Meet Keenan | CEO and Chief Antagonist A Sales Guy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Keenan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Keenan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
We look at “risk” all wrong. For most of us risk is the antithesis of security. However, the truth is, there is no such thing as security. The ground we stand on is constantly moving. We can’t assume anything. We can’t believe what is “secure” today will be secure tomorrow. Therefore, we have to be willing to move and get comfortable being uncomfortable. When I think of “risk” I think of the book Who Moved My Cheese. The mice who stayed waiting for the cheese to come back thought they weren’t taking any risk. They believed they were being smart, and making a safe decision. They felt it was too risky to go out and look for new cheese. The irony was that wasn’t the safe route. Risk is a fear mechanism. Risk introduces fear into situations, unfortunately too often it’s not good fear and causes us to choose the wrong decision in the name of safety. Understanding this, and to create a framework for me, I have learned to take no risk where the upside gain, the best upside outcome, is not larger than the downside risk or worst possible outcome. In other words, if the best possible gain is I could win 100k dollars, but the downside risk is I could lose 5ook dollars, I don’t take that kind of risk, regardless of the percentage of success. It’s just not worth it to me. This has kept me from doing a lot of dumb things. I’ve started 4 businesses. Three have failed, one was a success, and in none of those did I feel I was taking a risk. The last risk was starting my current business 10 years ago, just as I lost my job and was going through a divorce. To most people, that would have been perceived as too risky. To me, it seemed like the safer bet. I figured it was safer to bet on me, my hard work, my ideas, my marketing, my efforts, etc. than to bet on a company to bet on me. I don’t think the question should be how do we think about risk, but rather how do we think about security. Because, that’s really what’s at the center of the entire discussion. The more we interpret the world around us as “secure” the more inclined we will see risk everywhere we turn.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Come back to this

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh man, that’s a tough one. Things change so much in Denver and Colorado, I can’t keep up anymore. I’d for sure take them to Boulder, and Pearl Street. I have a Jeep, so as long it’s summer, we’d then go up Sunshine Canyon and work our way to through Jamestown and the Peak to Peak Highway, find some 4×4 trails, then wind down through Nederland. Get some food, etc. Day 2 would have to be a trip to the mountains. Maybe Mnt Evans, St Mary’s Glacier, Day 3 Check out Vail and Beaver creek, do a Hanging Lake and dinner at the 10th. If it’s ski season, then spend a few days shredding Vail.. Day 4, Maybe head to Aspen. Spend a few days there, skiing or hiking. I love Aspen. Day 5 – 6, work our way back towards Denver, with a stop and roll through Steamboat and then Winter Park. That would be a dope week for someone coming here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I definitely have to give a shout to all those believers who gave me a chance. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Born Information Services, Mike Sexe and Craig Andre, etc. You see, I had a lot of detractors on my way up. Lot’s of people saying I couldn’t do it, or that I didn’t have the right pedigree, or personality, etc. I’ve felt for most of my life, I’ve had to show people they were wrong or prove to people I could do it. So, I have a special place in my heart for the believers. Thank you!! Also, have to give a shout-out to my 3 Daughters, Elle, Ava, and Kenna. I learn from them every day.

Website: www.asalesguy.com

Instagram: @keenan_redplaid

Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/jimkeenan

Twitter: @keenan

Facebook: Facebook.com/heykeenan

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/asalesguyconsulting