In 1993 I was asked to attend a sales president’s club in Hong Kong

As part of the trip there was a day excursion, to Macau and then into mainland China

On the day, I was nursing one hell of a hangover

As the mini bus drove through China, the rest of the bus slept, I stayed awake

I marvelled at the people, the landscape and ox pulling ploughs, etc

It was on this trip that I did a deal with myself that I would travel the world

A commitment that I have kept

The company where I worked back in '93 had a Hong Kong office, I pitched to the General Manager, that I would come and be a sales guy for him

He turned me down

But later on, I did spend 5 years in a Europe, Middle east and Africa (EMEA) role

Where I travelled extensively through the territory for work

Thank you to “Larry” for paying for it

It wouldn’t be LinkedIn if I didn’t share what I learned

Where ever you go, people are the same

To sell you need to be nice and credible, that’s it

Now how you prove your credibility and prove you are nice has a cultural element

But to do business anywhere, you need trust and for the buyer to think “I like you” 

The photo is of me in 1993, I have just purchased 2 cans of Coke

You probably know a can of Coke is a great hangover “cure”