An interview with Ben Carter ‘92, Vice President & Director of Sales at Talero Organic Tequilas

First off, tell us a little bit about your background. What all have you been doing since you graduated Paideia, and where are you now?

Originally from San Francisco, CA, I was raised in Atlanta and graduated Cum Laude from Howard University in Washington, D.C. in 1996 as a Walter P. Annenberg Honors Scholar with a double major in Telecommunication Management and Spanish. During college, I attended the University of Salamanca in Spain in 1994 and was also named the Lucy F. Moten Fellow at the Universidad Ibero Americana in Mexico City in 1996 for my Masters Certificate. I was also a graduate fellow of the National Association of Broadcaster/Georgetown University MBA Program in 2008.

In 2003 I started my own company, Carter Media Consulting, based out of Houston consulting radio stations across Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Lawton, OK.  Then in 2006 I started working at New Revenue Solutions as an Account Director out of the Atlanta, GA office training Radio/TV/Newspaper sales staff in Canada, United States, and Central & South America. Prior to NRS, I worked as an Account Executive in New York City for Allied Radio Partners and later was promoted to Director of Sales for Interep Radio Sales in Atlanta. I also opened and operated a digital media agency at this time - M.A.D. Advertising Agency with Cox Media, The U.S. Army and Blackfamilies.com as my clients.

With regards to Talero, tell us about your mission and what led you to come up with this idea?

I was consulting radio stations in Mexico City in sales and marketing and I was approached with the prospect of becoming co-owner of an organic Tequila brand. I was impressed by the taste and smoothness of it, it took me back to my days of graduate school in Mexico City. We had a tradition of taking a sip of tequila before exams. I ended up with a 4.0 GPA that year!

What are some ways that COVD-19 has affected your business?

We were affected with sales to our restaurant and bar clients, but we had increased sales at package and liquor retailers. Liquor is recession proof and people tend to buy more and drink more during slow and low times.

Anything the Paideia alumni community can do to support you?

The Paideia network is vast and resourceful, we would like to be served and sold at Paideia owned and/or managed businesses, restaurants and bars.

Which teachers and/or experiences during your time at Paideia helped shape who you are and what you do?

Ruth Dinkins was influential in my advancement and fluency of Spanish. Cecilia Caines and Donna Birdsong were influential in their mentorship of me in forming and leading TRIBE Onyx. We ran the organization as a business with fundraisers and parties. Jill and Bill Caskey in helping me get an internship and job at CNN Radio and KISS 104.

Any favorite teacher(s) you want to give a thank you or shout out to?  

Donna Ellwood, Ruth Dinkins and Stacey Winston