As Jobst, Inc., marks its 42nd anniversary this year, Michelle Jobst looks back 12 years to when she bought the agency and emphasizes that what she really purchased at that time was “good process, procedures and professionalism” to run a sales firm. And it’s those elements that continue to serve as a metaphorical three-legged stool that has sustained the agency over the years.

Walter Jobst Associates was founded in 1978 by Walter Jobst, Michelle’s father. The business started out of his home, where he and his wife “Kitty” worked together for many years and raised a family.

Michelle Jobst grew up in the business and joined the agency team in 1994. The company incorporated in 1999 and became Jobst Incorporated. More salespeople were added to support the growth. She purchased the agency in 2008.

Today, Jobst Inc., Eden Prairie, Minnesota, represents manufacturers of custom mechanical and electromechanical components: plastic and rubber extrusions, injection molded plastic, molded rubber, cast and molded polyurethane, molded structural composites (fiberglass and carbon fiber), die cut and roll material slit parts, EMI/RFI shielding gaskets, and embedded controls.

The agency’s customers are primarily original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but it also serves subcontractors, distributors, and design houses. In the Minnesota, western Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota territory the agency serves the industrial, electronics, defense, marine, medical, agricultural, construction and recreational markets. Present staff number four to meet the sales and marketing needs of seven principals, two of which have been with the agency for more than four decades.

Accepting an Invitation

According to Jobst, “Before joining the agency I was working in the corporate world. There was a point when I felt I had to take the next step in my career. At the same time, my father’s firm was expanding. I have flourished and developed a deep passion for small business. It was good timing that my path coincided with him extending an opportunity to me. Although I had grown up in the business, it really was his invitation that got the ball rolling. We thought we’d give it a try for six to nine months and see what happened.

“I was very fortunate in joining my father’s agency 26 years ago. He’s the best boss I ever had and when I bought the company, what I really bought was more than an independent rep agency. It was good process and procedures, plus a real sense of professionalism that we’ve maintained to this day. We’ve been able to provide a solid structure for everyone to contribute their own art to what we do.”

An integral part of the professionalism that Jobst speaks of can be seen in steps she’s taken during her tenure with the agency. First is her CPMR designation. “I began work on CPMR certification shortly after I purchased the agency. That was just a part of my belief in the importance of life-long learning.”

Next, perhaps, is her continued membership and participation in MANA. In explaining how and why Jobst Inc., became a member of MANA, Jobst explains, “I can’t really recall the specifics of why we joined but being a member of a national association has always been seen as a good thing. We’re celebrating our 30th year as a MANA member this year. I’d have to say that the major reason we joined was simply that professionalism has always been at the core of what we do here. Being life-long learners is a part of our culture and I can remember conversations that we’ve had in the past regarding how important it was to be a part of something that was bigger than ourselves.”

Giving Something Back

Taking an additional step with her membership, in 1997 Jobst became the first female member of the association’s Board. In explaining why she was willing to take time from running her agency to serve on MANA’s Board, Jobst explained that “I’ve been a rep for well over 20 years, and during that time the association has given so much to me and the agency that I simply thought it was time to give something back.”

In addition to serving on MANA’s Board, Jobst has focused on other areas related to female agency owners that are important to not only the association, but the rep profession in general. “Women can thrive and have more of a say about their career path when they start an independent rep firm, but they won’t follow that path unless they know about it. I was fortunate in that I grew up around the profession and received an invitation to become a rep. Not everyone else has had that opportunity. That’s why MANA’s special interest group “A League of Their Own” (ALOTO) and the WomenReps network organization are so important.”

She explains that while the former group is open to MANA members only, the latter is an organization for all female reps.

In an editorial that appeared in Agency Sales in 2018, Jobst made the point that females speak a different dialect — that’s why networking is so important. “Many of us are working in male-dominated industries. In those situations, tight connections among women reduce the feeling of going it alone when facing difficulties. That’s why ALOTO is just one example of the work the association is doing to support key communities within our membership.”

