The Makings of a Great Auctioneer

48 years ago, the Cadzows’ were seeking something that was outside of the normal grind so they chose to run an auctioneer business. They found their passion in Western Sales Management which stands for WSM Auctions, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Today WSM Auctions has at least twelve auctions per year and some online auctions as well. But what does it take to host one of these auctions? What does it take to truly be an auctioneer?

 

Let’s start with the auctioneer himself. How many auctioneers do you know? Chances are, not very many and the reason for that is because it is not an easy profession! Most people wouldn’t even know where to start on how to become one, let alone on how to run the whole business.

Everybody knows what an auctioneer is but nobody knows how to get there. There is an idea of how to become almost anything else from newscaster to consultant to actor, but you can’t just start auctioneering. You can’t set up a soapbox on a street corner and start selling things. You have to have an auction in place. To become an auctioneer, you generally have to work for an auction company. You have to put in five, six years there. And to get a job at an auction company is one of the hardest things to do.

Which is why John Cadzow decided to take over the company from his dad in 2002. He was ready to take over the company with fresh ideas and new technology, which is the other aspect of being an auctioneer in the business. It takes more than just one man to put on auctions, but with help, John is able to provide the same level of care and service that his dad was able to provide all those years ago.