Secret Academy Episode - David RubenAbout:
David Ruben is a Chinese manufacturing and distribution expert known for taking a successful company, now known as Black & Decker, from $2 million in sales to over $1.2 billion in sales. How was he able to do this? Using the knowledge he learned over the course of 30 years living and working in China, he was able to work his way up the corporate ladder from being a low ranked sales assistant to Executive Vice President of Sales. David has since provided guidance to many well known companies such as P&G and Rubbermaid, and subsequently founded his own company, DARCO International, to provide strategies to grow consumer products companies.
Lesson's in Today's Interview:
- How growing up and working in China contributed to his success in the sales division of Black & Decker
- Starting out as the assistant to the assistant to the Assistant Vice President of Sales and receiving 10-12 promotions in a 15-year span to become the Executive Vice President of Sales
- Nothing happens until it (products, services, etc) gets sold
- To increase from millions in sales to billions in sales, you need acquisitions
- Using all distribution channels since the distribution model has gotten smaller and will continue to get smaller
- In the states you need to partner up with sales reps, and overseas you need to partner up with distributors that are in love with your product
- Always be ready to be an innovator; there is no such thing as a bad idea
- Founded DARCO International to help companies trying to get a food hold into manufacturing, engineering, and retail distribution
- Need to be tenacious, listen to your inner voice, and be committed
- Why being "retail ready" is so important when it comes to selling a product
- Why Alibaba is a risky way to get a start in manufacturing a product
- Honesty without sincerity is brutality
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