While Riordan Materials’ history( a brief version of which accompanies this article) goes back more than 66 years, Janson traces his involvement with the agency to 1984. As an environmental science / biology major out of college, Janson began his career as an applications engineer on the manufacturing side. That beginning evolved into sales engineering and marketing.“ When I was working with the manufacturer in the sales capacity, I was traveling about 60 percent of the time. One week I’ d take the blue suit and then the next week the brown one. The travel was getting to be a bit much.”
It was at that point when their local rep contacted him about going into business as a rep.“ If I had made the move at that time, it would have been a serious financial hit. As a result, I pushed back on making a decision.” A short time later when a death at the agency occurred, he was contacted again.“ I let them know of my interest in owning the business and said I’ d only pursue it if that opportunity existed.” And, that’ s exactly what happened.
Making the Move
While taking a major hit when it came to salary( about 40 percent) and bonuses, he made the move.“ I knew that the manufacturer I was working with was selling through reps and there was a good deal of potential given the projects we had going on. I believed I had a real future with the firm. I joined them as a sales rep and over the course of a year and a half we finalized the purchase plans for the agency, which were completed by 1989.”
Janson was hardly unprepared to begin life as an independent rep.“ I had worked with and traveled with reps in my previous positions. I recognized the fact that reps had to be dedicated to their profession to be successful and that a rep’ s life was hardly the typical 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. existence. I also appreciated the fact that reps are hardly compensated out of a manufacturer’ s profits; rather it’ s simply a cost of conducting business. The compensation the rep earns isn’ t profit for him, rather it’ s how the rep runs his business and pays for his expenses.”
Probably owing to the fact he was familiar with rep operations, Janson admits there were no real surprises for him as he began his rep career but when he’ s asked to reflect on any changes that have occurred over his more than 25-year career, however, he’ s quick to respond with a“ Wow.”