So many people say, “Thank God it’s Friday!” or complain about Mondays. They hate their jobs, but have to make a living. The economy sucks, so they’re afraid to try anything new or take risks or follow their passion. I was lucky in my latest career move. I drive to work with a smile on my face. I enjoy the people I work with and my customers. I found my passion and it became my career. I recommend finding your mission in life and pursue it! Here’s how my electric vehicle journey has played out so far:- My car was totaled. I looked for an inexpensive replacement, but hated my options.
- My wife brought up electric cars, as a less-expensive option (this was back when gas was well over $3 per gallon)
- I test drove a Leaf and a Volt and leased a 2012 Volt.
- I couldn’t stop telling everyone I knew about how great the Volt is and my friends were getting tired of hearing about it, so I started this blog, as a safety valve for my enthusiasm.
- I visited an electric vehicle club to see what the conversion of vehicles looked like.
- My wife leased a Volt two months after I did. She had driven SUVs exclusively the whole time I had known her!
- I traveled to the Chicago Auto Show as a member of the media (my blog)
- On a whim, I contacted my dealer about National Plug-In Day, to see what they were planning (nothing). The dealership invited me to come speak, at their sales meeting, about why I thought the Volt was so important to the U.S. and to G.M.
- Three days later, I started working there, as the “EVangelist.” I’m just a car salesperson, but I’m the go-to guy on GM’s electric offerings.
- As a family, we started reevaluating what success meant. We decided to sell our big, beautiful (but inefficient) house and built a new, smaller, more efficient home.
- We battled our homeowner’s association over their refusal to let us have solar panels on our new home.
- One year later, we got a Volt for our 16 year old daughter. (I’m driving that, until she completes her driver training and my new Volt arrives)
- At the end of my first full year in car sales, I qualified for the General Motors Mark of Excellence. (GM presents you with a ring and a wooden presentation box)
- Another year and we replaced my wife’s leased Volt with a 2015 Volt.
- My second full year in car sales resulted in attaining General Motors Mark of Excellence again. (GM will add a diamond to my ring)
- I ordered a 2017 Volt to replace my leased 2012.
Back in my engineering and software sales careers, I used to get calls from headhunters (recruiters, not savages) quite often. In the early 80’s, you would get offers over the phone and could demand a good increase to change jobs. In the 90’s, it continued and accelerated.
Needless to say, it hasn’t been that way for a while.
Today I got a call, due to my aerospace & defense background.
But I wasn’t interested! I’m on a MISSION. I’m going to help the world move away from fossil fuels and toward a sustainable future. The only career that would interest me, would be those that place me in an even more influential role in that revolution.
Got a TV show about EVs that needs a host? I’m your man!
