--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason I quit being a sales manager…" description: "\"The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years now is because I hate elevator pitches. I want to write stories and show people what's in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/kurt-busiek-14199_about_the-reason-i-quit-being-a-sales-manager_79997.png" --- # The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years… ![“The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years now is because I hate elevator pitches. I want to write stories and show people what's in them when they read them, not tell them all about it ahead of time.” quote by Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/kurt-busiek-14199_about_the-reason-i-quit-being-a-sales-manager_79997.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/kurt-busiek-14199_about_the-reason-i-quit-being-a-sales-manager_79997.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fe/kurt-busiek-14199_about_the-reason-i-quit-being-a-sales-manager_79997.png) > “The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years now is because I hate elevator pitches. I want to write stories and show people what's in them when they read them, not tell them all about it ahead of time.” [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects superficial, scripted sales tactics in favor of authentic storytelling that lets content speak for itself. **In simple terms:** Prefers narrative over pitch Key Takeaway Storytelling beats quick sales pitches Themes authenticity communication creativity marketing storytelling Mood determined reflective Type personal anecdote philosophical When to use this quote - product launch - content marketing - brand building - personal branding - sales meetings Key Concepts narrative audience engagement trust Practical Applications - writing compelling copy - creating brand narratives Questions to Reflect On - How can you let your work speak for itself? - When is a pitch more harmful than helpful? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sales/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Don't you hate it when you get on a elevator and someone smells like they took a bath in perfume or cologne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jreyes/don-t-you-hate-it-when-you-get-on-a-elevator-and-someone-smells-like/) JREYES > [People don't want to pay for pitches. They want to see it. If you hear one more time, "Well, that's execution-dependent." Everything's execution-dependent! If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-gordon/people-don-t-want-to-pay-for-pitches-they-want-to-see-it-if-you-hear/) [Mark Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-gordon/) > [“The only people who don’t need elevator pitches are elevator salesmen. I once tried to sell an elevator to a man who owned a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-only-people-who-don-t-need-elevator-pitches-are-elevator-salesmen/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The main reason I quit was my lower back. I've had problems for a few years. It was affecting my movement and power. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-lambert/the-main-reason-i-quit-was-my-lower-back-i-ve-had-problems-for-a-few/) [Rickie Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-lambert/) > [The reason I quit fashion was that I had had enough of spending time always being on my knees, making other people look amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thierry-mugler/the-reason-i-quit-fashion-was-that-i-had-had-enough-of-spending-time/) [Thierry Mugler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thierry-mugler/) > [“You must never cease to believe. Even when there is more reason to quit, keep searching for the right doors, despite everything. Flourish!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/you-must-never-cease-to-believe-even-when-there-is-more-reason-to/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“If your best person is worth ten of the average people, you must pay “unfairly.” Otherwise, you’re just giving them a reason to quit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/if-your-best-person-is-worth-ten-of-the-average-people-you-must-pay/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [Pain only hurts when you are looking for a reason to quit. You don't feel a thing when you know you can still win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/pain-only-hurts-when-you-are-looking-for-a-reason-to-quit-you-don-t/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [The reason I quit 'American Idol' is because I wanted to do music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/the-reason-i-quit-american-idol-is-because-i-wanted-to-do-music/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [I used to be legit. I was too legit. I was too legit to quit. But now I'm not legit. I'm unlegit. And for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-samberg/i-used-to-be-legit-i-was-too-legit-i-was-too-legit-to-quit-but-now-i/) [Andy Samberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-samberg/) > [One reason I quit doing interviews after years and years and years was because I was making things up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-taupin/one-reason-i-quit-doing-interviews-after-years-and-years-and-years/) [Bernie Taupin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-taupin/) > [Fighting is like life. You can do everything to a tee. You can show up and fail. That's no reason to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mir/fighting-is-like-life-you-can-do-everything-to-a-tee-you-can-show-up/) [Frank Mir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mir/) > [If you're going to quit your job to focus on an idea, you get overly attached to that idea because you had it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg/if-you-re-going-to-quit-your-job-to-focus-on-an-idea-you-get-overly/) [Matt Mullenweg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mullenweg/) > [I don't see any reason to quit playing. I'll be doing this at least till I get to a hundred and something. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-williams/i-don-t-see-any-reason-to-quit-playing-i-ll-be-doing-this-at-least/) Claude Williams > [When God is the reason to live, you never have a reason to quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-of-god/when-god-is-the-reason-to-live-you-never-have-a-reason-to-quit/) Angel\_of\_God ## More by Kurt Busiek > [The most fascinating powers don't mean a thing if the guy's poorly motivated or dull, and the most generic powers won't hurt a well-motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/the-most-fascinating-powers-don-t-mean-a-thing-if-the-guy-s-poorly/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [If I won the lottery tomorrow - which would be a real trick, since I haven't entered - and was independently wealthy for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/if-i-won-the-lottery-tomorrow-which-would-be-a-real-trick-since-i/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > ["Superhero" is a term that's been borrowed in order to say "big and larger than life and loud and active and dumb." And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/superhero-is-a-term-that-s-been-borrowed-in-order-to-say-big-and/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [You've got to leave the reader with more than just a name and a costume - they need to know who the character is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/you-ve-got-to-leave-the-reader-with-more-than-just-a-name-and-a/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [That's the way it happens - some characters you set out to use, some are happy accidents. As long as it works, it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/that-s-the-way-it-happens-some-characters-you-set-out-to-use-some-are/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [The metaphor is the story, not the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/the-metaphor-is-the-story-not-the-character/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I love creator-owned comics. Most of my favorite books these days are creator-owned, from stuff DC publishes, like 'Fables,' to books like 'Saga,' 'Fatale,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/i-love-creator-owned-comics-most-of-my-favorite-books-these-days-are/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [It's fun to take a piece of formula and go someplace else with it and see what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/it-s-fun-to-take-a-piece-of-formula-and-go-someplace-else-with-it-and/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I'm not building each one character around one metaphor, so much as trying to build a heroic archetype that can be used to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/i-m-not-building-each-one-character-around-one-metaphor-so-much-as/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [Dracula, if he could see modern corporations, wouldnt like them much. He took care of his people, at least as he saw it. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/dracula-if-he-could-see-modern-corporations-wouldnt-like-them-much-he/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [If there's ever a character who can only serve one metaphor, I'll probably tell one story with that character and be done with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/if-there-s-ever-a-character-who-can-only-serve-one-metaphor-i-ll/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [I seem to like playing with form, and the superhero genre has an awful lot of formula to it. It has a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/i-seem-to-like-playing-with-form-and-the-superhero-genre-has-an-awful/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [Marvel's got a crowded universe, and there are already so many characters hogging the spotlight that it's hard to break through that. First off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/marvel-s-got-a-crowded-universe-and-there-are-already-so-many/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [When you have a novel set in a fictional history, you still should get your history right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/when-you-have-a-novel-set-in-a-fictional-history-you-still-should-get/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) > [“And is that why we do what we do? For public approval, for fame? Do we help people because they will be appropriately grateful--or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-busiek/and-is-that-why-we-do-what-we-do-for-public-approval-for-fame-do-we/) [Kurt Busiek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) [Explore all 47 Kurt Busiek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-busiek/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The reason I quit being a sales manager over twenty years now is because I hate elevator pitches. 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