Have you ever wanted to know your Elbeco Rep a little more in-depth? Every month, we will be highlighting one member of the Elbeco Sales Team to help you get to know them a little better. From a look inside their hobbies to what they would be doing if they weren't your Elbeco Rep to the highlight of their workday, we have the answers. Read on to learn more about this month's featured Sales Team Member.
This month, we look at Chris Clos, Sales Representative - North IL, North IN, South MI and North OH.
Hometown: Born and raised in Metro Detroit. Always lived pretty much within 20-25 miles of where I was born. Downtown Detroit is about 30 miles from where we live.
Current Location: I live on the East Side of the Detroit suburbs.
Family: My family is my everything. My wife and I married in October of 2005. Almost immediately after that we got pregnant. So, I have my 14 year old Giuliana, my son Nico who is 11, and my youngest daughter Simona who just turned 7.
Education: I graduated through high school and whatever else. I had golf scholarships available. The reason I'm not a pro golfer or down that path is because when I was 18 I had very bad back problems. I had to forego my freshman year. So, then I started working. I had an Associate's Degree in General Studies from Macomb Community College. And I met my wife, so I've been working ever since.
Fun Fact: I'm a really good cook. I really enjoy cooking. If I see it done once or ask someone how to do it once or follow a recipe once, I feel really confident about my cooking. I love food. Who doesn't love to eat? A big inspiration to eat is my mother and my mother-in-law actually. My wife is from Italy. So, my mother-in-law is a really great cook. No one can cook like my mother-in-law.
3 Words to Describe Yourself: Driven. Loyal. Detailed.
Biggest Influence: In life all around I would say my wife. I was young when I got married. I was 23 years old. I knew what I wanted because I was always a little bit older than my age. I started working at a young age. You have your mother and your father, and they are a lot to me. But I became who I am because of my wife.
Hobbies: I'm an avid golfer. I don't like to talk about it because everyone likes to make it seem that they are better than they are but I'm pretty good. Beyond that I love all sports. My son excels with his baseball so we are pretty involved with all of that. Cooking. Spending time with my kids, as much time as I possibly can. Fun activities. My buddies that I grew up with, we all live in the same sub so a couple nights of the week we watch the game and drink beers. Shopping. My wife and I love to shop. Work.
Sales Experience: My whole life. I got into sales when I first knew I wasn't going to be golfing in college. My first job in college was for E&R. I started there onsite at a plant, Detroit Diesel. From there, I moved back inside, and I did inside sales on the Chrysler team. I had been there for 5 years, so I made the leap into the outside world when I left that company. So, sales is all that I have ever done. Started in automotive sales. Then I got into some banking which is kind of like sales. Then I got into the first responder world and haven't looked back.
Tenure at Elbeco: My one-year anniversary was in January, so one year.
Favorite Elbeco Product and Why: Our polos. It's because they're unstoppable. They sell themselves which makes my job a whole lot easier and nobody has any issues with them. That's what I always use as the icebreaker is the polo. You can't lose with our polo.
Favorite Part of Working for Elbeco: The people. I too have been in situations that have been toxic and that doesn't happen at Elbeco. There may be things that don't happen when they're supposed to from our side but it always gets worked through. My boss is great, best boss I've ever had without question. He spoke to the culture here and it's been true ever since I came on board and that's been really huge for me.
Biggest Highlight of Workday: Getting the customer what they need, taking care of the customer. Doesn't happen every day, it's nice to have an answer for them. Getting out on the road. Getting to travel and see all the nuances. I love the diversity. Continuing to learn the customers and their nuances.
Something You Learned About Yourself Through This Role: How patient I can be. I'm not a patient person as it pertains to work. I don't like to lose in work. I don't like to wait when I know what I'm doing is better for you as a customer. I've learned being more customer facing that I've become more patient and allowed the process to play out. Have to have patience.
If You Weren't Working In This Role, What Would You Be Doing Instead? Selling something somewhere else. It's just what I do. I'm a people person. I can sell anything. In the dream world I'd be playing on the PGA tour. But in the real world, I'd be selling something somewhere else.
What Would You Like to Be Known/Remembered For? At work and in life as the guy who would do anything for anyone. Always gonna be the guy who gives you the shirt off his back. Always going to go the extra mile for any customer, coworker or friend to make sure they get what's best for them.
Anything Else You Want To Share? Here's to 2021 :)
Stay tuned for the next edition of this series to see who we highlight next.