I first met Steve about seven years ago when I picked up my daughters at the YMCA afterschool program. My daughter Chloe was in kindergarten, and my older daughter Aleah was in 2nd grade. The program was experiencing quite a bit of counselor turnover, and being a young parent at the time, it brought my wife and me some concern.
As the door opened to enter the building, a skinny young blue-eyed boy looking to be no more than 16 walked out holding a clipboard. He reached out with a firm handshake and looked me directly in the eyes, “Hello Mr. Lynch, my name is Steven Johnson, and I am the new site director for the afterschool care program. You can call me by my camp nickname “Screech.” I was initially amused by his nickname, Screech, which so cleverly pinned him to the gawky teenage nerd from the show “Saved by the Bell.”
But I was much more impressed with his humble confidence and earnest display of respect as he carefully guided my girls to my car, ensuring me that my girls would be safe under his care. It was at that very moment that I thought to myself, “With the right guidance, he could make a great salesperson someday.” Over the next two years, I had the privilege of getting to know Steven as he lived true to the promise of taking care of my girls. From time to time, I would ask him about his plans for the future and if he ever considered exploring a career in sales. Of course, when most people think about sales, they think of used cars or insurance (nothing wrong with either), and I knew he had no clue as to what sales is really all about, and he definitely didn’t know of the exciting life of selling caulk. Helping me out by watching my girls for an afternoon in June of 2018, Steve dropped the girls by my office at Everkem and inquired whether we were hiring. As luck would have it, we did need some extra help, and we hired Steve to help the team with some warehouse labor. Although Steven thought he was coming to Everkem just to work some temporary part-time warehouse hours, I knew if he could prove reliable, hardworking, and eager to learn, that I would love to introduce him to the world of sales. Now in his third full year of inside sales and customer service, Steve has developed a strong rapport with customers and a passion for helping do whatever it takes to prove value for our customers. “It has been a tremendous experience working with such a great team of people and learning and growing with Everkem,” Steven says. “I’ve learned that the sales cycle doesn’t end with the first order, but its consistency in follow up that builds the most value. This is especially true in challenging times with all the Covid and supply chain shortages and material increases. Now, more than ever, I think it is more important to guide them through the process with transparent communication to make sure our customers can make well-informed decisions.” Steven loves spending time with his wife Ashlyn and their dachshund Cooper. In his spare time, Steven continues to practice and pursue his passion for golf. He committed to play at least once per week this year and has cut four strokes off his handicap. Steven’s also a massive fan of Auburn University athletics and Carolina Panthers football. Steven is a team player and does whatever he can to help a customer, our team, and his family and friends. If you haven’t had the pleasure of speaking, meeting, or working with Steve, you can email him at steven@everkemproducts.com, connect with him on Linked In, or call 1-800-638-3160. Just ask for Screech.
