Vendor Spotlight

Carl J. shares sales and spiritual strategies

By Hannah Herner

Carl J. has the business mindset down. A Nashville native, he’s been honing his sales skills since he was a tween. Carl typically gets a permit to sell water to tourists in downtown Nashville in the summers, but has decided to sit the year out due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He really wants his customers to know that he has an “abundance of grace from the Lord” in his heart, and loves to pull from his mental index of bible verses and sayings to inspire. You can find Carl selling The Contributor in the afternoons at the corner of Abbott Martin Road and Hillsboro Boulevard.

Did you always want to have your own business?

I remember when I was a kid coming up in Nashville we had Vanderbilt University, selling drinks and popcorns and stuff at the football games and basketball games. I used to be a vendor up there. I was probably like 12, 13 years old. I got pretty good at that as a kid. Did I have a vision of trying to have my own business? Yes! I used to shine shoes and everything down on Broadway, before Broadway became real popular.

What other jobs do you do?

My priorities change when the seasons change. I sell the water in summer times. There’s opportunity everywhere, you just gotta be positive about the situation. It takes money to make money, but it don’t take much money. Just have common sense and be courteous. Anybody that’s in business knows that the customer comes first. My slogan was ‘don’t let dehydration spoil your vacation.’ I did well with that. I like doing the holidays with the paper. People are generous during the holidays. It’s the season for giving.

What are some of your goals for The Contributor?

I was thinking about it. Sometimes I put on a nice shirt and sell out there. One woman was like ‘I like your attitude. You take your resource and spend it on yourself and improve your appearance.’ I went and got a haircut the other day. Trying to upgrade. I have nice attire and everything — a closet full of it. Coats, sweaters, hard-bottom shoes, scarves, everything. I wanna see guys selling papers with suits on! I just can’t go over the top with it. I’ll try to wear an overcoat, scarf or something, and I don’t think they’ll buy the paper. They’re like, ‘you not in need.’ You don’t have to be homeless or in need to sell the paper. It’s a career for me. Positivity plays a big part. I don’t want somebody to feel sad for me. I want to take The Contributor and polish it. Whether you buy the paper or not I still got a smile for you.

Sharing your faith with others seems to be important to you. Can you tell me more about that?

It’s like Philippians 4:4, rejoice in the Lord all the days of your life. Because the same things that will make you laugh will make you cry. Find a sanctuary in him. Whenever you watch a movie or read a book and it touches your heart and almost makes you cry, it moved you spiritually -- that’s the Lord for you. Trust in the Lord and he will reveal to you, like turning the page in a book. You may not see it then, but later on down the line he will turn the page in the book and reveal to you why you had that pain, that joy.

The best time to catch the Lord is in the morning in the midst of the cool while the grass is still wet outside. He’s out there. Anything you got to say to him, that’s the best time to say it. You ain’t gotta say a word, just step out there on the porch and he’s right there with you.

I be trying to teach. I be trying to help people spiritually. If you get it together spiritually, everything will come together. I tell people when they buy a paper from me, I say ‘the Lord will bless you tenfold.’