RISING STARS: Danielle Vitales

Danielle Vitales
Director of Distribution
LuscomBridge

To gain better insight into how early career professionals in the electronics industry have turned challenges into opportunities to ensure continued growth, The Representor interviewed Danielle Vitales, director of distribution sales for LuscomBridge. The former preschool teacher shared the challenges of joining the electronics industry rep and distribution world during COVID-19 and how she is learning to establish relationships, absorb knowledge and ask the right questions to succeed in this business.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself, personally and professionally.

I am married and have two sons and two bonus daughters. My sons are both in college, one graduating this May from SJSU with a mechanical engineering degree and the other is in his second year at a local junior college. I am passionate about weight training as a hobby and would like to get into the competitive lifting world. I love hopping on the back of my husband’s Harley Davidson and hitting the open road.

After working in distribution for a year as an inside sales representative, I made the move to the rep side and have been the distribution sales manager for Luscombe Engineering of SF, and now the director of distribution for LuscomBridge.

What made you choose this industry as your current career path?

I worked as a preschool teacher for 16 years! As we were emerging from the COVID-19 shutdown, a job listing was brought to my attention by my mom, who works in the industry, for an entry level position as an inside sales representative. It felt like the right time to take a leap and make a complete career change so I gave it a shot! I have now been in the electronics industry two years this past January.

What are some of the main challenges you encountered as you embarked on your career journey?

First, the biggest learning curve for me has been the technical aspect. Yes, we are all told that it will come with time, but the type of person I am means I’d like to have some intelligence behind the products I represent. Secondly, learning the different go-to-market strategies and roles within different branches has been a lot to take in. Finally, asking the right questions.

What are some steps that you have taken to overcome these challenges and to ensure that you can establish and nurture a successful career?

While we have frequent supplier training, I find that I learn best when I can see the products being used in applications. Being able to touch and feel the components helps. My goal is to be able to look up customers and from their website be able to determine where my parts will fit in. Establishing relationships has been pivotal in my penetration into distribution. To further grow, I plan to learn more about distributors’ specific go-to-market strategies, the terms they offer and vertical markets that will be targeted. There have been several times in the past two years that I have questioned if I have given enough input into the conversations of which I have taken part. But I realized that the quality of the question carries more weight than the number of questions I ask. Being “newish,” I tend to sit back and observe, make solid eye contact and listen. Maybe I am an easy person to talk to, but people tend to open up and share lots with me!

What are training tools or networking/ industry events you find beneficial to your professional growth?

I believe nothing compares to face-to-face training and onboarding. I am surrounded by decades and decades of experience and knowledge. I try to be a sponge and absorb endearing qualities from those that mentor me, and those that I have met along the way that are willing to share knowledge and tips.

Do you think there is enough new talent entering the electronics industry and what could make this field more attractive to future young professionals?

Yes and no. I keep hearing that the torch needs to be passed to younger and fresher people so that the industry does not die out. There needs to be a healthy balance of new and old. Critical to our success is our onboarding process. If you have too many new-to-the-industry hires, our vetted team members may be spread thin in training. Flexibility and work-life balance are at the top of the list to make this field more attractive to young professionals.

Where do you see your profession and the industry 10 to 20 years from now?

I aim to redefine the role of a distribution sales manager. The more measurable data I can provide, the more valuable I am. Factories will see our commissions as an investment, not an expense. I foresee a booming industry ahead, with AI playing a prominent role. Engineers might become increasingly reliant on AI, reducing their inclination to seek assistance from humans. We must adapt and think innovatively.

Professionally, what keeps you up at night?

I am content with my current workload and productivity level. I recognize that there are limits to what I can accomplish and how many people I can please. I consistently remind myself that I can only control my own actions. If I’ve given my best effort, there’s no need to lose sleep over anything