What does my husband do for a living?

Summer sales, in a nutshell, is when you go door to door to sell something…during the summer months. A lot of men in this area (we currently live in Utah) serve 2 year missions for their church. This is where they pack up a suitcase, leave their family and friends, knock door to door and spread teachings of their religious beliefs. When they return home from their missions, they will maybe go to school, find a job, find a wifey, and start their family (in no particular order).

So what does that have anything to do with the summer and with selling? Well it’s not glamorous by any means, but these guys (and some women) will pack their suitcase, travel to a new location (or they can stay home too) and knock door to door to sell a product of some type.

Popular things for these guys could sell are home alarm systems, pest control, solar panels, books, vacuums, knives, etc.

Back in 2013 Drew and I were planning our wedding. Drew was in school and I had a really good paying job at the time (in sales). It came up one day that both of us had been approached (separately) that we would be really good candidates for a summer sales job. Drew being an insanely hard worker, and me being super outgoing, it was something we had always thought about. We talked about it and discussed if it would be good for us to do it together right after we were married. We felt like it would be a good plan since we were getting married in April, and the selling season starts in May. We decided to start meeting with sales recruiters. They are EASY to find in Utah… Everyone and their dog, and their mom, has done summer sales (or knows something who has done it.)

We met with a few different recruiters and felt really good about two different ones. One sold alarm systems for houses, and the other sold pest control. We ended up signing a contract with the recruiter who sold pest control MAINLY going off our our gut feelings. We knew that both options would be okay option for us, truthfully, but the gut doesn’t lie.

After we got married, we honeymooned, and then we honeymooned AGAIN. We packed our suitcases and moved across the country to Columbus, OH. We were young, so in love, and had NOTHING to lose. It. was. so. fun.

The first day of selling, we got out of the car and started knocking doors. YOU GUYS!!! It wasn’t for me. Let me tell you, these guys work HARD. Within a half hour I sold 2 houses! That is actually REALLY GOOD! But then I went and sat in our air conditioned car and cried like a little chump. Drew came to comfort me and he asked if we should pack our bags and go home to Utah. I felt so defeated and embarrassed, but I’m so grateful Drew was so understanding and didn’t judge me whatsoever.

After a quick discussion in the car, we decided that I would look for another job. IF I could find a new job in Columbus, OH, within a day or two then we would stay. Welp, The very next morning I basically walked on staff at the Polaris Mall American Eagle.

Long story short, we stayed. We had a blast. We got to live in our honeymoon bubble a few more months, and we made a good chunk of change.

A few years of doing summer sales, Drew decided to open a branch with his sales company. (Basically a franchise.) We now have ownership in our own pest control company based out of Cincinnati, OH.

So what do we do in the fall and winter? I raise our kiddos, blog, run Everlys instagram page @meeteverlyjo, and Drew recruits for the next summer. The more guys he can get to come with us to Cinci, the more money we all make. So if you see us going on trips during the winter, or at the gym at 11 AM on a weekday, it’s because we make our own schedule in the “off season”.

We have loved traveling back and forth between Utah and Ohio (and a zillion other places). A lot of people need/love the stability and I COMPLETELY understand that. But for us, we have loved going on adventures and seeing little slices of this beautiful country we live in.

FREQUENTLY asked questions

• What places have we lived? Columbus OH, Cincinnati OH, Jacksonville FL, Savage MN, New Jersy, Virginia Beach VA, and probably more, but thats all I can think of at the top of my head.
• What does Drew do in the off season? Drew definitely works year round, even though his busy season is in the summer. In the off season he recruits a group of guys for the next year. For example, he will go to local colleges and set up booths and talk with students as they are walking from class to class. He will follow up with them, take them to dinner, “woo them” and try to get them to come knock door to door with him the next summer.
• Is it rare to be REALLY successful doing summer sales? Absolutely not. If you put in the work, you can make soooo much money. I know guys that put themselves through medial school because they work hard during the summer, and don’t go into debt to pay for school and living the rest of the year. ON AVERAGE Drew’s sales reps make around 15 grand their first summer. Most of them double their previous year. A classic phrase for a summer sales rep, is being held by the “golden handcuffs”. NOTE: This is not easy money. It’s fast money.
• Is is stressful making all our money all at once? Do we worry about stretching out our summer money the whole year? It was for the first few years. But it is easier now. You make a budget and stick to it, then before you know it, its summer again and the process repeats itself.
• What do our off season days look like? We spend a lot of time together. We have the flexiblity to go on adentures and travel without worrying about a 9 to 5 work day or PTO. We only have the boys school schedules to worry about now. As of right now, we wake up, get the boys ready for the day, go to the gym, come home, relax, fold some laundry, clean the kitchen, run errands. Drew might have a work meeting (recruiting lunch, etc.)
• Why just the summer? That’s when most of the bugs come out. (Sales guys will fullful the need by selling the bug spray when someone has an issue with ants, but then the actual technicians will return to the homes quarterly to keep the bugs out).
• What kind of pest control? Is is more for bugs or mice? Drews company does it all. 😃
• Is the bug spray non toxic? Yes. It is safe for your family and fur babies.
• Where do we live when we move every year? Rent a house? Hotel? Motor Home? We rent an apartment AND rent out furniture. Because Drew has a team of people that are moving to his locaiton (Cincinnati) we always rent out multiple apartments at a time. Most apartment complex’s won’t do month to month leases, but they normally will with us because we are renting out so many at a time. After the first summer of doing this, you build some repor with the complex managers, and it’s normally pretty easy to lock in a few apartments for just 3 or 4 months at a time. We also rent furniture. So the team will walk into a furnished apartment, with a bed, couch, kitchen table and chairs, a dresser, and of course, a washer and dryer. They only thing they need to pack are clothes, bathroom stuff, and maybe a frying pan (or crock pot). Whatever floats their cooking boats.