1. DISCLAIMER: The speechhereinispurelyfictional.The charactersandscenariowere draftedforthe
purposesof writingaspeechina formal businesssetting.
Speech1
Forced Retirement
Scenario: Mr. GlenHolsterhas beenaskedtoretire after23 yearswiththe company.A recentpersonal
mattercausedMr. Holsterto develop some destructive habits;ourcompanyfeltitbesttoask himto
leave before more damage wasdone toourimage/clientbase.
Mr. HolsterisVice-Presidentof Sales. The companywisheshimtogive abrief,five minutefarewell
speech,ashe calmlyagreedto the requesttoretire.Iinterviewedhim,several boardmembers,and
some of the more veteransalesstaff. Ialsosearchedthroughcompanyrecordsandthe local paper’s
archive to verifyandexpandoncertainanecdotes. The boardhasrequestedthatthe speechavoidan
apologetictone,since investors/clientswill be inthe audience;thus,Ihave optedtofocuson the
successes of Mr. Holster’scareer,andthe good habitshe modeledforthe restof us.
What I FocusedOn:
 The positive.
 What makesthe companygreat.
o The traditionsthatoutlive the individual employee.
o The ethicsinstilledineachemployee.
 Some jokes.Helpedlightenthe moodonwhatcouldbe an otherwise grimevent.
What I Avoided:
 DetailsaboutwhyHolsterisbeingforcedtoretire.
 A recurringanecdote abouta restaurantclosingafteratransitioninownership.
o Holsterwantedtoinclude itsince itemphasizedthe importance of traditionand
respectingthe customer.
o I keptit outsince itwouldremindinvestorsof the volatilityofteninvolvedintransitions.
 Goingintogreat detail abouthisreplacement,JackSterling.
o Jack will be speakingshortlyafterHolster;thusIdidn’twanttotake anywindout of his
sails,butratherset himup nicely.
Speech:
Good eveningeveryone.Iwanttostart out by thankingyouall forbeinghere,especially Novel
Solutions’ clientsandinvestors.I’ve knownmanyof youoverthe years;infact, I remembermeeting
some of you whenIdidn’thave anygrey uphere. ThoughI thinksome of you still have me beat.
Overmy 23 yearshere,we’ve watchedeachothergray,andwe’ve seenthiscompanymature andgrow.
I say mature because it’s ratherdifficulttocall itan old companywithsomany youngpeople about;

2. though,I thinkmanyof you wouldagree thatI’ve expandedalongwithit*patbelly*.Muchto the
chagrinof my wife. If youdon’tknowher,she’sthe womanshakingherheadoverthere,probably
planningmynextdietalready.*Pause,if applicable.* Jokesaside,however,timechanges more thanjust
our appearances;thus,inlieuof recenteventsinmy personal life,Ihave decidedthatnow isthe right
time to retire.
WhenI came to Novel Solutions Ireplacedanothersalesman.Thatsalesmanhadonly43 clientsinhis
portfolio.He hadn’tbeenhere longandhe wasn’tabad worker:thiscompanydoesn’thire badworkers.
I tookhis portfolioandworkedonit.Ilookedathisarea, I lookedathisverticals,andI expandedthe
focus.I studiedeverynight.Idrove toprospectivebusinesses onthe weekend-thiswasbeforehigh-
speedinternet-soIcouldsee whattheylookedlike,soIcouldget a feel forthem.That’swhenImet
some of you. That’s whenI grewthat portfolioof 43 to a 105 insix months.
AndthoughI’ve continuedtocall on some of you,I handedoff mostof my oldclientstonew hires,to
people thatIknewunderstoodwhatIdid, and metthe standard of service you’ve come toexpectfrom
Novel Solutions.AsSalesManagerIstrove to implementthatmindsetinall new hires.Itoldthemto
studyeverynight.Itoldthemto do recon.I toldthemto respect everyone,clientornot.Thus we have a
teamof new to oldthat knowtheirproduct,thatknow theirclients,andknow how togrow. The current
SalesManageris one of my firsthires;I trainedhim, watchedhim, andI’msure he’sbeenwatchingmy
chair1
.
-2 ½ Minute Mark2
-
Now,I thinkthe companywouldlike me to speak abit more aboutthe future atthispoint;but,I wantto
take anothermomenttothank our clients,boththose thatare here and those thatcouldn’tmake it.
Salesisa trickybeast.You can have a silvertongue,youcanhave a goldenbauble,but,atthe endof the
day,you needsomebodytosell ittoo.Andnotjustsomebody;here atNovel Solutionswe’venever
beeninterestedinthe easytarget:rather,we wantclients,partners, arelationshipwhere we can
prospertogether.
Whetheritisinventoryorbudgetingortraining,Novel Solutions assistsitsclientsbeyondthe invoice.
Such actionsspeaktoour missionstatement,‘We’re here toserve you.’Thathumility,thatrespecthas
enabledthis NovelSolutions’ successandwill carryitintothe future.Novel Solutionsplanstocontinue
itsstrategyof Smart Expansion, withanew distributioncentertobe constructedinthe Westernhalf of
that state by 2019. Demandhasdriventhe necessityforthisexpansionandmayspeeditup;however,
Novel iscautiouswhenitcomestosuch investments,aswe wouldneverwantourownmisjudgmentsto
affectthe pricesofferedtoyou.
Deliberate maybe abetterword,bothin describingthiscompanyandmysuccessor,JackSterling.Jack
has beenwiththiscompanyfor14 years. I hiredhim, trainedhim, satwithhimonhisfirstsalesmeeting,
1 This linecould be taken negatively; however, through our interviews, Mr. Holster is fully capableof deliveringthis
linein the necessary,affabletone.
2 If 2 ½ minutes is enough, then skip ahead to the conclusion.The conclusion is written to fit either way.

3. and wasall set to lethimgo whenhe stoppedme andaskedif he couldworkin accounting.
‘Accounting?’Isaid,‘You’re doinggreatwithsales,whydoyouwantto change?’Andhe saidhe wanted
to learnthe productsbetter,toknowthemand the businessinsideout; so,Ilethim. A yearlaterhe
askedto be back on,I brought himback on,and now,13 yearslater,he’s a salesmanagerandpart of
the team leadingourWesternexpansioneffort.
-Conclusion-
Growth iscomingto thiscompany.The valuesof Novel Solutionswill continue toguarantee anexcellent
standardof employee;one thatisrespectful,whoresearchestheirclientstobetterunderstandtheir
wantsand needs;one thatisdiligent,whostudiesourproductsandservices,whoknowsthe solutionfor
each problem;andone thatis deliberate,whotakestheirtime witheachclient,showingthemthe
respectwe wishtoreceive.Iwantto take thisfinal momenttothankNovel Solutionsformy23 yearsof
employment;ithasbeenanhonorand a privilege to serve boththiscompanyandall of you.
Thank you,andmay you all have a wonderful night.