This is Whistler, and I'm an American Skier

Peak 2 Peak

It has been rated the top ski destination in the world.  Two mountains, unbelievable terrain, a village to die for, and people from all over the world.

It's the home of the Peak 2 Peak, the highest and longest lift in the world.

This is Whistler, BC.

My first trip there was memorable to say the least.  I realized it's a young persons world, but it wasn't stopping us.  We fully embraced what the village had to offer with our ski-in, ski-out condo that looked right out at both gondolas that take you to either Blackcomb or Whistler.

Choose your pain, both are awesome.

The T Bar (right)

Whistler, BC is just a 7 hour drive from our Tri-Cities home and you will find everything you ever wanted in a ski resort, and more.  All levels of skiers and snowboarders were there, some of which probably didn't belong, but that's the beauty of the sport.  My friend fell off the steep T-Bar twice, but it wasn't stopping him.   I still can't stop laughing at the expressions on the faces of the folks in the ski line when it happened.   It was like everything in the world stopped, many of the people looked like they stopped breathing.  It wasn't the first time he fell off that lift, we never saw him again on the hill that day, and I probably don't blame him.  I rode up to the top with a young gal from San Diego,  who was shivering the whole way up the lift.  Many would understand considering the average temperature in San Diego is 78 degrees year round.  When I saw her take a couple turns I was thinking she probably wished she was still there.

But that's the beauty of skiers and snowboarders.  There's no fear when you get up on the mountain, it brings out the tenacity in so many of us.

We ate seafood, Italian, Thai, you name it, we even munched on popcorn with truffle oil while we were enjoying a night cap after a wonderful meal.   We had oysters on the half shell, we enjoyed Poutine, a Canadian comfort food tradition.  We drank wine from all over the world.  We met people from all over the globe.  The world is much better than the media makes it out to be.

The line on Family Day

Canada has a holiday called "Family Day".  The lines that day reflected it after one of the gondolas broke down.  The line stretched all the way through the village.  That was an easy fix, we proceeded to down three bottles of bubbly.  We learned quickly it probably wasn't a good idea for these 50-something legs, but heck, we are American skiers.

Bulldog (Margarita with a splash of Corona)

The weather changes quickly at Whistler-Blackcomb because of its coastal location.  Our final day we were eating lunch at the top of Whistler and when we returned to our skis it was raining.  We took a cruiser all the way to the village to a jam packed Longhorn Saloon.  It was Super Bowl Sunday. We were soaked.  Time for a "Bulldog" to take the edge off the day.  Time to reflect on another great day.

This is Whistler, and I'm an American Skier.

Traits of Great Salespeople

The truly great salespeople do all the small things that become big things in the sales cycle.  Here's some tips that can help you become one of those people.

It's not always about the sale.  To build trust with your clients you need to show them that you aren't always just looking for the sale.  Show some empathy and interest in what they are doing in their lives, and with their business.  Take the time to listen.  Ask questions that can help you down the road.  Show them you care more about them than just getting the sale, or telling them what you think they want to hear.

Have a strong sense of detail in everything you do.  The great salespeople take care of details.  They follow up and solve problems or mistakes, and they do it in a timely manner.  They admit it when they've made a mistake.  They don't make the same mistake repeatedly.  These are just some of the things that build trust and respect with your clients.  To know that a salesperson will take care of things and take accountability when things go wrong helps build trust in the selling process.

Never rip on the competition.  There's a diamond in every rough.  Every organization has its strengths that someone needs.  Don't throw a competitor under the bus thinking it will give you an advantage and a better chance of getting the sale.  It never works in the long run.  In fact, it's a major turn off.

Never hesitate to say thank you.  I see it all the time.  The salesperson that can't even say thank you when you've sent them a nice order.  The salesperson that doesn't even confirm that they have received it.  The salesperson that doesn't appreciate even the small order that in the long run can mean so much.  Don't be one of those people.  If you don't appreciate things, your client will have a hard time respecting you.

Show your longevity.  Salespeople come and go.  The good ones don't.  It's comforting to know that someone will be there when you need something.  There's nothing more troubling than making the call and hearing "he/she no longer works here".  Trust and respect comes when you know someone will be there to take care of you.  Longevity is key.  

Continuous education and learning.  Refresh and change up what you do. Be a trailblazer in your industry, not a follower.  Learn the new trends and don't be afraid to share them.  Go to conferences or seminars introducing new products and services.  Share them with your clients.  Share success stories.  There's nothing more powerful than sharing a success story or new idea with your clients.

Don't be an order taker.  If you think you can just take orders then you need to find another line of work.  Nobody respects the order taker. 

And finally, as Coach Nick Saban said to his Alabama football team prior to the 2016 National Championship Game:

"You deserve to be here, but you are not entitled to anything".

Good luck!

That Quirky Coach

Everyone talks about how quirky Mike Leach is.   He could never coach in a major market because the media would "gobble" him up like a Thanksgiving turkey.  Yesterday on ESPN Radio in Seattle one of the media people said that Coach Leach couldn't even name many of the guys on his defensive unit because he doesn't care about defense.

 I won't mention his name but his initials are Brock Huard.

Well, that quirky coach is doing a masterful job of keeping the attention off his players going into this week's Apple Cup.  He gave a great rendition of why he doesn't talk about injuries.  He said the starting quarterback will be decided :27 seconds before the game.

Who's getting the last laugh now.

In fact, the Vegas odds makers don't even have a line out yet because nobody knows if Luke Falk will play after suffering two concussions in consecutive weeks.  Or was last week's injury something else that really isn't being disclosed?

