After spending three years working on President George H.W. Bush's presidential advance team, Billy Ragusa settled back home in the New Orleans area. There, he opened Ragusa's, a popular restaurant and bar that would consume his time and energy for the next 12 years. It would also give him the foundation he'd need for success in his next career, as a broadline DSR for CONCO Food Service.

Starting five years ago with no prior sales experience, Ragusa has built a $4 million territory serving a diverse array of account types. A natural "pavement pounder," he's found foodservice sales to be a great fit, providing him an opportunity to work hard, manage his own business and apply his restaurant operations knowledge for the benefit of his customers.

"The transition to sales was easier than I thought it might be," Ragusa says. "I like being out on the street, talking to people and being a resource. I know the business from both sides. As an operator, I bought from all the same vendors that I'm now either working for (CONCO) or used to compete against. I know the companies and the products, which makes it easier to ask good questions about who they're buying from, why and what their needs are."

Ragusa prides himself on "making it happen" for his customers and believes building strong relationships is the only way to sell. "Customers need to know and trust that you'll do whatever you can to help them, that you're looking out for their best interests at all times," he says. "I'm very hands on. In most of my accounts, I know something about their families, I know the people in the back of the house. We get along, it's a relationship."

Nurturing those relationships takes face time, he adds. He makes a point of meeting with all of his accounts every week, taking orders, checking to make sure previous orders were delivered correctly, solving problems, discussing ideas and just staying connected. He also makes cold calling part of his weekly routine. "I make cold calls at least three days a week," he says. "If I see a new restaurant or one that I haven't been to for a while, I'll stop in and make sure they know that I'm there. You never know when you might walk in on the day they're suddenly in need of a new purveyor."

While he loves working independently, Ragusa relies heavily on the support CONCO provides to its reps. Market reports e-mailed regularly from category managers; a computerized system that makes finding brokers for samples and product support; an in-house kitchen for use with customers and prospects; and general sales meetings for in-depth product training are especially helpful, he says. District sales manager David Sita and CONCO owner Win Chadwick are also keys to his success, he says. "David's a great resource, and he doesn't micromanage. Whenever I'm close to closing a new account and I bring him into that last meeting, we invariably get the business," Ragusa says. "And there aren't many companies our size with an owner who's as hands on as ours. He'll come on ride withs to meet customers and always stops by the test kitchen to greet customers who we're working with there. That kind of support really helps."