Guest Blogger Kevin Cullis: “Feeling an itch, I scratched it with a book.”

Social Media – “Meeting New Friends – Business to Business in Action”: I met Kevin Cullis on Facebook. He had boldly responded to one of my postings with some great comments. We had a lively online interchange. I was very impressed both by his initiative and by his rather unique story, about the writing and publishing of his first book, so I asked if we could schedule a meeting at one of my favorite haunts, The Tattered Cover Bookstore – LoDo.  -enjoyed learning more about his story, which includes “embodying a real and determined entrepreneural spirit” while having a sincere desire to help others. That’s a winning combination! -enjoyed our conversation and his inspiring story so much, that I asked Kevin if he would be willing to share it with the world…here it is. Thanks Kevin! …and readers enjoy!~

I’ve never written a book before and how hard could it be, especially since I have software to do it. What do I write about? How long? How do I organize it? These questions need to be answered. The idea and excitement of any idea is a spark of inspiration, so you don’t want it to be snuffed out. Seven years ago, I had a spark.I have over a decade of experience selling Windows, Mac, and Linux computers to businesses, including a three year stint with Apple.

After about six months to a year, like most new jobs people start, you begin to set into a certain routine. If you don’t find a creative outlet to learn or do something more it can become boring. In the computer business, you see the same business and computer problems and related questions crop up. And having researched and solved them, it’s now a matter of letting the customer in on the solutions. In nearly all of my computer selling experiences, by far the most common conversation started with the customer saying, “I’m computer illiterate…” and ended with the person telling me what they wanted to do with a computer. I listened carefully to their pent up computer frustrations and once they had stopped, I reiterated their concerns back to them and began talking about how we were going to “get it done.”

Since most young computer sales people begin talking technospeak to customers, my actual listening to their concerns startled them like “fainting goats“! Not until their limbs and face finally loosen up after a few minutes did they came back to life and we begin to have a normal conversation.

Being the business geek that I am (loving both computers and solving business problems), I needed an outlet for my pent up creativity in my increasingly routine job. What outlet was there? More to the point, how can I make more money with my experience? What could I do?

First step, I need to just write.
Too excited to stop thinking about it, I rushed home and started up my computer and begin writing down my thoughts as they came. The excitement of channeling my new found idea of what I know into learning and doing something new propelled me toward a new life’s direction. -not much organization to begin with, just getting my thoughts out of my head as they came: no criticism, no editing, and no stopping. Most of all, I don’t want the excitement and words to stop. Later on, as I found out, my first writing coach was a retired Emergency Room doctor and he told me I needed to “puke it out” my first draft. The reason: My style and writing experience would change and improve and completing my book’s first draft and then reviewing my first chapter draft would surely show what I had accomplished.

After few months, I then began to take a look at what I had written. “This is beginning to be fun,” I said to myself, “I just might have something here.” At this moment in my life my book dream is bigger than my writing doubts and fears. I write what I know, computers and business, and continue to write at any opportunity to expand and organize my ideas and words. I’m loving it! I know I’ll never be as good as John Steinbeck, it’s just not in me, but just the thought that I have an opportunity to explore both my idea and my potential was thrilling enough. I have the opportunity to express my way of thinking,

I’m not going to waste it!