Easley, South Carolina, resident Justin Gotshaw began working with the United Parcel Services (UPS) in 2019 as an inside sales representative. For three years, Justin Gotshaw worked with small to medium-sized businesses in the northeastern US, fulfilling their packaging needs.
In 2022, UPS promoted him to enterprise inside sales representative, a job that involved working with Fortune 500 companies. In this position, he onboarded and expanded relationships with Southern California companies, helping them with their small package shipping needs.
In 2023, Mr. Gotshaw served as an inside sales lead specialist, onboarding and continually training a 22-member sales team. His training courses involved learning more about the company’s products, sales skills, and company procedures. In his final year with UPS, he returned to his previous role as an enterprise inside sales representative.
Mr. Gotshaw earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Greenville Technical College and bachelor’s degree in business administration and supply chain management from Southern Wesleyan University. Outside of work, his hobbies include going to the movies, the gym, and concerts. He likes getting tattoos and is an avid Funko Pop collector. He also enjoys spending time with family.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I am typically up between 7:00 am and 8:00 am each day. I like to begin my days with a moment of prayer to help ease my mind and provide guidance. I then take a walk outside, which is usually between 10 to 15 minutes. Once I am finished with my walk, I freshen up and eat a good, hearty breakfast. When I arrive at the office, I take some time to catch up on voicemail and emails. I then use my calendar to see my tasks for the day and assign priority to each task. These tasks can include team meetings, client meetings, and other tasks related to my workday. Once I am finished with the day, I try to hit the gym in the evening to wind down and relieve any stress that may have crept in during the day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I come from an extensive background in customer service and sales in my professional career. Both areas have similarities in the way we connect with people. In my last experience, I was able to achieve a formal leadership role, which meant some of my coworkers were now my direct/indirect reports. Before tackling any situation, I like to conduct research on the subject(s) at hand. Extensive research allows me to develop appropriate probing questions and provide actual solutions to the situation. I tend to also seek feedback from my peers when situations are more complex. I feel a sense of teamwork can help us learn different solutions to different problems.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The trend of AI excites me. I am excited to see the various ways AI can be used to gain additional insight into the world of customer service and sales. AI is used to obtain customer information before they reach a representative with most companies in customer service, which allows the representatives to conduct brief research and present better solutions. AI is used in the world of sales to provide insight into customer purchasing patterns, determine possible future probabilities of adding services/products, and even used to help generate marketing campaigns more tailored to specific customers on behalf of sales.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I feel an important habit which helps me be productive is effective time management. I use calendar apps and tools to help me schedule out my daily, weekly, and, in some cases, monthly tasks. I also create lists on my computer via notes or notepad apps, which I can then mark off once completed. I also ensure I block off personal time on my calendar to catch up on less important tasks, take breaks, and sometimes just to have a moment to catch my breath.
What advice would you give your younger self?
We learn and develop from both success and failures. Sometimes a setback can provide us with directions to something better. Don’t be afraid of failure.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe it is important to forgive and forget, especially in difficult situations. Forgiveness is not always easy to give, as it requires us to admit faults even when we feel there is no fault to admit. Forgetting can be difficult as well. It is often human nature to hold on to traumatic events, but we need to forget the pain and remember the lesson learned. I feel that forgiving and forgetting allows us to focus on the present, rather than being stuck in the past.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I take a moment each day to reflect on the positives of my day before going to bed. I feel positive reflection and affirmation before bed helps promote a better mindset for the next day. I also feel positive reflection helps keep life in perspective.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I go to the gym to work out while listening to music. I recently, within the past few years, took a focus on my personal well-being and discovered just how much the gym can really help in different areas, including stress relief. I tend to workout 30 minutes to one hour three to four times a week.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Collaboration is an essential key to success. Collaboration allows for us to connect with various people and learn different perspectives. In leadership and talent development, collaboration is a big factor. This is especially true when you are newer in your role. Collaboration also leads to more people in your corner when future roles present themselves. People whom you have collaborated with can speak to both your strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide additional insight to help you be successful. I feel that we all reciprocate these attributes through collaboration both professionally and personally.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
During a recent role, the company I worked for had some restructuring in terms of leadership roles. My role was affected, and I unfortunately did not make the cut to keep my role based off interview processes. I personally felt that I had failed because I did not keep my role although my team outperformed many others. Looking back at the situation, this was an opportunity to truly see a weakness. I ultimately remained employed with the company until other situations arose and was given the opportunity to further develop my interview skills.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Calendar software on various email apps. Typically, when I am at work, the email app is Outlook, and the calendar is helpful to assign tasks throughout my day. Personally, I use Google, and the calendar is a lifesaver when remembering various appointments.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
My favorite book that I have read recently is 12 Lessons in Business Leadership: Insights from the Championship Career of Tom Brady. This book demonstrated how various factors of leadership helped Tom Brady be one of the most successful quarterbacks in NFL history. I really enjoyed the insight to one of my favorite players, while also learning valuable lessons to apply throughout life.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake. How to Train Your Dragon was originally an animated feature which came out in 2010 when I was younger. The theme of not being afraid to take a different approach to resolve an issue really has had an impact on me.
Key learnings
- Don’t be afraid to try different approaches.
- Use effective time management to plan out your day.
- Collaboration is a big key to success.
- Invest in people (workers and customers alike).