Hello everyone.
What do you see when you look at me?
I have a colorful T-shirt,
as many of you in this room,
I wear glasses,
as many of you here,
I have arms, but despite they are clumsy,
I still can manage to do everything I need,
I have legs as all of you,
even though clumsy ones, but they still can get me where I need.
I would like to tell you a story
that happened to me 2 years ago.
Since childhood I´ve been a man that loves cars
and that´s being constantly in the car field,
either around city or rallys.
I have been working with these companies
and after school I always had a dream
to be selling cars once.
So I decided to try it.
My affiliances were talking me out of this,
claiming that because of my health state
it´s not a good idea.
But since I am really stubborn
and what I aim for,
I follow till the end,
I couldn´t just give it up.
I started applying to companies
first in Bratislava,
but all of them rejected that it´s not possible
and not even as a part-time job.
And since I worked 5 years in Brno, Czech republic,
I got an idea to apply for companies in Brno
trying to get a chance.
Surprisingly, in the very first company
the director said: No problem,
we´ll take you for a week.
And he said one interesting sentence
that even he´ll be curious himself
what will be the reactions of the customers
when entering showroom and being helped by a person like me.
Afterall, we agreed I´ll come,
so for that week I arrived to Brno
and we arranged it for 2 days just to be observing
what is happening around me,
gaining information
and on 3rd day´s afternoon the director will come
and we will play a game
that he´s a customer and I have to sell him the product.
And that was what happened.
In the afternoon on 3rd day the director came
and acted as customer.
I introduced him the whole offer,
prepared leasing contracts,
insurance conditions,
explained him the pros and cons of the specific model-
all the things expected from any salesman.
The director´s conclusion was that everything is fine
except things being taught on special courses
I did not have the opportunity to gain.
So the theoretical part have been passed
very well.
Totally cheerful I took the phone
and started calling all my acquaintances, relatives
boasting I managed to get what I wanted,
I followed the aim until the happy end.
Next morning I got to work
and after an hour 2 customers appeared in showroom.
One of them went to colleague of mine, sitting next to me,
and the young lady came to me.
In this way I was not suspecting...
I started trying...
to explain the same thing as I did to director the day before
trying to sell
and show everything what is in me,
because I realised
it´s a usual customer coming from outside
that wants from me a presentation of the product.
You know, when one is
looking forward to something for 2 years
and being focused on an vision
and gets close to the aim... so I got a bit nervous.
I got so nervous
that I said what I was supposed to
and what I wanted,
but since I was nervous
and couldnt really orientate myself in those papers
I had prepared.
But everything was fine,
I showed and prepared all contracts,
all leasing conditions, insurance contracts etc.
And at the end I offered
to show her the actual vehicle
how does it look inside, so she has an image.
The young lady stepped away from the table,
I went around
and when I was approaching,
the same moment I fell on the floor.
Nothing happened,
I stood up and went on.
But I was so nervous at this point
that I lost my breath and had problems
speaking in such way to be at least a bit comprehensible.
Sitting in the car,
it took me 2 minutes to breath through
to give out complex sentences
to be able to go on with the presentation.
Afterall I presenting everything
and said bye to the lady,
accompanied her to the door
and it was over.
Afterthat I took a short break
and when I returned,
director was already waiting for me
with the sales manager
and were asking me if I know who was the lady.
Already when they asked,
it was obvious for me
that it wasn´t really funny
and than it turned out it was
daughter of the company owner.
So I already felt something is wrong,
so we started talking it out
and found out what I mentioned already:
the knowledge side was ok,
but the way I got nervous and fell
and couldn´t catch the breath back,
I got to be incomprehensible
and we concluded that because of this handicap
this job
is not for me.
Immediately I got so angry,
but not at the people around,
but at myself
that despite all that, I messed it up myself.
If only I was calmer, it could have been better.
But again, "if" always stays "if"
so after some time...
Time heals everything.
So after some time I realised
it was a very good experience
and I need to thank those people
for giving me a chance
to test myself
where are my boundaries
what is possible and what is not.
And it lead me to reflect
that everyone has specific goals,
but we can´t reach all of them in our life.
And despite everything I have to admit
that many of my wishes came true:
I managed to get university degree,
organise the event for physically disabled kids for 15 years so far-
"Rally- journey into the life",
got in contact with many influential people,
that I would not have a chance to meet otherwise.
And also thanks to all those activities
I can do what I do now-
being a director of TA3 Foundation. (Translator´s note: TA3 is a Slovak TV company)
So to conclude, just a question for you:
if I appeared in your company
in front of the door asking for a job,
would you give me a chance?
Thank you.
(Applause)
(Big applause)
(Standing ovation)
(Big applause)