Page 34 - AVN Intimate Summer 2016

FEATURE
[continued from page 23]
some of the other bigger manufacturers that are
manufacturing outside of the U.S. In addition
to that we still have the FDA-approved lab [in
California], so we still do cosmetics and a lot of
private-label business. We are breaking ground
on June 22 to expand that lab, which will increase
the capabilities that we have. And we haven’t
really concentrated on forming partnerships and
offering more private-label in both the toy sector
and the cosmetics, so that’s going to be another
thing I’m really going to concentrate on. ...
Topco Sales used to have huge manufacturing
in Chatsworth, but once the new ownership
came in they did move that to China. ... So I
want to make sure we don’t shy away from that
and instead we embrace it and really highlight
all of our capabilities. Because we own our
own manufacturing facility we have a lot more
control than the other companies that are just
sourcing products and buying them from Chinese
manufacturers. ...
I can’t speak for every company, but being
in the industry as long as I have and knowing
most of the Chinese manufacturing facilities
and most of the companies, I have to say the
majority is manufactured in China. Not lubricants
and cosmetics, but again, we do private label,
we’ve done private label for a lot of the bigger
companies and we are unique in that we are an
FDA-approved facility and there aren’t a lot of
those in the adult industry. ... And with the new
regulations coming in with lubricants and a lot
of the companies changing the names from lube
to glide and so forth, we’ll be able to really take
advantage of being one of those that’s licensed to
do those types of products.
For those people in the indusTRy who don’t
know you, whAT would you TEll them?
That I’ve been a customer, so I’m very in tune
with what the challenges are that Topco has had,
and what the customers need from Topco. That
is something that I bring to Topco and I’m able
to really have an insight into what needs to be
done. People in the industry who know me, I’m
known for my honesty. I’m very transparent.
So I want that to continue. I think that there has
been a lot of damage control tried at Topco—
and again, because it wasn’t really run as an
American company, things happened that maybe
shouldn’t have happened, but not with malice,
not intentionally. It’s just that it was a different
management style.
WhAT ARE some of the sTRENgths you bring to
yoUR position?
I really listen. I listen to my team. And I
listen to the customers. So not only do I plan on
leading Topco, but I’m very good at working
with partners—customers, per se—in building a
strategy for growth for both Topco and them. I’m
not going to try and shove products down their
throat just to make sales. Instead I want to create
strategies that will help to grow their business
that in turn will work to grow ours.
34 | INTIMATE | SUMMER 2016
As a large manufacturer we definitely concentrate on the distributors, the big distributors,
in Europe, Russian, Australia, the U.S., and then some of the larger store chains that buy direct.
A lot of people are fearful of the manufacturers going direct to the smaller companies and
single stores and so forth, and that’s not our intention. Our intention is to build back up the
relationships we have with the distributors and the bigger customers and get more shelf space
that we have lost over the years by not being able to fulfill orders with a lot of the changes
that were going on. And while that was happening, alot of the competitors went in and took
advantage of that—which I would have, too—by creating the same products or similar products,
so we lost a lot of that shelf space and we need to get it back.
I have such strong relationships with almost all of the distributors and a lot of the big
customers. At CNV I worked with almost all of the big distributors. ... I’ve had a huge
outpouring of support since it’s been released that I’m there. People want to see Topco Sales
succeed, and they want to see me succeed, and they think that it has real potential with new
leadership. ...
But my first three weeks being [at Topco] my focus hasn’t been on the customer; instead it’s
been on the processes and procedures internally: figuring out the team that Topco Sales has
and trying to figure out where everyone fits. And if I do need to do some restructuring, where
the weaknesses are and who are the people I need to bring in. I’m looking really closely at the
quality of the products, at the consistency of the message that we’re getting out there.
Describe yoUR idEAl Topco employEE.
Enthusiasm and believing in Topco wholeheartedly. Topco right now is the underdog, and I
have this vision of the phoenix rising from the ashes. I am extremely excited and enthusiastic
and willing to do whatever needs to be done to get us where we need to be. So I feel that the
team has to have that same drive, that same enthusiasm. Honesty and integrity is huge for me.
Customer-centric. So, they have to be able to believe in Topco Sales and communicate that, and
under-promise and over-deliver. ...
We’ve had a lot of turnover and that’s been unfortunate and it’s been for a variety of reasons.
It hasn’t all been because Topco was a sinking ship, as a lot of people believe. I just think, again,
that even with me in place there may be some changes and that’s unfortunate to do to the
customers because they’ve had so many different reps, but I’m hoping to get the team into place
that’s going to grow and stay there and get us to where we need to be—and that the customers
can rely on. It’s really important to be customer-centric. The best advertisement is a happy
customer. So that’s what I’m focusing on.
How mANy people ARE still AT Topco FRom whEN you worked thERE bEFoRE?
Only a handful. And it’s interesting because [most] of the Topco employees that I worked with
are all at other companies, so Topco did breed very, very talented people, and all of the other
manufacturers and distributors and e-tailers, etcetera, have gained from what those people bring
to the table that they learned at Topco. So it really was a force within the industry. And it will be
again for sure. ...
Scott, Michael and Marty all supported me and wished me the best, so that’s really good
because I want to continue their legacy. Topco is going to be a new company and a different
company, but certainly I want to make them proud and continue that legacy that they
established because I was a part of that and I have a really warm spot for it. ... There were a lot of
positive things that came out of Topco so I want to make sure that we definitely grow with that.
... Marty was the best as far as I’m concerned in product development, so I learned from the best.
And we want to continue that legacy.
O’Bryan can be reached at autumn@topcosales.us and is scheduling meetings during the ANME
Founders Show, July 17-19 in Burbank, Calif.