I moved to Texas from Chicago with a graphic design degree. I applied for a job at a different company, and it didn’t work out. One day, when I was at a Bennigan’s restaurant, a Del Papa Distributing employee offered to buy me a Budweiser. I told the guy, “Man, I want your job!” He encouraged me to apply, and the rest is history.
I have worked at Del Papa Distributing now for almost 20 years. I started as a Merchandiser then moved to a direct sales job where I drove a truck and eventually drove a “bulk route.” I became a Sales Rep and then a Sales Consultant in our on-premise accounts. Now, I am a Retail Service Coordinator, where I oversee a group of Sales Reps.
I absolutely love building relationships with our customers in the market. We get to build brands as we work together as a team. The people who coached me when I was coming up in this business developed me to drive and drive hard to achieve my goals. I now try to instill the same motivation into the people on my team.
We all teach each other. I learn from the newer employees on my team just as much as I hope they learn from me. Things are always changing; it’s always a learning game, but it’s a great game to be in!
