Professional, entrepreneurial, motivated, ethical, independent, optimist and competitive. If you identify with this description, you are most likely a successful manufacturers’ rep or at the very least on your way to becoming one.
As a MANA board member for the last several years, I have come to know many successful reps from a variety of fields, and they all seem to fit the above description. We are a rare breed of businessmen and women who strive for perfection.
Every successful profession has an important common denominator, a professional association that forms their base. Professional organizations provide a wealth of information, offer opportunities to learn more about the field, make connections, and learn the latest trends and legal issues. They also provide an opportunity for networking. Networking opens doors, expands our pool of professional contacts, and connects us with people in and out of our own field. None of us know all we need to know. We need each other, not to just get the next line, but to succeed in our current roles.
Since 1947, MANA has been helping the profession grow by enhancing its members’ capabilities. Although for business purposes, most of us belong to an industry-specific association, we tend to forget that no matter what industry we serve we are all bonded together through our primary profession. This is precisely why it is important to bond together as one voice, to protect what we so dearly love. As the old adage goes, “Together we stand, divided we fall.”
Think of it as a support system. Members of MANA can often take advantage of formal coaching or mentoring relationships with more experienced business people who provide guidance and useful insight. Even on an informal basis, such relationships can be a source of answers and solutions in your business. At the very least, the feeling that you have a support network behind you can boost your confidence when problems arise.
MANA provides many outstanding services, with a very dedicated staff, and whether you are a seasoned pro or in the early stages of your career, we stand ready to help if and when the need may arise.
As a member since 1973, I can attest that the value received far outweighs the small monetary contribution.
MANA is totally dedicated to supporting our profession, today, tomorrow, and in the future.
On behalf of the board of directors, who work tirelessly on our behalf, I would like to thank all of our members for your support and wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year.
Breaking News at Press Time
State commission protection acts with their roots in MANA-funded lobbying are under attack, particularly in Florida. Just one more example of why reps need to work together and stick together through rep associations like MANA.
