Sharp skills lead Johnson to Cutco Hall of Fame

Five years ago Jesse Johnson answered an ad in the newspaper seeking sales representatives for Cutco Cutlery.

"I didn't even know what Cutco did," said Johnson. He was graduating from Walkersville High School and wanted to make money for college.

The flexibility of selling high-quality cutlery and other products worked well for Johnson, who graduated from the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

His skills and business expertise has led him to sell more than $700,000 in Cutco products to customers in Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

He has been inducted into the Cutco Cutlery Hall of Fame.

"I want to be in the top 25 on the company's record books," said Johnson, now a resident of Towson. "I'm now No. 45."

He graduated with a degree in music management and hopes to go to law school, eventually working in the legal end of the entertainment business. That includes not only representing personalities, but also setting up venues, checking copyrights and other behind-the-scenes work.

"I'm working hard, saving up for round two," he said, referring to getting money for law school. "I should hit the $1 million in another year."

Sales of Cutco Cutlery must be made by referral. Johnson can't place ads himself. He doesn't go door-to-door or make cold calls.

"We don't want to become telemarketers," he said.

Johnson said the quality and variety of Cutco products has led him to sell not only to homeowners, but also to farmers and other professionals and restaurants. Besides cutlery, the company sells kitchenware, sporting knives and outdoor tools, he said.

Johnson's achievements have drawn the attention of other businesses. He has had offers to sell for pharmaceutical companies and those that make medical equipment.

He sets up at home shows, fairs and other events, including the recent Great Frederick Fair. "This is an ag-based community. People use a lot of tools," he said.

The forever guarantee for the products means they can be passed down to the next generation, he said.

Asked what he would recommend for someone thinking about that type of sales field, Johnson said, "They need to sharpen their skills, no pun intended."

Skills such as goal setting, communication, public speaking and time management are keys he said. Anyone interested can visit www.workforstudents.com.

Copyright 2009 The Frederick News-Post. All rights reserved.