Posted by Southwest Beverages on 10/9/2016
“Hi Don,” I said to the father of the high school football
teams quarterback as I approached him to take my along the top back railing of
the stands.
“Hi Bobby,” he replied. “Tonight’s game should be one of the
better games of the season,” he replied referring to the fact that we were
playing a team with a 4-1 record and was leading the conference in offense.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to this game. So how’s life
treating you?”
“Actually, not so good,” he replied in a soft dejected tone.
“What’s the matter?”
“My company announced a move to Cleveland today and there is
no way my wife and kids will what to move to Cleveland. It’s not that I have
anything against Cleveland, it’s just that my wife and kids are established
here in Greenwich.”
“I understand, Don. Perhaps I can help. I know a lot of
executives and executive recruiters.”
“That would be great. Say, Bobby why don’t I run to the
concession stand and get us two containers of coffee, then when I come back we
can watch the game and you can tell me about who you know.”
“That sounds like a plan to me, Don.”
Ten minutes later Don made his way up the steps of the
stands holding two containers of coffee. “Here’s your coffee, Bobby. I hope you
like chocolate hazelnut coffee?”
“Thanks, Don,” I said as I accepted the container from him.
Within seconds of popping the mouth piece opening on the top of the container
the aroma from the coffee began to radiate. “Oh, wow! This coffee smells delicious,”
I stated after I had taken a long smell of the coffee.
“Wait until you taste it.”
“Wow, Don. This could be the best tasting coffee I ever had,”
I enthusiastically stated after I had taken my first sip. “What’s the name of
this coffee?”
“Kemosabe. It’s Kemosabe gourmet flavored coffee. Isn’t it
delicious? My son told me about it the other day after it was first introduced
in their school cafeteria. My son told me to definitely buy it at the football
game concession stand.”
“I’m glad he told you, Don,” I replied with excitement in my
voice. “It’s wonderful flavored coffee.”
“Well, Bobby, what’s at play here is quality. Quality
coffee, quality game and quality friendship.”
To make a long story short, that week i made a number of networking
calls to several marketing executives and a number of executive recruiters. At
the following weeks football game, I gave Don a lead from an executive
recruiter who was working on a search for a Vice President of Marketing for a start-up
company in the area. Don called the recruiter, went on the interview and when I
saw him next at Saturdays football game, Don was standing at our usual place in
the stands, along the back railing of the top row of seats, with a big smile on
his face holding two containers of Kemosabe chocolate hazelnut gourmet flavored
coffee. “What are you so happy about?” I asked as he handed me a container of
flavored coffee.
“Remember that lead you gave me for the start-up. Well they
liked me and I took the job. I start on Monday,” he ecstatically replied as he
extended his container of chocolate hazelnut gourmet flavored coffee to mine.”
“Congratulations, Don, that’s great news!”
“What’s the name of the company?”
“America on Line.”
Written by Bob Jenkins, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of
Southwest Beverages Bob has had the privilege of working for some of America's largest
and well run public and private companies, including Philip Morris, Canada Dry, Dr
Pepper, Cadbury Schweppes, Snapple Beverage Corporation, Tasker Capital Corp. and
The Water Club and River Cafe - two of New York's finest fine dining restaurants. He
has worked in various capacities as Finance Manager, Controller, Director of Finance,
Vice President Finance & Administration, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, and
Treasurer.
Bob holds a Masters of Business
Administration degree in accounting from the University of Tennessee and a Bachelor of
Science degree in accounting from the University of Arizona.
Southwest Beverages is a manufacturer and marketer of two
brands of premium quality dry mix beverages: Sippity hot-cocoa mix and Kemosabe gourmet flavored coffee. All Southwest Beverages products are
uniquely blended flavors that contain all the ingredients necessary for you to enjoy the
ultimate hot beverage experience. Simply add water and stir-then sip, savor and
enjoy.
For more information, please visit www.southwestbeverages.com.
Sippity, Sippity Lite, Kemosabe, Kemosabe Lite, Southwest Beverages, It's A DRY Mix and Comfort In A Cup are each registered trademarks of Southwest Beverages.
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