Jon Leach Recognized by Centurylink!

We'd like to congratulate our very own Jon Leach, who won a 39" Slim LED TV from Centurylink for his outstanding performance in a national sales contest!!!

Awesome work, Jon! Enjoy your TV- you deserve it!

Christmas Fun!

In light of the holiday season, we've been participating in some Christmas festivities at the office and we'd like to share some of the fun with you! 

Here is our Christmas tree

This year, instead of us each bringing in our own special ornaments to decorate the tree, we decided to switch it up and make it more fun and interactive. We drew names from a hat and then brought in an ornament that represents the person whose name we picked!Here's what we came up with:

Ben D's representation of Kelsey

Ben B's representation of Eric

Grady's representation of Dan 

Hayes's representation of Trevor

Kelsey's representation of Hayes

Dan's representation of Sydney

                                             

                                           Trevor's representation of Ryan K          

                                            

                                           Jeff's representation of Elise

Elise's representation of Alex M

Alex's representation of Ben B

Sydney's representation of Grady

Tim's representation of Ben D

Century Link's #1, Q3!

We have some great news here, at Peak-Incorporated! We are excited to inform you that we have been awarded the “Campaign Cup” trophy for the 3rd quarter this year! 

“Our team is very happy to win this award again for our great work on behalf of the client,” said President of Peak Inc.,Eric Norregaard.“We are dedicated to continuing to deliver on our promise of excellence.”

Check out the original press release here! 

11 Habits of Highly Successful People

How do some people get so darn successful? What are some things that these people have in common? While some of their choices and habits may seem like no-brainers, some of their actions may actually surprise you!  Highly successful and motivated people tend to think outside the box a bit. Of course they make sacrifices and work their tails off, but they do some seemingly cooky thinks as well. Lets check out the less-surprising attributes first.

*They spend time with successful, motivated people. Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals feeds your drive to succeed and provides you with a network of support.

*They conceive, organize and pursue structured, feasible goals. They then follow up with immediate and decisive action. 

*They make logical and informed decisions. They don’t just fly through life by the seat of their pants. (Not when it comes to the important matters, anyway).

*They work smart. They focus on being productive as opposed to just being busy and they keep track of their progress.

*They stay positive. They avoid the trap of perfectionism and maintain a hopeful attitude by learning from their mistakes. 

*They maintain balance in their life. Life can’t be all work and no play. Also, maintaining relationships while pursuing a career is essential to happiness. 

Ok, so now let’s check out some of not so obvious habits of all the go-getters out there. 

*They think backward. A lot of times, their thought process begins at the end. They begin at their main goal and then organize steps in the form of smaller goals in order to achieve the end result. 

*They say “no”. You’d think that in order to maximize your chances at success, you’d be better off involving yourself with every possible opportunity. Taking on too much at once just diverts your attention from matters that deserve it most. Successful people develop an eye for which opportunities are best and they pass on ones that aren’t worth the time. 

*They argue. They argue their beliefs and stand their ground even though it may mean  (respectful) confrontation at times. Confrontation is not a bad thing. It’s a great opportunity for learning and either strengthening your beliefs, or gaining new ones. 

*They walk away. They know when to walk away from an opportunity or project that just isn’t working. There’s no shame in that and it’s not “giving up” as long as it’s for the right reasons! 

*They take shortcuts. Once they’ve established a routine that  works, they find quicker, simpler, more cost effective ways to get the job done without sacrificing quality.

If you adopt some of these qualities and habits as your own, you'll be well on your way to kicking some serious butt in life! 

What's Going on at Peak-Inc.

Here are some updates on what’s going down at Peak-Incorporated! 

-We currently have our second group of representatives on a road trip in Las Vegas. The road trips that our reps participate in allow our veteran leaders to run a mini office away from our main office in order to help build and maintain leadership skills. 


-Another reminder: We have our benefit for Operation Smile coming up on October 26th at The Colorado Plus Brew Pub! There will be prizes for the best Halloween costumes, 50/50 raffles, food, drinks and music! 


-On Oct 27th the Denver leadership conference is being held. This is a great opportunity for reps from entry level through management to come meet some of the top people in the business while networking with other people in the area.