Supporting Fellow Reps

She continues, “When you’re in a group of people who are all working in the same career, information flows faster and you’re better able to support each other because of your commonalities.” She adds that the ALOTO group is currently up to 50 MANA members and is equipped to address members’ needs with a leadership and a sound vision for the future. “We’ve been meeting via video conference and, in general, our discussions include areas of common interest, the need for continued education, best practices, and what lines agencies might be interested in.”

The WomenReps group, which is open to all female independent reps connected to a national association, has connected with many women across the country. This past February it conducted its third annual in-person meeting. Conference plans are in process for the next gathering and will require some extra thought given the restrictions posed by COVID‑19. Past attendees stay in touch via group texting, email, phone and LinkedIn between sessions. Over those years the number of reps who have gathered face-to-face is around 20. According to Jobst, “All of us are so busy with the day-to-day at our firms. Attending the conference provides us all with an opportunity to connect in a relaxed environment so we can share best practices, business and educational experiences. We meet annually, generally for two days and the location is chosen as to make travel convenient.”

If the aforementioned detail Jobst’s association and professional activities, she’s equally busy with her agency. At the time of her interview with Agency Sales, she explains that a fourth person had recently been added to the agency staff. “When looking to fill a position with our agency I generally depend on networking with other professionals I’m in contact with. I’ll consult with local outsourced human resource companies when searching for a candidate. Just like so many other rep firms, it’s not usual to find someone who’s coming right out of college wanting to be a rep. What I’m looking to do is to fill a position with a person who has some experience and the skills that will suit our needs.” When a prospect is identified, she explains that she consults with an employee assessment company that “takes a look at our candidate, their fit with the position and how well they are likely to fit with our current staff profiles.”

Augmenting Relations

After more than 25 years as a rep, Jobst notes that perhaps the most significant change in how the independent rep operates is the fact that during this pandemic “no one gets to see anyone anymore.” That’s a situation that she finds herself in like company with her fellow reps. “However, the positive is that we already have the relationships that we need to conduct business. What we’ve been able to do is to augment those long-standing relationships with the use of technology. We make use of everything from phone calls, email, texting, video conferencing, and social media. Technology is going to continue to grow and be important for us, but it only works because of the relationships that we’ve established with our principals and customers. Naturally face-to-face contact will remain important.”

Establishing and maintaining relationships aren’t the only concerns that occupy Jobst and her agency. Just as so many of her rep peers, she’s cognizant of the need to have a succession plan which she shares with her principals. “I’d have to say that some of our principals are more interested than others when it comes to our future plans, but we always make a point of keeping them in the loop on any matters of importance related to the agency.”

On another subject of importance, Jobst weighs in on the subject of shared territorial development fees. According to the rep, “We’re very proud of the long-term relationships we enjoy with our principals. When it comes to adding a new line where there is no existing business in place, we require a shared investment on the part of the principal. There are only 24 hours in a day. Having skin in the game keeps everyone focused on what is needed to develop their name in the territory. As a result, if we’re going to spend time developing new business, we have to share in the effort. Conversations at the beginning of the relationship help me refine my understanding of our ability to work with the principals as ‘Partners in Profit.’”

Need for Mutual Respect

Continuing on the subject of relations with principals, Jobst offered an opinion as to what principals, in general, ought to be more appreciative of concerning what their reps do for them in the field. “The fact is that as a rep you’ve developed all these partnerships with different principals, each of which has their own culture. Some ‘get’ the relationships, others don’t. It is nice when our long and hard fought efforts to get new programs are acknowledged. We work on any number of research and development programs for them. It’s not unusual that in many cases it might take five years or more from our initial approach to a new customer before we get the opportunity to quote. They are focused on building and delivering quality products. When we bring in an order, I’m not sure there’s always a good recollection for how difficult it was to get that business. It requires some additional effort on our part. Mutual respect for the good efforts we both do is important.”

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