it's like, I literally had a rep, I guess the VP went to her and said, hey, if you could talk to anyone, and she picked me. I was so honored and flattered. And every time she called me, she's like, I know you're super busy. I know you're super busy. I'll be really quick. I'm like, actually, no, my next meeting's not until an hour. Yeah, I'm busy, but like if I was in a meeting, I would've, you know, not have picked up the phone. So I'm able to talk. And she was always so afraid to call me and I just told her, and she's having a really good year and I actually need, it reminds me to reach out to her because she's becoming a ninja. And yeah, that's just a story you're making up in your head. Call the people. Like everyone is super nice. Like I even have, Another, you know, seasoned rep on my team that I don't even reach out to. And I've been making up a story about it. And finally I said, I just saw him recently and I'm like, you know what? You are not approachable. I have been begging to ride with you. He's like, you've never asked me. I'm like, no, I've asked the manager we have now, the manager before that manager. And he's like, again, own it. You've never asked to ride with me. I'm like, well, they always told me I couldn't, that you wouldn't let me. So I even was afraid to reach out to someone, right? That's on my own team. And so I think he's gonna let me ride with him. I gotta, I guess I have to own it and ask for it. But yeah, so just don't be afraid. Just pick up the phone. Everyone's super nice. I mean, we like to share. Like when I share with people, I feel good because I'm contributing to someone and helping make a difference.

48:24 Scott Ingram: Yeah. I mean, it's kind of a pay it forward thing because we've all learned from the people that were the best before us. Right. And it's just, you know, somebody was there before us. They were open and willing to share their secrets and their thoughts and let us ride along and do all those things. It's so much fun. I mean, I had the same stories going through my head as I was starting this show. Nobody had been on. I didn't have the track record that I do now. Now, now people have an understanding of what it is, but when I had no show, there was no podcast and people, it doesn't matter. It's totally irrelevant to your point. It's just stories that we tell in our head and get over yourself and pick up the phone and just ask. And again, my experience, virtually nobody says no. Every now and then, Yeah, you know, you find a true jerk, but they're rare.

49:09 Andrea Rush: Yeah, when you reached out, I thought you were trying to ride with me. I had no idea who you were. That's… I was like, what division are you in? I was like, oh, who's this? And then you're like, I actually don't work at Paychex. I was like, oh.

49:19 Scott Ingram: So when you ask to ride with somebody else, what are you hoping to learn, right? Whether it's within your own division or within Paychex or even outside, like, what do you hope to glean from top sellers.

49:33 Andrea Rush: Yeah, because, you know, it's like you don't want to change what you're doing, right? Because it works so well, and year after year, you know, we're successful and it works. So it's like if I were to listen to someone and they had a completely different presentation, I do have a fear, right, that it's like, oh my gosh, it's going to ruin my number. I'm not going to sell as much because this is my present… I say the same presentation on every meeting, Scott. If you rode with me, I'm exact same questions, Same answers, you know, I present exactly the same. I'm very consistent. But there is someone, you know, that deals with really large clients really well. Not that I don't, but it's like, well, I'm just curious, like, how do they describe our product? Like one said it was a delicious benefits package and it just made me laugh. Like delicious benefits. I was like, I wonder if I can add the word delicious. But so it's, it's just learning what other people are doing. You know, it's not like kind of how to close or something, but I just, I wanna see other people's perspectives and. How are they dumbing down our product in a way that a business owner can understand it? I think that is so key because I talk about 20 different things, dental, vision, life, payroll, you know, there's like 20 products within my product, right? You have to be able to get it so someone can understand what you're talking about, right? That doesn't, you know, speak this language every day. So I just like to see the other perspectives, not to change, but just to help complement or add to what I'm doing.

50:50 Scott Ingram: Right, right. Even if you just add the word delicious.

50:53 Andrea Rush: Exactly.

50:55 Scott Ingram: So this has been so much fun. I'm glad this worked out. I'm glad we got a chance to spend some time together. I'm looking forward to having some off-the-record conversation, which is the joy of being in the position that I'm in. I get to go even a little bit deeper. For the person listening to this, I mean, I always like to make this as actionable as possible. So what would you challenge the listener to do to improve themselves, something they can work on over the, maybe just the next 1 or 2 weeks until there's another interview and another challenge for them to take on?

51:22 Andrea Rush: Yeah, I would challenge everyone to, you know, get up 30 minutes to an hour earlier. Just start your day. Let's just say you're gonna do this experiment for a week. Get up an hour earlier. There's so much things that you can accomplish in that time, especially like administrative things, follow up, reach out, find the top 3 reps in your company, reach out to all 3 of them, or at least one, and schedule a ride day with them. Actually, don't talk about it, be about it. Just actually do it and execute it and be persistent. You know, I'm sure they'll respond. And also when you're, you know, driving or doing things, try to cut out some of that personal time for talking just to friends and family and literally make some work follow-up calls or anything revenue driving. And challenge yourself if you, you know, ask that question, is this making me money? And if it's not, just put it to the side and acknowledge that and do all your non-revenue driving things either in the morning or the end of the day. So, don't take prospect time doing that. You know, that could be done later, morning or evening, and ride with that top rep. Beautiful.

52:26 Scott Ingram: Andrea, this has been fantastic. Thanks for taking the time.

52:28 Andrea Rush: Yeah, thank you so much. It was a pleasure.

52:31 Scott Ingram: Thanks for listening to the Sales Success Stories podcast. To be sure you never miss an episode and for an invitation to our Sales Success Community powered by Influitive, subscribe to our newsletter at top1.fm.