This month’s Employee Spotlight features one of our trainers, Justin D.! A loyal BDSer since 2014, he works closely with new hires and trains them in their new roles at BDSmktg. Learn more about Justin, his favorite hobbies, what advice he would give to a client or brand, and trends he sees as a trainer.

Q: Tell us about your journey with BDSmktg. How did it start?

A: I started in 2014 as a part-time rep in Central Valley, California. After about a year, I began to travel and help other local markets, as well as a Pilot Program in the San Jose region. My goal was to work in the Pacific Northwest, specifically Portland. Therefore, when a full-time position opened up for me in the Seattle market, I took the opportunity. Shortly after the Pilot Program became nationwide, I took over the South Seattle market. Fast forward to a year later, I was recommended for a new position as a market team lead. The following year, I moved to the Portland market to become a trainer, and it has almost been two years now!

Q:  Tell us about your role. What do you do on a day to day basis?

A:  I work to train new hires in their new roles for BDSmktg. Being the first person they work with at BDS, I do my best to ensure that they have a great first impression. If I am not training a new rep or helping our current reps, you can find me in the field helping out markets when we have a lot of extra work. As a trainer, I travel A LOT so a good portion of my week might be spent on the road or at an airport.

Q:  What aspect of your career do you enjoy the most?

A: When I was a rep, I enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing the personal effect and progress that I have made in my stores. As a trainer, I really like seeing the reps gain confidence in their work, and I know that I set them on the right track. Since I’ve been with BDS, I’ve gone to about 20 different states that I don’t think I would’ve seen on my own, including Hawaii and Alaska.

Q:  Any new trends you’re seeing as a trainer for the Merchandising/Break Fix team?

A:  While in-person training is still important, there are so many new avenues to train reps with all the tech-based apps and websites.

Q: What advice would you give a client or brand if they wanted to invest in merchandising?

A:  The most important advice I would share is to give the best available tools and support to merchandisers. If given the right tools, merchandisers can support the brand as best as possible. We all want to do a great job and take pride in what we do, and similar to the trainer’s role, we want to put people in positions to succeed.

Q:  What has been the highlight of your career at BDS?

A: The highlight of my career at BDS is either visiting Honolulu or New Orleans. It was my first time traveling to both places, and they left a lasting impression on me. I would love to visit again.

Q:  Outside of work, do you have any interests or hobbies?

A: The beautiful Pacific Northwest is great for camping, hiking, and great food scene, and I like to enjoy it when I can. When I’m home, I like relaxing with some video games and watching various sports. When I’m not home, I like to explore new places and the foods of where I’m staying. In addition, with all the driving I do, I am really into audiobooks and podcasts.

Keep an eye out for more Employee Spotlights! Interested in becoming a BDSer yourself? Check out our Careers Page for the latest job openings.