Make Your Case
"My supplier became my competitor."

By Maggie Shine

The Challenge
After I had been in business for three years, a representative of my book supplier called me from Chicago and told me they would no longer sell me books. He said, "We are coming into your territory, and will put you out of business."

Needless to say, I was shocked and panic stricken.

Background
When I began my business in October 1984, I was buying books from a company in New York called Leo Fleur Inc. The company had several offices around the country in the larger cities. But in 1985, Longman, a national training company, purchased Fleur. Just two years later, they decided to challenge my market.

Not only were they becoming a competitor, I also was losing the source for my classroom training materials. This was late 1987. I began looking for another supplier in a hurry.

The Solution
I called an old buddy, Ed Fleur, who was Leo's son, and told him of my dilemma. Eventually I connected with someone at the Securities Training Corporation (STC), which taught classes in larger cities. I was referred to the president to see if the company could help. STC was a fierce competitor of Leo Fleur Inc.

At first STC did not want to sell to me, as I was an unknown. I asked the company president not to shut me out until he had seen my résumé and sales numbers, which I sent by overnight delivery to him. I was then invited to New York to meet with the president and the chairman to discuss buying my materials wholesale from them.

I met with Irwin Shapiro, chairman and CEO of STC, in January 1988. But instead of talking about supplying me materials, they wanted to recruit me to open an office in San Francisco for them. I was irritated and explained that I had my own business in Kansas City and wanted to stay near my family. Shapiro was surprised and asked why, if that was the situation, I was meeting with them. It was obvious O'Donnell had not told Shapiro why I was there.

I explained that I was there to buy books to continue to run my business. Shapiro decided he liked my "moxy" and instructed O'Donnell to do business with me. But there was still work to be done. O'Donnell presented me with a price list and I used his pen to reduce the prices, explaining that was what I was willing to pay. We agreed on prices.

I had training materials again and was back in business. I have done business with STC since 1988 on a handshake.

From this experience, I learned to never give up. I also learned to keep my eyes open and always have a backup plan.

Push to get what you want, investigating every avenue. Do not be afraid to make the phone calls or write the letters to get what you want.

Maggie Shine is president of Maggie Shine L.L.C., a securities training company. You can reach her at (816) 472-5459 or .