MarketSource Regional Sales Manager Zach Lollar learned a lesson about life at an early age that has helped him become a more rational decision-maker. It was his father who shared this simple yet powerful motto with his family: “We work hard so we can play hard.” He taught Zach that there will always be tasks that are either hard to accomplish, or that you don’t want to do at all, but are nevertheless necessary.
This lesson also influenced Zach’s three-year journey to becoming debt-free.
“I grew up in a household where I was taught to save money and live on less than you make,” he reflects. “In 2013, my wife Kayla and I had a two-year-old daughter, and our finances were very tight. To relieve some of the stress and uncertainty, we decided to be intentional about our finances. That’s when the principles from my parents kicked into high gear. We began to budget and said ‘no’ to things that weren’t a necessity.”
He credits self-discipline and intentionality to helping them get through the next three years, steadily chipping away at their bills. They budgeted every month to pay extra toward their loans. Sometimes, they had to say “no” to friends and family when invited on vacations. “If a decision wasn’t pushing us toward our goal of being debt-free, we had to politely decline,” he says. “For us, we knew it was a temporary sacrifice, and the end result would allow us the freedom to live our lives how we wanted for years to come.”
In Zach’s role as Regional Manager with MarketSource, he mimics that debt-free journey by planning in advance. Often presented with challenges that are outside of his control, Zack is intentional about finding a solution. “My mentality is, ‘What am I going to do about it?’ Even if there is a situation I can’t change, I will find a way to go around it and still be successful.”
“If a decision wasn’t pushing us toward our goal of being debt-free, we had to politely decline,” he says. “For us, we knew it was a temporary sacrifice, and the end result would allow us the freedom to live our lives how we wanted for years to come.”
Discovering innovative solutions is one of Zach’s strengths. Says Zach, “We have to continuously innovate to stay ahead of our competition. I am constantly looking for obstacles and roadblocks while I am in the field with our team, and this is what helps me see where our region—or even the entire program—can pilot new initiatives to bring additional value to our client. I am proud of my team for always being early adopters and forward thinkers!”
Assisting peers to achieve program objectives is one of Zach’s key motivating forces. While jumping into the fray to help others out, he makes sure to continue to meet the expectations of his own role and ensure his responsibilities don’t fall through the cracks. “Volunteering for stretch assignments is challenging because it adds to my already existing workload; however, by doing so, I am able to make a positive impact with my peers and other programs, which in turn helps drive success for MarketSource as a whole.” This is a true example of the MarketSource value of serving others in action.
He also continues to meet the agreed-upon expectations within his family. Says Zach, “We are living the principles we want to teach our daughters…that no matter what happens, the decisions they make now will control the outcome of their futures. Becoming debt-free wasn’t just about taking control of our finances. It’s also about what you learn and believe during the process. I now know that no matter what gets thrown at us, we will be able to find a solution and come out on the other side better for it.”
#DebtFree #Discipline #MarketSourceProud