Distributor focuses on cost and self-discipline to help business succeed

Sept. 23, 2014
Brenton Riley, Mac Tools distributor in the Ft. Worth/Dallas area, offers insights on starting up his business.

Brenton Riley had always wanted to own his own business, and had even thought to himself, “How am I going to do that?”

December will mark Riley’s five year anniversary with Mac Tools as a mobile tool dealer. Riley previously worked as a diesel technician, but the company he had worked for went out of business.

As a diesel technician, he was familiar with what technicians were looking for in a tool. “I knew the industry, I knew what the (technicians) needed,” Riley says. And although he has industry experience, he didn’t realize how many details went into owning a business. “I didn’t think I could do it being one person.”

Riley currently averages 20 shops per day. His stops are mostly mechanic shops, followed by auto body shops and dealerships. Even though business is going well, he says, “It’s a slow-starting business. You have to really work at it and get out there to meet people.”

He says, “Back when I grew up, I remember a commercial with guy who ran his own business. He used to say, ‘you are the owner, manager and janitor.’ So, I always tell everybody that I am the owner, manager and janitor of this entire operation.”

On his truck, Riley’s top sellers are code readers, flashlights and tool carts. “Three-drawer carts have really blown up.” He pre-assembles tool carts so that when the technicians come onto his truck, they are ready to use with no assembly required on the technician’s part. Riley notes that setting up tool carts, in addition to the other parts of the job that customers don’t see, are all part of some of the challenges he faces as a distributor.

Another challenge he has faced as a distributor is budgeting cost and his own wage. “You can’t think of it as a normal job where you make $12 an hour for 9-5.” He says, “the sky is the limit, but It takes time to learn how to budget to buy more tools and to pay yourself. You see a lot of money on the books but there are other costs to budget.” Costs for a mobile tool dealer can be anything from the obvious – tools – to the somewhat surprising – insurance and truck cleaning.

Riley also says that self-discipline is a major factor of running a business like this. “There are some days where you might not want to go to work, but you have to. You can’t be lazy in this industry; you have to put your time into it.”

Another trait Riley learned is essential: perseverance. “Guys will take off on you who owe you money. But you kind of pick yourself up and go on. Most of the time, you will find them again. Go on to the next guy and put on a happy face and sell some more (tools).”

Riley offers the following tip for other new distributor entering the business. “Always remember what your cost is. Always in the background when you are trying to sell something, remember what you have invested in it: not just how much you paid for it, but also your fuel costs, insurance, things like that.” He also mentions, “you won’t become a success overnight.” 

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