ROAD RULES
Rep Life Three sales reps from three regions reveal secrets of life on the road.
How many miles did you drive last year, and what’s your rig?
TM 30,000, and it depends on the trip. Our agency has a fleet: a Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, a Chevy Tahoe, and a Chevy Avalanche. LF 20,000, between a Subaru named Tammi or Sprinty the Sprinter van. DM 35,000. I’m a Tacoma guy. What’s the weirdest thing in it?
TM My Thera Cane. LK A huge, jury-rigged steel support bar in Sprinty that props up my rack of 1,500 pounds of samples during preview time.
TOM MCCARTHY
LETA KALFAS
DAN MILLER
PRINCIPAL, THREE MOUNTAIN ASSOCIATES
PRINCIPAL, MTNSTUFF
FOUNDER, PACIFIC CREST TRADING
VERMONT
Since 1979, McCarthy has bounced from independent shop to big brand and back, until founding Three Mountain Associates in 1992. Current brands: Osprey, LEKI, Pelican, Grayl, MTI.
COLORADO
Kalfas moved to the Rockies and started repping in 1994; MTNStuff became the first agency to rep for the then-unknown Osprey Packs. She still reps Osprey, plus Western Mountaineering, Astral, and Outdoor Research.
CALIFORNIA
Miller’s career began in customer service for Gregory Packs before he felt the pull of the rep life. He’s still with Gregory, as well as Cascade Designs, Darn Tough, Kathmandu, and Oboz.
What do you listen do while driving?
Also, yes, your least favorite?
TM NPR, blues, classic rock, or jazz LK Lots of MSNBC. I’m a news junkie. DM I’m into podcasts. I love Afterglow and What You Missed in History Class.
TM The New York/New Jersey metro area at rush hour. Brutal. LF Hands down: I-80 through Wyoming from Denver to Salt Lake City.
What’s your CMS of choice?
TM What’s a CMS*? LK SugarCRM DM karmaCRM How freaked out are you about tariffs?
TM Not at all. I can only focus on doing what I can do to best support my retailers and vendors. LK Not yet. Am I naive? A good portion of my business is done with brands made outside China. DM Nah. Our industry is in this together.
How do you stay looking good when you’ve been driving for 12 hours?
TM A change of clothes, Tom’s of Maine deodorant, and Altoids. And if I’m out of those, an apple, to clean the road funk out of my mouth. If you could have any other job in the outdoor industry, what would you choose?
DM I would switch jobs with John Connelly at Oboz or Ric Cabot at Darn Tough. These two both had a vision to create brands in very crowded categories and have gone on to be market leaders.
What’s your favorite stretch of road in your territory and why?
What’s your best advice for younger you?
LF Dallas Divide near Telluride. There’s a mystique about this area that always makes me stop along the drive, get out, and breathe.
TM Find a great mentor. LF It’s old-school, but eye contact, a firm handshake, and a smile go a long way in any business.
*CONTACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PAG E
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