Isai Molina believes there’s no one better to bet on than yourself. As a Lead Account Executive at Paletta Consulting, Inc., a Chicago-area sales firm based in Itasca, Illinois, he’s proof of what that mindset can build. For our first team member feature, we’re sharing how a curious Chicago native went from a construction job to leading on our team.
Growing Up in Chicago
Isai grew up in Chicago, and Spanish was his first language. His parents are a big part of why he strives for greatness. Despite the obstacles life put in their way, they always had a giving heart and taught him to have one too.
Isai attended Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where a work-study job gave him his first look at the corporate world. Later, he went on to study finance at Loyola University Chicago, even though, as a kid, he dreamed of becoming a lawyer or working as a detective.
Finding Work Worth Enjoying
While interviewing for a finance role at a large corporate firm, Isai noticed the people there didn’t seem to enjoy their work, and the thought of spending his life that way terrified him. Between that and the cost of school, he left Loyola. He was working in construction, saving to pay off his schooling and study HVAC, when curiosity about sales led him to apply to Paletta Consulting, Inc. Once he saw what he had in front of him, he never looked back.
Growing at Paletta Consulting, Inc.
Sales was new to Isai, and growing in it meant learning from setbacks. He learned that losses can teach more than anything, and that you only lose if you quit. He learned how to reset by focusing on the one thing he can control: himself. He learned to keep his emotions in check, since decisions made on emotion alone are usually the ones we regret.
Then came a week that changed his perspective. Generating over $5,000 in a single week opened his eyes to what’s possible and made him curious how high he could go. His career took off once he realized he needed to be the change he wanted to see in the world, and he credits the role with giving him a better outlook on life.
“This position has taught me that there is no one I’d rather bet on than myself, and I believe if others thought the same way, they might start working toward things that were once a dream.”
Today, his favorite part of working here is that he’s been able to provide for himself and his family while growing as a person. Building a life for the family he hopes to have one day keeps him motivated.
The Values He Lives By
For Isai, it all comes back to character. When he joined Paletta Consulting, Inc., he found the values he cares about most (honesty, ambition, and grit) already part of what we stand for. He believes that’s what makes a strong company culture: people with good character and ambition, surrounded by others who think the same way.
Some of his biggest growth has come from those people. Getting to know successful leaders with good character has shaped how he carries himself. He makes it a habit to ask his director and other leaders for feedback, knowing ego can get in the way of personal development. That kind of mentorship is at the heart of our big brother model, and it’s shaped his own idea of leadership: someone you can trust, who has your best interests at heart and follows through on their word. It’s why he doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.
That same drive shapes how he sees his place in business. As a Latino professional, being considered a minority only pushes him harder to help close that gap.
What’s Next for Isai
The same belief that pushed Isai to take a chance on sales is driving what comes next. He’s working his way toward a Managing Director role at Paletta Consulting, Inc., and his goals don’t stop at work. In the short term, he wants to become fluent in Arabic; long term, he hopes to own multiple businesses. It’s a big vision, and it fits one of his favorite quotes from Theodore Roosevelt: “Believe you can do it and you’re halfway there.”
Isai isn’t chasing those goals with talk, either. He lives by the idea that actions speak louder than words, and he brings plenty of humor along the way, which he calls medicine for the soul. When he’s not working, you’ll usually find him with family, enjoying sports and the outdoors, or spending time in downtown Chicago, the city where his story started.
For anyone thinking about following a similar path, his advice comes from experience:
“If you’re looking for a place that pushes and supports you in being the best version of yourself, I have worked many jobs in my life, and I am yet to find one that I enjoy more.”
Thank you, Isai, for everything you bring to our team. Curious about entry-level sales jobs in Chicago with Paletta Consulting, Inc.? Learn what happens after you apply or reach out to our team.
