Pushing the Limits: Baruch Carman of Starfire Direct

There are people in this world who can float on down the stream of day-to-day life, never leaving their comfort zone. They never fail at anything, but they also never really experience the true thrill of a risk well-taken. Baruch Carman is not one of those people. Some would call him extreme or say his hobbies are risky, but to him, that is what life is all about. According to Baruch, failure is not the end of an undertaking, it is a necessary first step. “I think that failing at something new keeps me grounded and puts my ego in check,” he muses, “I always like to challenge myself and push/test the limits of what I’m capable of in all aspects of my life.” Fueled by the feeling of accomplishment that comes with facing his fears, Baruch has worked hard to develop the confidence to try new things--without fear of judgement from others if he should falter.

In the heart of Bend, Oregon—down the street from the very last blockbuster in the world—lives Baruch and his wife of four years, Alexis, and their two dogs, Dewey and Daisy. Though he loves to travel— “If I could move once a year, I would,” he admits—his home in Bend has become one of his very favorite spots. Between mountain biking, BMX, hiking, and snowboarding, Oregon and its surrounding areas offers Baruch the opportunity to do the things he loves best. “Where I live,” Baruch says, “feels like a vacation every day.” With the thought of pain or injury as the last thing on his mind, Baruch loves to try new things on his bike or snowboard. The feeling of accomplishment he gets from nailing a new trick or jump puts him right on top of the world and makes the obligatory bumps and bruises all worthwhile.

_{Left: Baruch doing a flip on his snowboard, Middle: Baruch's trusty Harbor snowboard, Right: Wife Alexis and dogs Dewey and Daisy.}

Baruch has been Starfire Direct’s remote Customer Service Agent for just over a year. As one of the main points of contact for existing and new Starfire Direct customers, Baruch is on the front lines of fielding issues with orders—whatever the issue may be. With poise and efficiency, he handles concerns with shipping ETAs, shipping damage, defective products, and incorrect installations. He and the rest of the team are in constant communication with manufacturers to function as the intermediary between these companies and you, our customers. Whether it be troubleshooting a malfunctioning product or orchestrating a replacement, Baruch’s main objective as a Customer Service Agent is to be a problem solver—and to make sure Starfire Direct’s customers always end up happy. Because it is not the issue itself that people remember, it is how they were treated after the issue that matters. Baruch’s fascination with human behavior and peoples’ motivating forces behind their behavior makes his position in customer service especially fitting.

During his relatively short time with Starfire Direct, Baruch has been thoroughly impressed with the efficiency of the staff—especially when things get hectic. “…the teamwork at Starfire Direct is top notch, everyone is always willing to help each other to provide the best experience to the customer,” he observes. Just as Baruch mentally prepares himself to attempt some of his more daring bike or snowboard technical tricks, he is also an incredibly capable part of the Starfire Team—able to handle whatever volume of work is thrown his way.

Even 900 miles away from Starfire Direct’s main corporate headquarters in Southern California, Baruch has proven himself a valuable part of the team. Junior Hearth and Patio Specialist Steven Kinsey adds, “The vibe [Baruch] contributes to the team is upbuilding, supportive, proactive and more.” Fellow Specialist Tricia Graff agrees, “Baruch is always ready to go above and beyond to ensure that the customer experience is top notch.” With the drive to have fun at the forefront, Baruch admits that one of his top priorities is “not wasting my time on things I don’t enjoy doing.” If more people had a perspective like Baruch’s, there is no question that the world would be a much happier place.