“When I was growing up I didn’t want to go into sales,” says Joey Benaron -- who has been a salesman for the past 16 years. “I had a bad impression of the business.” He thought the goal of sales in general was to get people to spend money whether or not they wanted to. Since becoming a salesperson, however, his views have changed. “It’s not about one person winning,” he explains. “It’s about striving for an outcome that is fair to all.” Today Benaron believes that one can – and should – do business in an ethical manner.
He’s been living in Santa Barbara since 2007 and working as an independent sales rep for the boot company Red Wing. “There’s inherent value to the product,” he tells me. “A lot of stuff is manufactured to be disposable. Red Wings can last you decades if you want them to.” He then goes about explaining “conscious consumerism” to me. “When you buy something that doesn’t last, you tend to regret it,” he explains. “People need to curate what they own – and know where their products are made and how they are made.”
Joey grew up in Los Angeles in the 1970s where his grandfather owned a furniture company and became his steady role model. He shares an inspiring story about the time his grandfather contracted a craftsman to build tables and chairs – and pre-sold them. When the chairs kept breaking, Joey’s grandfather replaced the whole inventory to his customers at a total personal loss. “He had strong moral ethics and integrity,” Joey says.