Now that “The Business Artist” is out there, I was reflecting with a friend this past week. “Adam, why did you feel compelled to write this?” I hadn't thought about this question in a while but quickly remembered the moment of realization that sparked a mild guilt, which eventually turned into motivation to learn more, leading to this book.

It was Spring of 2019. I had just completed a series of workshops and sales enablement sessions as part of my client’s annual sales kickoff events. I was discussing with my colleague, Kyle Dean, how fortunate we were to be invited back year after year by some of these clients. This led to what I started calling the “arrows in the quiver” problem.

“Kyle, imagine all these skills we've trained you on represent arrows in your quiver. I load you up with all the acumen you need – customer acumen, industry acumen, product acumen, financial and business acumen. You've got all these arrows, but when you go out to the customer battlefield, do you know which one to fire and when, how, and why to adjust each time?”

This realization brought guilt. Had we just loaded sellers with new arrows each year, or had we truly prepared them for battle? More importantly, is all skills training about following a repeatable, data-driven process from some consulting or training framework, when what we really needed was to learn adaptability, creativity, and improvisation with those skills.

I needed to learn for myself – is there a way to teach the “artistry” of sales, and if so, how? Speaking with several sales leaders, I started to understand that you need both: process and creativity. Knowledge of the process, and the “permission” and ability to be creative. Thus, the term “The Business Artist” was born.

Once I started using that term and unpacking its meaning, I became obsessed with understanding if it was just salespeople or a broader group of us that had over-rotated away from the creative processes that make us human. Observing sellers and business leaders across my career in some amazing Fortune 500 companies, I realized that those who consciously and intentionally saw the world through an artistic lens followed a pattern. Their creative approach wasn’t about ensuring the repeatability of the process but ensuring the repeatability of success.

I have to give credit to Neil McGowan, who was VP, Global Sales at NetApp at the time. An unorthodox, creative mind and leader, his team loved him. When discussing my book, he and I went off on a tangent about music, and he was the first to say to me, “Adam, selling is like jazz.”

“You have to learn all the scales, but when you stand up in front of an audience, they don’t want you to play from the sheets. You need to read the room, listen to the vibe, and feel where to take the melody next. Of course, there are still rules and processes, just like in business, but there is improvisation, experimentation, and creativity, just like in art.”

For anyone who wants to hear me in your ears for 5+ hours wherever and whenever you enjoy listening. You can get into it here ​​

Keep exploring and keep creating,

Adam

Business Artist Spotlight

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I'm excited to shine a spotlight this week on Neil McGowan - a seasoned sales leader and current CRO at Hitachi Vantara. He is known for his innovative approach to sales leadership and his impactful work in the nonprofit sector.

He is also a lifelong learner and charismatic leader. I've worked with a tremendous group of sales leaders in my career, and what sets Neil apart is his ability to inspire and promote creativity and improvisation, fostering an environment where team members are inspired to think outside the box and develop tailored solutions for their clients​​. People who work for Neil are not only successful but also love working for him as a result. He does this all while being very "direct" and results-focused. It's a tremendous balance and ability to watch. A true "Business Artist Leader" at work

His work in non-profits emphasizes the importance of contributing to the broader community, underscoring the philosophy that business success is not just about individual or company gains but also about the positive impact one can have on society.

Thank you Neil for pushing me always.

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