In our vast and quick-moving world, it can be easy to feel insignificant. It takes a deliberate, concerted effort to resist settling into the mundanity of daily life.
However, there are a few individuals that recognize their responsibilities not as obligations, but as opportunities. For Jeff, aiding carriers with their tires is a medium for helping people. His career is a powerful tool for influencing others’ lives for good, and he acts accordingly.
Imagine: If everyone believed what Jeff believed, how would the world be different?
Until that day, people like Jeff will continue to change lives for the better, whatever their occupation.
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Jeff started as a business development manager for the tires division in March of 2021 at our Portland location. Since coming to England Logistics, Jeff was rapidly promoted through the ranks of account manager 1, 2, and 3, and was finally promoted to senior account manager.
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EL: Tell me about your current responsibilities and how you came to be in this position.
Jeff: It was a huge blessing, to be honest. I was in the commercial tire industry for years before this. I worked as a general laborer. Then, I got into changing tires, doing fleet service, service calls, all that kind of stuff–but I ended up hurting my back really bad. At one point, I thought I was out of the industry entirely.
Then, England Logistics hit me up on LinkedIn and offered to hire me as a freight broker.
Through the interviewing process, it was obvious that I had plenty of tires experience. They let me know that a tire department was beginning in Portland. They asked me how I would feel about starting up the team, and that was pretty much it.
I hit the ground running; I was promoted to account manager 3 within 3 months. In time, I learned more.
You know, we’re not just out here selling tires. We’re taking care of these people, making sure they’re saving as much money as possible to keep their company afloat. We’re helping these people maintain their businesses and their way of life.
That’s probably my favorite thing about this job is building relationships with people, taking care of them, and knowing that you’re making a difference in their lives.
EL: That’s incredible how your position came to be.
So what, then, has caused you to want to stay? Your expertise does sort of lend you to a lot of different opportunities.
Jeff: This sounds kind of funny, but I have a passion for tires.
Ever since I started changing tires as a new employee where I was working, it’s just been something that I have enjoyed.
When they presented me with this opportunity to come here and sell tires with England, it presented me with an opportunity to stay in the industry that I loved and a career that I loved.
Going from changing them to sitting at a desk was a huge difference though.
EL: Oh yeah, I can imagine. Has that been a little bit difficult for you to now, to be a little less hands-on?
Jeff: It honestly just feels like I am surrounded by my family because I’ve gotten to know everybody so well… but being in an office environment still feels kind of foreign to me.
EL: So, given just how different that experience is, what has been a professionally defining experience for you here?
Jeff: I had an experience where it was on a conversion that I’d gotten. It was about a year ago, but we were able to help a carrier stay on the road and keep a load when they were in a tight spot by creating a solution for them.
EL: That’s so awesome. What a demonstration of you helping people through your services.
Can you tell me about your why? You’ve talked about having a passion for tires inherently, but is there more to that?
Jeff: To stay on the right career path that I’m in, you know what I mean? I think no matter where I end up, I’m always going to be in logistics somewhere. Hopefully, for me, that’s always going to be here at England because, as I said, it’s like being a family here.
EL: That’s awesome. We need individuals like yourself that do carry such an obvious passion.
So outside of tires, what are your passions in life? What do you like to do?
Jeff: 99.9% of the time, if I’m not at work or with my wife, I’m on the river fishing.
I’m a die-hard.
EL: Does your wife fish with you?
Jeff: [Laughing]: No. Only if I make her.
EL: I mean, you’re laughing tells me an entire story there.
Jeff: If she can sit in a chair with a book in her hands, and her toes in the water, she’ll go fishing.
I’ve already made it happen at least once in 11 years.
EL: OK, so not a great batting average, but passable, I suppose.
Jeff: Right.
EL: What about your mantra or motto for your life? What’s something that you feel guides what you do?
Jeff: Anytime I did encounter adversity, I asked my dad or my grandma or somebody: What do I do? How do I overcome this challenge? My dad always taught me if you can’t change it, don’t worry about it.
It’s like, treat it like water off a duck’s back.
Let it go. Just do what you can do. Control what you can control and let the chips fall where they may.
EL: That’s fantastic advice. So when are you happiest then? When do you feel like you are at your best?
Jeff: This might sound kind of cliche, but when I’ve made a positive difference in somebody else’s life.
EL: That’s awesome.
Jeff: That’s in direct correlation with what I chose to do as a career path. It’s like, when I actually make a difference and help people and that’s when I feel most fulfilled.
EL: That’s super admirable, and I can detect the sincerity behind that claim as well. Finally, last question is, where do you go from here? What would you like to do?
Jeff: I want to travel.
One of our goals after we got married last year was to go see a different state every year until we’ve seen all 50.
EL: That’s super awesome, and she’s fully on board, right?
Jeff: That was her idea to begin with.
EL: This interview has been enormously instructive. Conclusively, what advice would you give to somebody that wants to be in your position?
Jeff: Just do what makes you happy.
Whether you’re a broker, a tire person or a factoring person, it’s just having conversations with people and realizing that you’re just dealing with human beings, and if you talk to them like that, they’re going to respond.
And I think that applies anywhere in life. If you’re sincere and you’re coming from the right place, then you should find success.
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We’re on the search for more senior account managers. If this interview resonated with you, apply at this link: https://www.englandlogistics.com/search-all-available-jobs/