What a year, my friends! As the clock winds down on another 365 days, New Year’s Eve brings a moment of powerful reflection. Did you hit your sales goals? Are you celebrating a hard-fought victory, or is there a lingering feeling that you left some money on the table?
Right now, you’re either outlining your 2026 battle plan, or perhaps you’re planning a long, well-deserved weekend. Whatever your choice, remember this: you need a plan and a destination to reach. A great career isn’t built on chance; it’s built on intentional strategy.
As I took some time off last week to recharge and outline content for the year ahead, I found myself going back through the archives, reflecting on the posts that resonated most with us all. Let’s revisit some of the greatest hits that helped shape our success this past year.
January 9: Conquering the 5 Deadly Sins – The “Me, Myself, and I” Syndrome
This post tackled the biggest killer of sales careers: ego.
The first deadly sin was the “Me, Myself, and I” Syndrome.
“Remember, it’s not about YOU. It’s about your customer. Zig Ziglar nailed it: ‘You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.’ Focus on solving their problems, fulfilling their needs, and building genuine relationships. Leave your ego at the door.”
This principle was my North Star this year. Early on, I was focused on how my solution was the best, or how much I knew about the payments industry. The moment I flipped the script—when I started asking deeper questions about the merchant’s payroll stress, their checkout line bottlenecks, or their desire to manage inventory more efficiently—everything changed. When you truly listen and dedicate yourself to being a problem-solver and not just a pitch-man, the sales become a natural byproduct of providing value. It helped me close bigger deals and, more importantly, forge partnerships that will pay dividends for years to come.
February 25: Grandkids, Roblox, and Sales
Adaptability is the name of the game, and this post was a fun reminder of that.
This is where we discussed how playing Hide and Seek Extreme with my grandkids on Roblox wasn’t just fun—it was a lesson in staying current.
The world is changing rapidly, and staying relevant is crucial in any business. If you’re still relying on sales tactics from 15 years ago, you’re becoming obsolete. By immersing myself in the world of Roblox and other emerging platforms, I’m keeping my finger on the pulse of the latest consumer and technological trends. This continuous learning helps me adapt my sales approach, speak the language of modern business owners, and offer solutions that truly meet the evolving needs of my clients, whether they need a sophisticated API integration or just a simple, modern terminal. Relevance is currency.
July 10: Be the “No-Shadow Guy”
We can all get caught up in the daily grind and forget to see the world around us. This post came from my daily trek to work, where I started noticing details others missed.
This story was all about being memorable and not worrying about what other people think. In a saturated industry like merchant services, being forgettable is a career killer. The “No-Shadow Guy” is the person who leaves a distinct impression—not just with their product, but with their presence.
It’s about having the conviction to be different. Are you knocking on doors in a genuine way that makes you stand out from the other payment reps who came through yesterday? Are your follow-up emails insightful, or generic? Don’t be afraid to be the one who does something that raises an eyebrow, as long as it gets you noticed. Stop worrying about the competition and start worrying about being memorable.
Starting September: The WWYD Series
My all-time favorite initiative this past year has to be the WWYD (What Would You Do?) series we kicked off in September.
I love talking with all of you, hearing your stories, and diving into the different struggles we face out in the field—from a merchant getting spooked by a competitor’s FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) to the tricky negotiation on interchange costs. The collective wisdom and raw honesty shared in those scenarios are what make this community so strong. It reminds us that we are all facing similar challenges, and that together, we have a wealth of solutions.
The Year Ahead
As you raise your glass tonight, don’t just toast the past. Toast the plan for 2026.
Where will you be 365 days from now? If you didn’t hit your goal this year, use this moment to analyze why. Was it a lack of commitment to the customer (Deadly Sin #1)? Were you irrelevant or resistant to new technology (Roblox)? Were you forgettable (No-Shadow Guy)?
Use these lessons to build a focused, actionable plan. Let’s make 2026 the year we don’t just reach our destination, but blow right past it.
Happy New Year!
I’ll see you out there on the streets, making it happen.
Happy Selling,
David
