When we are college age, we don’t put much faith in the wisdom of “old” people. Of course, everyone over 40 appears old when you are 21. I would suggest that to be the single biggest mistake most college students make. I thank God I listened to one old guy who ultimately put me on the path to achieve my dreams.
Learning from a Marketing Legend
In my senior year at Texas A&M, my marketing tract required me to take a Salesmanship course. The professor’s name was Dr. Herbert G. Thompson. Dr. Thompson was a crusty old guy, about 60 years of age at the time. The Ol’ Prof, as he was called, was, and still is, a marketing legend. He taught more great salespeople than any one professor from 1951 to 1984, a scant 33 years, for which he was ultimately awarded Professor Emeritus status.
Herb gave essay tests. He claimed they were a true gauge of your grasp on the subject. I didn’t study very hard for the first one, well to be transparent, not at all. It was an essay so I assumed I could B.S. my way through it, and upon handing it in, thought I had done an excellent job. Besides, no way that old man was on top of things so let the snow fall.
Humility 101: A Lesson Learned
Two days later I returned to pick up my graded test. On the cover of the little blue booklet were the handwritten words, “If you think you’re going to B.S. your way through my class you’re wrong!” Next to that was a big ‘Ol “F.“ Ouch. What was I supposed to do now?
I quickly learned Herb was one of the most respected “real world” profs on campus and he knew his stuff. He had former students of his in high places all over the world. He was big time, and I had better get my act together and learn from him, so I immediately committed to becoming one of his top students.
My First Interview Goes Up in Smoke
During my senior year, the first job interview I signed up for was with Proctor & Gamble, the mammoth product company who was the prize interview for marketing graduates at that time. There weren’t very many marketing graduates in those days, so securing an interview with the big dogs was primo because they only took the very best.
I’lll never forget going into the little interview room on campus, shaking the P&G rep’s hand and sitting down across the small table from him. On the table was a glass ashtray, because smoking was pretty much allowed everywhere at the time.
The interviewer immediately folded his arms and stared at me in silence for what seemed like an hour. He abruptly unfolded his arms to slide the ashtray towards me and said, “Sell me that ashtray.”
I took a quick glance at his teeth, fingers and shirt pocket, looking for nicotine stains or an uncreased pocket where the pack of cigs would have been stored. I slid the ashtray back across the table to him and replied, “I can’t because you don’t smoke.”
“And you don’t need to be going to work for Proctor & Gamble because you are going places,” he laughingly replied, then wished me good luck. The interview was over.
I thanked him and left the room, totally bewildered.
A Big Time Marketing Job Offer
After telling Dr. Thompson the Proctor & Gamble story, he told me he had someone who wanted to interview me. The man was a former student of the Ol’ Prof’s and a V.P. of Marketing at GTE, General Telephone & Electronics of the Southwest, which eventually merged into Verizon.
The interview went very well and he offered me an amazing starting salary and benefits.
“Brandon, the Ol’ Prof told me you are one of the best to ever come out of the marketing department and I believe him. I would like to offer you a marketing role in our corporate headquarters in San Angelo, TX starting as soon as you can get here. We will pay you $35,000 a year plus give you a company car and pay all of your moving expenses.”
Wow! I had hit the jackpot. The average starting salary for a marketing graduate in 1978 was $15,000 in round numbers. With a 3.53% average inflation since then, that equates to $74,000 today. But $35,000 in 1978 would be like getting an offer right out of college today for $173,000! And a company car? This soon to be college grad was over-the-top excited.
Don’t Take the Job?
I immediately headed to Dr. Thompson’s office to tell him the good news and thank him for the recommendation. When I finished telling him about the offer, he looked at me and said, “Don’t take it yet.” I’m like what are you smoking besides that pipe? I said, “Dr. Thompson, are you serious? This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”
He told me he had another old friend he wanted me to interview with before I accepted the GTE job. His name was Graham Boone, and he owned a highly respected, 35 year-old ad agency in Houston named Boone Advertising. He said this man is the grandfather of advertising in the Southwest and a legend.
He also mentioned he had talked to Mr. Boone and that he was very interested in me, and wanted me to be in Houston the next day. I reluctantly agreed to make the trip, primarily out of respect to the Ol’ Prof and my greedy curiosity. Maybe this Mr. Boone guy could offer me even more money and the chance to work in my hometown.
