Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1537616
18 PCB007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2025 F E AT U R E A RT I C L E by D a n i e l B e a u vo i s , t h e c o m p o n e n t sto re COVID, Tough Sales, and What Made Me a Better Salesperson I am the owner and president of the component store, LLC, a PCB rep firm I started 15 years ago, sort of unintentionally. While my busi- ness (and my sales prowess) have happily grown, I've witnessed signif- icant changes in the sales process. Before 2020, we approached sales differently. A persistent, gritty salesperson could approach busi- nesses daily without an appoint- ment. They would often be turned away, but sometimes, they would be given a shot. There are plenty of instances where that one-time unannounced solicitor earned his way onto the AVL and became one of their best suppliers. If you're a purchaser, buyer, or supply chain person, I'm sure you've expe- rienced this—and kudos for doing your job well by continuing to seek out other and better resources and partners for the overall well-being of your company. Then, in March 2020, after months of chatter and concern- ing health outcomes from a mysterious and very contagious virus, the COVID-19 pandemic became official, and things started to shut down. As work-from-home mandates became the norm where possible, most folks and businesses abided by shelter-in-