Robert Alcantara’s early years weren’t as promising as he might have hoped they would be. In fact, looking back on his years in high school and college, there wasn’t really any activity, sport, or school subject which he excelled at. He was your typical, overall average guy with average grades and a standard athletic ability. In other areas he was good but nothing where he believed he was truly great.
Eventually, Robert started a position with Vector Marketing, the single-level direct sales company that sells CUTCO®. Right off the bat, his results were nothing spectacular but there was one thing that ultimately made all the difference for Robert. The one critical thing he excelled at was his consistency on a weekly basis and his admirable persistence.
Robert felt he finally found the right vehicle that enabled him to excel at what he does and succeed. As a sales representative with Vector Marketing, he loved his job because he was in complete control of his schedule and income. Initially, managing a team of sales reps was a herculean task due to the lack of control on their results.
“However, despite this being quite difficult for me, the excitement of watching a representative on my team go out and get amazing results is even more fulfilling than me getting the result on my own because I really do love seeing other people succeed. At its core, that’s why I wanted to start my own office. I really enjoy taking someone from where they are to where they want to be.” Robert emphasized.
From Robert’s point of view, the biggest hurdle when starting a business is having the necessary patience and the right expectations. At first, Robert admitted that he struggled with not seeing a lot of success right away.
“I think what’s more important than building something quickly is building it the right way with the right people. When someone has the patience to build their business the right way, it is much more sustainable for a long period of time.” Robert pointed out.
Robert knew he wanted to study business in college and eventually, start his own company. Yet, he had no idea where to start. Over the summer break, he applied to a few internships but didn’t manage to get any due to lack of experience. Robert was applying specifically to gain experience but frustratingly, kept being turned because he had no experience.
“So I heard about the entry level sales position with Vector Marketing and decided to interview for it. After being accepted and going through the training, it was very evident to me that whatever path I took within business, I would need sales skills.” Robert remarked.
For Robert, success is not just about money. He has run thriving businesses, stacked a lot of cash and he has been a leader. Ultimately, he realized that there is no success without a feeling of fulfilment.
“Because if you finish #1 in a sport or in sales for the year but you stepped on everyone’s toes along the way and there’s no one to share in that celebration, what is your success anyways?” Robert asks.
Robert’s next project is finishing this year with over 300% growth while showing the new leaders in his business how to create a thriving business of their own. In the next few years, he also plans on getting into real estate and starting another company in that field.
“What separates me from my competitors is both my mindset and my persistence. I truly believe that I can accomplish anything that I want, it may take some time but I know I will get it done. For the past several years, I have focused on my mindset and what I believe about myself and the world around me. Mental toughness is your greatest asset in the world of sales and there is nothing that will increase your results more.” Robert affirmed.
If you want to know more about Robert you can also follow him on Instagram and if you’d like to know more about Vector, find them here.