Speaker: Nick Capparelli
Please tell us your name and how you know Crit, and share what impact he has had on your career or how you have impacted his.
Nick Capparelli: I'm just here thinking about it, crit. And, uh, you know what I think it, I think I, right. I think it's been 30 years. Perhaps we had 30 years. You and I have been working together. It's a long time, long time. And, you know, um I remember hearing your name when the AT&T program had wound down. Um, Abe Bernstein, uh wanted us to start, uh, a vendor group and I think I was one of the top reps or I might have been a top rep in the vendor group. And, uh, and all of a sudden I start hearing your name down in the Atlanta marketplace bringing in programs. Uh I think you close a big program, uh, by the name of Milner. That's a good story. You should tell people that sometimes I just saw that little sign and, uh, and you started closing other programs and I think we went back and forth being the top one or two reps. And, uh, and then as time went on, I remember, uh, be Bernstein brought us into the Ball of Kenwood office and brought us to the, we called it the fish bowl and typical abe style. He was role playing with us. And I think, I think we went a week and a half with, with role playing objections. Rebuttals. Trial closes, you name it. By the time we got out of there, we knew what to say, how to say it or Bernstein just wouldn't let us go home. And uh and then you went into business development. I ran sales. You did, you were closing national programs at a pace. It was just unbelievable. Now, I have to tell you, Chris. Now you be honest, there were some programs that you close. You got to be honest, there were some close programs you close that weren't um exactly what we thought they were gonna be. I mean, you tell Bernstein that, you know, this program abe is gonna do 10 million our first year and we went out, we did a roll out, spent time. I think we got one out that year, but we'll let that, we're gonna let that slide. But because the majority of the programs you did bring in were outstanding. Um And then as we as, as you and I moved on in our careers, it became apparent that I think right around, I think, yeah, it was fidelity crit that you, I wouldn't say you were a pigeon hole, but everybody's just thought of you as a really good salesperson and that's where you just, you just blossomed at fidelity. I mean, from understanding collections, understanding the accounting aspects of the business, keeping the business up and running, understanding, credit, all aspects of the business. I mean, you really blossomed into a full time great executive and it was because of you and a, that, that shop stayed open. And, uh, and there were so many people that owe you so much to make that happen and the same thing happened at least, I mean, you know, you and, and now miles, uh, I mean, so much that we've gone through and, uh, we've made it and it's all, it's all because of, you know, you and you had some assistance with, uh, with Abe and in miles. And I'm just glad I was able to be a part of it now, uh, as far as some personal, uh, things I want to talk about, um, I can remember getting a call from crit, about seven o'clock in the morning on a Saturday in typical crit fashion. Hey, buddy, what you doing? I said, well, I'm just getting up crit and he said, well, can, can, can you help a friend? I said, yeah, what do you got going on? I'm putting a little structure together in my backyard. So I'm, I lived about, I don't know, 10 minutes from crit. So I, I get in my car, I head over there and crit, this is I'm not being disrespectful, but you always just a little bit heavier than I was. And, uh, so I walk in the backyard and I, it wasn't a little structure. It was a full blown today. It would be, look like a man cave. And you look up about 25 ft and he had this ladder that was probably 30 years old. He goes, you just gotta take this ladder, put it up there and you go hammer down those pieces and I'm like, oh, all right. So I go to hammer those pieces, Almost killed myself a couple three times. But, uh, that was pretty interesting and lastly, and I'll be quick is I can remember. Crit, you took my LAMAs book. I went to all the classes. You never went to one class. And, uh, I think it was, yeah, it had to be, forget it was Francis. You use my notes with Mary to get through that pregnancy. So you owe me one buddy. Hey, listen, it's been a pleasure. You got a lot of good years ahead of you. I love you, brother. Take care.
