What Does OPAAT-SWY Mean?

When thinking about the name of this company, one thing I didn't expect was how much of a conversation piece it would become.

As an entrepreneur, a lot of thought is put into your company's name. What should it represent, look, feel and sound like to you, your team and most importantly, your customers are just some things I'm sure all entrepreneurs ponder when thinking about that name.

For me, it was that same process but not much of a dilemma. One thing I was sure of was that I didn't want it to be called Lyndon Brathwaite.

Why? Because what I wanted it to represent was more significant than the person who created it.

So what is OPAAT-SWY?

To answer that, I'll break it up into a few parts;

• The Origin
• The Meaning 
• The Philosophies 

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Try taking care of your shortcomings first Lyndon - Family Member

The Origin

I'd love to take all the credit for the name OPAAT-SWY but I can't. It came from a seed my aunt planted in my mind some years before I even created the company. 

I was a bit stressed one day from my roles as a sales manager, where I felt my best efforts weren't getting through to the team to deliver at their highest level. "I don't know what to do again", I stressed. In her usual manner, she listened then responded, "You cannot change a situation all at once; it's a process. Focus on one thing or one person", she said. 

While that wasn't the answer I was looking for, it actually was the best response that really made me rethink my approach over time. My aunt went one step further, saying, "Lyndon, you have a few things you need to correct on your end as well." which she listed out. "From a leadership standpoint, how about you try taking care of those first? That way, you can set a better example to those you want to lead." 

That follow up point was the one that really stood out to me the most. Actually, it bothered me more than I expected because my aunt was correct. Yes, I was trying to create change, but it was superficial as I was not showing that change within myself first. 

This is where I really started to live the philosophy of OPAAT-SWY. It wasn't immediate; it took some time, it was very uncomfortable, but eventually, the purpose and meaning started to take shape.

The Meaning

Before going into the meaning, let's get the one thing that challenges people the most right first...the pronunciation 😀.

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OPAAT-SWY is pronounced | O-PAT-SW-EE |

OPAAT-SWY is an acronym for;

ONE PERSON AT A TIME - STARTING WITH YOURSELF

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The core meaning comes from the story I shared earlier with my aunt, plus one quote from Albert Einstein, which says, "The problems faced today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking from when they were created". It's from here the two philosophies started taking shape. 

The Philosophies

The main philosophy at OPAAT-SWY is; "Change your routine to Create opportunities that make a Difference for yourself and others and Achieve your goals."

Achievements start with change, and in most instances, that change begins with a mindset. The team and I try to encourage each person we interact with to start looking and thinking of their life, business or role differently.

Far too often, we fall into that routine or box that people or society tells us we are supposed to play in and then stay there. At OPAAT-SWY, we try to help folks realise that they don't have to. Every individual or company can be number one; however, they have to think and believe it to achieve it.

The philosophy of Attract | Engage | Commit | Measure is on the business side of things.

Our core service is sales enablement, but we don't just look at the sales teams alone. We focus on the overall holistic approach of how the organisation is trying to maximise sales. This includes involving and retooling/re-strategising other departments such as marketing, service, and operations.

In many instances, we've seen companies (small and large) need to create better alignments between themselves and their customers, especially in the 21st century. That's where this philosophy came about; it was designed to help business leaders, sales and marketing professionals better understand their customer needs and journey, specifically using the A.I.D.A.S (Awareness | Interest | Desire | Action | Satisfaction) principle.

"I'm not sure we understand what our customers really want" - Director

Business is changing rapidly, and if it's one thing I've noticed in Trinidad and Tobago and, by extension, the Caribbean is that organisations are not always making the changes quickly enough to keep pace with their buyers.

Buyers are way more informed than before. They have a lot more options giving them more power and control. On the other hand, Sellers seem to be struggling with making that change and staying better connected and top of mind with their customers. Resulting in the gradual loss of business or them going out of business altogether. 

This is the gap we try to fill at OPAAT-SWY. Once we get the opportunity to make some fundamental change by showing organisations (large/small) how to better understand their clients and close the gap between seller and buyer. 

OPAAT-SWY is all about P.E.O.P.L.E. and for us, P.E.O.P.L.E stands for: Positively Enhancing Other People's Lives Everyday - Lyndon

[Watch Video] Explaining The Role Of P.E.O.P.L.E in Sales 

We believe that we can positively impact someone's life, be it in sales, marketing, or just in casual conversation. And that engagement eventually begins a chain reaction of change where they start positively impacting the lives of their customers, coworkers, family members and themselves for growth and success.

And that's what OPAAT-SWY is all about, creating opportunities to make a change.

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