Dear Stephen,
I am a regional sales manager for a contract furniture manufacturer. My numbers are strong, I like my company and the team I manage, and I am not worried about losing my job. I just want to make more money. Despite my title, I am happiest selling—finding projects, calling on designers, and working with dealers. I believe the best managers are out in the market helping close business, and that is where I spend my time. Moving up would probably mean relocating, managing more people, and still earning what I consider just okay money. My family is settled, and I have spent years building relationships here. Dealers have approached me with opportunities that could pay more, but I enjoy working with several dealerships. Choosing one does not feel right.
I follow your column because you understand how this industry works, including the personalities and relationships behind the business. Your advice is practical and sometimes the opposite of what everyone else tells me. I know you worked for a manufacturer and a dealer before becoming a headhunter, but it is more than your résumé. You just get this business. What am I overlooking, career-wise? What can I do next?
Signed,
Ready & Able
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Dear Able,
Open an independent rep group! You asked for advice other people might not give you, and there it is. You have a good corporate job and a regular paycheck. I am suggesting you consider trading that for ownership of a business whose income depends on producing sales. That takes courage and involves risk. But with your experience, relationships, and enthusiasm for selling, I think it could be the best move of your career. Prepare properly, choose your manufacturers carefully, and I believe you will be happier and never look back.
You can start your own group or buy into an existing one. Either can let you stay where you live, work with multiple dealers and designers, and build something you own. I think a successful independent rep group is one of the best businesses in our industry, with the potential to earn considerably more without running a factory or taking on all the responsibilities of a dealership. And do not limit yourself to furniture. Think textiles, lighting, wallcoverings, architectural walls, and acoustical products. What else do the people you already call on specify and buy? There may be another commission sitting right next to that task chair—or above it.
If you start your own, the obvious question is, “Where do I get the lines?” At ORGATEC last month, I kept hearing European manufacturers ask how to find independent reps for the United States. A manufacturer can have beautiful products and still need someone who knows which dealers to approach, which designers to call, and how business gets done locally. You may take those relationships for granted because you have had them for years. A manufacturer trying to enter your market does not.
I think 2027 could be your year. Consider investing in a trip to Salone del Mobile in Milan in April. Walk the show, discover manufacturers, and see which brands could fit your market. Salone and ORGATEC give you opportunities to explore; an introduction can lead to a private conversation later. NeoCon and Design Days are trickier when you are working your employer’s showroom, and everyone knows everyone. Disappearing for an hour and returning with three competitors’ catalogs may generate a question or two. Save serious discussions for your own time. When you speak with a VP of Sales, export director, or owner, ask which territories need coverage, what business already exists, and what support they provide. Be ready to explain how you would develop their business.
Do not assume a territory is permanently unavailable just because a manufacturer already has a rep. A company can like independent representation and still want a change. Perhaps its products get too little attention, or the territory needs more active selling. Put the word out discreetly and be persistent. Suppose you are a successful salesperson or sales manager at Allsteel, AIS, or MillerKnoll. Why wouldn’t a manufacturer using independent reps want to hear your plan? Study companies such as Tuohy, Nucraft, Davis, and Allseating, along with brands entering the market. Learn how they are represented locally. You do not need to criticize the existing rep to make a convincing case for yourself.
Keep your initial number of lines small and choose products that complement one another. Think about two broad categories: dealer-focused lines and A&D-focused products, where getting specified drives the selling effort. Some groups do both. If you know every dealer salesperson in your market, that points you in one direction. If designers call you before selecting a dealer, that points you in another. Open-line manufacturers can allow you to work across dealerships with different major-manufacturer affiliations, subject to their requirements. Build around your strengths. Do not promise manufacturers more attention and then take on so many lines that you become the problem you offered to solve.
Buying into an existing group is another possibility. My observation is that some established owners are approaching retirement and need an exit strategy. You may be thinking, “Buy a rep group? Stephen, you make it sound so simple.” It takes work, but an owner might sell you a portion, bring you in as a working partner, and establish a path for you to acquire more over time. You learn the operation; the owner gains help and a potential successor. Before committing, examine the commission income, expenses, and manufacturer agreements, and make sure the manufacturers support the transition. Buying the showroom furniture is easy. Keeping the business attached to it is what matters. Talk to experienced rep owners about how they started, too. You may be surprised by how willing someone is to help, particularly outside your immediate territory.
Manufacturers reading this, here is your side of the opportunity. Independent representation gives your company local customer relationships without putting the group’s salespeople on your payroll with salaries and benefits. You pay commissions under your agreements and may provide showroom, sample, or other support. It is not literally zero overhead, but it can reduce fixed field-sales expenses and help cash flow. You also gain access to experienced salespeople whose motivation is personal: commissions pay the agency’s bills. Look at Armstrong’s acquisitions of Arktura and Turf in 2020. It retained their independent sales networks and specifically recognized the network’s contribution to Arktura’s success and growth. Those relationships were worth keeping.
Now do your homework before handing in your resignation. Keep performing in your current job and respect your obligations to your employer. You need a business plan, professionally reviewed agreements, and savings to cover your living and business expenses while you launch. Understand how much you must sell to cover those expenses—and when commissions will arrive. The money does not come rolling in because you announce that you are independent. “We would love to work with you” is encouraging. Your landlord will still prefer a check.
Tell you what: call me if you have questions. You have spent years getting people to take your calls. Now find out whether those relationships can support a business you own. Our industry loves to reward a great salesperson by putting them in meetings all day. You have another option. Your next promotion may not require moving to headquarters. It may require becoming headquarters.
Stephen
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Stephen Viscusi is the founder of The Viscusi Group, an executive search firm specializing in the furniture, furnishings and interiors industries, and Viscusi Advisors, his separate M&A advisory business advising manufacturers and private equity firms on industry acquisition opportunities and facilitating introductions to business owners. He is the author of two books, On the Job and Bulletproof Your Job, and a longtime commentator on careers, hiring and the workplace.
Send workplace, career, hiring, or furniture-industry questions to stephen@viscusigroup.com with ASK STEPHEN in the subject line. Questions selected for publication may be edited for clarity and to protect the writer’s identity.
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