David Obbee's (obbee) Blog

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend who works for a manufacturing company.  He was telling me how a lot of the employees are upset because they haven't gotten raises or bonuses in a couple years now.  And, frankly, there wasn't a strong likelihood there would be any raises or bonuses in the near ...

I have a dog at home- he is a puggle.  Puggles are a "hybrid" dog, which is a fancy way of saying "mutt."  He's a cross between a pug and a beagle (I don't know which was the mom or dad).  He's a never-ending source of amusement because he has a perpetual look of very cute indignance- Due to his ...

My wife and I had lunch with a young attorney yesterday.  He had asked us for our advice on starting his own practice and how to go about finding clients.  I really commend him for having the courage and insight to seek advice from others.  Too many of us- men in particular- try to "go it alone",...

There was unfortunately no denying it this morning: My youngest daughter's teeth are not that white.  She's a happy, smiley kid, too, so it's fairly noticeable.  The trouble is that complementing her outgoing personality is a huge stubborn streak- That child does not like to be told what to do!  ...

I have two daughters.  Over the weekend, my youngest (a 2nd-grade debutante) was invited to two birthday parties.  So, while she attended, my oldest and I spent time together running errands and hanging out at our favorite spots: bookstores. Our home is chock-full of books.  I have read studies t...

My wife does most of the cooking in our house... ok, all of it.  It's not that I can't cook, it's just that I have two basic methods: 1) heating frozen food, which is quick, doesn't make much mess, but is hated by my wife; or 2) making a nice meal, which takes me two hours and uses just about eve...

I am a book junkie.  I love to read- for pleasure, for knowledge, for relaxation... I'll read just about anything, from novels to science texts.  And, of course, I enjoy reading about sales.  I thought I would share a few books that have influenced my approach to sales over the years, and maybe y...

Gosh, I love coffee.  Can you imagine a sales office without it?  At Obbee, the pots get remade all day long.  Admittedly, I am a caffeine addict, but I love the smell of a fresh cup o' joe, and I love the "pick-me-up" feel I get from a warm mug, especially first thing in the morning. If caffeine...

I was talking with my wife about someone we know who is a very... "difficult" person.  We've come to the realization that, for better or worse, this person will not change- as most people don't.  The analogy I came up with to help us deal with the situation was likening it to the weather: If it's...

I am always intrigued by how sales permeates every aspect of business, no matter what field or industry.  My wife, for example, is an attorney.  She has a successful practice, combining a good mix of ongoing smaller, general cases with a few larger ones each year.  Almost all of her clients are r...