Welcome back Marvelous Performers!
Today I am honored to have Frank C. “Chip” Etier contribute his unique views and insights – “Come Hell or High Water”. Chip is a father, husband, photographer, high school football official, author and frequent contributor at the popular Examiner.com. Chip has “been there and done that” and reinvented himself several times. Enjoy his opinions here and make sure we hear YOURS. As always, we love your feedback. It’s the very essence of why blogging is so popular.
Peace, Love and Gumbo!
Marvin LeBlanc
During the mid to late seventies, I knew a man for whom I had a great deal of respect. He suffered a personal and business disaster when a close friend suddenly turned on him and the business eventually closed. In the depths of a quagmire that would be the undoing of many, he bounced back and within a month was busy building a new business with new partners.
"How did you manage such a timely and dramatic turnaround?" I asked him.
Roy Tauzin, who was at the time, my father-in-law (and is now deceased), said without hesitation, “The worst possible thing that could happen to you, might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you -- if you don’t let it get you down.” It didn't get him down, and I've never forgotten.
In 1984, a young man came to work for a sales company with me and made quite an impression.
Never had I met anyone with such a strong desire to succeed.
Never had I met anyone with such a focused obsession for persistence.
Come Hell or High Water is Marvin LeBlanc's book that tells his story of how hurricane Katrina might have been the worst possible thing that could happen for him, his family, and his career. It is also the story of how he refused to allow that to happen.
Never have I seen such a fine example of Mr. Tauzin's comment played out.
By mid 1988, Marvin and I had gone our separate ways and continued our careers. He was a rapidly rising star with State Farm Insurance in St. Bernard Parish, near New Orleans. His career was on the verge of a quantum leap into sales stardom when Katrina hit.
One of the traits that Marvin LeBlanc has, that makes him such a great salesman, is the ability to get his listeners to experience the same emotions he has had, while maintaining control of his own. His clients trust him. His team is loyal. Together, since Katrina, they have achieved the coveted Chairman's Circle twice at State Farm.
Readers will find LeBlanc's book to be not only emotional and informative, but inspirational as well. When bad things happen to you, you can overcome them as well. LeBlanc shows you how. Photographs by Joshua Lee accompany the text and depict scenes of the destruction as well as the reactions of the survivors.
Come Hell or High Water is available on this site, and from Amazon as a paperback or Kindle version.
Book review written by Chip Etier. For more infomation about Chip please click here.
