RISING STARS: Collin Lambert

Collin Lambert
Field Sales Representative
Taylor Marketing

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 Collin Lambert, field sales representative for Taylor Marketing. He shared how continuous learning and asking questions helped him build credibility with engineers and customers.

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

My name is Collin Lambert and I am a manufacturers’ representative at Taylor Marketing, Inc., where I specialize in selling electrical components for space, aerospace, defense, medical and industrial applications. I studied entrepreneurship at the University of Utah, minoring in professional sales & business development, which gave me a strong foundation for a career in technical sales. I live in Denver and outside of work, I enjoy being active whether it is skiing, golfing, wake surfing or mountain biking with friends.

How long have you worked in the electronics industry?

I’ve been in the industry for five years now. Even though that’s a relatively short time, I’ve made quite a few valuable connections and developed long-term relationships with our principals, customers and distribution partners. I’ve seen how quickly technology evolves and how important it is to stay ahead of the trends in providing valuable solutions to our customers design fits or problems they face.

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

I completed an internship while I was in college and really admired all of the different industries and customers that we support. Coming from a business and sales background, I wanted a career where I could combine technical problem solving with relationship building. The manufacturers’ rep industry offers the best of both worlds – helping customers find solutions while working with and promoting cutting-edge technology. In particular, the space sector really fascinated me because of its complexity, impact and rapid growth. So much of our daily lives depends on space infrastructure – from global communication and weather forecasting to national security. Being a small part in supporting the design process is rewarding because it contributes to technologies that drive human progress – creating a more connected world, advancing scientific discoveries, protecting our borders and paving the way for future space exploration that goes well beyond Earth.

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

Breaking into a highly technical industry without an engineering degree was a challenge at first. Additionally, earning credibility amongst engineers and our customers took some time since I was so green. I felt like I couldn’t contribute a whole lot in customer meetings because I didn’t know any technical terms.

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

Since day one, I’ve focused on continuous learning. Whenever I came across an unfamiliar term, acronym, technical term or concept, I made a point to jot it down and research it later on. This helped me connect the dots from all of our customer meetings and enhanced my knowledge. The rep business is a very dynamic field with a lot of moving parts. I learned that you can’t be afraid to ask questions in this industry. There is no such thing as a stupid question – asking for clarity is always better than risking misunderstanding that could derail your objective and your customer’s objective. A strong grasp on the problem at hand leads to better solutions. I owe a lot of credit to my coworkers and regional sales managers for helping answer a lot of my questions, which gave me more confidence in engaging with customers.

What are some training tools or networking industry events that you have found beneficial to your professional growth?

Sitting in on customer meetings as a new hire was invaluable. It gave me firsthand exposure to the types of engineers that we sell to and the applications that we support, and it taught me how to navigate technical discussions. Collaborating with other younger reps and forming the ERA NEXGEN group has also been a great way to exchange ideas, seek advice and support each other’s growth in the industry. In addition, attending manufacturers’ training sessions, sales meetings and trade shows has helped me build product knowledge which allows me to showcase my strengths when it comes to marketing/ selling a product. Most importantly, speaking with seasoned reps has provided insights that go beyond any formal training; their years of experience and strategic approaches in relationship- building have been incredibly valuable in developing my career path.

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

The industry would benefit from more young professionals. Part of the challenge is awareness and getting the word out there to find talent. Many college students don’t realize the opportunities that are available within the electronics industry, especially on the manufacturers’ rep side. I think that making an effort to showcase or post internship opportunities on college campuses could help attract the next generation of manufacturers’ reps. It may also be beneficial to advertise all of the unique and exciting industries that we serve towards the younger demographic which might spark their interest.

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

I think that the industry will continue to evolve and further utilize AI, automation and other manufacturing technologies that will make us more efficient. The backbone of our business will still be built on strong partnerships, but the way that we engage with customers might experience a digital transformation. AI has only been around a few years and is still in its early stages, but I’ve already begun integrating it into my daily work activities which has drastically improved my efficiency. It’s only the beginning.

Professionally, what keeps you up at night?

What sometimes keeps me up at night is the pressure of meeting sales goals and driving growth for our principals. Certain factors like supply chain disruptions, lead time issues and technological advancements of our competitors might get in the way of us being able to achieve our goals. Although a lot of that is out of our own control, we are always sharing intel from the field with our manufacturers so that they can adapt, innovate and push forward with new solutions. As a rep, it’s crucial to trust that our manufacturers will make informed decisions to remain competitive. At the end of the day, we are all on the same team, working toward mutual success.