Reminder; Halloween Benefit

We just wanted to take the time to remind everyone about our Halloween Benefit that's coming up.

Peak-Incorporated is putting on another benefit for Operation Smile on Saturday October 26th at the Colorado Plus Brew Pub!

Operation Smile is an international nonprofit children's charity that provides free corrective surgery for children with facial deformities with limited access to healthcare as well as education for medical professionals around the world.

The event will be a Halloween costume contest and prizes will be awarded to the winners with the best costumes! And of course there will be awesome music and drinks! There will also be 50/50 raffles, and a percentage of the food and drink sales will be donated as well. 

Come on down and join us at The Colorado Plus Brew Pub! This event promises to be a great time and we hope to see you there!! 

President, Eric Norregaard Awarded for Sales Excellence!

Peak-Incorporated is proud to announce that our President/CEO, Eric Norregaard  earned a distinctive award while attending a regional sales conference. Eric received this award due to Peak's growing sales averages and consistent high quality results.

Here at Peak-Inc. we focus on relationship-based marketing and sales while offering a face-to-face, personal approach which fosters quality partnerships and produces solid results. 

"I am honored to receive this award because it acknowledges the dedication and hard work of my team," said Eric Norregaard. "We remain deeply committed to quality results delivered as promised to the client, and we are excited to realize our potential as we 
move confidently into the future."

Check out the original press release here.

Quick Pick-me-ups for the Office!

Have you ever had one of those days when you’re wondering how you’re possibly going to make it through the workday? You just feel drained, exhausted, your brain has turned into scrambled eggs and you just can’t seem to focus on the task at hand? 

Well, there are many reasons why this can happen. Maybe you’re not getting enough sleep, maybe you’re just burnt out, or maybe you haven’t had enough time to balance your diet adequately. 

Here are some quick fixes for when you’re struggling to make it through the day. 

Munch on an energy boosting snack. If your energy is taking a nosedive, maybe your metabolism needs to be revved up a little. Instead of instinctively reaching for another cup of coffee, try one of these pick-me-up snacks:

• Fresh fruit. Vitamins, minerals, and good carbs! What more can you ask for?!

• A handful of almonds. These bad boys are full of good fats, omega 3s and Vitamin E. They’ll help you to feel full for longer due to their fiber-rich goodness, too! Just don’t overdo it! 

• Yogurt and cereal. Yogurt will give you some carbs and protein, and a good fiber rich cereal will leave you feeling satisfied! 

• Half of a turkey and cheddar sandwich. Swap out white bread for whole wheat, swap out the mayo for some mustard or guacamole, add some lettuce and tomato slices and you’re good to go! 

Sip some green tea. Green tea will give you a nice boost without the potential jitters that can accompany your second or third cup of coffee. Plus, green tea contains  antioxidants and is quite the metabolism booster! It also comes in many delicious flavors. 

Stretch it out. Loosen up a little, take your mind off your work for a minute or two, and get rid of all of that tension! If you can, take a quick walk on your lunch break and you’ll feel like a brand new person! 

Switch it up! If you’re sitting in front of your computer for hours, your brain is likely to shrivel up and crap out at some point. Take a quick break; you deserve it! Take a walk to the break room, catch up with a coworker for a few, or ask if you can run an errand for your boss or something. Sometimes we just need a change of scenery. 

Lastly, when you’re at home, catch up on some sleep and get out there and have some fun! Life can’t be all work and no play! 

Avoiding Burnout

If things at work are getting a little hectic, you may be at risk for heading towards a burnout. When projects and deadlines are becoming too cumbersome and you’re having difficulties balancing your work and home life, it’s time to step back and regroup to avoid a crash and burn. 

What exactly is a burnout? Burnout is a state of mental, physical and emotional fatigue and exhaustion brought on by severe, overwhelming, prolonged stress. 

The physical signs include feeling tired, drained, sick and suffering changes in appetite and sleep habits. 

The emotional signs include feeling loss of hope, feeling helpless, defeated or trapped, and a loss of motivation. 

Behavioral signs include withdrawal from responsibilities, procrastination, isolation, or dramatic changes in mood. 

There are many things that can contribute to the cause of burnout and it can happen to any of us. It can happen in any type of job setting from an office worker, to a doctor, to a stay at home mom. Burnout is not only caused by stressful situations, but we can bring it on ourselves by trying to take on too much at once or by feeling the need to be perfect all the time. 

