I've had different names, this is what I'm currently using. You're welcome to call me James, Jim, Jimmy.
Except for breathing, I spend more time learning from other people than on anything else.
A Fit Beginning
Immediately after high school I attended a unique two-year course at George Brown College to become a Fitness Instructor. I learned how to perform state-of-the-art fitness tests, including the same stress test performed at hospitals today.
The director of this course secured a position for me at an exclusive club doing exactly what I learned: fitness testing, creating personalized fitness programs and training adults to get physically fit.
It was often said that the members of the Cambridge Club ran the country - Canada. These were exceptionally successful people in their field and, in my experience, as human beings. The exclusivity and reputation of the club attracted interesting visitors. I have tested and trained musicians and race-car drivers, Olympic athletes and politicians; over 80% of the members were very successful business people. Many were founders.
Thoroughly enjoying testing/assessing and being valued as an exceptional tester opened up opportunities to enhance my skills in this field and are major reasons why SalesInsighter Assessments (Sia - pronounced SEE-uh) exists. I am totally satisfied performing meticulous gold-standard assessments all day every workday. This is why I spent four years (2014–2018) developing the original rigorous SalesInsighter CORE Assessment. This invaluable tool is the foundation for all Sia services.
I am not an Entrepreneur
Owning and operating a small business (a fitness club) at 23 introduced me to selling for a living, but it was the selling and buying process - not business - that became my relentless fascination. It is not my priority to grow my own business, build a brand or be a freelance worker. I’m attracted to opportunities that enable me to use my knowledge and skills to make a difference.
The Independent Sales Trainer
I was for several years an average and outstanding B2B sales rep with transportation companies. I know the pressures, avoided the politics, and even though I’m a detail person, I despised the weekly sales reports.
Once I experienced professional sales training I knew that was what I wanted to do – and spent five years preparing to be a professional sales trainer. Combining my extensive background in training adults and my enhanced selling knowledge, I created a Socratic-style sales training course and spent nine years helping hundreds of sales professionals worldwide in over sixty industries.
Corporate Sales Training Manager
My training experience led to Corporate Sales Training Manager at Microsoft Canada, designing their internal sales training and providing it via Skype to their sales professionals throughout the world. Also leading Canada from last to first worldwide in training readiness.
“Recent surveys showed that the Canada team had poor results in terms of Readiness Training. James Parker, our Corporate Trainer, took on the challenge in recent months. He has steadfastly organized and provided the key courses to our teams. In turn, our teams have responded enthusiastically, and Canada is now ranked number one in Readiness in the world.”
I am Not Always Serious
As I was lying in the operating room awaiting a hernia operation and enjoying the music of the veteran Polish surgeon - with the medial staff ready to knock me out - a young stern-looking nurse leaned over me and asked, “What are we doing today?” I told her, “We are taking my head off and putting on another head.” There was plenty of laughter – she was not amused.
My purpose is to help individuals improve their ability to create value and satisfy other people and themselves.
As an eclectic curator, integrator, researcher and provider of selling and value-creation knowledge, I continually develop and evolve Sia services.
