In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Norman Hall, an actor and the last of the Fuller Brush salesmen in America. If you’re under 50, you might not know just how iconic the Fuller Brush Company once was. At its peak, Fuller Brush salesmen were household names, trusted faces at the door, and symbols of professionalism and perseverance.
For more than 50 years, Norman walked the streets of San Francisco—not just to sell products, but to build relationships. His extraordinary life and legacy were captured by bestselling author Daniel Pink in the book To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, as the embodiment of what ethical, effective shoe-leather selling looks like.
But Norman’s story doesn’t end there. He’s also a trained stage actor, a storyteller with grit and grace, and a man who reminds us of what resilience really means in an “ocean of rejection.”
Whether you think of yourself as a salesperson or not, today’s conversation will challenge how you think about influence, listening, and the power of presence.
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SHOW NOTES:
NORMAN HALL:
* BIO:
* Norman Hall, a stage actor by training and passion, initially became a Fuller Brush sales person as a way to provide for his family yet also enable him to participate in evening and other stage rehearsals and performances as the opportunity arose. Little did he know that his Fuller Brush door-to-door (or in his case at-work) sales job would continue for more than 50 years. Nor did he expect to develop the long-term friendships and professional relationships that were the hallmark of his very successful sales career. In this episode, Hall shares some of his well-honed wisdom and tips on selling, leading, respect and serving others.
* BOOK:
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To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, by Daniel H. Pink
* ARTICLES:
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Norman Hall, actor, Fuller Brush Man for 40 years — SF Gate / SF Chronicle, April 8, 2011
* Door To Door Fuller Brush Man Keeps Selling —
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A BRUSH WITH OBLIVION / Salesman says he is the city's last door-to-door FullerBrush man –SF Gate / SF Chronicle, Oct 6, 2000
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Novato brush salesman and actor leads a Fuller life — J Weekly, April 28, 2006
