Family Matters | Kevin & Joe Becker

In this edition of Family Matters, we spotlight Kevin and Joe Becker—a father-son sales team at ASB! Their shared passion for sales and teamwork has created a unique bond that drives their success. From learning the ropes to closing deals, their partnership showcases the power of family in business.

When did you start working at American?

Kevin – I started with ASB over 7 years ago.

Joe – I started August 2023 as a part time employee while I was at school for my senior year at Saint John’s University. Once I graduated in May 2024, I started as a full-time employee.

What’s your favorite memory from Joe’s childhood?

Kevin – There are too many to pick a favorite, Joe has always exceeded expectations even when he was little. He was the youngest of 6 in a blended family, he was always the first to lend a hand and the easiest to please. I was a coach on all of Joe’s youth baseball teams, sometimes that was nerve racking but overall, a very rewarding experience.

Joe – My favorite childhood memory is playing baseball with all my close friends and playing yard games with all of the neighborhood kids.

What motivated you to start working together as a family?

Kevin – Joe had a good job offer from a forklift company where he was interning during college. It was a sales position. I always knew he could do anything he wanted, so after he showed me his compensation package, I compared it to the potential compensation he could earn at American. If he sold just a fraction of what they were asking him to sell, it really made him think. The kicker was when he mentioned that one of his managers was really motivated and a good communicator, while the other seemed more focused on finding someone to fail and throw under the bus.

Joe – I knew I wanted to go into sales after graduating college. I was aware that Kevin was in sales but wasn’t sure what he did specifically because it seemed like he was doing something different every day. After my internship, he gave me the rundown on what he does and the process of making a sale in this business, and it sparked my interest. I also looked at how he lived his life—working from home, occasionally going on work trips, and supporting a big family. Kevin is also looking for someone to take over the reins in the next ten years or so, which was a big motivation for both of us to get started as a team.

Can you share a memorable success story that you achieved together?

Kevin – Most recently we closed a piece of business with an athletic training facility.  Joe made the connection and got us in front of their management team. We did a demo of our online solutions and showed them some custom apparel pieces as we tag teamed the presentation. For me, it was a lot of fun seeing my words come out of his mouth. I was glad to find out he had been listening.

Joe – One recent story that comes to mind is landing business with a baseball training facility, which is one of the first accounts that I am managing myself. Kevin helped me quite a bit with answering in-depth questions that I did not have enough experience/knowledge to answer. I have built a strong relationship with the staff that I am working with at that company, so it feels great to establish one of my first accounts.

What do you love about working together?

Kevin – Joe is a genuine pleasure for me to work with, we have a mutual respect for each other and have plenty of laughs throughout the day.

Joe – Kevin has had a ton of experience in this business so he is a great mentor to have, I can go to him with any questions. He always has tips for every situation which has been incredibly helpful.

What’s a challenge you face when working together?

Kevin – It’s funny but I find myself assuming he can read my mind. Just kidding, but we do anticipate what the other is thinking or going to say many times.

Joe – There really hasn’t been any specific challenges so far, but if I had to name something it would be dealing with my lack of experience in the print/promo industry. There is a lot of learning I have to do yet which I am looking forward to.

What advice would you give to other family pairs considering working together professionally? 

Kevin – There is no guarantee it will work out or not, but you won’t know unless you try. When it works, it is very rewarding.

Joe – I recommend having very clear communication – never be afraid to ask questions even if they seem obvious or dumb in the moment. It is better to do things the right way instead of risk messing it up. No one likes when their parents are disappointed in them!

Anything else you’d like to share? 

Joe – Due to COVID during my freshman year of college in 2021, I was given an extra year of eligibility to play baseball. I have decided to use that extra year at Saint John’s University again this spring. While I am there, I will be working remotely, and my ultimate goal is to leverage my network with SJU Alumni to further grow my book of business.

Kevin – You can follow his season in the link below. We don’t have a link to show the results of Joe growing his book of business while he is playing ball just yet. 😊

https://gojohnnies.com/sports/baseball/schedule

To learn more about American Solutions for Business, visit http://www.americanbus.com.