Farmers Market Sales Lead

Location: Olympia, WA area / South Puget Sound farmers markets
Pay: $20/hour + performance-based bonus incentives
Schedule: Year-round; weekends required, with heavier hours April–December and lighter but regular market shifts January–March

Overview

Earthling Food Company is hiring a Farmers Market Sales Lead to become the face of our company at market.

This is a hands-on, high-responsibility role for someone who is naturally great with people, genuinely enjoys selling, and can be counted on to show up prepared and on time for every shift. You will often work solo, running up to four farmers market booths per week during the busiest part of the year.

You will help turn curious passersby into loyal customers by creating a fun, memorable tasting experience and helping people quickly understand how our products fit into their daily lives.

This role is important. For years, the owner has been the main market workhorse. We are now looking for someone who can take on that responsibility with energy, consistency, and pride.

About Earthling Food Company

Earthling Food Company is a small and growing packaged food company based in Olympia, WA. We make flavored pumpkin seeds, granola, and seasonings in our production facility and sell most of our products at local farmers markets around the South Puget Sound.

We are local, hardworking, and a little playful. Our brand is built around the mysterious “Earthling,” a Bigfoot-like character who secretly invents our products and somehow keeps the whole thing running. Behind the fun story is a real small team that works hard, depends on each other, and cares about doing things well.

What You’ll Do

• Run Earthling farmers market booths, often independently
• Load your market kit at our production facility, including canopy tent, table, supply bin, and inventory bins
• Arrive at your booth location at least one hour before market start time, fully set up and ready to sell
• Create a welcoming, high-energy booth that draws people in
• Offer product samples and guide customers through a tasting experience
• Read customer interest, facial expressions, and body language so you can tailor your pitch naturally
• Clearly explain products and answer questions so customers feel confident buying
• Build genuine rapport so customers come back again and again
• Upsell customers into bundle deals and larger purchases when it makes sense
• Stay upbeat even when people ignore you, say no, or are occasionally rude
• Handle cash and point-of-sale transactions accurately
• Keep inventory counts organized and accurate
• Help maintain accountability around inventory and cash handling for other seasonal market staff when needed
• Represent Earthling Food Company with warmth, trustworthiness, and strong sales instincts

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

You will likely do well here if you:

• Have magnetic energy and enjoy talking with strangers
• Are naturally persuasive without sounding pushy
• Can repeat the same core pitch many times and keep it engaging each time
• Understand that even if it is your hundredth time saying it, it is the customer’s first time hearing it
• Are highly reliable and take punctuality seriously
• Like being trusted to run things on your own
• Are organized and careful with money, inventory, and details
• Can stay positive through weather, early mornings, busy markets, and customer rejection
• Want to help a small local company grow

Requirements

• Strong in-person, customer-facing sales ability
• Weekend availability year-round
• Availability for early mornings
• Reliable personal vehicle
• Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and proof of insurance
• Ability to lift at least 40 pounds
• Comfort with repeated customer interaction and repetitive sales conversations
• Confidence handling cash and keeping accurate counts
• Ability to work independently and responsibly

Preferred Experience

• Farmers market experience
• Food sales experience
• Brand ambassador, retail, hospitality, or other high-contact customer service experience
• Experience working independently without close supervision

Compensation & Schedule

This is a year-round position starting at $20/hour, with bonus opportunities tied to reliability, sales performance, and accurate cash/inventory handling.

Typical hours are:

• 24–32 hours/week in high season
• 8–16 hours/week in slower months

Weekend and early morning availability is required.

Why This Job Appeals to the Right Person

This is a key role in a small local company where your work directly matters. You will not be a tiny part of a giant machine. You will be one of the people who genuinely helps drive the company forward.

If you love connecting with people, creating great customer experiences, and being trusted with real responsibility, this can be a very satisfying role. You will help shape how customers experience Earthling and play a major part in our growth.

This Role Is Probably Not a Fit If

• You struggle with early mornings or being consistently on time
• You do not enjoy talking to strangers all day
• You prefer close supervision at all times
• You get drained by repetition, rejection, or weather
• You are casual about cash handling, inventory accuracy, or responsibility

How to Apply

To apply, please send your resume to eat@earthlingfoodcompany.com and include answers to the following in 3–7 sentences each:

• Tell us about a time you had to bring energy, focus, and consistency to a customer-facing job even when you were tired, dealing with rejection, or repeating yourself all day. What did you do, and what made you effective?
• Please tell us why this role at a farmers market sounds like a good fit for you specifically.

Pay: From $20.00 per hour

Work Location: In person