Kevin Mullaney
VICE PRESIDENT/PARTNER
Brandito
Originally from Westfield, New Jersey, Mullaney earned a B.S. in communications and a minor in media studies from Radford University in 2006, then went to work for a local tech company, Snagajob, selling software. He loved it, but in 2011 the company was going through significant changes and Mullaney thought it was a good time to explore new opportunities. “I reached out to Brandito’s CEO Michael Lovern because I had been following his company and knew they were doing great work and developing a strong reputation in the city,” he says. “And I’m a sucker for a fresh polo so I knew selling swag had some perks.”
Mullaney, 32, became the company’s first employee that year and fell in love with the industry. Since then the company has carved a niche business for itself by developing innovative solutions and working to be their clients’ most valued partner. Toward that goal, Mullaney has also established himself as a critical link with his suppliers and their reps.
“Kevin is literally the definition of a go-getter,” says his nominator Amanda Delaney, sales associate at supplier SanMar. “He not only goes after business with a fiery energy, he’s quite possibly one of the most positive people I’ve met in my 14 years in the industry. His energy level and willingness to learn and adapt to what his customers need is contagious—you can’t walk into a room and not simply be drawn to him.”
Mullaney hasn’t always seen himself that way, and he wasn’t always so confident either. Earlier in his career he felt challenged by his own insecurities and self-doubt. Through the years though, he learned to make the difficulty work for him. “I’ve been blessed with attention deficit disorder, so I’ve had to learn how to manage those symptoms in the professional world and channel that energy into something positive,” he explains.
He’s also found success by under-promising and over-delivering. “It’s about being transparent with your customers,” he says. “That’s how you earn their trust, and in turn, their business.”
Not only does Mullaney make a good impression on his clients, suppliers who work with him find him unforgettable. “First is the bow tie,” says nominator Mark Chipchase, owner of Mac Marketing, a multi-line rep firm in nearby Norfolk. “He always comes prepared for his client meetings wearing a bowtie and with more energy than a Starbuck’s cafe. Kevin and Brandito are bucking the old sales style of dropping off catalogs. He and his team are true consultants that start taking in information about a client as soon as they walk in the door. They also take a consultative approach to understanding a company’s mission, values and obviously their corporate colors to make sure that every product he pitches is going to be something that people use again and again.”
Chipchase shares an example of Mullaney’s creativity developed for a Brandito client show two years ago. Instead of using a ballroom, Mullaney arranged the show at a brewery client’s facility, with suppliers displaying products in the back while Mullaney and his team schmoozed attendees by the bar. “It was one of the most successful shows I’ve ever been too,” Chipchase remembers.
Mullaney also had a hand in naming the company, which was originally called Shockoe Marketing Group. “He helped rebrand the company to Brandito to give it a unique and more national perspective,” explains Chipchase.
In addition to his energy and creativity, Mullaney brings a great deal of passion to his position. “This kid gets fired up about sales,” says Chipchase. “It really shows when he is in front of his clients and also when he’s working with suppliers.”
In his first six months at Brandito in 2011, he sold $150,000. By 2015 he had developed an impressive $1.5 million book of business. “Kevin listens to what is trending and shares these trends with his client base. He has a refreshing energetic vibe about him and pumps up every meeting that I attend with him and his sales team,” says Chipchase.
To others wanting to make a difference in their companies, he advises them to just be themselves. “My boss always tells me, ‘Just be yourself; that is why I hired you.’ If you can be yourself, and do something you are passionate about, nothing can stand in your way.”
HIS INSPIRATION
He says he’s inspired by entrepreneurs who put their time, sweat, money and passion into their dream, such as Shawn Boyer, the founder of his previous employer, Snagajob, and his current boss at Brandito, Michael Lovern. “It has been an honor and privilege to follow behind such great leaders.”
THE INDUSTRY IN FIVE YEARS
He hopes suppliers continue to mirror retail trends and focus on developing products geared towards tech companies. He’s also looking forward to five years from now when the 10-day turnaround is a thing of the past, and catalogs are digital instead of printed.
ON HIS TO-DO LIST NOW
Increase client base in Northern Virginia, step up social media presence, get better at golf and sell, sell more and keep selling!
