4 minute read
Women in Construction
Walking into the light
American Lighting’s Alyssa Stone on the art of doing everything and anything
Like many women in this industry, when I was a younger, I never laid in bed at night dreaming of my future as a sales manager for a commercial and residential LED lighting company. I grew up surrounded by strong, entrepreneurial women who never gave me any idea that I couldn’t do whatever I wanted or be whomever I wanted to be.
As it turns out, all I ever wanted was to help people and to be a part of something bigger, no matter the industry. I started at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Michigan in 2009. While pursuing my degree in Marketing, I was also working as an inside salesperson at a conduit manufacturer in the Detroit metropolitan area. While I spent my days doing seemingly rudimentary tasks like entering purchase orders, providing tracking for shipments, and processing the occasional RMA, what I was unknowingly doing was much more important. I was building my first relationships in the electrical industry, and establishing a reputation for myself of being fast, knowledgeable and most importantly, being kind. After graduation, degree in hand, I knew exactly what I wanted to do next—move far, far away from my hometown, which is still a great place. I settled on Denver and used those previously established relationships to find a job in the Mile High City. I set my sights on my largest customer in Denver, and quickly accepted an offer with one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. I was a Project Manager that focused heavily on managing large lighting projects around the Front Range. Compared to conduit fittings, lighting was fascinating. From simple T8 lamps to expensive and extravagant crystal chandeliers, I was hooked on how much there was to learn, how many options there were from an endless list of lighting manufacturers, and how the industry operates. I knew I wanted to be more involved in lighting, so
over time, I migrated to one of my favorite LED lighting manufacturers that just so happened to be in Denver. Starting at American Lighting, I was brought on to establish its Quotations Department and assist with technical support inquiries. While I was comfortable putting together lighting quotes and building relationships with a new set of customers and reps, I was extremely nervous about assisting our contractor partners when they were in the field and something would not light up. For those first couple of weeks, every time my phone rang, my stomach would drop because I knew whatever question the caller had, I didn’t have the answer. Luckily, I was surrounded by smart, experienced people that would not allow me to fail. They would not only give me the quick, simple answer so I could assist the customer, they would then go above and beyond to explain the “why” once I was finished with the call. Gaining this technical knowledge for the first few years of my time here was paramount in my success in sales.
Following my Formula for Success
As my lighting knowledge and experience grew, I continued to build relationships with my customers and sales reps at American Lighting and moved up the ranks. From Quotations, I took on Inside Sales position. From Inside Sales, I jumped into being a traveling Regional Sales Manager that covered the southern half of the US. Today, I am the Electrical Distribution National Sales Manager, managing 32 different sales agencies across the US and Canada, totaling more than 225 people. With more than 200 people, 200 different personalities and 200 different walks of life, there is no cookie-cutter technique to take care of everything they need to be successful. I find that I have most success being fast, knowledgeable and kind. Not much has changed from my days growing up. I’m still surrounded by strong, clever, entrepreneurial women—both in my office and personal life. My company never gives me any idea that I cannot do whatever I want in the pursuit of being successful. I am proud I spend my days helping people (I still occasionally take a technical support phone call, just to make sure I still have it) and can feel that I’m a part of something growing bigger every day. CCR That is all I ever wanted.
Alyssa Stone is the Electrical Distribution National Sales Manager for American Lighting, a manufacturer of LED lighting solutions, located in Denver. With more than 10 years of electrical and lighting experience, she brings a wealth of product knowledge and industry expertise to her clients after holding positions in technical support, lighting quotations, and inside sales and outside sales.
