‘ There is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can’t. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that’s it. I’m done.’ -Jim Young, Boiler Room -1999

The first thing I really enjoy about sales is it’s very quantifiable. I like being able to quantify my value to the company. If you ask most people what it is they do for their company to increase value, you’d probably get very vague answers: “well, I helped a my boss a lot with X,Y and Z, I have great client relations, I helped streamline X process”. Sure, all those things may be true, but how did it effect the bottom line? If you were sick that day, would the company have made any less money?

Ask me what I did last month. I could tell you exactly-30K in receivables, or whatever. My point is I like knowing my hard work is paying off, and at the end of the day, the most important part of any business’s success is the cold hard cash. (Care to argue?)

I also like the idea of actually being rewarded for my skill level and effort. In college I had a job working at a very ritzy resort as a security guard. During night shifts, part of my job was to deliver newspapers to the cottages at the crack of dawn. We had 5 different newspapers, and every guest got to choose which ones they wanted. Whenever I worked nights, everyone got a USA Today and a Wall Street Journal.

You think if I had taken the time to sort through each guest’s preference list, plan a speedy route, and get them exactly the paper they wanted, every time, I might have been promoted? Maybe. But that was a gamble, and 8AM class wasn’t. So I cut corners. My point is I find direct and immediate reward for my actions much more motivating. This is something I get from sales. Maybe it’s just an addictive personality, but I actually get a little rush closing big deals. Who doesn’t love instant gratification?

The competitiveness of sales is also something I find attractive. When you walk out of that office after a client meeting, you’re either a champion or failure. In a world of grey, sales is refreshingly black and white: Did they sign on the line? It’s all on you. I think this is why I excel more in individual sports- I like all the attention and credit; even if it comes at the price of being wholly at fault. I like being %100 responsible and independent when it comes to my success. This can be chilling and stressful, but it’s also very empowering.

Some things you can be taught, others you must learn.

The last thing I admire and respect about anyone in sales is the sheer skill (and balls) that goes into being a top producer. I don’t care if you are selling Orange Glo door to door, or brokering million dollar accounts for high net worth individuals. Anything to do with sales and you’re in for some hard knocks.  Selling is a lot like surfing: you can read books and study the subject for 20 years, but that first time you step onto a surf board, you will fall.

You will butcher calls, lose clients, and fumble accounts due to inexperience. This is where skill comes in. There is intangible finesse that really good sales people have. They put you at ease. They connect with your personality. They read your subtle gestures and psychological idiosyncrasies. Then they seamlessly tailor this information into a holistic, custom, and emotionally reactive presentation. And they do it without batting an eye, and without the client ever noticing that they are being “sold”.

A good presentation is very gestalt. Ever seen Jordan shoot a fade-away jumper? It’s perfect.  But it’s not just the way his feet leave the ground, the way the ball rolls of his fingertips, or the hanging arch- its all these things together that make it great, and distinguishable from any one of its constituents. With sales, the skill involved is less obvious; and that’s kind of the point.

To get to this level, you really have to feel every situation. This means hearing “no” a thousand different ways, and for a thousand different reasons.  It means slammed doors. It means dial tones. It means “I need to think about it” and “I need to talk to my wife”. All you can do is be a little more prepared the next time.

I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. – Michael Jordan

So this is where I am at right now with sales. I don’t pretend to be the best, but I have made a commitment to becoming a consistent top producer, and this means studying and picking up gems of wisdom from people who know more than me. Over the next few months, I’ll try to bring new philosophies, tips, or lessons that I’ve picked up along the way. My aim is to give you practical, applicable bits that you can use immediately, even if your career doesn’t focus on directly sales. (Trust me, it does).

The fact is, everyone is in sales. Whatever area you work in, you do have clients and you do need to sell.
-Jay Abraham

“Choose your thoughts carefully .. you are a masterpiece of your life”

Throughout my college career, I felt like I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I chose a major rather haphazardly, and winged it from there. It’s strange though, the people, experiences, and events that seemed to pop into my life (sometimes literally) all seem to lead me to where I am today. All these events and people seemed to uncannily compliment each other as well.

