The Commission Watch

A Story About Value, Loss, and Starting Over

When I closed my first big deal at a new job, I didn’t blow the commission check on a weekend trip or a fancy dinner. I bought a watch. A Seiko Prospex PADI Special Edition Diver’s Automatic—model SRPE27. Not some luxury status symbol, but a serious, well-made piece of gear, functional and resilient. It had weight and presence, but it wasn’t loud. Just like I wanted my work to be. It marked a milestone. I wanted a reminder on my wrist of what it took to get there and what I was building toward.

A few months later, I took a trip to Madrid. The watch came with me (of course!). I wore it like a quiet badge of progress. Then, somewhere between a packed metro station and a late lunch near Plaza Mayor, it was gone, stolen right off my wrist. I didn’t notice until it was too late.

It sounds small, losing a watch. But I didn’t just lose an accessory. I lost the first thing I ever bought to symbolize the value of my own work. That Seiko had become part of the story I was telling myself about who I was and what I was aiming for.

Eventually, I quit that job. Not out of frustration, but because I’d grown past it. I’d learned what I came to learn, and staying longer would’ve meant coasting. So I wrapped up my final pipeline, closed the last few deals, and took my final commission check.

Then I bought the SAME watch again.

Not a different version. Not an upgrade. The exact same model. The Seiko Prospex PADI SRPE27. Same blue-and-red bezel. Same automatic movement. Same quiet strength.

But this time, it meant something different. The first watch was about hope and identity and staking a claim. The second one? It was a marker of resilience. Of loss, perspective, and the decision to keep building, even when the narrative shifts.

In business, people love the highlight reel. The first wins. The big exits. But real progress happens in the space between. In the decisions we make after the thing we worked for disappears. In how we choose to begin again.

That second Seiko reminds me that nothing material is ever really the point. But sometimes the right object, at the right time, can reflect back who you’ve become… and who you’re ready to be next.

Dan Gill, a guest contributor at The AGN Group, possesses extensive experience in B2B sales and management. He is passionate about sharing his insights to create a global impact. Dan specializes in material handling, packaging, distribution, manufacturing, and, of course, world-class leadership. Dan’s in-depth industry expertise enables him to tackle complex challenges while assisting customers and partners in achieving key performance goals, including scalability and the effective implementation of channel sales. Passionate about driving critical KPIs, Dan is dedicated and ready to help you deliver measurable results.

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Read more of Dan’s thoughts by checking out this article!