In the nearly year and a half that he’s worked at The Carvonis Group, Lester Quiñonez has proven himself to be an invaluable team leader. He is currently in management training to open his own branch office in the near future. We interviewed Lester to learn more about the attitudes and motivations behind his rapid success:
What inspired you to go into sales and marketing?
I was trying to find something that would allow me to grow and learn. When I first started in this business, I noticed that there was so much opportunity to learn and so many chances to move forward and grow.
What is your favorite part of working at The Carvonis Group?
Definitely the work environment, I get to share so many special moments with these people.
What do you think makes you a good team leader?
I think it’s my organization. Something that I’ve learned from Krystoff [Carvonis] is to keep every detail of your day organized, that’s the key to being a good leader.
What do you think holds people back from achieving their full potential?
I would say that it’s patience. You have to be in that frame of mind, always thinking about where you’re going to be two or three years. Many people are just thinking about where they are right now, instead of considering the future. A lot of the time, that attitude is all that’s holding people back.
What’s the biggest obstacle that you’ve had to overcome in your career?
The biggest obstacle for me in this business is the language barrier. I come from a Hispanic country and I speak fluent Spanish. So for a while, trying to communicate with someone in English was the hardest part. But I’ve overcome that by coming to the office super early to read in English and practicing with my coworkers. Those things have helped me a lot.
Who has your biggest mentor been? What have you learned from them?
My biggest mentor has been Krystoff Carvonis, our president. He’s been the one teaching me all of the details of this company. He helps me every single day. He’s taught me that you have to work hard right now if you want financial freedom in the future. Pay now and play later.
How was your time at the Top Gun seminar in Los Angeles? What was your biggest takeaway?
Hanging out with employees of successful companies was amazing; having that chance to pick their brains is something that I’ll never forget. The best lesson I learned was from the CEO of the client broker company. He taught me about the habits he’s used in his personal and professional life to become successful. He told me to have a great attitude, always be on time, be prepared for everything, be aware of opportunities, earn customers respect, work a full day, never make excuses, and to take control of every situation.
What motivates you?
I’m motivated every single day is because of my wife and my family. I have to be able to go out to the field and make it happen every day in order to provide for my family.
Great work, Lester! We look forward to hearing about all of your future achievements!
For more interviews with The Carvonis Group team members, keep an eye on our blog!
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