Jeffry Herman

With Kara’s encouragement, I decided to leave Pickwick after a decade and step into a new role as West Coast Sales Manager for a company specializing in carrying cases for 8-track tapes, CDs, and cassettes. Given my 10 years in the record industry, it felt like the perfect transition—still tied to music but in a fresh and promising direction.

I met Bill McFeeters, the National Sales Manager, for an interview at a hotel near LAX. He saw potential in me, and before I knew it, I was hired. The job came with exciting new responsibilities—traveling up and down the West Coast, meeting with chain store headquarters, and selling our products into their inventory.

The best part? My salary nearly doubled overnight—from $14,000 to $28,350—plus a performance-based bonus program. It was a leap forward, both professionally and financially. But just as I was settling into the role, everything came crashing down.

After only six months, the company was sold, and I found myself unemployed for the first time in a decade. The timing couldn’t have been worse—Kia was just a few months old, and suddenly, I had no steady income. Fortunately, I was given a six-month severance package and allowed to keep the company car, giving me a small safety net.

Determined to make the most of the situation, I spotted an opportunity. One of my retailers, Zody’s, had a strong Hispanic customer base that still purchased 8-track tapes. Meanwhile, Dynasound had a warehouse full of unsold 8-track carrying cases collecting dust—essentially worthless inventory. I brokered a deal with the Zody’s buyer, offloading the stock in bulk and securing a $5,000 commission.

That unexpected windfall helped us stay afloat until I landed my next job. It was a lesson in resilience, resourcefulness, and the power of seizing an opportunity when it presents itself.