Sales in Pursuit of Happyness

One of my favorite movies of all time is Pursuit of Happyness. Pursuit of Happyness is a dramatic recall of the life of Chris Gardner. Chris, played by Will Smith, is a struggling salesmen and father in San Francisco. Throughout the movie, Chris sells a bone density machine to various doctors at hospitals. Often, Chris fails to sell his machine due to his unpreparedness. Throughout the movie, Chris attempts to land a job as a stock broker. Chris is forced to prove himself and sell himself time and time again to the executives at the brokerage. Chris did an incredible job being attentive and readily available to his prospective employers. At times, Chris and his son were homeless. Chris successfully hid this vulnerable fact to the brokerage, which helped him stay professional and presentable. Despite everything that was going terribly wrong outside of his job, Chris managed to keep a positive and charming spirit while in the office. In Chris’s final interview for the only available permanent position, he won over the executives with brutal honesty and charm. Unfortunately, some circumstances led Chris to walking into this interview with a head and shirt covered in paint. The interviewers’ questioned, “What would you think if an interviewee came in with a shirt like that?” Chris wittingly responded, “He must be wearing a really nice pair of pants.” Chris’s ability to think on his feet is one of the many reasons that he was eventually chosen for the job. This is an incredible comeback story with themes of sales throughout. The best part is, this movie is based off of a real story. Chris Gardner is a real life testament to the importance of grit, perseverance, and non sales selling. We should all take after Chris in the way that he believed in and sold himself.