Selling hasn’t always been easy for me; in fact parts of it still frustrate and discourage the hell out of me. It’s not something I was naturally good at either, when I first started I was about as useless as an asshole on elbows. However, the feelings of anxiety and despair conjured by helplessly watching a deal fall apart can only be matched by the elation I get from closing. There have been countless failures in my juvenile career, and in the pits of despair and frustration I will admit to contemplating throwing in the towel more than a few times.

A couple months ago I had an especially rough day. 2 very large real estate deals I had been working on for weeks fell through. Both of my clients called me out of the blue and simply weren’t happy with the terms we could provide them. I sat back helplessly in my chair as I watched my deals (and commission) vanish, like spilt milk seeping into the dirt. I was crushed. I stepped out into the blistering summer heat in my sports coat and khakis and just started walking.

A number of thoughts were racing through my mind. Quitting was at the forefront. But then something else popped into my mind: if I quit now, I would be quitting (in my own eyes) as a failure- or at the very least not a success. It occurred to me that the next time a daunting challenge manifested itself in my life, I would probably quit as well. So right there I made the commitment to myself to become the best of the best, and to do so consistently. It was strange, from that day forward, new sales opportunities presented themselves. I started learning and reading more. Old prospects called me back out of the blue. Doors started to open. And it all started with a commitment.

I think whatever field you’re in, whatever worthy endeavor you plan on undertaking, absolute and unreserved commitment is essential to success. Without it, being the best or among the elite is as close to impossible as I like to believe things get.

If you are not giving it your all, there will always be the guy who is willing to come in on Saturdays, to stay late, to improve and practice and learn; who is willing to sacrifice everything- he will make you obsolete. Making a commitment, actually gritting your teeth and honestly telling yourself “you’re going to do whatever the fuck it takes!”, is powerful. Stars align. Doors open. Prospects actually start calling you back. So I encourage you, if your spending your valuable time in a career, even if your not 100% convinced it’s the right field for you, make a commitment. Get focused. Create “luck”.

Anytime you are voluntarily trading your time in the pursuit of personal gain, you need to take a good look at yourself and the situation, and make a decision: shit or get off the pot. If you aren’t going to commit to it, you won’t maximize gains, so be honest with yourself and spend that time on something you can commit too. If you’re going to spend time at your job, be the best. If you are going to spend time working out, why not go balls to the wall? (Ever seen a girl reading a book on the stationary bike? Was she very fit?). It’s interesting how if you put in 75% effort, you only get %25 returns. But if you truly give %100, you get far more back. So give unreservedly without the expectation of return, you will be rewarded.

The past months have been challenging, but also the most rewarding and energizing. For me this commitment has meant coming in on the weekends, making more cold calls, investing time and money in books, learning from those who know more than me, drinking less, and I don’t have time to pursue any serious relationships. Since I’m doing this anyway, I thought I’d share all the valuable gems of wisdom I’ve picked up on the way. I promise to bring you only the best, and only include what has personally worked for me, and only things that are immediately applicable and tangible.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.”

-Goethe

I’m trying to be more positive with my posts, but I think this warrants an objection; I feel compelled to say something here. Nissan has crossed the line. When I look at Nissan’s new ‘Cube’, I get a gut-level emotional reaction that parallels my feelings towards the Holocaust and males who wear Uggs. I haven’t seen anything this bad since the Pontiac Aztec (good God) and perhaps Crocs.

It appears that this car is supposed to be marketed to a younger more “hip” demographic. And it’s not just Nissan either, I’ve seen at least 2 other companies come out with toaster bodies . Yea, Scion. I’m talking to you. You’re the one who started all this toaster shit.

People knew(!) that car was fuckin’ repulsive when it came out (there’s no way a reasonable person can think that car is in any way shape or form OK to own) but they still bought it! This reminds me of an anecdote I learned back in grade school: There was a King who was a newly appointed ruler. He wanted to find out who the loyal and honest members of his cabinet were, and which were the mindless yes-men. Before the first cabinet meeting, the King bought some magic garments- and informed his cabinet that the clothes would only be visible to wise men. Everyone wanted to go with the flow and simply accept what they had been told, so when the King showed up completely nude-minus his cape, crown, boots and scepter (my version)- everyone complimented him on his magnificent attire, all except one man, who dared to venture that the King was naked. Long story short the king appointed him vice-king or whatever the hell they did back then. The point is the king was naked, and Nissan your Cube is fucking horrendous.

