If it can be said that confidence comes with experience, perhaps validation is an optimal place holder for the new and unproven. And for those brave enough to become salespeople, there’s a mental pendulum that swings between cockiness and imposter syndrome during that critical rookie period.
RJ Shephard remembers the first time he closed a deal for eGoldFax. During the sales call, two veteran salespeople from the firm listened in to see what tutelage, if any, would help him moving forward. What Shephard heard from his senseis absolutely floored him.
“When the call ended, one of them said, ‘RJ, when did you get good at sales?’ That hit me like a lightning bolt,” said Shephard, a 2025 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “It was absolutely an ‘ah-hah!’ moment that erased my self-doubt and gave me a boost of confidence. Even though it was at the very beginning of my career, it still meant so much to me that someone else thought I could be successful, too.”
While the 2025 business atmosphere brings with it unique challenges, Shephard relishes the opportunity to grow and innovate. He loves to be the go-to person who can help move the needle in critical situations. A passionate collaborator, Shephard seeks to inspire and empower his eGoldFax teammates.
“Whether it’s troubleshooting a complex fax question or asking my team to push past challenges, I try to be a reliable and proactive partner that drives results,” he said. “My focus on building strong relationships and delivering tailored solutions likely resonates with my partners.”
Potential Identified
The chance to become a member of the eGoldFax team involved a stroke of fate. Shephard had been working with a small CPA firm in a varied role that entailed managing customer accounts and taking on special projects. One such project saw him outsourced to eGoldFax in an assignment that called for coordinating with external contractors and internal stakeholders. The company soon saw Shephard’s value proposition to be cultivating relationships as opposed to spreadsheet wizardry, and recruited him to their sales team. That fit nicely within his wheelhouse.
COVID struck after Shephard arrived at eGoldFax, where the transition to remote work was like striking oil. He compared selling solutions with drinking out of a fire hose, which paints a picture of the brisk pace of business that had been set. That period proved to be illuminating for him.
“I quickly learned that success in this industry doesn’t hinge on a prestigious educational background—mine is more practical than academic—but rather on emotional intelligence, curiosity and meticulous attention to detail. Those skills really became my foundation as I transitioned from accounting to becoming a key player on our team.”
The go-to mentor in Shephard’s universe is Tim Robertson, a fellow eGoldFax team member and a 25-year veteran of business development. One of the fundamental underpinnings passed on by Robertson is the value of being authentic. People, he said, chiefly care about your intent, minus the smoke of polished words.
“When building deep lasting relationships, others want to know who you are before they decide if they want to work with you,” Shephard noted.
The Little Things
In reflecting upon 2024, Shephard weighs performance through what he calls micro achievements as opposed to a crowning glory. He believes that, in the end, the micros stem from winning in competitive environments.
“Each small victory whether it’s securing a new partner, empowering a sales rep to close a deal, or solving a client’s challenge gives me a great sense of accomplishment,” he said.
Shephard ascribes to the theory that people play to the level of their competition in all aspects of life. As a stepping stone to improvement, he’s an ardent believer in learning from people who have “leveled up way beyond where I am at” to avoid running with the pack, so to speak.
“I need to continue asking myself: How do I get to be that good?” he said. “How do I gain that level of insight across that many different concepts? What steps do I need to take today to put myself in that position?”
Away from the office, Shephard is an outdoor adventure seeker, whether it’s fishing in Baja or mountain skiing in the Sierras. His weekly regimen includes both softball and golf (he’s gunning for a single-digit handicap), and on weekends he can be found riding bikes to the beach with his girlfriend and neighbors.
Moving forward, he plans to enroll in courses through the American Sailing Association. Once Shephard attains some certifications, he plans to self-charter a catamaran and sail the British Virgin Island with family and friends.
