Izhar Fuentes
- Reginal Sales Director
- Magic Software Enterprises
School Information
School: University of California, Irvine
College Major: Business
Years at College Works: 2010
Career Information
Working For: Magic Software Enterprises
Title: Reginal Sales Director
Industry: Software
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
In this role, I lead sales in Northern North American, Canada, & Latin America. Involved in supporting sales within the existing customer base and new customer acquisition. Focused in the mid-market space across several industries to provide app integration, business process automation, data management & analytics.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?My proudest accomplishment post-College Works Painting has to be how quickly my career took off, once given the chance to perform. I graduated on a Friday and was reporting for an account management position that following Monday. It gave me a jump start on my career and couldn’t be anymore happier with where my career has taken me.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting was very challenging and difficult at times but very rewarding and beneficial for my development.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
College Works Painting provided me with the basics and foundation of new business development and all aspects of running a business. Having to have consistent work ethic to finish the program helped me carry those same habits to my life after graduation that help me stand out and be effective. Now I am responsible for one of the largest and fastest growing divisions in my company because of my business background and have thankfully been very successfully.
What do you want to tell your clients about what it meant to work with them and how it has helped you get to where you are today?
“The Nolans in the summer of 2010 (I believe). They were my largest and hardest project, but my team did a great job and they were very grateful for the work. Although at times they were a tough client, they taught me that the customer is always right and that clients will always speak highly of you, if you aren’t afraid to communicate and be transparent with them. “
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Hard work and persistence pays off in the long run. I encountered several challenges during production but stayed persistent and found a way to complete the program. It taught me that persistence pays offs, just cant give up!
How have the friendships and networks you built during CW affected you?
My team was awesome and will always miss our call competitions. I was fortunate enough to be mentored by one of my fraternity brothers and we still get together for major events and holidays.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
“Learn how to effectively hire and manage painters! It was my greatest pitfall and if I could give any advice to current College Works Painting students, learn how to manage your employees. They can make you very profitable or cause your downfall. For potential College Works Painting participants, its a great experience that will be one of the most challenging things that you will ever do. Its definitely not an internship for everyone but if you can make it through, you will be grateful for the experience. “
Many college students struggle to choose between an internship specific to their target industry or doing CW. What advice would you give them on this subject if they wanted to enter your career field?
If business, marketing, and sales is the career you want to be in, then I recommend College Works Painting.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
Communication, transparency, and persistence are the best values that will get you far in this field. Software is not an easy industry to be in but it is a rewarding career path if those three values are carried out on a day to day basis.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
Our payroll Fridays were always a blast. Suffering together with all the other branch and regional managers with the headaches of payroll and then going out together made production season fun and memorable.
Last words of wisdom?
Persistence!