Crystal Cook-Perez interviewing Maria Zunan

00:02 Okay, so today we are here with Crystal Cook-Perez and we are going to be speaking with Crystal Cook-Perez Cook about her work experience with her husband. So, Crystal Cook-Perez how did you get involved in this business with your husband?

00:28 I got involved in this business actually, just taking a part time job, just trying to make some extra money. I was putting myself through nursing school, and this was a good opportunity to make some extra cash.

00:43 Okay, and what kind of business is your husband involved in?

00:49 He is involved in marketing and advertising. So it could range from a few different things. As of right now, he gives back cell phones and tablets with free services back to the community and provides jobs back to the community.

01:08 And what kind of jobs does he help to create?

01:13 It can range anywhere from administration to, we don't necessarily call them sales reps because they're not really selling anything, but just informational reps, and that's just informing people about the tablets and getting them signed up, that type of thing.

01:30 Okay. And what is your role in the company?

01:34 My role in the company is administration, and I also go out and secure territory to work, basically.

01:46 Okay. And as a woman in this business, how do you think that has affected, has it been a positive experience or have you encountered any negative experience?

01:58 It has been a little bit of both. Being a woman, you kind of, you. I feel like you got to work harder in this type of business. It's more male dominated. So where I might say something, they might look to have him kind of confirm or come, you know, just give his feedback also just not taking my. My word for it, so. But it's been positive and negative. I have had a lot of women come to me and see the position that I hold, and, you know, they want to also, you know, get to that level of where they're doing things on their own and making their own moves as well. So 50 50.

02:45 Do you offer any mentoring for women that are interested in doing what you're doing?

02:51 I do. I do offer mentoring. I've never really been. I don't know, women just kind of gravitate towards me, so I just always kind of, you know, give my take on how to be more female dominated in this industry because men will overpower. So it's just kind of like, you know, just teaching them what I know, how to execute and just kind of stand up for themselves. You just kind of got to have that. That oomph.

03:21 How long have you been in this market?

03:24 Um, this market? Five years.

03:26 Okay, so you were affected by Covid-19 oh, yes. Endemic, yes. How did that affect your.

03:34 Your business that affected the business tremendously because the type of work we do, it's in person. Um, you know, it's face to face. You're engaging with people and informing people. So with COVID it was, um, kind of like you couldn't be face to face at all. We weren't sure where it was going, but business was not good at all.

03:56 But you hung in there.

03:59 Yes. Um, just things started to clear up. Like most of the world, I think we all went through it together and slowly but surely, um, you know, I think with this company in particular, you know, money was tight for everybody, so being able to offer free services of communication was a big thing. And so I think that's where we kind of hit our mark with that.

04:22 What direction do you see the company going and what is the ultimate goal for the company?

04:31 I'm sorry, say that again.

04:33 What direction do you feel the company is going in? The ultimate goal?

04:38 Um, the ultimate goal is just, I feel like the company is definitely going up. Um, expansion is our number one, one of our number one things. Um, I would say that our number one thing is to be able to give back to, um, minority and blacks, you know, people that look like us, to give them a chance to know how to work in this territory. Because believe it or not, it's not really, it's, it's, it's more white dominated marketing. And strategically, if you don't have the right direction and guidance, you know, your business technically won't prosper. So I see the business going up as long as we're able to expand and then, you know, as long as we're just able to educate and give back to those that look like us, to be able to move and expand with us as well, so. Okay.

05:33 And you said your major is nursing?

05:36 Yes.

05:37 So how do you see yourself? Do you think your, your major would help or are you thinking of maybe branching out?

05:51 So this is a tough one because when you are, well, when you're married to a entrepreneur, you kind of get, you kind of marry with that business as well, I guess. Um, medical field has always been my thing. I hold my CNA license for 15 years, I have behavioral tech license for eleven. So that's my passion is nursing and healthcare. Will the two ever correlate? Um, I can't say more. So with the phones and tablets, no, but marketing has its ways of navigating itself into medical, if you will. So I think with having a medical background, if it takes that approach, then I'll probably, I'll more than likely have the, you know, the proper education to give that information back, so. But we haven't reached that point yet.

06:49 So do you work more with seniors or children or.

06:56 So I worked with majority of seniors my entire life doing my CNA, hospice care, or rehabilitation. As I ventured into becoming a behavior tech, I dealt with more young adults coming off drugs and alcohol. That was, like, my passion because I wanted to always, you know, just, like, educate and inform. I come from a background of that with my parents, so, you know, just give them a eye opener if that doesn't have to be the way. You can have a choice type thing. But God willing, with my nursing background, this being my major, I would like to do neonate NICU. I want to go babies. That's where I'm looking to go. So kind of changed it up. I feel like I've hit every mark of age, and I have not hit that one, so I want to give that a shot. That's kind of my go to goal.

07:57 Okay, well, these kids are born with a tablet in their hand, so I don't know, you might be able to expand that. That business.

08:07 Right.

08:10 Well, Crystal Cook-Perez it has been a pleasure. Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of insight into what you do and how you help your husband and wish you the best of luck.

08:23 Thank you for having me, and thank you for the interview. Okay. Is it stop?

08:37 I can't tell. I hope so.

08:41 Really want to stop recording and says okay.