Some causes of burnout include perfectionist tendencies, lack of self esteem, type A personality, lack of sleep, lack of support, having too many expectations placed on you, lack of recognition, feeling like you have no control, or not making any time for non-work related activities. 

In order to prevent yourself from burning out, you’ve got to give yourself some room to breathe. Try to start every day on a positive note. Prioritize your work and delegate when possible. Ask for help when you need it. Make sure to adopt healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits. Don’t push or overextend yourself when it isn’t necessary. Make sure to develop coping skills to manage stress. Make time for friends and family and be sure to make time for yourself! Most importantly, don’t forget to give yourself recognition for all that you do! We all deserve a pat on the back once in a while!

Operation Smile Halloween Benefit

Peak-Incorporated is putting on another benefit for Operation Smile on Saturday October 26th at the Colorado Plus Brew Pub!

Operation Smile is an international nonprofit children's charity that provides free corrective surgery for children with facial deformities with limited access to healthcare as well as education for medical professionals around the world.

The event will be a Halloween costume contest and prizes will be awarded to the winners with the best costumes! And of course there will be awesome music and drinks! There will also be 50/50 raffles, and a percentage of the food and drink sales will be donated. 

This event promises to be a great time and we hope to see you there!! 

New Moves!

We have lots of exciting news here at Peak-Inc.! We're just going to brief you on a few things that are going on and then give you the details shortly in some upcoming blogs. So here's the scoop! 

*Our manager Billy Davenport opened his own office in Dallas, Texas in June working with AT&T! Alright, Billy! 

* Our manager Mike Giacinto opened his own office in Houston Texas today to work with AT&T! Way to go, Mike!!!

* Our assistant manager (and soon to be manager) Suzanne Hoofnagle will be opening her own office in Las Vegas and will be working with Century Link! Go get 'em, girl!!!

* Peak-Inc. will be hosting another benefit for Operation Smile in October. It will be a combination Halloween party/ fashion show and it will be super fun and for a great cause! 

More details on each topic coming soon and we have more great news yet to come! Thanks for checking us out!!!

Working Smart

I'm sure you've heard the saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” While of course it is super important to be a hard worker, at times we can make things more difficult for ourselves than necessary. 

Life’s successes are most often the result of the hard work we put in. However, our failures can be a result of hard work, too. Spending too much of our valuable time on unnecessary tasks can cause us to lose out on more important things. In order to become a successful leader in our careers, it is essential for us to decipher the difference between working hard and working smart. The two often go hand in hand, but we must be sure not to waste valuable time working hard on irrelevant, unimportant things. 

Here are a few simple rules to abide by when working smart. 

Plan. Always come up with a strategy and timeframe for your goals and tasks. If you don’t plan out your time, someone else will and that will not work in your favor. 

Prioritize. Make lists of what tasks are most important and set up timelines and deadlines. This way you can bang out the most important to-do’s first and if the less important things don’t get done, it won’t be as detrimental. 

Evaluate. Evaluate your routines and strategies often for successes and failures and make adjustments accordingly. If things aren’t going smoothly, change up your game plan and keep doing so until you get it right.

Delegate. Don’t try to tackle everything on your own. Hand out tasks to the appropriate people and work as a team. Create a trusting family atmosphere within your office and everyone will be willing to help each other get the job done for the good of the company.

Know when to put in the extra work. Some things will require extra hard work and that’s perfectly fine and to be expected. The goal here is to lighten the stress load when possible.

Know when to walk away. There will be certain situations when things just aren’t going to pan out and it’s okay to call it quits and chalk it up for experience. Now, I am in no way suggesting that you give up when the going gets tough, but there are always times when we just have to walk away and you just need to trust your own judgement or that of your superiors. 

How to Become a Morning Person

Is it true that some people are just not morning people? Is there some biological marker that dictates whether you're an early bird or a night owl? Unlikely. Chances are it’s your habits that contribute to your inability to hop out of bed feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day. You may have been getting up at 6:00 or 7:00 for work for years and still feel like your dragging your bum out the door. So what can you do about it? You may just have to make some simple changes to your routine.

