An Interview with an InterSolutions Employee: Adrian Garcia

Adrian Garcia, InterSolutions Sales Executive, is a key member of our Texas Sales team heading up our Austin branch. Learn more about how Adrian ended up in the Property Management Industry, which three people he would have dinner with, and whether he thinks a hotdog is a sandwich or not.

What did you want to be when you were little?

I wanted to be a doctor but when I got in school and as I got older, I found out that you have to dissect a human and that turned me off *laughs* I changed my mind very quickly. I don’t know, I’ve always liked working with people, I was a little bug of a shy butterfly in grade school and high school and after I graduated, I don’t know, I couldn’t stop talking to people. I was a social butterfly. But yeah, I just love working with people!

So, how did you land in the Property Management Industry and at InterSolutions?

I did car sales for a little bit and then I did direct sales door to door for a time. Our son had just been born and I was not very happy with what I was doing. So, my wife who was an assistant property manager at the time suggested that I give it a try. I kind of went back and forth about it.  Keep in mind, this is back in the day over 15 years ago where people would fax their resumes to properties, and I would show up at their door handing out resumes. And I couldn’t get a job, I think I had two interviews and those didn’t pan out because I didn’t have any experience. I was like well that’s awful. So, I went to go work for a temp agency and went through training. My first assignment was only temporary and then my second assignment I was almost hired by the end of my first day.  So, starting out with a temp agency and then using them over my 14-year property management career made it an easy decision to come work for InterSolutions. I was first interviewing with InterSolutions right before the Pandemic hit so it was a slow start. But I have no regrets, I’m really happy I love working with everyone with InterSolutions. Everyone is super amazing. I’m just happy to be a part of this team!

So, did you have a background in sales?

No, it’s just always been on-the-job training. My mother-in-law always jokes that I could sell ice to an Eskimo. Even when I first started leasing just to see if it was for me and this business definitely isn’t for everyone. I would get back and say, “I’ve got four more leases today!”  They would be surprised being that was only there two weeks! I just kind of had a knack for people in this industry, working with professionals and over the years I’ve read a lot of leadership books, self-improvement books met some highly intelligent people. I’m not the person or professional because I just woke up one day and said I’m going to be the best at what I do. It’s been a process. One of the things I tell everyone that I’ve worked with is I don’t know everything, but I want to.

How long have you been with the company?

Eight months.  I celebrate nine months on April 6. I’m just a baby *laughs*

Did you pick any new hobbies during the pandemic?

I wouldn’t say new hobbies, but when we had the first shutdown, we did a lot of puzzles. We have a fold-up table in the living room, and a little bench thing that we would sit on, and then we would puzzle. I would say that I didn’t really gain any new hobbies. We’re pretty set in our ways. But yeah, I’ve done more puzzles than ever in my life *laughs*. Another cool thing that we did, was trivia.  Some of our friends would go to trivia night at this restaurant and bar we never really went because we have kids. When they moved to do virtual trivia, we could play and that was a lot of fun. We won a few times, and it was just eight categories. I wish they still did it, but the bar would rather have trivia be in person and we’re just not super comfortable with that yet.

If you could live in any fictional realm/world which would it be?

I would say a futurist setting. Kind of like how in the 80s movie Back to the Future II, you know flying cars by 2015 sounded really cool. That obviously didn’t happen, but I think that with how fast the technology exponentially improves year over year, definitely every decade you never know. I would love to live in the future just to see what that’s like. I just think it’d be cool. Our kids don’t know what a box TV is like, they only know flat screens. In the future, I think it would just be a film you stick to your wall or something.

Do you think a hotdog is a sandwich or its own category?

I think it’s its own category because a lot of people eat bratwurst in a bun. I just think with that type of shaped bun it’s its own category because there are only a few things you can do. There are sausage links in a bun, you can do bratwurst, you can do hot dogs in a bun, some people can do tater tots, chili, and cheese in that kind of a bun. So, I don’t think it’s a sandwich. If anything, maybe an open-faced sandwich, that’s a tough one. I think it’s its own category.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

I love ice cream, that’s one of my weaknesses. There’s this one by Blue Bell called I believe it’s like Cookie Cake Ice Cream. It’s got like cookie cake, cookie dough. It’s seasonal, it’s only out two or three months out of the year so we’ll buy multiple half gallons at a time. But yeah, I believe it’s called Cookie Dough Cookie Cake Ice Cream, it’s got a long name. It’s amazing. My wife already has it on her radar, like we have to get it. We’re not a house divided when it comes to ice cream *laughs*

If you could pick 3 guests dead or alive to have dinner with who would they be and why?

I would say Mark Cuban because of his business expertise and how hard he worked to basically become a self-made billionaire. And he’s an amazing philanthropist. He was actually on an episode of Bar Rescue where he was in Puerto Rico, donating a ton of money. He just seems like a really, really, good human. I don’t want to pick all successful businesspeople *laughs*. Hmm, I would probably say Drew Brees. He’s from Austin and he’s a really amazing athlete and philanthropist. He’s the all-time leading passer, quarterback. His perseverance on everything that he had to overcome, he had surgery on his throwing arm. I just think he would have a lot of inspirational things to say. You know what, I would probably say Jennifer Lawrence for my third person. I just remember the first Oscar that she won, she said: “I beat Meryl!” She has achieved so much at such a young age and with her perspective on things, she seems like she definitely has a higher IQ than the average person. I think she would probably make everyone laugh.

What advice do you have for those looking to enter the industry?

Have an open mind. Listen. Every person you work with, you will learn how to do things and how not to do things. Set goals, both long-term and short-term, and think about what you need to do daily to achieve your goals. Envision where you want to be in 3, 5, 10, and 15 years, whether it’s in the same industry or not. You get out of it what you put into it. And have fun!

If you know anyone looking for work or if you are a hiring manager seeking InterSolutions talent, contact Adrian today at agarcia@intersolutions.com or give him a call at 512-577-2770!