In this conversational interview, Ben Sinbela, a 27‑year‑old door‑to‑door sales representative for Vivint, walks the host through his daily work, his unconventional employment schedule, and his personal life. Ben explains that Vivint sells home‑security and automation devices—doorbell cameras, smart locks, thermostats, and indoor/outdoor cameras—that can be controlled from a smartphone. He has been selling for Vivint since age 21, after spending five years studying mechanical engineering, which he left in his final semester because the sales job paid significantly more. Ben works actively for only 4.5 months each year; the remainder of the year is spent recruiting and training new reps. He highlights the freedom, camaraderie, and financial rewards of the role, noting that hard work can quickly lead to high earnings, exemplified by his purchase of an Audi R8 V10 shortly after his fifth year. The interview includes a tour of his house, showcasing Vivint‑installed security tech, a backyard, and a dedicated office/racing room where he practices on a racing simulator. Throughout, Ben shares career advice—focus on what you can control, take calculated risks, and be willing to step out of your comfort zone. The conversation ends with gratitude and a friendly sign‑off.
Chapters
Hey, how's it going?
Hey, what's up, man? How you doing?
Hey, sorry to bother. I saw your cars out front and I had to ask you, like, what do you do for a living?
Yeah, absolutely, man. Actually, uh, I sell these things, uh, doorbell cameras, outside cameras, home automation locks, thermostats, control from the phone.
Oh, cool. So like you're a salesman then?
Yeah, I actually knock on people's doors and, uh, And I sell them these things.
So you just walk neighborhoods and sell them these?
Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it works.
Dang, awesome. Would you think it'd be okay if we got a tour of your house?
Yeah, absolutely. Come in. Cool. Yeah, so welcome, guys.
This is way cool. So wait, tell me about this company you work for.
Yeah, so I work for Vivint, man. So we do security, home automation. You can basically control your entire house from the phone. You're able to arm the house, lock the doors, open and close the garage, control the thermostats. I've got cameras just about everywhere. Doorbell camera, driveway camera, backyard camera.
So you can control basically your whole house from your phone.
Exactly. You guys want to check out the backyard?
Yeah, let's check it out.
Yeah, come with me.
Wait, so how old are you?
27.
27, wow.
Yeah, this is the backyard.
So how long have you been doing this job for?
Since I was 21, so.
Did you go to college?
Yes, I went to college for 5 years. I did mechanical engineering. By the end of it, I actually realized my current job at Vivint was paying a lot more than mechanical engineering jobs, and so, crazy story, but I dropped out on my last semester of my 5th year.
You don't need a degree for this job?
No, not at all. Uh, you want to check out more of the house?
Yeah, let's check it out.
Come with me, man.
So it's midday on a weekday. Shouldn't you be working right now?
Um, yes, I'm glad you asked, man. I actually, uh, I work 4 and a half months out of the year, and then, uh, the rest of the year is kind of relaxed, and, uh, we spend our time recruiting and training sales reps to do exactly what we do.
You only work 4 and a half months out of the year?
Yeah, I know, it sounds wild. Here's the master bedroom.
So what's your favorite part about your job?
The freedom, man, and honestly the people I get to work with the most. I get to work with my best friends and people I really care about, so.
So what's the best advice you've ever received?
If it's out of your control, don't let it affect your emotions. Yeah, if you guys want, I've got something pretty neat over here if you want to check it out. This is my office/racing room. I love cars, I love motorsports, and so in my free time I love to play on this thing.
So do you race cars for a hobby, or like what is this?
Yeah, yeah, so that's definitely one of my hobbies. I race my own car and I practice on this thing a lot. That way I don't mess up on the track. Actually, you want to see the car? You wanna see the car?
Yeah, let's go see it.
Yeah, so here she is, man. Audi R8 V10.
So how far into your career did you like buy this car?
Right after my 5th year, actually.
So usually it takes people 15, 20 years to own a car like this. Like how did you get there in only 5 years?
This is one of those jobs that pays for hard work. The harder you go, the more money you make. And so fortunately I busted my butt for a couple years and I was able to get my dream car.
Are you worried about these being parked in the driveway?
No, actually. So, you know, this is the Vivint camera. This thing is set up to whistle if anybody hangs out for too long, and it's actually got a bunch of LED lights that whenever somebody walks across the property, it's going to follow them until they leave.
Any last piece of advice for people on their career path?
Yeah, just take risks. You've got to risk it for the biscuit. If I didn't take risks in my life, I would definitely not be in the place that I am right now.
So, hey, thank you so much for letting us use your time and check out your house. Super nice to meet you.
Thanks for visiting, man. Okay, yeah, you guys have a good one.
