Ian Hart - MAA Agent of The Year 2018
The winner of the MAA Agent of the Year Award, as voted for by the MAA Council, is Ian Hart from East Kilbride in Scotland. Congratulations Ian! Ian is an MAA Accredited
Agent – a member since 2009. He has experienced all the up’s and down’s of Agency life and weathered them well! The Council were impressed by his fortitude and his desire to create a family business and with a lasting legacy as Ian Hart and Co Ltd. He certainly has a story to tell. It was not easy.
It In 2013 my son David was
made redundant also however he was already working with an honourable jewellery manu- facturing Company named Celtic Art who gave David the opportunity to work with them and feel his way in the jewellery market after working thirteen years with Santander bank. At this stage I decided to bring David into my business and set up a Limited Company. Fortunately,
due my required time,
perseverance and the tenacity to succeed. We all congratulate him this day and feel privileged
to know that we have Ian amongst our membership - a brilliant example of how a Commercial Sales Agent can make a difference. It was a great pleasure to see David Cranston – Area Advisor for Scotland –make the award to Ian. Primarily involved in the jewellery and watch business; Ian currently works with 7 Principals including those from Germany and Denmark. Ian is active across the northern parts of the UK and also Ireland.
We invited Ian to elaborate some more about his business for our readers.
“I was very happy and honoured to receive this award from the MAA. Thank you very much. I’m in my ninth year now of being a Sales Agent since I was made redundant in 2009. After a few weeks of trying to find a suitable Sales Representative position it suddenly came to me that why don’t I investigate the idea of setting up my own Agency business. At this point I contacted a friend and colleague Grahame Johnstone who was already a Sales Agent. He gave some invaluable advice at that time and I want to thank him very much. After selling the family gold, literally, I booked a trip
to Baselworld in 2009 where I would meet some prospective jewellery and watch Companies with a view of potentially being their Sales Agent. It was a very scary time as the markets had
dropped of a cliff and banks were difficult to work with especially when starting a new business. However, I took the plunge and the most important factor in all of this I must thank all my past and present customers who I had looked after during my previous eighteen years in the Watch and Jewellery business. If it wasn’t for them then I would never have recovered. They gave me the opportunity to visit them with my new products and most of them gave my first orders. As this was my first venture into agency sales I had
to change the mix of brands and products over the years however I settled with a few key Principles and continue to have a trusting and excellent working relationship with them. My wife was then made redundant in 2011. I brought her into the business as my support role and to manage our books.
www.themaa.co.uk
networking with many people and Companies I was able to
secure David additional agencies working together within the Jewellery and watch business. David has continued to grow his sales year on year with his side of our business since starting. He loves his job he tells me! At this stage I would like to thank all past agency principles who gave David and I the opportunity to work with them. At present both David and I continue to work with
our current brands and Companies. We want to take this opportunity to thank them very much for their continued support and we look forward to working together going forward. • Jos Von Arx UK Ltd – Gents gifts and accessories also UK and Ireland distributors for Astra Jewellery
• Kit Heath Jewellery – Sterling Silver Jewellery • Bering Time – Danish watch brand inspired by Artic Beauty
• Bracini Ltd – Designer Italian silver and Gold jewellery
• Coeur de Lion – Jewellery Handmade in Germany • Carat of London – beautiful, affordable, and relevant jewellery
• E Alexander & Sons Ltd- Specialising in 9ct gold diamond and gem set jewellery for three generations.
Any Sales Agents who might be reading this article, I would encourage them to join the MAA who have been amazingly supportive from the beginning of my journey. I would like to say a big thank you very much to David Cranston, Area Manager for the MAA in Scotland, as it was him who inspired me to tell my story. Also, a huge thanks to David Johnson and all his staff at the MAA for their continued support and advice. The MAA offer much welcome advice on all matters on agency law etc and can be contacted at the following email address:
info@themaa.co.uk www.themaa.co.uk To finish I would encourage any Sales Person who
might have been made redundant due to market circumstances to become a Sales Agent. It has been wonderful working with my past and present customers. After all, if it wasn’t for my customers I would never have had the opportunity to make my business a success. Pride yourself on giving good old fashioned service to your customers as they are King.” To contact myself or David please use the following email address:
hartandcoltd@gmail.com
IAN HART MAA Agents News 21
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