My First Big Customer 1. Like it or not, we all compete in a global market. And while the barriers to entry have never been lower — thanks to the Internet — that also means we face more competition than ever before. To help you gain a competitive edge, here’s a story about how I beat the odds and won my first big customer. 2. Back in the early days of the personal computer, I had an opportunity to pitch my company’s products at the fastest-growing company in the industry, Compaq Computer. All the big semiconductor chip makers wanted a piece of this hot company’s business and mine was no exception. So I flew to Houston and met with Compaq’s PC development team. It was the first time I had ever visited a big potential customer on my own. I was terrified. 3. As it turns out, nearly all the custom chips in Compaq’s PCs used standard industry technology, so there was no way for me to differentiate. Besides, the company was happy with its existing vendors. At first, I thought we were screwed. 4. But there was a new manufacturing process Compaq needed for a couple of high-end chips, and mine was one of only a few companies that had it. The problem was the software. Nobody had yet developed the tools to design chips with this new technology. 5. I immediately knew that was the one and only opportunity to get our foot in the door. So I went out on a limb and promised to deliver it, even with a commitment on their part. 6. When I got back to the office I made another pitch, this time to my own company to fast track the software development for what I hoped would become my first big customer win. They turned me down flat, said they didn’t have the resources to commit on a hope and a prayer. 7. I was devastated. But I didn’t give up. I made a commitment, and I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to find a way to make it happen. So I decided to develop the software tools Compaq needed myself. In addition to my regular job I worked long nights for the next month or two (it was a long time ago) and ultimately delivered the goods as I said I would. 8. Compaq was so impressed with the support that they not only awarded us their high-end chip business, but ultimately gave us a big share of their standard custom chips as well. And as Compaq grew to become one of the top PC makers in the world, it became one of my company’s biggest customers in the U.S.. 9. And while I went on to run marketing and sales for a number of high-tech companies, big and small, the lessons I learned from that one episode set the tone for the rest of my career. They’ve served me well over the years and I trust they’ll do the same for you and your business.