Ron Bryant started selling Street Roots in April to work towards his long-term goal of a steady job and a home of his own where his three children can live with him.
“My main motivation is my children,” he said. “Always has been, always will be.”
Since he’s started selling Street Roots, he has been able to turn on his phone so he can communicate more with his kids, who are ages 8 and 7 years and 8 months old.
“That’s what killed me to begin with, I mean, that, and not being able to see them as much as I want to,” he said. “Other than that if I’m able to talk to them on the phone, at least it’s something, you know.”
Ron still gets to see his children often, and is teaching his oldest to bike, like he does. Ron bikes long distances, from Northeast to Gresham and back, skateboards, and plays basketball in his free time. He is already teaching his two older sons to skateboard too. His second oldest is in the gifted program at school because of his academic excellence.
He’s saving his income from Street Roots to pay for a state identification card so he can get employment as a roofer or in construction, which he’s had experience in since his teenage years.
Ron moved with his family to Portland from Bremerton, Wash., when he was 11 years old. Ron says he was a “hardhead” as a kid, and struggled because he moved so much. He remembers attending 10 different elementary schools, five middle schools and four high schools.
“As I got older I realized I needed to start doing things correctly,” he said.
The fact that his six younger brothers and sisters were placed in the foster care system also profoundly affected him.
Now he lives with his mother.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m a momma’s boy,” he said. “I was raised by my mom. If it wasn’t for my mom I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
His mother loves that he is working for Street Roots as a vendor.
“When I started doing it, I started loving it because all the customers, they tell me that they appreciate me and they show it too,” he said. “Like, I’m always smiling with them, having a conversation with them, asking them how their day is.”
Ron thinks he’s so successful with his sales because of his approach.
“At first things started out slow,” he said. “The only reason why that is, is I didn’t know how to jump right into it. It’s like the (vendor orientation) video says, the paper literally does sell itself.”
He met a woman once who told him that she liked his approach. Instead of an aggressive sales pitch, he tries to get people’s attention with his friendly attitude.
Not only does he enjoy success selling papers, but he also gives back, referring others to Street Roots that he knows are struggling and need an income, just like he was.