Deanna Scortino was the #1 sales rep in the Cutco/Vector Marketing sales organization in 2020. She overcame tremendous challenge and uncertainty to finish the year with an astounding sales total of over $865,000. A 22-year veteran with the company, Deanna got really serious about selling Cutco after graduating from Chapman University in Southern California. Since that time, she has won 5 National Championship Silver Cups en route to becoming the #5 overall sales rep in Cutco history. Deanna’s signature trait is her authenticity. What you see is what you get : personable, funny, passionate, sometimes raw, and always unfiltered. Through being her authentic self, Deanna has been able to attract others to her. She has a healthy marriage, countless friends who admire her, and a base of loyal customers virtually unequaled in the history of Cutco.

Q&A WITH DEANNA SCORTINO

Q: Tell us a little about how you got started selling Cutco with Vector.

• I was still in high school and my parents wanted me to go get a job so my mom found an ad in the newspaper and I went in to the interview and got excited. My mom heard I would be selling knives in people’s homes and didn’t want me to do it but after some discussion she allowed me to take the job.

Q: What were some of the early experiences you had selling Cutco and what were some lessons you learned?

• Early on, because I was so young, I just didn’t have a lot of worldly experiences and my manager was really great at putting things into perspective for me. He would always remind me that “it’s not a big deal.”
• It was also significant that the office I was first working in was the very first office in the company’s history to sell $1,000,000 of Cutco in a year, so being immersed in that environment helped me learn what it looked like and what it took to succeed at a high level.

Q: In 2005 you explored the job market and after seeing what was out there, you decided to make Cutco your full-time job.  2006 was the first year you really took things seriously.  What went into making that choice to pursue Cutco full-time?

• I saw Cutco as a place where I can continue to grow and I can help others along the way and that’s what’s really important to me.
• If you keep doing what you’ve always done you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.

Q: What do you feel are some of the most important attributes you bring to your work?

• I work extremely hard. I love being there for my customers and I’m willing to grind.
• But I also like to bring fun to my work.

Q: How do you strike a balance between working so hard to achieve your goals while also having fun and enjoying the process?

• It comes down to knowing what it’s all for. You can work hard but you need to also validate yourself for the work and the accomplishments.
• Something that’s new for me this year is to set boundaries for myself around my work so this year I’ve committed that I won’t work past 7pm, which is hard for me.

Q: You’ve grown your business significantly since 2013 (selling about $254,000 in 2013 and finished 2019 over $806,000).  How does that happen?  What has most impacted or inspired you to grow your sales so much over these past few years?

• It comes down to “why” that kind of growth is important to me.
• My dad and grandfather always worked hard and were successful at what they did and I think that’s always been a driving force for me.

Q: What role does Chuck (Deanna’s husband) play for you?

• He does a lot of my marketing, business finances, travel arrangements, and running the house.
• Chuck always told me, “once we master it we can delegate it.”
• And he’s super honest with me and provides a neutral-party opinion on things that can be very valuable.

Q: How did you two come to have such a great relationship?  Was it always like that or is it something you’ve developed?

• We’ve developed our relationship by developing ourselves.

Q: How do you feel like you want to inspire others, in or out of the business?

• I’d like to inspire others to take things to the next level by taking things to the next level for myself.
• Set an example that no one is expecting and everyone would admire.
• Never take advice from someone you do not admire.

Q: As you look into the future, how do you aspire to change people’s lives through your work or through your influence?

• I really want to help more people in and out of the company. I love the idea of creating a board of directors/advisors for Cutco to bridge the gap between the field and the company’s leadership.
• I’m excited about creating our own family at some point while also continuing to deepen my relationships in my existing family.