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The career you started when you were 24 may not be the right fit for you now.
Perhaps you’re not happy working behind a desk or you’re tired of clocking in and out Monday through Friday in an office. Maybe you’re looking for more independence but don’t know what that looks like workwise. If you find yourself at a fork in the road with your career, why not venture off course and become a Schaeffer sales rep?
You might think prior experience or industry knowledge is necessary for a sales job, but that’s not the case at Schaeffer. We teach you what you need to know. Before joining Schaeffer, our sales reps did a little of everything except selling engine oil and grease. They came from all walks of life, but they all had the drive within them to do something different. Like you, they found themselves at a point in their career where they were unsatisfied with work and wanted to be their own boss.
“When people join Schaeffer, they don’t realize it’s what they’ve been looking for because it’s like nothing they’ve done before,” said Aaron Saxton, east regional director for Schaeffer. “That’s why our reps say they wish they would have found Schaeffer years ago, and they recommend being a Schaeffer rep to family and friends. It’s an opportunity like no other.”
So why not you? Switching careers allows you to focus on what you want in a job and what you’re trying to achieve. For our reps who took a chance on Schaeffer, it was the change they needed. Being a Schaeffer sales rep has allowed them to take control of their careers while experiencing work that challenges them as much as it rewards them. This could be true for you.
“Working with Schaeffer is unlike anything I could have experienced working in the corporate world,” said Theresa Langhammer, a Schaeffer rep in Wisconsin. “Running your own business takes a lot of hard work and dedication is required, but the opportunity is possible here.”
Eight years ago, Schaeffer wasn’t on Theresa’s radar as a job opportunity. She had a successful career in healthcare using her strong customer service skills, but years spent in that field left her feeling burnt out. As Theresa explains, she needed a change in her life, and her brother-in-law, Schaeffer rep Brian Kuss, had the answer.
“Brian had been with Schaeffer almost two years and knew what the company had done for his family. He knew my personality and thought I’d be a good fit,” said Theresa. “My lack of sales experience wasn’t an issue because Schaeffer provided sales training and time in the field with other Schaeffer reps, which really helps.”
Theresa says there was a lot to learn, but she gained confidence in her product knowledge by devoting time to it. “I perfected my intro and product demonstration, and I focused on our most popular products first to be comfortable with,” she said. “From year to year, I learned what worked and what didn’t and determined what I needed to do to achieve my sales goals.”
As for the change she was looking for, Theresa says she found it at Schaeffer. “I get the opportunity to structure my day. I’m in business for myself. I get to determine my pay structure when I set and achieve goals. You can’t do this with an employer,” she said.
Long-time Schaeffer rep Al Honermann says it’s ironic how things fell into place with his career. “I spent months to become a barber, and I did that for 12 years. I spent two years to become a technician, and I did that for seven years. I spent a few days learning how to sell lubricants, which I’ve done for 45 years,” he said.
When the company he worked for as a technician moved its operation to Mexico, he decided it was time for a career change. Al started selling Schaeffer’s products within three weeks of learning about the company from a neighbor who was a Schaeffer rep. “He showed me the product demonstration, and I was hooked,” said Al.
Schaeffer wasn’t as widely known in the late 1970s as it is today, so it took him time to build his business.
“I credit my wife for encouraging me in my early years when I was learning. She could see the bigger picture that was possible with Schaeffer,” said Al. “I grew comfortable with selling and enjoyed being my own boss. After a few years, I never looked back and felt this is what I was meant to do with the rest of my working years.”
Al has been selling Schaeffer’s products for an impressive 45 years but says he had a brief stint in sales prior to Schaeffer. In his early barbering years, he sold Fuller Brushes but admits with a chuckle, “it was only part-time for a few months.”
“Other than marrying my wife, Schaeffer was the best move of my life,” said Al. “The fellow sales reps you meet are more than willing to help you, and you get great support from the office staff, who also want you to succeed.”
Unlike Theresa and Alan, Doug Rogers came to Schaeffer with sales experience. He worked in an upper-end clothing store in Kansas City, selling suits to sports players and newscasters. Doug remembers one time selling a raincoat to Walter Cronkite, news anchor for the CBS Evening News during the 60s and 70s.
“At the time, it was quite the job, but toward the end, I was trying to figure out how to sell in the real world and get out of the closed-door store setup,” he said. “I’d load up my ‘69 Volkswagen with clothes and sell to customers at their homes. I liked the outside sales experience.”
It took about three years before Doug came across the opportunity to do full-time outside sales for Schaeffer. He got to experience a typical sales day with another Schaeffer rep, and he spent time training with Schaeffer family member and CEO, Jay Shields, who was a sales rep at the time.
“I had a basic understanding of engines, oil, and grease, but Jay opened my eyes to what’s possible with Schaeffer,” said Doug.
Determined to succeed, Doug traded suits and jackets for reading product data sheets and crawling under trucks. He expanded on his knowledge through hands-on experience with customers. “They’d give me a jar and a wrench and taught me how to pull oil samples,” he said. “Things I didn’t know, I wasn’t afraid to ask.”
Doug admits initially, he wasn’t sure what he got himself into, but Schaeffer ended up as the sales opportunity he wanted. Thirty years later, he’s still going strong representing Schaeffer and continues to earn a coveted spot as a Top 25 Schaeffer Rep.
“I know I can get the job done if you give me a good product to sell, and Schaeffer has that product. The rest is just a matter of getting out there and seeing enough people to make it work,” he said. “Sales is sales regardless of the industry. It boils down to taking care of the customers.”
Our sales reps started out in different professions before joining our sales force, and it’s their past experiences that have helped make them successful. If you find yourself in a career slump or you’re wanting more independence while you earn a living, Schaeffer could be the different career change you’re looking for. Use this link https://www.joinschaeffer.com/tell-me-more.html to send us an email and we’ll be in touch!
