Mary Kay Ash (1915-2001)
American businesswoman
Founder of Mary Kay
She first sold a child psychology book line door-to-door; later sold for Stanley Home Products while studying medicine. She ultimately chose sales.

Garth Brooks (1962- )
American music artist
Just months before releasing his first album, he worked as a salesman in a boot store.

Johnny Cash (1932-2003)
American music artist
After serving in the Air Force, he worked as an appliance salesman while pursuing music on the side.

George Clooney (1961- )
American actor/ producer/ director
Worked as a door-to-door insurance salesman and sold womens’ shoes.

Thomas Edison (1847-1931)
American inventor and businessman
First job was as a sandwich and peanut salesman on the Grand Trunk Railway. He was 12.

Medgar Evers (1925-1963)
American civil rights activist
First job was as an insurance salesperson.

Jerry Garcia (1942-1995)
American music artist
Worked as a salesman in a music store while playing music on the side in local San Francisco clubs.

King Gillette (1855-1932)
American inventor and businessman
Cofounder of Gillette
Worked as a traveling salesman for Crown Cork & Seal Company.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890)
Dutch painter
First job was at the age of 16 – he sold art (some prefer art dealer).

Tommy Hilfiger (1951- )
American fashion designer
Founder of Tommy Hilfiger
When no stores would carry his jeans, he sold them from the trunk of his car.

Duncan Hines (1880-1959)
American businessman
A traveling salesman for a Chicago printer, he published Adventures in Good Eating in 1936 from several years worth of notes on the road. His name was later licensed and became a successful consumer brand.

Bob Hope (1903-2003)
American entertainer
Worked as a shoe salesman before becoming a vaudeville star.

W.K. Kellogg (1860-1951)
American businessman
Founder of Kellogg’s
Sold brooms before working with his brother on creating ways to make breakfast cereals from grains.

Ray Kroc (1902-1984)
American businessman
Built McDonald’s
First job after being an ambulance driver in WWI (from age 15-20) was as a paper cup salesman. He later sold mixers for 17 years before coming into contact with McDonald’s.

Ralph Lauren (1939- )
American fashion designer
Founder of Ralph Lauren Polo
Sold men’s clothing for Brooks Brothers before creating his own line of neckties.

Bill Murray (1950- )
American comedian and actor
Sold chestnuts outside a grocery store.

David Ogilvy (1911-1999)
American advertising executive
Founder of Ogilvy & Mather
Referred to by some as “The Father of Advertising”. Sold Aga cooking stoves door-to-door in England, after working in the kitchen of a Paris hotel.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
American civil rights activist
Worked as an insurance salesperson.

Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)
American minister and author
Sold pots and pans door to door.

Ross Perot (1930- )
American businessman
Founder of EDS and Perot Systems
Worked as an IBM salesperson.

Julia Roberts (1967- )
American actress
Worked as a shoe salesperson while taking acting lessons in New York City.

Oskar Schindler (1908-1974)
German industrialist and humanitarian
Worked as a machinery salesman.

Jerry Seinfeld (1954- )
American comedian
Sold lightbulbs over the phone.

Harry S. Truman (1884-1972)
33rd U.S. president
Sold men’s clothing from his own store (which eventually went bankrupt).

Vera Wang (1949- )
American fashion designer
First job was working as a salesperson at Yves Saint Laurent.