Carlos Franco is a walking manifestation of the American Dream. The affable Californian would probably chuckle to hear himself described in such grandiose terms, but the epithet is accurate. A self-confessed former “heavy metal dude,” Franco started in the industry by washing screens at a silk-screening shop. He worked his way up, becoming a printer, then a floor manager and, eventually, to running the company.

Nearly 20 years ago, he leveraged his experience into a position with PromoShop (asi/300446), and again hustled his way to success. In 2018, Franco was PromoShop’s “Big Kahuna” – what the Top 40 firm calls its salesperson of the year. With clients like Disney, NBC Universal and Sandals Resorts – and annual sales of nearly $2.85 million – it’s evident the honor was well deserved.

Still, for Franco, the hard work is all in good fun. He loves his job, relishing the creativity, the people he meets and the travel. “There’s always excitement,” he says. “Your day is never going to go the way you plan. Something didn’t ship or there’s a rush event. Never is there a boring day.”

Franco’s up-for-it, always-be-learning outlook has propelled his professional ascent. “Every day I see something new or talk to someone from another town or country, and it becomes a learning experience that I use when clients ask me for items that fit their project,” he says.

Looking forward, Franco is focused on accelerating success while striking a sound work/life balance. “It’s an old adage but it’s true: ‘Work smarter, not harder.’”