Join David Naylor and Shawn Johnson in this episode of the Motivational Intelligence Podcast as they sit down with Al West, who shares his incredible journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming a pivotal part of a successful tech startup. Al discusses the significant hurdles he faced, including growing up in poverty, dropping out of college, and navigating a career shift into sales. He also delves into the strategic growth and development of Aptus, revealing the secrets behind building a hypergrowth organization and the importance of finding your passion. Whether you're interested in personal development, sales strategies, or startup growth, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Overview
01:01 Al's Early Life and Upbringing
08:29 Transition to High School and College
12:51 Entering the Workforce and Career Shifts
16:02 Discovering a Passion for Sales
19:46 Challenges and Success in Sales
29:06 Navigating Career Disruptions
30:32 Joining an Early Stage Startup
33:27 The Early Sales Struggles
36:10 First Big Breakthrough
38:16 Facing Personal Adversity
39:59 Returning Stronger
42:40 Building a Sales Army
46:27 Managing Hyper-Growth
49:09 Hiring the Right Talent
54:42 Maintaining Company Culture
59:03 Lessons Learned and Future Plans