The Houston Ad Agency Interview
I begrudgingly drove to Houston for the interview. Upon walking into Mr. Boone’s office, the first thing I noticed were Owls. Hundreds of Owls. Wooden, stuffed, plastic, chrome, you name it, he had an Owl made out of it. Of course, he was a renowned Rice University alumnus and their mascot is the Owl, but I felt they were all staring at me and it was a little bit creepy.
Mr. Boone himself looked like a legend. He was in his late 60’s at the time, distinguished, bald on top, a stern look with jowls hanging off his cheeks that shook whenever he talked. He had on a solid black suit, white shirt, black socks and black dress shoes. I would later learn all of his suits were solid black or solid gray. His theory was he could get dressed in the early morning darkness without waking his wife, and know that no matter what he put on, it would match. Not much on style, but wisdom.
He toured me around to show me the offices, meet everyone, tell me about their clients and so on. Upon completion of the tour, he took me back into the “Nest of Owls” and we sat for the interview. At the end, he said, “Bubba, I would like to offer you a job.” He called all men Bubba.
“I want you to be an Account Executive here at Boone Advertising, and I will pay you $10,000 a year plus $100 per month for use of your personal car. What do you say?”
A Numbing Reply
My body went into a state of paralysis I had never experienced. My mind was swirling trying to assess whether he was joking or what in the world was going on. $10,000 in lieu of $35,000? $100 a month towards my personal car expenses versus an all expense paid company car? Are you kidding me? I am a recent college grad. How naive do you think I am?
Knowing it was best not to hurt his feelings, I replied, “Mr. Boone, would you allow me one night to think about it?” He assured me that was fine and he was expecting great things from me at Boone Advertising. I let him know I would get back to him the next day.
Difficult Life Decision
I drove back to College Station in a quandary and immediately called the Ol’ Prof to meet for a burger and beer that afternoon. After our first sip of suds, I shared Mr. Boone’s offer and piously thanked the Ol’ Prof for introducing me, but claimed this decision to be a no-brainer.
He said, “Take it.” I was shocked, but respectful.
“Sir?” I said. “Why?”
He told me if I went to San Angelo to join GTE, I would be in a corporate cubicle working my way up the corporate ladder and get really bored really quickly. He also pointed out that at Boone Advertising, I would learn all the ropes of the marketing world and be exposed to so many different opportunities. He noted it would catapult my career and monetarily, eventually swamp what I would make at GTE.
“Trust me.” he said. “You are going to be running your own ad agency in five years.”
After finishing the burger and another beer, I went back to campus to do some heavy thinking. I prayerfully asked God for the right thing to do, and He also said, “Trust me.”
The next morning I called Mr. Boone, accepted the job and began my move to Houston.
Getting in Trouble for Landing an Advertising Account
I worked on a few house accounts early on at Boone, and three months into the job, landed my first advertising account on my own. I had prepared all of the research, come up with the creative, and put together the entire proposal on personal time without using any agency resources.
I was so proud when I brought it back to the office, but actually got in trouble because Mr. Boone had told me not to pitch any new business until I had been at the agency for a full year and knew what I was doing. While he was correct that I had been insubordinate, he appreciated the new revenue and gave me a big smile.
The new account, Chance Collar Company, was an oil field drill pipe manufacturer in tiny Pearland, Texas, located about 30 miles south of Houston. I handled their marketing and advertising initiatives for about a year. At the end of that year, I was attending their company Christmas party at the Pearland Country Club.
Chance to Start My Own Firm
Very late that night, Mr. Chance himself came up to me, obviously enjoying his Crown Royal, and said in a bit of a slur, “Coleman, when are you going to start your own firm?”
Stunned, I replied, “In about five years sir.”
He looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Five years my ass! I want to see a pro-forma statement from you in two weeks. I am going to invest in you starting your own ad agency.”
One week later I went to Chance Collar Company and presented my plan. He called two other men down the hall into his office and told them to get their checkbooks out, they were going to invest in my new agency. All three did, and shortly thereafter, I started Marketing Ideas of Texas.
I could not have had a better first job than Mr. Boone provided me, and I am forever grateful for both marketing legends, who gave this young kid the direction of a lifetime.
The Ol’ Prof Became a Lifelong Friend
As it turned out, Professor Thompson became a lifelong friend and mentor. While running my advertising agency, I would bring Herb in on various consulting projects to share his sage wisdom and help him earn some extra income after his retirement. We enjoyed working together and taking clients hunting and fishing for many years.
Upon his passing in 2016, just prior to his 96th birthday, his family asked me to give the eulogy at his funeral. What an honor it was.
Every day, I thank God for encouraging me to believe in this old man’s wisdom.
