It doesn’t take Brenton Riley very long to convince his customers that he’s the guy who knows what tools they need to do their jobs well. That’s because it hasn’t been all that long since the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas-based Mac Tools distributor was looking to buy the kinds of items he now sells to make a living.
Just prior to starting his own business as a mobile tool dealer, Riley worked as a diesel technician for about five years. The experience he gained and the knowledge he gleaned from his time as a tech gave him the confidence to embrace his inner entrepreneurial spirit and set out on his own as a Mac Tools distributor.
“I thought, ‘Well, I have the knowledge, I know the tools, and I know what guys are asking for,’” says Riley, who has been in business for almost five years. “I know the makes and models, where things go, and how things work on the mechanic side.”
Now he finds himself face-to-face with techs almost every day. Riley works diligently to answer their questions, give them advice about situations they are dealing with at their respective shops, and provide them with valuable information about the latest tools available on the market. His background as a tech has not only earned him the respect of customers and potential customers, it has allowed him to cultivate long-lasting and mutually-beneficial business relationships that are defined by more than just competitive prices and good customer service.
“You build that trust a lot faster, having been in their shoes,” says Riley. “They know the tool you are recommending to them is something they’ll use.”
It also doesn’t hurt that Riley has been mechanically inclined for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve always loved big tractors and things like that,” he says. “My father owned a ranch with a couple of Caterpillars, and I was just fascinated by them.”
That interest led him to pursue a two-year degree in diesel mechanics from Texas State Technical College in Waco, Texas. From there, Riley went to work on diesel pumps that pumped out water for oil fields for about five years. But when his employer went out of business in 2010, Riley decided the time was right to choose an occupation where he could be his own boss and put his experience to good use. It eventually became clear that a career as a mobile tool dealer was a perfect fit for him.
“(Being a technician in the past) I believe has helped my business tremendously,” says Riley. “I’ve told several guys, ‘I’m an ex-mechanic, so I know what you are going through. I know what you need.’”
“I can see it on their faces that they know what I mean,” he adds.