Studies show that early birds don’t just get the worm, they tend to be more optimistic, more productive and more healthy overall! So here’s what you’ve got to do. 

Get enough sleep. It’s obvious, but a lot of us just don’t do it. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day! Seven to nine hours is absolutely necessary for optimal functioning. To make sure you’re getting enough sleep:

(Don’t do any activities in your bed except sleeping. It will send confusing messages to your brain and make it difficult to doze off when you're actually trying to sleep.

        Unplug at least a half an hour before bed (no t.v., cellphones, computers, or other electronics.) Electronics stimulate your brain too much and your mind will go bananas while your're trying to drift off to sleep. 

        One exception is if you’d like to use a relaxation app. There are some really great apps out there now that can have you asleep in minutes!)

Let the sunshine in! Keep the blinds open in your bedroom. The sunlight will allow your body’s circadian rhythm to take over and you will naturally want to wake up. 

Skip the snooze. It’s so tempting, but you know you’re just going to feel worse afterward and those ten minutes only feel like thirty seconds.  

Be consistent. Try waking up at the same time every day. Even on your days off. Or only sleep an hour later at the most. 

Exercise a little. Even if it’s just a little light stretching. It will help you get going in the morning. Before you know it, you might be one of those crazy people that wake up extra early to hit the gym before work! 

Boogie down! Or at least play your favorite tunes. You know how quickly music can turn your mood right around. Bop around a little while your getting ready and it will set the mood for your entire day! 

Don’t forget breakfast! Even if you’re one of those people that don’t like to eat first thing in the morning, make sure you eat a little something. It will keep you from crashing later on in the day and it will keep your stomach from making embarrassing noises at your morning meeting. 

Try these simple changes and in a few weeks you may notice a new pep in your step! 

De-stress Over the Weekend!

Sometimes we just need to take a mental health weekend! Maybe things have been a little crazy at work and it's been difficult trying to balance out your career and home life. Welp, if that's the case it's time to unwind, kick back and relax so you can start out fresh next week! 

The first step is making yourself a priority. Too often we're dividing our attention between too many other people and things. Shouldn't it be okay to focus on yourself once in a while? Make a list of a few things you've been wanting to get done so you can stop worrying about them and then spend the rest of the time doing the things you enjoy most. Read a good book, go to the beach, cook a great meal, catch up on your favorite show, mix up a yummy cocktail (or a few!), or spend time with your family and friends. 

Meditate! Don't knock it until you've tried it! It is probably the single most relaxing activity there is. If it's too weird for you, take a nice bath or relaxing shower. Or go for a long walk or a hike. Connect with nature. Get in tune with your spiritual self! Life gets too crazy and hectic sometimes (as we all know) and it's so important to just take a break and escape within yourself. 

Eat well. People tend to go nuts on the weekends eating whatever the heck they want, only to regret it almost instantly. How many times have you been psyched to go out to eat and made a sinfully poor choice only to feel painfully full and almost sad afterwards and then just wanted to take a nap and bask in your own self pity and sorrow. I know I'm guilty! Try to make lighter, healthier choices. You'll feel lighter, healthier, happier, and actually be able to do something after! 

Get enough sleep. Weekends are the perfect time to catch up on some much needed slumber.

Try not to overindulge on the alcohol. Although, hey...sometimes the margaritas are just calling, right?! If it's just one of those nights, alternate between alcoholic beverages and water. Make sure to eat before you go out, before you go to bed, have a fruit juice spritzer in the morning and you just might be okay!

Exercise! 

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!!

7 of the Greatest Sales Books

Whether you’re just beginning a career in sales or whether you’re a seasoned pro, it’s always in your best interest to keep learning! I’ve compiled a list of some of the greatest sales books on the market right now. If you’re looking to venture into a new career or if you’d like to brush up on your skills, you may be interested in checking out some of these books. Go ahead and take a look!

1.The Psychology of Selling; By: Brian Tracy 

This book provides strategies and methods that implement psychology into a business perspective. Tracy explains the motivations of both the salesperson and the prospect in order to demonstrate the dynamics, opportunities and benefits for each party involved in the interaction.