I am not going to sit back and take it while you insult my generation’s aesthetic sense- people, it’s ok to think it’s ugly, you don’t have to sit there and mindlessly wolf down every misguided (malicious?) marketing plot. Be above the influence.

Your commercials suck, too. Aside from being completely lackluster and asinine, anyone who would take this ad seriously wasn’t a prime candidate for drugs, anyways.

There are maybe a handful of people who think that car is sex:

1) people who bought it and are lying to themselves in order to avoid cognitive dissonance (thank you Psych 117)

2) people who lack confidence in their own decision making ability (and probably have more dominant friends who bought one)

and 3) Possibly people who were abused as children.

I understand the car is very affordable and gets great gas mileage, but there are other options where you don’t have to look like an ass. Why would anyone ever even entertain the idea of owning one of these? Am I nuts?

This is business! no faces, just lines and statistics:
from your phone, your zip code, to S-S-I digits
The system break man child and women into figures
Two columns for who is, and who ain’t niggaz
Numbers is hardly real and they never have feelings
but you push too hard, even numbers got limits
Why did one straw break the camel’s back? Here’s the secret:
the million other straws underneath it – it’s all mathematics

-Mos Def, Mathematics

The hardest part about my job isn’t getting told no, it’s having to tell people no. It has been about 3 months since I started working at a major bank in, get this, the sub-prime lending division. Not only do I have front row seat to the recession, America blames us for causing it.

I am not a farmer, but I have been told that if a horse gets into a feed bin, and is left unchecked, they will literally eat themselves to death. If a horse were to die in such a fashion, would you deem the farmer responsible for being careless, or the horse for being so glutinous?

In America, the consumers are the greedy horses and the careless farmers (were) the banks. Apparently, if left unchecked, many Americans will irresponsibly max out credit cards, refinance homes, buy jewelry, furniture, cars, and rims with little thought of their ability to repay. I know this because I see it first hand all the time. Americans, like horses, will literally consume themselves to death if given the opportunity.

I think it is unfair to place the blame of our current economy solely on the shoulders of the banks. I think we all played a part in this. Surely banks were reckless with their lending habits, in a sense they were irresponsible and left the door to the feed bin wide open. Still, can you imagine a society where people will borrow and spend as fast and as hard as the banks will allow? That’s literally what many people did.

Regardless of who or what was at fault, this whole mess is disheartening. It’s hard to see people with families who are drowning in bills, people who are filing bankruptcy, or foreclosing a home. It’s more difficult telling people no- we can’t help you; not anymore, there are rules now. Now that people need it the most, the feed bin is finally locked.

Poverty is an acid that drips on pride until all pride is worn away. Poverty is a chisel that chips on honor until honor is worn away. Some of you say that you would do something in my situation, and maybe you would, for the first week or the first month, but for year after year after year?

-Jo Goodwin Parker, What is Poverty?

(And it’s not for Everyone)

this time I made up my mind
this time I’m back on my grind
I know there’s things in my life
that I’ma let go startin tonight

My girlfriend and I broke up recently, and as with any major life event, it has caused some deep personal reflection. I think it is unfortunate that I only have these personal epiphanies when sad things happen, but there you have it.

The first thing I’d like to do is apologize to anyone I’ve offended in the past 22. I’ve had a sharp, opinionated, and often downright caustic approach to others. I have said insensitive things without thinking, and then rebuffed any objections with a “don’t be so fucking sensitive” mind-set. For this, I am truly sorry.

I’ve also been narcissistic and selfish in my relations with others. I’ve done some things that I am not proud of- things that I am even now embarrassed to write about. I’m going to chalk this up to immaturity. I felt like because I had certain characteristics I was somehow above certain social graces. I apologize for this as well.

Aside from some of my past interactions there is just a lot of filth in my life I want to get rid of. The heavy drinking, occasional cigarettes, junk food- even the porn- it’s got to go. I know it sounds like a corny cliché, but I want to be a good person. It’s in my belief system that good people don’t drink heavily or indulge in casual sex, street fights, recreational drugs, or any of the aforementioned.

I also want to take a second and thank the people who have been a positive influence in my life:

Mom, always been there for me. An all around great woman. Dad, even though you made some mistakes and weren’t around much, I feel like if I ever needed you I could depend on you. We’re all human- I don’t hold any personal grudges.

