Juan Rosendo remembers accompanying his dad as they looked for a new family car. They visited the local car dealership many times and the sales staff got to know him. They would tease him about joining their sales team after he graduated from high school. But, he knew he wanted to go to college and had other plans. He would not have guessed then that his journey in life would bring him back to car sales.
Before selling cars, Juan pursued his passion for art. Growing up in Chicago, there were few places to play outside. So, Rosendo developed a passion for video games and hoped someday to design the games he loved. He graduated from Westwood College with a degree in Graphic Design and Multimedia Design. While he did not become a video game designer, he did become a layout designer at the Southeast Chicago Observer. After that, he did sign and print design work at Region Signs. Being in the design field, he was used to working long hours alone at his desk.
Sitting alone behind a desk would soon change, however. When the Recession continued into 2010, Rosendo had to seek other employment. He had a friend in the car business that convinced him to give it a try.
“Selling cars is so much different than my past jobs. Here, you are always moving and meeting new people,” says Rosendo.
“Southlake Nissan is a great company,” says Rosendo. “Our best-selling car is the Nissan Altima. Nissans are very dependable cars with many lasting over 200,000 miles and needing little maintenance. Nissans have features like the around view monitor that allows you to see all sides of the vehicle. We also make it easy for people to buy a car. For instance, we have a college graduate program that offers graduates a new vehicle at $150 less than invoice. We also offer military discounts.”
Working in car sales has taught Rosendo many lessons.
“You have to have a thick skin. You cannot stress out. You have to always keep a positive attitude. It also teaches you how to budget,” Rosendo says with a laugh. “I always save up my money during the good months.”
When not selling cars, Rosendo enjoys spending time with his girlfriend.
“I am so lucky to have her, you need patience when dating someone in car sales,” says Rosendo. “In sales, your start time is set but you never know when your day will end. There have been times when I have to cancel our plans.” Rosendo explains. “I do not take her patience for granted. She also puts up with me still playing video games!”
As a sales professional at Southlake Nissan for over three years, Rosendo gets the most satisfaction out of helping his customers.
“When you first meet your customer, you do not know anything about them. You have to build a relationship and trust and, soon, you are helping them make one of the biggest purchases in their lives. It is very rewarding and knowing you are helping them out makes all the hard work worth it,” says Rosendo.
If you are looking for a new vehicle, please visit Juan Rosendo at Southlake Nissan, 4201 East Lincoln Highway in Merrillville. You may also call him at (219) 945-4874.