Henry Ross Perot, the quintessential American business man and top executive, not only captured the imagination of American public; he commandeered it with his chutzpah, legendary salesmanship and cheesy decision making. This Texan can be credited with building customized data processing services, forging it into a veritable powerhouse and reshaping an industry.
As an IBM salesman, he became the top computer salesperson; infact a whirlwind exceeding quotas and winning deals with a flourish. He style was seemingly simple, yet very methodical. He learnt as much as possible about the potential customer and their industry, and then crafted a meticulous and utterly winning presentation. In his fifth year at IBM, he competed the entire year sales target in the first nineteen days of the calendar year, a remarkable feat unheard of in sales folklore.
Business is not just doing deals; business is having great products, doing great engineering, and providing tremendous service to customers. Finally, business is a cobweb of human relationships.
As a no-nonsense, sharp-eyed executive he developed keen market insight, that allowed him to not just meet, but exceed client expectations. He always took the initiative and spoke directly to the man in charge. Having gained an intimate understanding of the business landscape, he founded Electronic Data Systems (EDS) offering comprehensive solutions bundling software, programming and operational support. By securing large contracts across the country, and managing complex data and claims processing for leading enterprises, he grew it into a staggering valuation of over $ 2.5 billion.
As a politican, Perot was a true believer in the art of the possible, entering the fray of presidential race with full vigour in the early nineties, an independent candidate polling sizeable share of votes, transforming the election into an exciting three-cornered race – a rarity in American politics that remains unmatched to this day.
