Jeffrey Katchmore’s early career can be traced back to his college years. As a student he worked to prove himself in academia just as he pushed himself as a student athlete. Jeffrey Katchmore played football at ESU from 1997 to 2001 and quickly found himself working in sales after graduation. Like many young workers, Jeffrey Katchmore was eager to prove his abilities and establish a lucrative career.

Working in sales, Jeffrey Katchmore quickly found he could apply what he learned as a student athlete to his new role as an employee. “Sports and sales may seem radically different, but there were moments I could see similarities. I had goals to meet and successful sales were my touchdowns,” says Jeffrey Katchmore. Not all sales were easy and Jeffrey Katchmore, more than once found that he needed to think strategy and come up with a plan to safe or secure a sale.

In his decade career, Jeffrey Katchmore did switch employers. He had to look at his personal goals for career development and determine whether his employer gave him the opportunity to advance his career. Jeffrey Katchmore worked for two financial companies and landed the position of District Sales Manager in 2010.

Becoming a district sales manager meant a lot to Jeffrey Katchmore. “Being named a district manager meant I had the skills necessary to lead others and deliver results. It was nice to be recognized for my years of hard work, but it also made me eager to advance my career further and prove I was capable of much more,” says Jeffrey Katchmore.

Jeffrey Katchmore is thankful for a successful decade in sales. “I have met many interesting people working in sales and some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned came out of the most difficult situations,” says Jeffrey Katchmore. He admits he made some mistakes in the past decade and has reflected on what he could have done differently, but it was the early mistakes that prepared him for what was yet to come. Jeffrey Katchmore encourages young professionals to look to mentors for guidance, take criticism with respect, and set both long and short term career goals.