“It would be silly of me to miss this golden opportunity.”
That’s what Esquire Conner told a friend about starting his new journey as General Manager at America’s Car-Mart of Springfield-South, Mo. Esquire was ready to set the re-set button on a new career path.
While Car-Mart always had a vehicle that ‘drew him in,’ Esquire was also familiar with the company’s reputation for helping its customers and community. He understood that Car-Mart works diligently to make a difference in people’s lives. And he recognized that Car-Mart delivers on its values of integrity, respect, compassion, and excellence.
So, after several energizing interviews with Car-Mart leaders, Car-Mart was an unequivocal ‘yes’ for Esquire. He launched his Car-Mart career on December 5, 2022.
“Now everyday I come to work, I get to make a difference for my customers and help them be successful. And that’s important to me,” says Esquire, who is passionate about leading people and helping them be the best they can be.
On his first day at Car-Mart, Esquire held a team meeting with his new associates and asked them to join him in his journey. “I told them I’m still learning; they’re still learning. And we have a common denominator – we’ve all been a part of a team. We’ve all experienced winning and losing. And I invited them along for the ride, to join a winning team. The journey begins now,” Esquire says. “Together, we’ll win as a team.”
Since Esquire knows a good leader listens, he also visited with every associate individually to learn about their challenges and job aspirations. He wants to ensure their success so they can be the best versions of themselves. “After all, every individual matters to a team,” he says.
Already, he’s set an ambitious goal of being the best Car-Mart in Springfield and a top tier dealership in all of Car-Mart.
Esquire’s road to Car-Mart
Old-fashioned hard work. That defines Esquire’s work ethic since he was 10-years old. That’s when he landed a job stocking freezers for local convenience stores in his hometown of Houston. At 15-years-old, he bagged groceries at a grocery store. He was a full-time cashier at a fast-food restaurant.
During high school, he worked as a shift coordinator at a major package delivery company. He then moved on to a jewelry store, and eventually transferred as assistant manager to Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Working is how he paid his way through college – working two jobs, one a third-shift position! Esquire obtained his Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice at the University of Phoenix. After college, he landed a job as a police officer, but decided that career wasn’t for him. He resigned his position on a Tuesday, and by Friday, he started his new job as Area Manager at a food delivery company. There, for nine years, he learned many valuable leadership and management lessons.
“I’ve always had two or three jobs. It teaches you maturity and discipline,” says Esquire, while maintaining these experiences have provided him with a solid foundation of accountability, responsibility, making decisions, confidence, and more.
Esquire’s inspiration – faith and family
Growing up with four brothers and four sisters, Esquire spent many hours in church with his parents who were Southern Baptist ministers. He sang in the choir, and he was a deacon.
At age 12, his mom told him to ‘take stuff seriously.’ “She told me that you have to be willing to ‘adjust your settings accordingly.’ When you get knocked down, you have to get back up,” says Esquire. That was his inspiration then and now.
He’s also motivated by his four-year-old daughter, Anari, who loves ballet, hip hop dancing, and gymnastics. “At home, she’s a part-time superhero,” Esquire smiles.
Indeed, Esquire has ‘adjusted his settings’ as the new General Manager at Springfield South. He’s off to a great start on his new journey at America’s Car-Mart.
Join our team!
If you’re awesome and want to work with awesome people like Esquire, come work at Car-Mart. Go to car-mart.com/careers to learn about job opportunities at Car-Mart in our 12-state area.
