Jim Estill – Zero to $2 Billion

Jim Estill was CEO of Synnex Canada at the time of this interview (June 2008). Synnex Canada with sales of about $2 billion is a distributer of computer and electrical products. Jim started EMJ Data from the trunk of his car in 1979 and grew sales to $375 million 25 years later when he sold to Synnex Canada and became the CEO.

Interesting facts about Jim Estill

Started a painting business while in high school

Author of the book, Time Leadership

Started his CEO blog in May 2005

Marathon runner

Insights from this interview

Started selling from the trunk of his car because that’s what he had at the time

A growth maniac – set and revised sales goals at $100M to $200M to $500M

There is a right business opportunity for everybody of every size

For selling – “no” means “not now”

Every strength is a weakness and every weakness is a strength

Being healthy is a good time management tool

Hire for cultural fit and integrity

Seek out successful people to learn from them

Start, do it, build momentum.  Success breeds success

Fail often, fail fast, fail cheap.  I want to have failures because it means I’m stretching

Links

CEO Blog: Time Leadership

TEDx Talk

Forbes Article about CEO blogging

Computer Dealer News on Jim’s departure from Synnex

Jim Estill at CanRock Ventures

Click below to listen to, or download the audio file.