Our Story
An epiphany that transformed the sales industry…
Humble Beginnings
The Game Face Story: Part 1
To understand Game Face, one must know how Rob Cornilles, our founder and CEO, began his sales journey and came upon a methodology that fits any message, product, or company.
In the early ’90s, grunge music was reaching its peak, Barney the Purple Dinosaur ruled the airwaves, and the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team was terrible. The “Clips” were largely a forgotten franchise, as most casual—and diehard—sports fans assumed L.A. had only one NBA franchise, the Lakers.
Rob’s team played in a run-down arena in a depressed part of town, had lost more games than they’d won for 16 straight years, saw numerous failed coaching and personnel changes, and recorded the lowest average attendance in the National Basketball Association. They would later be recognized by Sports Illustrated as “the worst franchise in sports history” (not of the year, mind you, or even of the decade. “In sports history!”).
The team also had the distinction of playing in one of the largest sports markets, already dominated by two prominent baseball teams, the Dodgers and Angels, two legacy NFL franchises, the Rams and Raiders, a hockey team starring “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky, another expansion hockey team owned by marketing powerhouse Disney Corporation, and two acclaimed sports schools in UCLA and USC. Meanwhile, not far from the Clippers’ decrepit old building, the cross-town Lakers were more glamorous, raked in consistent sellouts, and boasted an on-court “Showtime” product second to none.
The Clippers, on the other hand, couldn’t give their tickets away.
The Game Face Story: Part 2
In 1991, this was the product Rob Cornilles was asked to sell. Fresh off a return from working in Asia and at two Hollywood studios, Rob went for broke—literally—and accepted a commission-only position with the Clippers selling season and group tickets.
He might have had more success selling pet porcupines. After all, how do you sell a product nobody wants and everyone makes fun of?
The answer, Rob soon found, was right in front of him. The team may not have been worth watching, yet some people still came to the games. Why? Perhaps an employer used the tickets to recognize employee performance or thank a longtime client; or perhaps a young family showed up to spend quality time together; maybe a nonprofit organization attended to promote its cause or reward its volunteers.
The tickets were a tool to bring about a desired result. So, instead of selling undesirable tickets, Rob began selling the results tickets to a Clippers game could bring.
The sales industry hasn’t been the same since.
The Game Face Story: Part 3
Years later, building on his success with the Clippers, Rob founded Game Face Inc., eventually guiding over 300 sports organizations worldwide.
Seeing how his methods and approach seamlessly transferred to other markets, Game Face branched out to enrich sales and service executives in the media, manufacturing, financial and professional services, software, retail, automotive, electronics, and consumer products industries.
Game Face has become the trusted advisor for young professionals and seasoned executives who leverage sales skills properly to maximize outcomes. Our services are a unique blend of experience, knowledge, and a level of client rapport with sales leaders rare among consulting firms.
A properly trained salesperson doesn’t need to rely on a ground-breaking product or a revolutionary marketing plan to produce results. In any market where competition is fierce and the customers have the final say, the seller needs to understand that it isn’t about the thing they are selling, it’s the result of the thing they are selling.
This is how Game Face sales training completely changes the way sales staff approach a sale—and how service teams retain it. With an engaging style complemented by unique stories and examples that excite, our years of experience putting these concepts into practice qualifies us to create the right customized program for your organization.
“Rob Cornilles is a remarkable person, leader and contributor! His track record of delivering quality results inspires confidence, and how he goes about achieving those results inspires trust. I greatly admire and value Rob and his insights.”
Stephen M.R. Covey – The New York Times & #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Speed of Trust, and co-author of Smart Trust
29
Number of Years
Sales Training
400+
Diverse Brands
2,652
Sales Training Workshops
Since Launch
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