Cody Lang was only 18 when he walked into his family’s dealership as a tire salesman.

“When a lot of people looked at me they immediately thought, ‘What does a young guy like this possibly know about the tire industry, let alone help me with my business,’” says Lang.

Proving to his Tire Solutions customers that he was a reputable business partner meant learning the ins and outs of the industry at an incredibly fast pace. Now, as the territory manager at Tire Solutions, Lang says more than seven years of industry knowledge has helped him build not only his confidence but also his connections.

“Today I call on some of the same customers that I called on as a kid, which is a huge advantage for our company to keep those relationships going,” says Lang.

A typical day for Lang means doing things different than just selling tires. Lang says he strives to help his customers grow their businesses through a variety of marking opportunities. Every day he says he is motivated to do everything he can to help his family’s business succeed.

“The best advice I have ever received is to ‘Keep your head down and keep plugging away.’ And anyone in the industry knows not every day is going to go exactly the way you want, especially when you are in sales,” says Lang. “You have to go out every day and make the best of it. No matter if it’s a good day on the road or a bad day on the road, you learn something. If you can take that one thing you learned today and make yourself a better salesperson for tomorrow, it is a successful day.”

Fun Fact: If Lang wasn’t helping tire dealers reach their business goals, he believes he would be helping people reach their fitness goals as a personal athletic trainer.