JERSEY CITY, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / May 13, 2020 / When it comes to cars, quite few stories compare to that of Chris Gonzalez. A real rollercoaster tale. Many see the exterior sizzle and posture, some see a hustler's come up.
Chris Gonzalez grew up in low income Bronx, New York to an alcoholic father and an often absent minded mother. Life was stacked against him the moment he took his first breath. Nonetheless, endless grind and giving mentors helped build the man that exists today.
Many people in the same situation wouldn't have the dexterity or patience to make it out of the "hood". Why try anyway? Years of systematic oppression combined with lack of resource is a recipe for disaster. To make matters worse, his father passed away of cirrhosis of the liver when he had just turned 2 years old. Let's just say, he had a rough childhood ahead of him.
Once Chris reached a somewhat conscious age, he began to earn his way. What choice would he have anyway? No one was coming to save him. He began to take any work he could get. A Dominos Pizza delivery boy, a deck hand on a Fishing Boat in City Island and eventually, a used car salesman.
It turned out Chris liked serving auto clients better than scraping for tips. And he was surprisingly good at it.
It wasn't long before he saw a newspaper advertisement for a used car salesman position at a Honda dealership in Brooklyn. At the ripe age of 18, Chris walked in to the Dealership and was hired on the spot. What happened next was something of pure fate: He was introduced to his first financial mentor, the director of the F&I department.
"I remember saying to myself, ‘I can make some real money here.' I just knew life wouldn't be the same anymore" he shares.
Chris was right. He not only went on to sell 25 cars a month, he was quickly promoted to overflow finance manager. This allowed him to harness his F&I skills while still earning his commissions. Staying close to the finance director along with the other senior leadership truly crafted him into somewhat of a unicorn.
No other salesperson could match his negotiation or interpersonal skills.
After months of hard work, he quickly rose to the position of full time Finance Manager. The next thing he knew, he had moved from a small bronx apartment with his young wife and son, into a beautiful starter home in the suburbs of New Jersey. This is the life he had dreamt… he was only getting started.
Fast forward a couple years, he thought he had the world in his hands. He thought the success and money had reached his potential. Chris was wrong. There was more to life than working for others. It was time to work for himself.
Chris decided to make history by quitting his job and opening one of the first Automotive Brokerages in the world, Direct Cars LLC.
"I remember feeling excited. We were making so much money. It was advantageous to everyone because we were getting deals approved for people in tough situations who needed cars. I had truly built something Great." Chris added.
His office in the Freehold Mall was generating loads of cash and all of his customers loved him. Life wasn't good, life was great. Chris truly proves that no matter what your situation is, it's all about how you push forward. Starting with the end in mind has always been his strong point.
Mid way into his success the recession in late 2008 hit. Banks tightened up and cash flow became a problem. Chris had tons of cars on the road and dealers simply couldn't pay for profit owed.
That is the moment he learned his most important lesson: Be Prepared for Anything.
Chris continued to work deals and remain profitable but kept the economic crash in mind as things began to improve.
He still sells cars to this day and has extended his financial literacy skills into credit repair.
He now helps others fix their poor finances and coaches businesses on how to build true team culture.
Chris wasn't available for further comment, but I know he has only shared a small portion of why his fans love him today.
Chris Gonzalez 201 744 5685 [email protected]
SOURCE: Steez Analytics, LLC