With Some Grace

Everyday Experiences, Lifelong Learnings

FYBF – Persistence and Portuguese custard tarts

By: mamagrace7141 Comments

Some of you may recall the time – when work life was still very new – after a sales call I walked back to my car, only it wasn’t mine.

It made great entertainment for the retired old men sitting outside at a café nearby.

Despite all that humiliation, I didn’t close the deal.

I didn’t give up, though. Every time I drove by that particular office, I’d remind myself that the timing just wasn’t right.

So, off I went closing other deals as well as dealing with other rejections.

 

FYBF - Persistence and Portuguese Custard Tarts 3

Dem be the nature of sales.

Wednesday morning proved that timing was everything.

As it happened, I was back in conversation with said potential client.

Emailing back and forth to lock in a time to meet, he hadn’t replied to my last email suggesting a 10:30am meeting.

It was back to being a dud opportunity.

Never mind, I’d just have extra time to work from home until my next appointment at noon.

Or so I thought.

Still getting the hang of possessing two mobiles, at exactly 9:15am – with screaming kids who were nowhere near ready for daycare – instinct told me to check my work phone.

And yup, there was a message from said potential client, confirming we were on for 10:30am and in fact, could we make it earlier, say, 10:15??

Panic stations.

I called him back apologizing that my phone had been recharging…ahem. But yes, of course, I could be there in an hour.

I was still in my PJ’s. His office was at least half an hour away.

Miraculously, I made it – with a minute to spare.

He had no inkling to the madness I had just gone through to get there.

Sales rule #2,567 – fake it till you make it.

My client suggested we have our discussion next door at The Majestic – a once roller skating rink turned theatre turned café/restaurant/grocer and soon to include a wine bar and restaurant.

FYBF - Persistence and Portuguese custard tarts

Over the best Italian coffee I’ve ever had in a long time and the fluffiest and lightest of Portuguese custard tarts, I closed the deal.

In fact, we did 2 rounds of coffee and tarts. You know, to really celebrate.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a change to take photos of the little pastry pieces of heaven. You’re just going to have to take my word for it.

I even went back that afternoon to buy some for take away but they had sold out.

That’s how awesome these babies are.

FYBF - Persistence and Portuguese custard tarts

And that my friends, is what makes persistence worth it.

The Portuguese custard tarts.

Have you ever tried one? Did you have a foodgasm too? When has persistence paid off for you?

1. Follow With Some Grace.

2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.

3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.

4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.

5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love

 

 Loading InLinkz ...
Did you like this? Share it:

Comments

  5. Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says

    Portugese Custard Tarts are the new carrots on sticks! I love that your persistence paid off and that there was a sweet reward for all your hard work. The last foodgasm I had was nutella cheesecake… in a jar, and it was so kind of wonderful. So tell me where can I find the Majestic and these awesome Portugese Tarts that you speak of, I need some of them in my life!

    Reply

  14. Pinky Poinker says

    I used to work as a sales rep for a radio station in Sydney many years ago and gosh it was hard. It was basically selling thin air. I moved on to working for a hotel chain which was a lot easier because it was more ‘flag waving’ than having to close a deal. When I worked for the radio it was Paul Keating days and we were encouraged to take clients out to lunch to restaurants all the time. I put on soooo much weight! Congrats on your sale, Grace x
    Pinky Poinker recently posted..Does Your Husband Like Shopping?My Profile

    Reply

  15. Dani @ sand has no home says

    i am finding it with my writing at the moment (though the only pay off is the writing and drafting itself).
    I just saw some pics of The Majestic on facebook yesterday. It looks lovely. When I first moved to Sydney from Melbourne, hardly knowing Sydney at all, I moved to Petersham, sight unseen (my now husband found a teeny studio apartment for me). I loved that it was the Portugese section. I do recall trying a tart or two. Yum x
    Dani @ sand has no home recently posted..Roads of WordsMy Profile

    Reply

  18. Zoe Meunier says

    Haha, I’m like you when it comes to grappling with phones… it’s always when the most important calls come in that I have inexplicably turned the ringer off or set it to Do Not Disturb without even knowing how you actually do that! Props to you for getting out the door and to the meeting on time, and better yet, sealing the deal! I think anything would taste good after that, but Portuguese custard tarts… well, yes. Foodgasm indeed!
    Zoe Meunier recently posted..Genius uses for all your kitchen gadgetsMy Profile

    Reply

  23. Deborah says

    Oh, well done Grace!

    As for the tarts… I’ve been to Portugal and lived in a Portuguese speaking (and influenced) African country but had never come across the pastries until I lived in East Timor in 1999-2001. And they were delicious! Thankfully it was before my coeliac diagnosis so I got to enjoy them!

    Well done again on closing the deal!
    Deborah recently posted..Are you a bed maker?My Profile

    Reply

  38. Kylie Purtell - A Study in Contradictions says

    I remember that too well from my sales days. There is nothing like feeling of finally closing the deal though. Although my boss was never excited until they paid their first invoice. He said a deal wasn’t a deal until the money was in his bank account. Which I totally get, but it never stopped me from doing a little happy dance in private!
    Kylie Purtell – A Study in Contradictions recently posted..One Perfect Moment {In sickness & health} | LifeMy Profile

    Reply

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply

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

CommentLuv badge