Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmine Sarno.
Carmine, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Mass boy …BC, Harvard University extension, MIT Lowell institute school. I started at GE technical marketing. Then later on became manufacturer’s rep in Hi tech serving Computer and Industrial marketplaces. Finally specialized in computer electronic components. Today, I sell local area networking components worldwide. I have worked independently as owner and operator since 1980s.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The market has changed drastically. I had to survive an attempt by 2 employees to steal the company. The computer companies vanished like the clothing, textile, shoe manufacturing, shoe machinery. It had the shortest domestic lifespan of all the industries.
We have watched Mexican, offshore Island, European and now Asian manufacturing displace American production facilities. We have needed to adapt.
In the past 20 to 30 years selling has changed. No more 3 martini lunches. No more quality site surveys. No company visits to be blessed by a triumvirate of QC, Buyer and engineering.
Quality is assumed and blessed by independent agencies and purchases are made based on best price and delivery. Purchasing is web based.
Bothhand USA– what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The truth? I am a bad guy…My products are made in China. My employees and staff reside in Taiwan and China. And it is your fault. You want a high quality low cost TV, appliances, computer, cell phone, printer and copier.
Because of this all industries are on the move. Remember the days of cars breaking down and computer failures. Asian manufacturing has removed those frustrations at a super low cost.
I am entrenched in this cycle. Everything that you are wearing and the machines with which you are using to communicate are made overseas. When you buy your USA made Chevy …It is made in China now and it is better than ever before. My components of years past cannot and will not ever be made here again.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Happiness…..My father worked 3 jobs…MIT Lincoln Lab as security guard while working nights sorting mail at the so station post office. On weekends he made French fries and burgers at the drive in theater. He raised and educated 4 kids. He was happy. After his death I saw pay stubs that were shockingly low but there were piles of them.
I associate with the very wealthy. I belong to social and golf clubs that my father could not even have imagined.
I am surrounded by friends, have traveled the world and made more money than I could have imagined and like many of my peers I am still looking for happiness as are many of my pals.
I have 3 daughters. I have been good and lucky in this case. All post graduate college kids. One had open heart surgery with no chance of survival at age 5. She is now doing open heart surgery on infants.
One is a corporate executive at Adidas in Nuremberg Germany and another is a teacher married to a med school prof at Duke U… To me this is success.
Contact Info:
- Address: Bothhand USA LLC
- Website: www.bothhandusa.com
- Phone: 1 978 8878050
- Email: sales@bothhandusa.com
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