Seattle says:

Mike Says:

Good Morning Seattle!!

Pops and I are out here to install 75 some odd accounts over the next 2 weeks for Dish One, arguably the retailer with the most integrity in the industry.. My experience in the past has proven Dish One to be reliable and they pride themselves on quality and values rather than the penny-pinching, deceiving, near-con-artist methods of other retailers that I've worked with..

After driving 13 hours, we arrived at our hotel.. Dish One must not be hurting too much in these 'tough times', and is evident as it turns out that they got us a room at the Hilton for our entire stay.. creme-de-la-creme..

This trip out here could not have come at a better time.. Sky View, my primary source of work for the last year, suddenly dropped to 10% of their usual workload, and consequently my paychecks came up lacking.. We have been reduced to living on student loans and savings till I start my new job in the summer..

Dish One is to become a retailer for a new internet / phone provider, Clear View.. Then, Dish One can sell the coveted triple pack, tv, phone, and internet, in one convenient package.. in order to do so, Dish One has to sell 75 new accounts a month for 3 consecutive months.. So here we are.. a blitz to 75, then pack up and come home..

Back in January, I contacted Dish One in hopes of working as a tech in one of their summer sales offices, but they counter offered me a position to manage the tech side of the Sacramento office.. I am going to manage a crew of 4 or 5 techs, which consists of training, maintaining inventory, and assigning work to my guys.. I am going to be co-managing with dad, which will be nice, as we make a good team.. The pay is above what I was originally expecting when I first contacted them, as managers get overrides on all accounts in addition to the installs that we do ourselves..

I plan on running an efficient office where my guys will meet the goals they set.. I want to put them in a position where they can be successful, and it has been my experience with these summer programs that techs are successful when they commit to the quality of the jobs, rather than the quantity of the jobs.. too often, techs will throw in a less than acceptable install in hopes of installing more jobs than they have time for, but will end up back to that job 2 or 3 times on service calls in the following weeks.. rather than spending time on service call after service call, we can keep their work load full with lucrative new connects rather than fixing the same old problem again, and again, and again, if we focus on doing quality work and getting it done right the first time..

I have been in many offices, some better than others.. I've seen what good leaders do that lead to success, and I've seen what poor leaders do that lead to failure.. I am qualified to head up the manager in Sacramento, and we are going to have a good summer..


I have been thinking of what I would like to do after the summer.. we have 3 options..

1- I go to school at BYU Hawaii for my secondary education degree so I can get to my dream job of coaching high school football.. Kendra works as a 'Dorm Mom' and we get free rent & food while I'm in school.. Pros- Coaching is my passion in life.. Cons- dismal 30,000 salary.. I can supplement the teacher salary with summer programs w/ Dish, but for how long ? Is it worth it to sacrifice 'big money' to do what I love ?

2- Go to Pilot school at ASU, Arizona State.. I would love to fly.. I am capable of it, and I can pay for the expensive training, in cash, from the summer program.. Kendra may have landed a job with a charter school in Maricopa in an interview where she impressed the owner.. Pros- piots make decent living, flying is cool.. Cons- no time for coaching football and I'm away from my fam for X-amount of days a week..

3- Go to Pilot school at UVU.. similar idea as #2, but somewhat different.. Pros- UVU has bomb-dot-com hookups after completion of program like SEAN who will finish soon, close to fam/friends.. CONS- Utah, been there, done that.. i graduated here, i would not like to die here also, there's a big world out there.. and I do not do well in the winter, mike likes sun..

we shall see.. but I have to run.. I'm off installing Dish here in rainy Seattle.. weatherman says high's of 50's and 80% chance of rain for 2 weeks straight..

ciao :)