Because of that quirky coach, we will never know.

Just a few weeks ago many of the Cougar supporters were wondering if Mike Leach really was the right guy for the job.  I have to admit, I was one of them.  He wasn't producing the wins expected for a $2.5 million coach.  He didn't know how to manage the clock.

As we enter the final week of the season the Cougars are the 20th ranked team in the nation and could very well finish the year with 10 wins, barring a win in a bowl game.  The Huskies, on the other hand, are battling to reach 6 wins and become bowl eligible.  The Cougs enter the game with an impressive 8-3 record including 6 wins in their last 7 games.  If it weren't for the last second missed field goal against Stanford, they could very well be playing for the Pac 12 North title.

The big turnaround for this year's team is on the defensive side of the ball.  Alex Grinch has brought an attacking style of defense that has left many of the teams reeling.   Oregon State Coach Gary Anderson mentioned to Husky Coach Chris Petersen following last week's game that the Cougar defense was the most physical group they played all year.

Pretty good considering that quirky coach couldn't even name many of those players.

Right Brock?

A Tribute to my friend Danny Traffas

It was September of 2007 when my life changed, forever.  I had reached that point in my career where I was ready to go out on my own.  I was tired of working and making money for someone else, it was time to take my experience on a new path.  I made one phone call, it was to Danny Traffas.



In November of 2007 Mooreshots became incorporated and we were on the ground running.  I am shocked and saddened by Danny's passing, and I will never forget how much he helped me and guided me.  We partnered in business and had mutual respect, the perfect recipe for success.  He was always that person that I could call when things weren't going all that well, if I needed advice, or if I needed anything at all, he was always there with a helping hand.



 I could always count on him and his wisdom.


 It is such a comforting feeling to have someone in business that you can rely on no matter what the circumstances.  Danny filled that position with open arms and I can't thank him enough.  He not only was a business partner, he became an even a better friend.  He was someone I could always trust.



I hope you are making plenty of birdies now buddy.  I will miss you.

RIP



"Touchdown" Tommy Moore (Danny's nickname for me)

Some thoughts on the Chelan fires

No words can express the sick feeling these Chelan fires give me.  Ever since I can remember I've been going to Lake Chelan to enjoy the beauty and the many amenities it has to offer.  Four years ago we purchased a second home in Manson that has given us so much to be thankful for.

I thought the Wolverine Fire was bad but when it strikes so close to home in downtown Chelan, enough is enough.  I wish there was something that could be done.  Just when the real estate market starts taking off and more and more people are migrating that direction this happens.

It's just not fair.

Someone up there has a plan that just isn't very popular right now.  The town depends so much on four months out of the year and the impact is devastating to the economy.  The hospital was even shut down and evacuated.  Power was out for over two days closing down stores.  Roads were closed so people couldn't even get out.  It's such a helpless feeling no words can express how many must feel.

Next week when we head over there for an extended vacation we will see the impact first hand.  For the first time in my life I'm not looking forward to heading that direction.  The little piece of heaven will not be the same.

Bring on fall and the rain, please.

A Success Story-Broadmoor RV SuperStore

This is a tribute to staying the course.  It's always nice to share success stories about our clients.  We are proud to be working with the fastest growing RV dealership in the Northwest, and the number one travel trailer dealer in Eastern Washington.

Broadmoor RV SuperStore  continues to expand with plans in the works for a second dealership right across the street from the existing one on St. Thomas Drive in Pasco.  A lot of the success is attributed to a strong presence in electronic media, specifically TV and radio.

  Over the past two years Broadmoor RV has been committed to more regional advertising and it is paying off.  This month they will more than double their sales from a year ago.   Year to date sales are up 71% over the previous year.  In a time when advertisers are bombarded with so many mediums to choose from,  Broadmoor RV SuperStore continues to be loyal to television and radio.  Sales are pouring in from Alaska, Montana, British Columbia, Spokane, Seattle, Lewiston, Wenatchee, and numerous cities in Oregon just to name a few.

Your destination store in Pasco carries many of the top brands in 5th Wheels and Motorhomes and has over 600 units available "All In One Place" in Pasco.  Visit their huge campus to see for yourself or visit them online at broadmoorrv.com.

Mooreshots Direct is proud to partner with such a fine team.



Another weekend in the valley

It's another beautiful day in the Chelan Valley.  The blue sky dominates, the wind is calm, and the birds are the happiest little people on earth.

Yesterday my pup and I hiked Echo Ridge, the scenery never disappoints anyone, ever.  There's still a sketch of snow in shady parts, treacherous in some areas because it melted and then froze again, making your footwork important if you don't want to fall on your head.

I almost fell twice.

Bella led the way, the trail blazer she is.  Her little bear bell helps me locate her easier even though she stayed close by at all times, I think she was more worried about me than I was about her.

Unseasonably warm temperatures forced the Echo Valley Ski Area to close down, you can still see the markings from the groomers on the family friendly slopes.

After our hike I had breakfast at the legendary Apple Cup Inn, a veggie omelet complimented with a mimosa, the perfect treat after a nice venture to Echo Ridge.  There was golf on TV in the bar, go figure.

  I also visited Karma Vineyards and enjoyed the champagne flight, of course the pink was my favorite.  The day was topped off by a blue cheese bacon burger at a friend's house that overlooks the lake.  The picturesque view from their pimped out barn couldn't be a better way to cap off the day.

Just another weekend in the valley.