Manager at Sunbelt Rentals
Navy veteran drops anchor for a successful career with Sunbelt Rentals, a G.I. Jobs Top 50 Military-Friendly EmployerSM.
by Warren Duffie
Are there any similarities between working as a flight electronics technician and managing a retail store selling industrial equipment?
Doug Smith thinks so. In his view, both jobs require an unwavering commitment to safety: “I worked on P-3 Orions [fixed-wing, antisubmarine planes] in the Navy. Now, I sell lifts and cranes. In both cases, if you don’t make sure the equipment works correctly, people could die.”
Smith has converted this razor-sharp discipline into impressive success with Charlotte, N.C.-based Sunbelt Rentals — which provides specialized heavy equipment to every niche of the construction and industrial marketplace. He’s the manager of Sunbelt’s Houston Aerial Work Platform Center, which rents and sells forklifts, boom lifts, and scissor lifts. It’s an impressive operation, with 19 employees, monthly sales of at least $450,000, and an estimated equipment value of $9 million.
Smith reports to work at 6 a.m. and first runs financial reports outlining the previous day’s revenue and costs; this helps him find ways to save money. The former petty officer then checks with his supervisors to see what deliveries are arriving that day and what equipment needs to be purchased for the store. Smith then touches base with his sales staff and spends the rest of the day dealing with human resources issues, addressing customer concerns, and even selling equipment himself.
“I wear a lot of hats,” says Smith, 30. “I love my job because I have the freedom to run the store like my own business. Sunbelt places a lot of trust in their managers and staff.”
On the Job
Stretching from coast to coast — with a solid foundation in the Southeast — Sunbelt boasts 7,000 employees, more than 200 locations, and annual revenues of $819 million. It caters to commercial, residential, municipal, and service industries; specialized market sectors such as telecommunications, special events, and emergency preparedness; and weekend do-it-yourselfers.
There’s a wide spectrum of opportunities available for transitioning veterans, from skilled laborers to management positions. Other jobs include mechanics, drivers with commercial driver’s licenses, rental managers, and sales representatives.
“This is a place where veterans can do very well,” Smith says. “They’re disciplined, self-motivated, and their customer services skills are excellent – they’re used to saying ‘yes, sir’ and ‘yes, ma’am.’ ”
Military Experience
In 1996, like generations of sailors before him, Smith joined the Navy to see the world. After basic training in Orlando, Fla., rescue training in Pensacola, and electronics training in Millington, Tenn., he served in Hawaii, Okinawa and Atsugi, Japan, and on Diego Garcia. The Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native enjoyed the military, but after five years he grew disenchanted with how promotions were decided.
“It’s based on a test, and I don’t test well,” he says. “I had helped introduce the upgrade to the P-3 Orion – the P-3 AIP – and I wrote the syllabus for it and served on the first crew to fly it, but couldn’t advance because of the testing. I didn’t think that reflected how things worked in the real world.”
The Transition
In 2001 Smith decided to try his hand at civilian life. He took transition assistance classes and commissioned a recruiting firm to write his résumé. After his separation, Smith planned to obtain a pilot’s license from the renowned Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; however, to pay the bills, he first got a part-time job at a Sunbelt rental center in Raleigh, N.C.
He quickly excelled, moving from the sales floor to manager within a year-and-a- half, turning an unprofitable store into a money maker. Last December, he was offered the job at the Houston profit center.
“When I got out, the hardest part of civilian employment was the cost of living,” Smith says. “You save so much money with housing, PX, commissary, and military health care. I took a sizable pay cut at first.
“However, the advancement opportunities are so much better in the civilian world,” he continues. “It’s all about your performance and drive.”
Smith’s Advice
Make sure you really want to leave the military. “My hours are a lot longer now, and I work much harder. And I do miss seeing the world for free. But the opportunities in the civilian world make the separation worthwhile.”
Save your money while in the military. “You might experience a big pay cut. Apply yourself. If you performed well in the military, you’ll advance very quickly as a civilian.”