The story of Kyle McCann will perhaps inspire those who are disoriented in their work.
Kyle McCann joined VizyPay, a startup based in Waukee, Iowa (USA), specializing in designing payment technology solutions for small and medium businesses in June 2017, at the age of 26.
McCann was assigned the position of sales account manager and was the second employee to be hired at VizyPay. McCann’s job was to entice customers to sign contracts for the company.
Kyle McCann
But business did not go well, McCann went weeks without signing a new client.
“Initially, I thought it would be the easiest job in the world, just go to business owners and say, ‘Let me save you money, okay?’ I was terribly confused…” McCann said in an interview with CNBC.
After more than a month of work, at the end of July, McCann was called to the office by VizyPay founder and CEO – Austin Mac Nab.
“I knew exactly what was to come, that I was about to be fired. But I decided to go into that meeting with a positive attitude and see what happens,” McCann recalls.
McCann’s first thought when he walked into a meeting with his boss was that he likely wouldn’t be able to pay his rent for months to come. He and his girlfriend Shannon have just moved into an apartment in Waukee.
Kyle McCann, Shannon McCann and Austin Mac Nab at VizyPay’s Iowa headquarters
Still, McCann kept his cool during the meeting. Even after receiving the layoff notice, McCann remained calm and optimistic, thanking his boss for the opportunity.
Next, McCann talked about his positive working experiences at VizyPay, and asked his boss for feedback on his performance.
Mac Nab said: “McCann was very humble and didn’t give me a bunch of reasons why he failed. He holds himself accountable to the fact that this job isn’t for him, which not many people do, especially when they’re about to be fired.”
Listening to McCann’s explanation, Mac Nab decided to hire the person he just fired just a few dozen minutes ago, but not in the old position.
Instead of an account manager, Mac Nab recommended McCann to the customer service team because the nature of the job matched McCann’s skills and friendly personality.
However, McCann will receive a lower salary. He went home to think about it and decided to accept the offer, knowing that the salary would only be enough for him to live.
Five years on and McCann, now 31, still works at VizyPay. He has been promoted to the director of operational strategy of the company for almost a year. VizyPay also grew into a company with 91 employees.
McCann often reflects on the meeting where he was fired. He sees this as a defining moment in his life, teaching him about “patience and trusting not only in your ideas but in yourself.”
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