Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020 - 61

#replife: w/Chris Morissette

In It Together

Independent rep and climber Chris Morissette
aligns with brands and retailers who share passion
and values to build life-long relationships.
THOSE WHO KNOW CHRIS MORISSETTE SAY THE MAN GIVES A GOOD
hug. And that commitment to building real personal relationships has
been a big part of why he's so successful-and so well liked-as an independent rep. He started working in the outddoor industry thanks to his
wife. She was working at prAna, and he was working as a high school
environmental engineering teacher. Morissette has a lifelong passion
for climbing and used to lead wilderness education trips for kids, so in
2013, when she pointed him to a job with the Alta Group, covering northern California for Petzl among other brands, he jumped at the chance.
Morisette worked at Black Diamond in-house from 2017 through May
2019, before launching his own rep agency, Sespe Group, last year.
What's the most fulfilling thing about being an independent rep?
Number one is that I have developed so many amazing relationships
with brand employees and retailers. The freedom to choose who the
brands and accounts I work with, and the people who work at them, is
a plus as well. Aligning with brands that have the same values is very
important in maintaining a long-lasting relationship.

Courtesy Chris Morissette

What can reps do to create better relationships with the retailers
they work with?
Visit your accounts and spend time with the staff. You can also do that
by hosting dealer camps, clinics, and events. This industry is based on
relationships. If you want to grow the business, show the dealer you
are committed. Retailers want to know you are on their side and have
their back. As brick-and-mortar retailers dwindle, reps need to make
sure they are supporting the existing ones to the fullest extent.

AGENCY: Sespe Group
HOME BASE: Ojai, California
BRANDS HE REPS:
Petzl, Scarpa, Cotopaxi, Farm to
Feet, and RAB

Are there any shops in particular where you have built lasting
relationships that go beyond
the business side of things?
I have so many accounts where
I've built lasting relationships
that go beyond the business side of things. It's impossible to just name
one account, but making an effort to take your dealers out and having
firsthand experience with the products you are selling is priceless.
What's your favorite place to eat on the road in your territory?
Haggo's Tacos in Leucadia, California. They have the best fish tacos
hands down!
Favorite place to play?
The Sespe Wilderness, which is behind my house in Ojai, California.
I also feel very fortunate to have some amazing climbing areas like
Joshua Tree National Park, Yosemite, the Eastern Sierras, and Red
Rocks in the territory where I tend to spend a lot of time.
How do you live the brands you rep?
Climbing takes up most of my free time, and represents the brands I work
with. I am a big fan of experiential and hands-on learning. Using the
products from my brands is a game changer when selling to retailers.

What can retailers do better to get the most out of their reps?
One thing I see is that all of the retailers in the Southwest are great at
hosting staff clinics and proposing events and demos within their stores.

What do you get out and use that you rep?
I use just about all products from all my brands-minus the
8,000-meter expedition suit from RAB.

How do you have a unique perspective on the outdoor industry?
I don't know if I necessarily have a unique perspective on the outdoor
industry, but I do know that having fresh eyes on the direction of the
industry is important.

Any last words of advice for retailers looking to succeed in the
current outdoor industry climate?
Develop strong relationships with your reps, involve them when
possible, and treat them kindly. We are all in this together. O.R.

Winter 2020 / OUTDOOR RETAILER 61

Outdoor Retailer - Winter 2020

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