Marty Mathews, thank you for teaching me how to be tough- physically and mentally- and that with sheer willpower you can do pretty much anything.

Sean O’rielly- for getting me into sales. I think I might just do this for the rest of my life, and it all started with your charisma.

Keren Robertson- For not only believing in me, but acting on that belief. (And saving me from ½ a quarters worth of college credit). I might not be writing today if wasn’t for you.

Jun Loayza and John Greathouse- for igniting my sense of entrepreneurship.

Robin Brozosky- for always being a positive influence in my life, even when I wasn’t in hers.

Of Course all my friends- you know who you are.

From here I want to take some action- I am going to start each day with a sincere compliment to someone I am thankful for. I will call my family more often. I will drive more carefully. I will eat better. I will drink more water. I will go out of my way once a week to do something nice for a stranger. Starting tonight.

Old folks talking ’bout “back in my day”-
But homey this is my day.
Class started 2 hours ago, oh am I late?
no, I already graduated…
And you can live through anything if Magic made it.

Today I finished my last final exam, for my last class, while attending what will likely be my last school. School is out and for good. I put down my plastic sky-blue BIC and massaged my hand for a few moments, staring vacantly at the front of the lecture hall- just trying to digest the significance of what had happened. For the past seventeen years, approximately 78% of my life, I have been a student. When people ask me what I do, I have always told them I am a student. It’s been a huge part of my identity and it will be a huge shift for me.

I stayed up all night studying for this exam, and had the privilege of watching the sun rise from atop our rust colored roof. It felt appropriate -the crisp refreshing air in my lungs, the sun blasting it’s rays of light through the anemic branches in the clear winter air- almost symbolic.

I have absolutely loved college. I wish I could live the rest of my life out as I have the past few years- I wouldn’t trade any of the crazy parties, all nighters, and beach front living for the world. But at the same time I feel as though this part of my life is coming to a close- I feel ready to step into the world of adulthood, whatever that may be. I feel restless with college, too. I want to start my life. I want to start making money, own a house, and yes- have a family soon.

I signed an employment agreement with Wells Fargo last week. Work starts Monday. I will wear a shirt and tie. I work 9-6. I have a 401k. I will get coffee in the mornings. Maybe I’ll even try bagels. As far as I am aware, this is pretty much what adulthood entails, bagels and 401k’s. I’m giving adulthood a test run, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve always felt like the censorship in American media has been overbearing. This is especially true on T.V.- it seems a few angry soccer moms have the power to keep the T.V. clean and boring. Before I get into a resentful tangent about how parents should start instilling moral values and sound decision making abilities in their children vs. leaving their kids in front of the T.V., let me just show you some foreign campaign adds that I think are funny, clever, memorable, and also would never be allowed in the U.S.

Both these ads come from France, which has a lower crime rate than the U.S. Americans (en masse) are so easily offended and narrow minded.

“Confidence… thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.”

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

The last decade of leadership in the U.S. has left a bad taste in my mouth. I can’t tell you why because I think it was very well concealed through a haze of bureaucracy and faulty information, but there were hidden agendas and probably a few scandals we never found out about as well. I know Bush had something to hide. Why else would you bury information from your people and give bizarre reasons for your actions? Have you ever just had that gut feeling that you were being screwed? I don’t need to show you a rat to prove that there is an infestation problem.

What really bugged me about the Bush administration wasn’t that they were probably corrupt. It’s that they treated the public like babies. They acted like they were the adults, and we were the children. Anything they decided to tell us was on their terms, and they made all the calls. Just sit in the back seat, and shut up. I’m tired of being treated like a child: let us know what the hell is going on, please.

Obama started doing these weekly video updates, reminiscent of Roosevelt and the fireside chats that went on during the Great Depression. I think this is exactly what we need. At first I thought this was so novel and great of Obama, but let’s face it: a leader who tells us what is actually going on should be the norm, and a weekly update the bare minimum. Kudos to Obama for meeting this standard.

The funny thing is I consider myself a conservative. Not what the media would call a conservative; not a pro-life, pseudo racist, anti-gay, gun toting southerner who interprets the Bible literally and will vote blindly based on religious affiliation. Not that kind of conservative. The kind of conservative that wants limited government interference and taxation. Isn’t that what conservative is suppose to mean? I digress, but my point was I am a conservative, and even I hate Bush. Yes, hate. I don’t disagree with his policies, I don’t differ in my views, I actually hate him as a person. I have been genuinely embarrassed to be an American for the past 8 years. I’m so glad it is in the past, and I’m ready to move forward.

