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Mac Tools distributor, Danny Stratton, has been cruising through the streets of Enid, Oklahoma, for over four decades. He’s seen the highs and lows from oil booms to recessions and has stuck with his customers through it all. Stratton’s dedication to consistency and following through with his customers has kept his business successful for the past 46 years.
The career he wasn’t looking for
Before he began his tool distribution journey, Stratton was painting cars at a body shop.
“I was 22 years old,” he says. “I wasn't looking for a career. I just thought it looked like more fun than painting cars. The guy that was selling me tools came by every week and was getting out and taking a field manager's job. I thought, ‘wow.’ So about seven or eight months later, there I was.”
To start, Stratton only took on half of the route. It was April of 1980, and with the oil boom happening, the previous route owner knew it would likely expand, and two trucks would be needed for the area.
Unfortunately, by the mid-1980s, the “oil bust” came. Stratton notes that overnight, shops closed, his customers lost their jobs, and people had to move away.
“We had such an influx of people moving in for the oil industry that when it shut down, it was pretty tough.”
Staying afloat during those trying times was no small feat, and when the other distributor in the area went out of business, it created an opportunity for Stratton to keep going. He took over the entire area, and the increase in his headcount helped make up for his other losses.
“I was newly married about that time,” he says, “and we didn't have a lot of overhead, so we just stuck it out and stayed with it.”
Selling then and now
After over four decades as a tool distributor, Stratton has seen many changes in the industry – pricing, the tools and equipment being sold, and even the way he and other distributors do business.
“When I got in the business in 1980, I went to my banker, and I borrowed $32,000,” Stratton recalls. “And in that $32,000, I bought a used truck, I bought my starter inventory, I bought $8,000 worth of accounts off the other gentleman that was here, and I had working capital in the bank. And I laugh because I have days that big now and I never fathomed that the tool business would do what it's morphed into.”
Thinking about prices from when he first started, Stratton notes that a 9/16” wrench was only $4.25 and an expensive toolbox was $600.
“If you'd have told me that in 1980 [that] I'd be selling toolboxes that are $30,000,” he says, “I'd have looked at you like you had three eyes.”
Apart from pricing differences, Stratton finds that the biggest difference between when he first started and now is the volume of tools and equipment that goes through a truck. In the past, he explains that tool trucks largely carried hand tools like sockets, wrenches, and screwdrivers as well as toolboxes, but now, he’s got A/C machines, scan tools, and cordless power tools.
Perhaps the best difference between then and now, though, is how much easier it is to take time off.
“I’m thankful for the debit card,” Stratton says, “because in the old days there were no vacations. You didn't have very many sick days because we were always there to pick up a check or cash, and we didn't take a lot of time off back then.”
Even on days when Stratton isn’t planning to take off, like getting sick or snowed in, he can simply run his customers’ cards, and payments come in as usual.
Imparting wisdom
When speaking with new distributors, Stratton shares the tools he’s gathered over the years to be successful:
- Know your margins
- Keep a full inventory
- Show up when you say you will
- Be consistent
“Time management is probably the biggest thing I preach to our new dealers,” he says. “When you're in the truck, you're working. You're not petting your dog or taking your dog with you, playing the radio, or any of that. When we're in the tool truck, it's time to work.”
As a new distributor — or even as a seasoned one — collecting money from customers can be a bit of a challenge. To help with this, Stratton remembers some advice he received from an “old, wise man” many years ago, and he tells this to all the new distributors he meets — “If you don't mind owing me, I don't mind asking you. Never be afraid to ask for your money.”
What’s next?
Though Stratton is still going strong on his route, he has put some thought into retirement and how he’d like his route maintained once he’s no longer the person behind the wheel. Some of his customers have expressed interest in taking over for him, but before any decisions are made, Stratton wants to make sure they understand what they’re getting into.
More Tales From the Road to keep you company!
“I'm 68 years old. I'm still working 10, 12 hours a day,” he tells them, “’Be careful what you wish for.’” They only see the “fun” part of the job while Stratton is out on the truck; what they’re not seeing is all the work that goes into managing a successful business.
Overall, Stratton says he’s still figuring things out.
“I most likely will be involved in an exit strategy to help finance somebody in as a replacement. Being from the small town and having grown up here, I know everybody,” he says. “I'd like to see it continue. I'd like to see it be successful after I'm gone.”
About the Author
Emily Markham
Editor | PTEN and Professional Distributor
Emily Markham is the editor of Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor magazines. She has been writing about the automotive aftermarket since 2019, after graduating from UW-La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in English. During her first three years with EndeavorB2B's Vehicle Service & Repair Group, Markham also wrote for Fleet Maintenance magazine.
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