Carla Bonilla

Carla Montalvo currently works in automotive sales, a role she began in April after two years selling insurance and prior experience in customer service roles including serving and jewelry stores. She studied biology with an initial intent to pursue medicine but found sales more engaging due to the process of building relationships and helping clients find the right products. Carla attributes her success to her humble background in Puerto Rico, where she lived for 24 years before moving to the Fort Walton area, and the lessons from college about the necessity of hard work. She takes pride in her Salesperson of the Month award and values empathy, which she learned from her mother and her cultural background as a Latina, while maintaining a strong personality. In her daily work, she focuses on prospecting, follow-ups, and learning product details, with goals to improve at community events and personal branding. Carla advises young women entering sales to build self-confidence, learn the industry thoroughly, seek help, and sometimes set emotions aside, especially in male-dominated environments. Her main language is Spanish, and she is fluent in English as well.