Wonolo
For this week’s Why We Work series, we’re introducing our video interviews. This week we sat down with Trevor and Michael who are on our sales team and who are located in Nashville. If you have a few minutes, we welcome you to watch the short interview video. We also have the transcription below if you’d like to read it.
Please introduce yourselves.
[Michael]: Me and Trevor are really excited to be represented as the Why We Work series counter duo for the sales team. We’re really looking forward to chatting with you today.
What events in your life have led you to your current role/job today?
[Trevor]: In college, I studied equine management. With that degree, I wanted to go into the sale of thoroughbred horses. I wanted to be a bloodstock agent. I was attracted to the chase of the sale. I was attracted to the journey. I think it invoked a lot of my skill sets. I like to think I’m a people person. I like engaging in conversation, and I really like the chase and fulfillment of accomplishing something that’s not always an easy task. I didn’t end up going into thoroughbred sales or being a bloodstock agent, but when I did get out of school, I entered into the sports industry selling season tickets and then it funneled down that way. But really, what it broke down to was, I really enjoy the chase of sales. I enjoy the strategy, and the insights you need to tackle some of those difficult things.
When you have to make a difficult decision, what do you lean on?
[Michael]: I think when I am confronted with a difficult decision, the biggest thing is just trusting your own intuition and previous experiences knowing that you have a certain level of grit to find the outcome. I think of everything as an opportunity. Making those difficult decisions happens on a daily basis. I could think of a ton from my personal experiences outside of work, but also from a sales standpoint. Utilizing the resources that you have available. Understanding you have people around you that could be an awesome asset to you as well. But at the end of the day, it’s really just trusting yourself, knowing that you’re going to find an outcome and then delivering on what that outcome could be.
What is one life advice you can give to anyone?
[Trevor]: I think and maybe I could speak for both of us. Mike and I were talking about this the other day is the ability to persevere. The best things in life don’t come easy. If everybody could have what they desire, they would get it. But it’s the ability to persevere. Hard work is undefeated. Whether it’s something you desire at work or goals outside the office, if you continue to work hard, dedicate yourself, have confidence in yourself, and believe that you’re going to achieve it even when things aren’t always looking up, that’s the best thing you can do. Again, hard work is undefeated.
[Michael]: Going off that point, you got two guys here on the sales team that are consistently coming in day in and day out and making sure they put in the work. I can honestly say for myself and maybe for Trevor just knowing his kind of beginnings and his start in sales, it wasn’t something that we learned overnight. It’s something that we tried to continuously improve on. Going off of that, I think the one piece of advice that I could give anybody is tomorrow is promised to no one. What you can promise yourself is the ability to come in and put the level of work that you need to do to get better incrementally each day.
[Trevor]: If you want something, go get it!
[Michael]: If you want something, go get it and realize that it’s attainable. You may not get it the next day, but if you’re making those 1% incremental differences each day where you are getting better, you’re eventually going to get to that point where your expertise is unmatched. If you have the grit that goes along with that expertise, you’re a weapon.
Tell the story of how you’ve grown to become great friends and colleagues.
[Michael]: The story is pretty simple. Trevor and I were onboarded in the same class. We worked together previously for a very, very short period of time in a former company.
[Trevor]: We didn’t really know each other.
[Michael]: When I came into the office and when we were first tasked with doing our day to day tasks, I quickly realized that Trevor was going to be someone that I wanted to be affiliated with just simply by his level of hard work, dedication, and quick response to Wonolo’s mission. He truly bought into what we’re trying to do. I knew that I wanted to jump on board with him.
[Trevor]: I think we push each other. I think we’re both competitive guys. Although there are months where Mike outsells me and I outsell Mike, it’s that competitive fire that we both want to see each other succeed. When you’re successful together, that’s a strong relationship and at the end of the day, I know Mike has my back, not only in the office but outside of the office. When you’re able to take that energy in and out of the office and come to work every day, that’s something special. I’ve certainly never had that before at a workplace, but I think we’re both mission-driven. We have goals. We have shared goals. It’s been a pleasure to share our lives together because we have one goal in mind. It’s tied in with Wonolo. So it’s a privilege to work with you, Mike. It’s natural. I enjoy coming to work because of Mike. He pushes me every day. He makes me a better person.
