Semple the salesman wins spot in the top ranks

Bruce Johnstone Leader-Post Monday, November 29, 2004 Gavin Semple is well known as the president of the Brandt Group of Companies, a Regina-based manufacturer and distributor of agricultural and industrial equipment, with more than 800 employees world-wide and more than $400 million in annual sales. But not so well known is that Semple, who was born and raised on a farm outside Regina, got his start in business as a door-to-door salesman in rural Saskatchewan. "I started looking for off-farm income, selling everything from vacuum cleaners to duck decoys,'' Semple said with a chuckle. From those humble beginnings, Semple became a sales representative for Brandt in 1972, selling agricultural implements and turf equipment for golf courses. After a year, he became sales manager and in 1976, company president and general manager. By 1982, Semple was the majority shareholder of Brandt. Over the years. Semple and Brandt have won numerous awards, including Saskatchewan Business of the Year in 1993 and Entrepreneur of the Year for Western Canada in 1994. Now Semple has another award to add to his collection. Semple was recently inducted into the Sales Hall of Fame by the Canadian Professional Sales Association, joining such business luminaries as Saskatchewan native Jimmy Pattison, Harrison McCain, Ron Joyce (of Tim Hortons) and Timothy Eaton. "I am honoured,'' Semple said in a recent interview, adding he was surprised when contacted by the CPSA about his induction. "What they're trying to do is focus on people who had their start in sales, and that's the way I started.'' In fact, Semple credits his success in business largely to the skills he learned as a salesman. "Some of those sales skills you learn along the way -- the people aspect of the business -- stand you in good stead when you get into management positions.'' Semple said good sales people have to be good listeners, not just good talkers. "If you're good at listening and try to understand what the needs of the customer are ... you will succeed in selling.'' But Semple said successful business people never really stop selling -- their company, their product or service, or themselves. "In reality, we're selling all the time. "You're either doing a good job of it, or a poor job,'' he said. "You're in the business of trying to persuade people to do the things you want done to move the organization ahead. "You can call that whatever you like but, at the end of the day, I think it's selling your vision of where you want to go.'' Semple said the 130-year-old Toronto-based CPSA is trying to upgrade the image of sales people through the Sales Hall of Fame awards, as well as improve training and professional standards for sales people. The association offers training programs and accreditation as certified sales professionals. "They're trying to elevate the profession.'' Semple was one of three inductees at the CPSA's annual gala dinner and Hall of Fame awards night Nov. 18. Also inducted were Cora Mussley Tsoufidou of Cora's Restaurant and Murray Dryden (posthumous) of the Sleeping Children Around the World charitable organization. Copyright 2004 The Leader-Post. Used with permission.