Whatever happened to having leaders of character, resolve, and integrity; people like Washington, Roosevelt, and Lincoln? People who did the right thing, not what was politically convenient? People who were honest, open, and noble? Leaders you could be proud of, even look up to? I think Obama might be the answer to that.

I think its time we started expecting more from our leaders.

#10 Joe Pesci:

a la Goodfellas and Casino. He’s not big, he’s not strong; in fact he’s downright puny. But what he lacks in stature he makes up in crazys. Pesci definitely takes the cake in terms of complete disregard for human life. Don’t insult this guy in a bar, unless you want a pen jammed in your jugular. Savage as fuck.

#9 Tupac Shakur:

Grab your Glocks when you see 2pac,
Call the cops when you see 2pac,
You shot me,
But you punks didn’t finish
Now you’re ’bout to feel the wrath of a menace

With his AK he’s the thug you just love to hate. A lot of rappers talk a big game about being really “hood”, but until you’ve been in a couple shoot outs you can’t really even put yourself in the same category. Go back to rapping about your 22’s, you commercial, sellout, consumer whores.

#8 Chuck Liddell:

Look, I know he’s not winning right now. In fact, he’s been getting the crap kicked out of him lately. Still, Chuck has that inextinguishable distinct badass aura about him. I don’t know if it’s his buzz-hawk, his American History X looking goatee, or the fact that he could beat the crap out of 99.99% of guys out there, but this is one Coor’s Light drinkin’ hick I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark ally.

#7 Wolverine:

He is the real reason I started growing out my chest hair a couple weeks ago. Wolverine is by far the hardest of the X-men. Wolverine heals very quickly, but his only real “power” is some metal claws that extend out of his knuckles on command. He uses these for everything. Someone taking over the world? Shingggg. Someone need rescuing? Shinggg. Time to walk the dog? Shinggg.

#6 Leonidas of Sparta

Everyone who saw 300 knows what I am talking about. Anyone who walks around with a spear, one of those badass helmets, and pimp cape gets a badass stamp from me. I’ve officially decided that kicking someone in the chest is the most badass way you could turn down an offer. “Go to McDonalds? THIS IS BURGER KING!!!” Bam. Right in the xiphoid process.

What makes Leonidas a badass is his good old attitude of ‘fuck ya’. You want me to join the Persians? Fuck you. Your arrows will blot out the sun? Fuck you, we’ll fight in the shade. You want me to kiss your your feet? Fuck you, eat spear.

P.S. his wife was a total cougar in that movie. Sexy.

#5 Ronnie Coleman:

There’s a reason they call this guy “The Big Nasty”. No, he’s not in porn. He’s an 8 time Mr. Olympia, and unlike most bodybuilders, he actually is strong as shit. Like, freakishly strong. Like I just dead-lifted 800lbs twice strong. He’s like the incredible Hulk, but black instead of green. There might be guys out there stronger than Ronnie (although I doubt it) but no one has his classic meathead mannerisms.

“YEAAAAAAH Buddddy: LIGHT WEIGHT!! Ain’t nothing but a P-Nut!”

#4 Bruce Lee:

I think you all saw this one coming. He is the poster-boy for 20^th century martial arts; a real life ninja. He’s ripped to shreds, wiry as fuck, and incredibly powerful. I’ve never seen a more complete and clean transfer of force when this guy throws a punch or kick.

#3 “Marv”:

Sin City would have been just O.K. without Marv. When he wasn’t maiming people or smoking cigarettes, he was giving shadowy narrations in his gravelly man-voice. My favorite scene in this whole movie comes when Marv is going through his checklist of items necessary to kill someone: “Mitts? Check.” Marv is the Baddest pseudo good guy out there.

“This is blood for blood and by the gallon. These are the old days, the bad days, the all-or-nothing days. They’re back! There’s no choice left. And I’m ready for war.”

#2 Ray Lewis:

Ray Lewis: Nine time pro-bowler ,named All-Pro 7 times, not to mention Super-bowl m.v.p. (defensive players rarely get this award). Not much I need to say about this guy. He just hits people really hard. If you have any doubts, check out his highlights.

