A second MANA member recounts some of his history as an independent manufacturers’ rep and describes how and why his agency has been an association member for more than 45 years.

At the beginning of a conversation with Agency Sales magazine, Rick Mullen good-naturedly explains how he successfully survived and thrived following the initial positive “false impression” he experienced at the start of his career as an independent manufacturers’ rep.

According to Mullen, president of Mullen Sales, Inc., Farmington, Connecticut, “I joined the agency fresh out of grad school in 1984. I chose being a rep over other opportunities because I knew I wanted to eventually run my own business and being a rep provided me with the best opportunity to realize that goal.

“The agency was 15 years old and I was joining a business that was already in motion. When I joined the agency I had a basic knowledge of what reps did. Our family had been in the building trades for three generations. The family owned a lumberyard and a wholesale distribution business. That provided me with the background and contacts necessary to allow me to contribute right away to the agency. I had already worked in the industry and was experienced with reps calling on us. It didn’t take me long to figure things out.

“From my first day there we were in the middle of the roaring ’80s and that naturally made it a fairly easy start. We were representing four lines doing $3 million in business. In the blink of an eye, however, we went all the way to $25 million. It’s a bit of an overstatement to say a large part of being successful in those days involved just driving around and showing up.”

He adds that while that favorable business environment was a major plus, “It didn’t make it completely easy. I had to earn my way. I was given a six-month trial to give me time to generate business. Thankfully, I had a little luck and ambition and business started to happen, but hardly enough to cover my expenses. It was enough, however, to earn another six-month trial and finally all the hard work began paying off.

The Lights Turned Out

“Then — through no fault of our own — we experienced the first of the banking crises in this country — and all of a sudden in 1989 businesses in our territory began closing and the lights went out. At that time the agency owner was primarily focused on just one product group. Instead of staying with that one group, I went back to my roots of employing diversification to the agency. I had a wide background built on the same customer base we were serving but not quite as tight as what the agency was doing. We moved into hardware and other product lines in order to spread the risk.”

Obviously Mullen and Mullen Sales, Inc., survived the lights going out. Today Mullen and his brother Geoff, who serves as company vice president, head a firm that boasts a team of experienced building products representatives (which includes sub-reps) serving the Northeast since 1969. The agency’s product offering includes:

• Cabinet hardware.
• Building products.
• Millwork.
• Windows and doors.
• Specialty decorative products.

A visit to the agency website (www.mullensales.com) acquaints visitors with the firm’s capabilities:

• More than 30 years of industry experience.
• 24-hour response time.
• Strong market outlet relationships.
• Extensive full-service offerings.
• Strategic planning capabilities.
• Trade show participation.
• In store set up and display.
• On-site store and factory visits.

Navigating Change

When he’s asked whether there have been any important changes in how he and his agency work today vs. 1984 when he joined the firm, Mullen cites two important areas: the continued impact of technology and business in general.

On the technology side of change, he explains, “Looking back to the 1980s, we operated out of one office with three office assistants. Then there was the basic telephone answering machine from RadioShack. Sure it took the messages, but you never received them until the end of the day when you returned to the office. Now, we’re armed with all the technological tools including computers and e‑mail. A good deal of our communication is completed via e‑mail and texting. In between, we are still out in the field making sales calls. The reality of it is that you’re operating on a 24/7 basis. As to whether that’s good or bad, it’s neither — it’s the norm.

“Naturally all of us would like to have our weekends free, but the fact is our customers are open seven days a week and when they need answers to questions, we’re here to provide them with those answers.”

Hi-Tech vs. Hi-Touch

The subject of technological change leads directly into one of considering “hi-tech” vs. “hi-touch.” For Mullen and his brother this is a bit of a “no-brainer.”

“Sure, we have all the technology we need today and we use it. Our CRM software allows us to constantly stay in touch with our principals and customers. But, most of our energy is exerted out there in the field where it belongs. When customers need us, we’re there. We respond. We’ve made it a practice to answer all e‑mail by the time we go to bed at night. Sometimes it’s not easy, but this is a practice we adopted from the beginning, and we’ve found that those we conduct business with really value and appreciate our efforts. Customers know we’ll always be in touch with them and that’s the side we always gravitate to.”

Keeping Lines

In terms of business, he says, “The building trades in which we work have changed a great deal. The many consolidations and acquisitions of businesses have made it a challenge for us to keep lines. However, at the same time we’ve found that dedicated work in the territory is still the key to success of growing and keeping a line. With our vast knowledge of the building trades, we have had to re-invent the agency from mostly doors and windows to the kitchen and bath industry.”

In addition, he notes, “Most of the consolidation of principals that we’ve experienced result in private equity firms owning businesses. There aren’t the family owned businesses there used to be.”

When it comes to getting and keeping lines, Mullen notes that “from the beginning we’ve had luck getting some lines through Agency Sales. In addition, we’ve also had some success via LinkedIn and word of mouth, but mostly we receive recommendations from fellow reps.”

When it comes to the lines the agency represents, Mullen stresses how important healthy relationships are as a contributor to future success. “At the beginning of our relationships with a principal we always look at ourselves as the soldier out in the field. In order to do the job properly, we expect a plan from the manufacturer. When we’re in the interview stage, we want to know all we can about their base and what their intentions are for the future. I want to meet them face-to-face and have them come to our headquarters to see how we work. We want to have dinner together and look eye-to-eye and agree that we’re in this for the long term.

“I’ve got to admit that we’ve had some lines where the manufacturer expected business overnight. The reality of it is that doesn’t happen. Even if they have the ability to grow new business in our territory, it often can be a two- or three-year process before something develops. Some principals don’t have the patience for that. We can tell from the start what their intentions are. If they stutter or hesitate when we talk about developing business, you know they’re desperate. Desperate people do desperate things — and that’s not for us.”

Why MANA

As he looks back over his more than 35-year career as a manufacturers’ rep, Mullen notes the importance of the agency’s 45-year membership in MANA. He explains, “MANA has always been great for us. Whenever we’ve had a question or need to speak with someone, all you have to do is pick up the phone and MANA provides you with a unique perspective to your problem. In addition, I’ve certainly made use of the association’s legal counsel and I make it a habit to read Agency Sales every month from cover to cover. I learn something from every issue.”

MANA welcomes your comments on this article. Write to us at [email protected].