Another calm clear morning on the golf course.
To start my new sales career, I took a Pharmaceutical Sales position with Abbott. This was the first big mistake I made in my development. Not only did I not like 15-second commercials, but I became one.
One day, as I waited to call a doctor, I read an article about a woman sitting in her office at Hallmark Cards feeling like I did when she decided to become a Golf Course Superintendent. That day, I decided to do the same in 15 years once my daughters were raised and through college.
When the time came to execute my plan, I spent a year talking to those in the industry. I realized that the golf bubble had popped with the housing bubble. It would take me too long to reach the Superintendent level, but I could take a year's sabbatical to experience my dream. My lifetime passion for turfgrass met the opportunity, and in June of 2014, I went to work on a golf course.
It was a goal-oriented working sabbatical. While I enjoy golf, my real passion is the turf and working in my yard. My goal was to work on a premier golf course while hosting a major golf tournament, where the superintendent is highly regarded in the industry. My desire was to become proficient at every job and piece of equipment. To increase my knowledge, I would study turf-grass management. These goals were accomplished by working at the Atlanta Athletic Club during the USGA 2014 US Amateur under Ken Mangum and obtaining a certification in turf-grass management.
Practical learning on the golf course. How to catch a mole by hand. Mike Kephart
While I had years of practical experience working in my yard, I increased my knowledge by getting a Principles of Turf-grass Management Certification through UGA's Center for Continuing Education. I also spent many hours pulling studies from the Internet to expand on what I learned through the UGA program or the work I was doing on the golf course. Then, there was the extended practical learning, like capturing a mole by hand to calibrate a chemical sprayer.
About halfway through my sabbatical, a friend asked me if I still worked as hard in the yard as I once did. My response was that I now work harder in my yard. The way I see it, this confirms turfgrass is one of my passions, and with all I have learned, I'm more confident in what needs to be done.
Beyond the mental and physical improvements, I became focused and sure of my higher purpose. My higher purpose is to use my strong leadership and managerial skills to develop and, therefore, improve the performance of a sales team by developing those young professionals.