Tamara Paul’s was born and raised in Ohio, currently living in Powell, Ohio. The 41-year-old college graduate has been married to Tito Paul for eight years and is the mother of two little boys, ages five and two.
After graduating college in 1997, Tamara pursued her first career in temporary staffing, followed by a 12-year career as a pharmaceutical sales rep. She successfully started her own medical distributorship in December 2013. She joined forces, the following summer, in 2014, with three other successful distributors to form a company called Rep Network. Continue reading, as we share our interview with the inspiring and motivating entrepreneurs.
Fuzionz: At what age did you know what you wanted to be in life?
Tamara: I knew I wanted to own my own business when I was about fifteen years old.
Fuzionz: Were you always motivated to own your own business? If so, what inspired that motivation?
Tamara: Yes, I sold cakes made from an easy bake oven outside my house, when I was eleven years old. I sold candy out of my locker, in the 7th grade. I had a full business plan created on a Discovery Zone and Day Care Center, in the 11th grade. From a young child, I was creative and had an entrepreneurial spirit.
Fuzionz: Tell us about your business and when it was started.
Tamara: I started my own medical distributorship in December 2013 and joined forces the following summer of 2014 with three other successful distributors. Our company is called Rep Network. We are a contract sales force. Rep Network has a large group of professional sales reps across the country so we partner with companies who have a product, shipping, customer service and infrastructure, however, don’t have a sales force to promote their product to physicians. Essentially Rep Network marries the companies in need of a sales force.
Fuzionz: Who or what inspired you to start or become a part of such a unique business?
Tamara: I met Jennifer Figueroa thirteen years ago during training for my first pharmaceutical job in Philadelphia. We remained mutual friends over the years even though she lives in NY… I reached out to her the summer of 2013 because I was interviewing for a job with the company she worked for. I didn’t get the job and five months later she contacted me to discuss a distributorship opportunity. Ironically, a few days after she contacted me, I was fired from my current company after working with them for 6 years. So, contacted me but my inspiration came from being fired from a company I had put blood, sweat and tears into for 6 years. I decided at that point that I would never be in a situation again where my livelihood was in the hands of someone else. I told my husband “I want to BE the block, instead of BEATING the block”.
Fuzionz: What has been your biggest challenges within the business?
Tamara: A couple challenges: Partnering with 3 individuals has been challenging. It took time to filter out responsibilities and decide who’s good at what and trust it will get done. I’m like control and things to be done a certain way. I had to learn that my partners are worker bees just like me and to let go. The other challenge has been recruiting reps who feel handcuffed to the corporate world. I was forced to take a leap of faith into being an independent rep so it was a little easier for me. Our job is to encourage sales reps to venture outside the world of corporate and trust in their skills and relationships. We are trained to believe a salary, benefits package, corporate car, and commissions are the best thing since sliced bread but is it really? As a society, we are a little brainwashed, which creates challenges for Rep Network to recruit. Over the last 2 years, I could have freed a lot more reps, if only they knew they were trapped.
Fuzionz: Are you involved with any charitable organizations?
Tamara: I find myself randomly giving… The homeless guy on the street, a TV for my church, sponsor events for children’s groups and the cancer society.
Fuzionz: How has your business made a difference in the lives of others, as well as your own life?
Tamara: I received a call at least twice a month from a sales representative thanking me for the opportunity to start their own business, be their own boss or for the feeling of financial freedom. Rep Network has changed the lives of so many people and that’s the one thing that puts a smile on my face when I wake up.
Fuzionz: How would someone who wants to get into this industry get started?
Tamara: It’s easy…Visit our website at www.repnetwork.com and submit their resume.
Fuzionz: Where can our readers find out more information and where can they find you?
Tamara: Our Website www.repnetwork.com and find me on Linked In under Tamara Paul.
Fuzionz: Please give some words of inspiration to both the young and old, to carry with them for the future.
Tamara: Life is a roadmap of making good decisions… Sometimes you get one try. What do you do when you’re in a tough spot? What decision do you make? Are you prepared or have done your diligence? Preparation meets opportunity so are you prepared when the opportunity presents itself? I was taught at a young age to make good decisions when it comes to school, boys, managing money, choosing friends, career path etc. I’m not saying I always made the correct decision but I at least learned from the wrong ones. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I had to revamp my social situation around the age of twenty-three, but it prepared me for what was to come. If you want to know what your future looks like “take a look at your friends”. And lastly, my favorite quote is “If your mind can conceive it, and your heart can believe it then you can achieve it”. Create your vision board and look at it every day! Check your progress as you move through life…
Tamara Paul is just one of many entrepreneurs who is giving back to communities through her business and through sharing her story of success with others. Don’t forget to visit the Rep Network website at www.repnetwork.com, to learn more.
Source: Fuzionz Magazine & TV – January 13, 2016
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