#1 Mike Tyson:

probably nuts, definitely the most explosive, hardest hitting, most controversial fighter ever. Just watching Tyson’s knockout reels gets me pumped. He’s compact, powerful, and he throws whiplash causing, sweat spraying, mouth-guard flinging knockout punches from every angle. Heavyweight Boxing just wasn’t what it was during the Tyson era. Don’t believe me? Check the box offices.

Outside the ring, Tyson was a troubled individual. He was new money; a storm of controversy, a ghetto child who still desperately needed the mentorship of Cus D’Amato. He was a more complex individual than most people gave him credit for. He was the first and youngest to unify the heavyweight belt at 20 years old. He was an X-convict. He was rags to riches and back to rags again. He was an ear biting, facial tattooing, real life Rambo in black trunks. You either love him or hate him, but you had to admit he was exciting to watch.

Classic Tyson TV moments

Training

Knockouts

“I try to catch them right on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain.”

-Michael Gerard Tyson

#??? Chuck Norris:

#??? Chuck Norris: Ahh… Chuck. What do I do with you. While your name is synonymous with badassery, I personally think you are a tool belt and therefore underserving of a top ten ranking. Still, to not list you would be irresponsible.

I have to be honest, I never really got the whole Chuck Norris comeback. Was the joke that he was so fucking lame it was funny, and therefore hip? Can someone fill me in here? Chuck Norris was the lamest; most over-the-top action star of the 80’s… the lamest period in film history. He’s not really even that buff, and he has way too much body hair to be cool. Still, Chuck’s name evokes images of badass due to the whole mindset surrounding him. There is no real chuck, just an illusory vision: one of pure badassery. Here are some sayings people came up with about chuck that I think illustrates his aura well:

If you make a list of 10 things Chuck Norris cannot do, he will appear at your house and perform them all. Your life may be forfeit.

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting implies the possibility of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

Chuck Norris doesn’t do push-ups, he bench presses the earth.

Chuck Norris can slam revolving doors.

Just how many tabs can this rabbit hole hold? The inside scoop on the biggest prescription drug abuse since barbiturates in the 1950’s.

I been up mushroom mountain
Once or twice but who’s countin’?
But nothing compares
To these blue and yellow purple pills…

Televised news isn’t in the business of reporting, it’s in the entertainment business. It seems like every time I flip on the news, there’s a catastrophe or murder or some other bizarre horror story. People love this stuff; we as a nation are fascinated with the morbid.

One of media’s favorite horror tales seems to be “Drugs and [Your] Kids”. It was no surprise to me that when Adderall hit the school scene, the media was all over it like maggots on week old pizza. Still, I don’t think even the over reactive media realizes how deep this rabbit hole goes.

I am not so concerned with the ethical implications of the use of Adderall, but I think it does present some interesting health care and financial issues. The way that doctors and psychiatrists are handing out Adderall like Tics-Tacs leads me to believe that there is some sort of incentive for them to be doing this. Drug companies have been known to offer certain enticements (commission, bribes…) to get doctors to push their drugs on patients. I am always weary of any situation where money is involved; all too often monetary gain is prioritized over any other issue- including health and ethics.

I think people don’t realize the impact Adderall has had on schools either. Pretty much everyone at the high school and college level has heard of it, and I’d venture to say that the majority of students have tried it. I don’t think people realize how potent of a drug this is, either. Structurally it is very similar to methamphetamine, only slightly less potent. The effects are very real.

There’s also a huge incentive for students to get a prescription for this drug. It is highly lucrative. Using average figures, I’d estimate you could make about $300 a month with a prescription. Street prices typically range from $5-12, depending on the number of milligrams in each pill, and whether or not it is time released. Most kids get at least 30 pills a month, and I honestly don’t think they are taking full advantage of consumer demand. A lot of students give themselves a mental block, like “I need to take Adderall to pass”. They’d probably pay $15 if you asked for it.

I wasn’t surprised to see that Vynanse hit the scene recently. This drug has proven to be so profitable that I expect to see a number of copy cats in the near future.

I think the use of this stuff is way more prevalent than people know. I would imagine that people probably will start using these drugs to lose weight and focus for jobs as well. I think this is the only time I’ll ever say this, but hey media: get up and go scare some parents. I think you’d actually be justified this time.