To paraphrase a popular book’s title, everything a salesperson needs to know, they learned by teaching kindergarten. Or, in the case of Justin Wagner, it was fourth grade.
It’s no secret that there’s a correlation between being an educator and a salesperson. Success in either field is heavily dependent upon a love of people (or, in the case of a teacher, a tolerance for people of a certain age). And it’s not surprising to find that many former educators move on to be highly successful salespeople, which is certainly the case for Wagner, who currently serves as vice president for MTS Office Systems.
It was during the late 1990s that Wagner embarked on a career as an elementary school teacher. But after a three-year stint, he decided a change of pace was needed, and the thought of becoming an administrator did not appeal to him. As he pondered his next vocation, Wagner fell into a conversation with a woman from his Sunday school class, who herself was transitioning from working for a copier equipment company to becoming a stay-at-home mom. She felt Wagner would be an ideal fit as a salesman.
Wagner met with three dealers, two of which rejected him for a lack of selling experience. The third, G5, took a flier on him, thus triggering the start of an 18-year journey with the dealership. Selling came naturally to Wagner.
“I love people, and truth be told, I love kids,” said Wagner, a 2023 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “I love education, and I got to deal with kids, parents and administration. People fuel my fire. So it was a natural progression going into the copier and sales world.”
A second round of self-discovery greeted Wagner in 2018 when G5 was acquired by an OEM he termed the “Big X.” As president of sales, he played a role in helping the dealership transition from a local entity to a “Big X” underling, and it didn’t take long for him to go from “loving my job to not really liking my job.” Wagner resigned, and since he was under the terms of a two-year non-compete clause, he took a position with a client of G5’s who was starting his own apparel company.
“During that time, I realized that I really enjoyed providing excellence in customer service,” noted Wagner, who still does apparel on the side. “I also enjoy helping people and employees become better than they thought they ever could be. It’s about challenging them, asking them what their passions are, and putting them in positions that align with their passions. I also truly enjoy the consulting part of the business.”
Faithful Following
When Wagner transitioned to MTS, the impact he had on clients during his days with G5 became readily apparent. Many of his former G5 clients followed him to MTS.
“They wanted to work with me, and I truly believe it’s because of excellence in customer service,” he said. “It’s about being truthful and honest with them, and helping them make the best decisions that they can.”
Wagner gleaned, at least in part, some of his customer service cues from Gary Gerack, the original owner of G5, who also shared the passion for helping people achieve optimal results and potential. Gerack’s philosophy of “I pay you minimum wage to show up, the rest I pay you is to think” resonated with him. Wagner encourages team members to troubleshoot and come up with solutions, which in turn helps them develop as leaders.
There’s a telling element in the relationship Wagner has with MTS’ owner Mason Smith. Wagner actually led G5 for two years prior to its acquisition, and Smith worked under him. Those roles were reversed when Wagner joined the firm in early 2022. He chose MTS over several other suitors that wanted him to manage a branch.
MTS is coming off a year in which it doubled in size and opened a new branch in Greenville, South Carolina. The arrival of Wagner and Michael Conklin—both former G5 employees—helped spark much of that success. As 2023 rolls along, the dealership will be seeking more sales reinforcements while setting up its infrastructure to accommodate the growth. The key to building in the future, Wagner believes, is finding business development professionals from outside of the industry to mold into the MTS culture and way of doing things.
On the personal side, Wagner and his wife, Aubrey, have been married for 26 years and have a son, Owen. Fun facts: Aubrey was named after the song by Bread, and she has a twin sister. The Wagners have a farm with horses, goats, chickens, cats and dogs. Coincidentally, as Wagner was house hunting, he saw a photo of the homeowner on the wall, and it was one of his clients.
When he’s not golfing, Wagner loves to hunt (rifle and bow) off the back of his property. He also serves as a deacon at his church.
