Richard Barber: Closing the Deal

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By Korey Wilson

Being successful in sales involves entrepreneurial skills. In addition to finding leads and upselling customers, a good salesperson treats their profession as a business and they work diligently to sustain it.

Richard Barber is honing his entrepreneurial ability as a Sales Professional at Endo Pharmaceuticals. As a member of the Branded Medicine sales team, he is responsible for sales in the Boston, Mass. Area.

“Working in sales can promote entrepreneurship because you learn how to talk to people, face rejection, and improve work ethic. Those skills are needed to own [and sustain] a business.”

Barber was bitten by the sales bug in college.

As a student at College of the Holy Cross, he interned at the Holy Cross Fund. The role placed Barber in direct contact with alumni and college donors.

“I enjoyed getting in contact with people and building rapport,” said Barber. “Not only did I like it, but I enjoyed the conversations I had with alumni.  I thought I should go into sales.”

After graduating from Holy Cross in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Barber landed a sales position at Liberty Mutual. It didn’t take long for Barber to become a top salesperson of auto, home, and life insurance policies.

“One of my biggest personal goals is financial freedom. Sales is a commission-based job and it allows me to give myself a raise when I’m working hard enough,” Barber said.

Working in sales can be rewarding but it comes with its challenges.

“One challenge is being able to meet and exceed sales quotas,” said Barber. “Another challenge is being able to sustain sales for a long period of time. Another challenge is being able to accept rejection.”

Barber said tools needed to overcome challenges are a positive attitude, discipline, and drive.

As a millennial, Barber believes his generation has an advantage over past generations because of the opportunities available to them. He said his peers are ready to step up to the plate.

“Millennials tend to do more than what’s in the job description. We want to take it to the next level,” he said. “Nowadays, that’s the best way to get promoted. By doing more than what’s asked of you.”