'My Momma Said' No. 1: A Lesson on Consequences

Credit: Gillespie Family Photo circa 1956

My earliest memory is a spanking. Those of you that know me, go ahead and laugh. I’m sure you’re thinking “no surprise there.” I wasn’t quite four.

The family was getting ready for church. Mom was dressing my younger brother and I was supposed to stay in the living room. I wasn’t to mess up my clothes.

I managed to get outside. It had rained and there was a cool puddle on the sidewalk. It was begging me to check it out and splash around.

The next thing you know I’m dancing. I’m stomping my feet and making really cool splashes. Water is flying everywhere and I’m having a ball. My clothes and shoes are soaked but I haven’t noticed.

From the window I hear my mother’s voice. “Bill Gillespie, what are you doing? Get yourself in here right now. You’re getting a spanking.”

It’s important to know that I wore corrective shoes. I was born with a crooked foot. My shoes were easily the most expensive thing anyone in our family owned. Apparently, they weren’t waterproof.

I don’t remember much about the spanking itself. I remember being scared as I ran toward the house. I remember how angry mom was. I can’t recall if it involved a switch, belt or paddle.

The spanking was the easy part. Mom told me how expensive my shoes were. She told me how hard it was for dad to afford them. She reminded me that I was supposed to stay inside. Disappointing her and making extra work made me feel awful.

Now what does my spanking have to do with selling? What spin can I put on this first memory?

Things were black and white with mom. Right was right and wrong was wrong. Privileges were something you earned. Opportunity was not something to be wasted. Second chances were not guaranteed. Money was hard to come by. It was selfish to waste it.

This lesson never changed. It paid dividends when I started working (age 14). It served me well when I bought my first car. I lived it, daily, as I worked my way through college.

It really came home when I started selling printing. I never wasted money on customer entertainment. If I wasn’t willing to write the check myself, I didn’t expect my employer to. That is to say, I never incurred a cost I wasn’t prepared to cover, personally if asked.

My employers loved that. I treated company assets as if I owned them myself. I thought of every place I worked as if it were mine. This influenced pricing, margins, credit approval and collections. If it was bad for my employer, it was bad for me. Consequently, they trusted me and included me in decisions.

It also influenced where I spent my time. I decided I wanted the best brands as customers. There were only so many hours in each day. I spent them where the potential was greatest.

The lesson? There are always consequences. What you do wrong or don’t do at all eventually comes calling. What you do right bears fruit. Where you spend your time and your focus matters.

Mom died in 2000. A group of us were sharing memories with her during her last days. The room laughed when I shared my spanking memory.

Mom chuckled and said, “that boy…that precious boy.” She didn’t say anything more.

She taught me how to sell. She taught me about people.

It’s risky running a series like this in PI. It’s personal and possibly not a fit for everyone. Having said that, I hope you’ll find value and follow along. Here’s a peek at future segments.

'My Momma Said' No. 2: You Want Something Go Get It!

'My Momma Said' No. 3: It’s Ok to Be Poor. It’s Not Ok to Be Stupid.

'My Momma Said' No. 4: Don’t Make People Ask for Help.

'My Momma Said' No. 5: Race Riot Fear

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.