With the announcement that Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo are still to go head this summer, it is bound to attract a huge following after the sports shutdown. PG Buzz ‘tracked’ down some of the industry’s own team of ‘medal winners’, aka independent sales agents whose respective and multifarious talents see them overcoming hurdles and delivering glory for both the companies they represent and their retail customers.
Robin Sellers, agent for London, Essex and East Anglia takes up the baton and gives a ‘run down’ of life in his fast track!
What’s in your ‘kitbag’ of companies you represent?
“Wendy Jones-Blackett, Rosie Made A Thing, Janie Wilson, Artebene, James Ellis, Life Charms and Swole Panda.”
What Olympic event is most akin to you as an agent?
“I’m sure most agents see our lovely job as a marathon not a sprint because we spend a great deal of time, even years, with some customers, building respect and trust with each other. The sprinters who go for the quick sale usually fall before the finish line.”
The current pandemic aside, what have been the main hurdles to the business over the last year? “2019 was very tough, but ultimately it was a reasonable year made up of very busy periods when the seasons happened and lots of new product was released, followed by very quiet periods in between.
It was April when I think most of us fell flat on our face – my worst month ever!”
What have been the ‘high jumps’?
“Without doubt the high point for me was January, it was one of my best ever! Most customers had a better than expected Christmas sales period so were very positive in their buying.”
What is your 2020 training plan?
“With the highly toxic ‘B’ word now history I was feeling very positive for 2020. The £pound has improved, fuel prices have dropped, so I was looking forward to another challenging, but improved year. However, I have just had an email from a lovely and valued customer to say she is closing.
And of course no one yet knows the full effects the Coronavirus will have on business.
However as always good product, good displays and good service will count for a lot. I’ll keep smiling and knocking on doors.”
Top: Robin Sellers