2.What Great Salespeople Do; By: Michael Bosworth 

In this book, Bosworth takes a modern approach to sales. He emphasizes the importance of honesty and fostering trusting relationships. He leads with an emotional approach and stresses the fact that we are all human, and that people respond to our vulnerability. One noteworthy quote from his book is, “People who tell the stories rule the world”.

3.How To Win Friends and Influence People; By: Dale Carnegie

This is quite possibly one of the best motivational books in history. This is a top book for pretty much any subject and will honestly make your whole life better, overall. This book is a wonderful manual for how to interact with and treat others. It will drastically improve your professional relationships and will likely improve the outcome of your sales interactions. 

4.Spin Selling; By: Neil Rackham

The concept of this book is that difficult and complex sales deserve a different process. Spin Selling describes this different process thoroughly and it is said that SPIN can help anyone sell anything. Hey! Sounds like a pretty good deal to me! 

5.Selling to Big Companies; By: Jill Konrath

This book explains the differences in approach when dealing with large companies. Konrath explains how to manage the politics of large companies while helping them make wise decisions that will benefit their company. 

6. Strategic Selling; By: Robert B. Miller, Stephen E. Heiman, with Tad Tuleja

The concept of this book is to provide an understanding of how a company’s sales strategy and plan of execution can make or break a business model and therefore the business itself. This book describes in detail some of the best practices and models of successful firms and why they work so well. 

7.The Greatest Salesman in the World; By: Og Mandino

Mandino’s purpose behind this book is to rediscover the “why” behind selling, stearing away from the stereotype of manipulation and moving more toward the concept of helping others with what they actually need. 

All of these books can be found on Amazon. Happy sales! 

Get to Know Our CEO! As told by little sister, Nicole

For those of you who don’t know our President/CEO, Eric Norregaard that well, (or even those of you who do!) we thought we should let you know a little bit about his background. Luckily, I, as his little sister have  access to the inside scoop! 

1. Eric was born on April 8th, 1987 of Christine and Frederick Norregaard. Exactly two years later, baby sis was born on April 8th, 1989. (And was probably the best birthday present he ever got.) He also has an older brother, Daniel who works in the restaurant industry.

Danny and Eric

Nicole and Eric

Eric, Danny and Nicole

  

2. From a very young age, Eric showed great determination and spunk! He was a natural born saver and business man! When Eric was about twelve years old, his dad ripped a one dollar bill in half. He kept one half for himself and handed the other half to Eric and told him that if he kept it until he turned 18, he would give him $500.00. (Imagine the shock on poor ole’ Freddie’s face when Eric walked up to him on his 18th birthday holding that half of a bill, grinning ear to ear.) 

3. We lived up the street from these wonderful people; the O'Briens. Sue (mom), Tommy, Courtney and the legendary Big Guy (David). We have known them our whole lives and consider them to be family more than friends. 

4. Eric used to rock out on the drums and played football throughout his childhood for Dracut Pop Warner. 

5. Eric’s first job was scooping ice cream at Heritage Farm in Lowell, MA at 14 years old.

6. Eric spent a lot of his childhood at his family’s log cabin (which he actually helped build along with his father and uncles) in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

7. Eric attended a vocational high school in greater Lowell focusing in culinary while also taking part in the school’s football and wrestling programs. He also worked at Todd English’s restaurant, Olive’s, in Charlestown, MA, while in  school. 

8. After graduating from high school, Eric attended college at Johnson and Wale’s University in Rhode Island, majoring in Culinary Nutrition. (And he can make a mean risotto that would leave even the great Gordon Ramsay speechless!)

9. While studying at JWU, he worked at Summer Winter at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, MA as well as The Stonehedge Inn&Spa in Tyngsboro, MA. 

10. After graduating College, Eric worked at the Charter Oak Country Club in Hudson MA and also worked as a nutritional consultant for some professional athletes including Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Vontae Davis, and Matthew Stafford.

11. Although Eric enjoyed his culinary career, he decided to explore a new avenue and dove head first into the wonderful world of sales. He always wanted to own his own business and had never experienced working in sales before so he jumped right in and quickly worked his way up to where he is now! 

12. In 2011, Eric left his home town of Dracut Massachusetts with a small crew and together, along with the new additions to the team, they turned Peak-Incorporated into what it is today!