We were lucky to catch up with LeAnn Pashina recently and have shared our conversation below.

LeAnn, appreciate you joining us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?

The best investments I have made is in myself. Meaning, investing in trainings, learning new skills and how to perfect my existing skills. I have done this throughout my career and always what I have learned – no matter if great or small, I have been able to apply and utilize in my career. My mentor from early in my career shared this idea that investing in myself would pay off in dividends we are not able to often put an exact dollar amount to, although if we want to continue to improve our success, we must look at education, joining the right groups and association as an investment and not an expense.

LeAnn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was fortunate and discovered in high school what I wanted to do regarding my career. Interior designer. I graduated from college with a degree in design and off I went. Working in commercial design, I worked for a couple of different companies early on and enjoyed my profession. What I didn’t realize is that with this skill, I would be drawn into another side of design – which was sales. After about 5 years of designing, I had the opportunity to move into the sales side with a company, selling furniture and design to businesses. I was out of my area of expertise in a way, and needed to invest in additional education and training to learn this new profession I would move into. I have been in sales now for almost four decades and still enjoy what I do. I continue to use my design skills with my clients, where in my industry it makes me unique, and able to assist my clients in a way my competitors can not. I learned that finding your uniqueness and skills for how we can help our clients, then share that information to create more success.
I had invested in learning how to become a better speaker and presenter, spending several years in the Toastmaster organization. I honed my speaking skills and a side benefit that helped greatly in sales was developing great communication skills. In sales, communication is key for success, yet all the sales training programs I had completed, none addressed.

With all the experience I have had throughout my career, I know I share my skills and knowledge with other sales professionals and entrepreneurs to help them become more successful, training them in the skills to become top in their industry.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The company I partnered with was nationwide, which provided the opportunity to work with other sales people across the country. I was living in Florida at this time and began partnering on projects, helping another sales partner who lived in Austin, Texas. After a few months of coaxing, pleading perhaps, that I should move to Austin because of ALL the opportunities and together we would sore. I eventually did decide to make the move. What wasn’t planned was the disaster that happened on 9/1/2001, the day I was moving to Austin. Our world changed. I had no choice at that moment but to move into the unknown. I didn’t own my home in Orlando but did own one in Austin. Once I did begin to get settled in Austin, discovered that Austin was hit even harder economically than other areas of the US due to the high tech industry that was now the dot bomb industry. And the partner who we had plans on how to move forward with sound business plans, decided he would make different decisions on his own. I was faced with a serious crossroads, one that wasn’t planned. I started completely over in my business. It was not easy nor fun to do – but realized I had built a business before, I can do it again. And so I did – built a sales business once again in a new city, knowing no one, and created success.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The stigma of what the profession of sales is all about. The profession always seems to be mystical and described in a dim light among professionals. Not considered an honorable profession when compared to others. At least, this was my belief and understanding, and as I coach others, I realize that most people don’t view sales as a profession but instead as a job or something you have to do. When I embraced the profession of sales and the importance of it, that is when my professional career changed and I discovered new found success. In most companies, the sales department or team is held in high regard. After all, I quickly learned that if every salesperson were to quit for one day, the economy would fall apart – after all, nothing happens until a sale is made.

Learning to be open to new and different ideas, and research them to understand them has helped me immensely in my career. College/University teaches us good skills and when most of graduate we have the tendancy to think we know all we need to know to be successful in our career. Which, I discovered quickly that is not the case, and if you approach your future with this thinking, you will always struggle. Learn from your mentors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://creativelycommunicate.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leann.pashina/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leannpashina/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgVhi1kqUrc20rYumYoXCA