I'm always on the lookout for business insights, hoping to uncover golden nuggets from unexpected places.

Sometimes they come from big corporations, but honestly, most of them come from tiny mom-and-pop shops. Both have their strengths.

You’d be surprised how good some small businesses are at sales, marketing, and operations. Pound for pound, they often outperform companies worth billions. Seriously.

And the place I’ve found my next business lesson? My golf coach.

I’ve been playing for about three years now, and if you know anything about it, you know it’s the hardest, most frustrating game ever created.

And yet, I love it. (I promise, I’m not alone).

This past weekend, after another bad round, I had a thought:

Why the hell don’t I get some lessons?

I’ve only taken two lessons in my golf life, and neither did very much for me. Plus, they’re expensive. But since I’m currently terrible, it seemed like a solid idea. So, I went on a hunt for some lessons.

What I found next was incredible.

You can probably guess—most golf coaches are super old-school. They’ve usually been at the same club for decades, rely on referrals, and don’t do very much to market themselves. And honestly, they don’t have to.

But the coach I found? He was different.

I googled "Golf Coach Tampa," and boom—he popped up at the top with hundreds of Google reviews (thanks to his wife, apparently). His website was clean, clear, and straightforward, with packages and pricing laid out. It had a bit of an old-school vibe, but in a refreshing way.

No “contact us” form—just an email and a phone number. So I sent him an email.

Within 15 minutes, he called me back.

He sounded just as I expected – older, relaxed, and super respectful.

It didn’t feel like he was trying to sell me, but his process was seamless—like he’d done it a thousand times.

He started by asking about my experience with golf. Straightforward stuff. He even gave me a few compliments about my skill level (whether or not they were true, I appreciated them).

Then, instead of asking when I’d like to start like I expected, he asked:

"So, why do you even want lessons?"

“Uh, to get better?” I thought. But the question caught me off guard, and I started actually reflecting on why I wanted to improve.

Then he took it deeper: "Why do you play golf?"

Leisure? Business? Social? Competition? I gave him a mix of answers, still wondering where he was going with this.

"Who do you play with mostly?"

“My friends,” I said, still unsure why he cared.

"And how good are they?"

“About the same as me,” I replied.

"Well, guess what? After a few lessons, I’ll have you beating them every single round, guaranteed."

Boom. There it was.

I instantly pictured myself out there on a Saturday, having fun, and beating my friends. Them asking me how I got so good. Me telling them it was just some practice (and a lesson).

He had me hooked. I didn’t think I needed to be hooked, but I was nonetheless.

Then, to finish, he told me a story about another student who went from bad to great in a short time. Not a quick throwaway story—this was a slow, detailed anecdote that painted a vivid picture.

It was a sales masterclass. But the beauty was, he didn’t even sound like a salesman. Just a friendly guy on the phone.

So, why am I telling you all this?

Because an old-school golf coach, who probably doesn’t even think of himself as a salesperson, just got me fired up about signing up for lessons. He made me understand why I wanted them, painted a picture of the outcome, and showed me that outcome was within reach.

And the whole time, I didn’t feel like I was being sold for a single second.

My first lesson is on Sunday.

My Takeaways:

1. The Power of Emotional Investment: He didn’t just sell me lessons—he got me emotionally invested. Even if it seemed like I was sold already, he continued. He pulled me toward a vision of success that mattered to me.

2. Asking the Right Questions: Great salespeople don’t just ask questions—they ask the right ones. By making me think about why I play and who I want to beat, he connected the lessons to a personal outcome I cared about. It felt genuine and easy to answer.

3. Storytelling Sells: The detailed story of another student’s success didn’t just demonstrate credibility—it helped me imagine myself in that position. A well-told story can be a powerful sales tool.

4. Selling Without "Selling": Sometimes the best sales techniques don’t feel like sales at all. Casual, respectful conversations, rooted in understanding the customer, can lead to natural, powerful results.