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Growing up in rural Missouri, Katie Laxson dreamed of someday going to medical school and becoming a doctor. She knew she wanted to help people when she was older, and she envisioned herself traveling across the world doing missionary work in underserved communities. Today, Katie’s career hardly resembles her childhood dream. Instead of wearing a white coat and stethoscope to work, she wears Carhartt and reflective vests.
“My application to med school got rejected, and I needed a job because I had to pay off my student loans,” she said. “I saw that EquipmentShare was hiring, so I decided to apply even though I knew absolutely nothing about construction equipment.”
Three years later, Katie has found her new calling. She is one of EquipmentShare’s top sales reps — and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“My office is a truck, and I love it,” she said. “At first, I was hesitant to take the job because I had never worked in sales before. Also, there aren’t many females working in this type of role. But the company believed in me and was willing to take a chance on me. They took me under their wing and helped me get up to speed.”
As a territory account manager, Katie forms relationships with contractors and construction companies and helps them with their equipment needs — whether that’s renting machines, purchasing assets or adopting EquipmentShare’s award-winning T3 technology.
“Sometimes they tell me to kick rocks for six months,” she said. “But then they come to their senses once they realize we offer better equipment than our competitors. Our product sells itself, and that makes my job so much easier because I don’t have to act like a used car salesman. Also, our sales team is account-based, so we really get to know our customers and build trust with them over time. I retain nearly all of my customers because of this model.”
Katie’s success at EquipmentShare stems from her drive, passion and problem-solving skills. She also has a competitive streak. She’s a lifelong athlete who has dabbled in cage fighting and mixed martial arts.
“It takes a certain type of personality and work ethic to thrive on our sales team, and Katie checks all of the boxes,” said Jabbok Schlacks, Co-founder of EquipmentShare. “As our company continues to grow across the nation, our top priority is to put people into positions where they will be successful. Katie is a perfect example of what it looks like when we achieve that goal.”
Since joining EquipmentShare, Katie has learned the ins and outs of the construction industry and can now talk endlessly about machinery and fleet management technology. But at the root of her knowledge is an appreciation for the company that took a chance on her.
“I enjoy what I do because I work for EquipmentShare, not because I love construction equipment,” she said. “Our company culture is unmatched. We have grown so much since I started working here, but it still feels like a family-run business. Everyone’s opinion matters, and our leadership team is always open to innovation and ideas. It’s not like working for a big corporation that is stuck in its ways.”
Even though Katie didn’t expect to land a career in construction, she still feels fulfilled at work every day because she gets to help people — just in a different capacity.
“EquipmentShare is changing the construction industry for the better, and we really do help people,” she said. “We help them save money, grow their businesses and build things that improve local economies.”
Looking ahead, Katie sees herself thriving at EquipmentShare and expanding her client base – as well as her income. EquipmentShare does not have commission caps, providing limitless opportunities for driven sales professionals like Katie.
“My goal is to someday have accounts in all 50 states,” she said. “I’m very lucky and very, very blessed to be at EquipmentShare. I never thought I’d still be working here three years later, but now I see myself staying for a long time.”
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