Do It Yourself at DUKAL: Halloween 2013

With a wide offering of products, DUKAL is excited to announce our first annual Halloween Costume competition. Many employees participated with their thoughts of what products they would use to create the perfect Halloween costume:

Maggie Karl (Manager, Contract Manufacture): “I’d use the DawnMist® line of products and be “late for work”.  Pajama shorts and a button down shirt (incorrectly buttoned, obviously), shower cap on my head and toothbrush in hand, maybe half a leg of shaving cream if I’m feeling a little risky?  Plus a good assortment of DUKAL Adhesive Strips to cover up all the nicks and cuts I (always) get from rushing!”

Christen Doughty (Accounts Payable and Payroll Manager) would be a gauze mummy using DUKAL Gauze, Bandage Rolls, Conforming Stretch Gauze, and 1 lb Cotton Roll

Eryn Marx (Marketing Assistant) would be Richard Simmons using our Resist-A-Band® line including the Exercise Bands, Band Loops, and Tubing as props

Tony Betti (Central Regional Sales Manager) would be a wheel of cheese wrapped in DUKAL gauze

Other’s made their ideas a reality:

From left to right: Rich DeJoseph (Account Executive) as Freddy Kruger OB/GYN, Matt DiClemente (Project Coordinator) as a sheep, Eryn Marx (Marketing Assistant) as a pirate, Lauren Cassandro (Accounts Payable Coordinator) as Smurfette

An in-office poll of the best costume was close between Freddy Kruger OB/GYN and the Smurfette…in the end the Smurfette received the most amount of votes, Congrats Lauren!!

Lifting With Grace

Our very own Maggie Karl (Manager of Contract Manufacture) will be participating in a great cause for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Read her thoughts below on this unique charitable event! 

When I was a sophomore in college my parents called one night with some pretty bad news.  My Mom had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and was starting radiation treatment immediately.  Luckily, it was caught very early, and she is now a 10 year SURVIVOR in this fight.  So this year, rather than walk in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I decided to do something that pretty much completely horrifies her, in her honor.  I’ll be participating in a Barbells for Boobs fundraiser at my Crossfit gym (Crossfit South Shore LI) this Saturday, October 19^th.
 

Barbells for Boobs’ mission statement is to provide funding for qualified low income and uninsured women and men who need screening and/or diagnostic procedures in the prevention of Breast Cancer.  Every $80 that is raised provides a screening for someone who could otherwise not afford it.  My personal goal was to provide this screening for 5 people, and I was able to reach that goal this past weekend!  The workout most gyms will be doing is called “Grace”, which is 30 Clean and Jerks for time,(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_and_jerk ) with a weight of 135lbs for men and 95lbs for women.  However, my sadistic and wonderful trainer has confirmed that he’s cooking up something special for us, and we’ll have to show up to find out what’s in store. 

 

If you’re around and interested in watching, come by any time after 9am, it’s right around the corner from the Corporate Office.  Oh, and if you’re interested in donating to this cause, my team is only about half way to their goal at the moment, though we are ranked 42^nd of 813 participating gyms, which isn’t too shabby (please see below)! After I peel myself and my poor mother off the ground (me from exhaustion, her from having to watch me do this to myself) I’ll post pictures and an update.  Is anyone else fundraising this month?  Let’s hear about it!

 http://fundraise.barbellsforboobs.org/fundraise?fcid=260271

“This is madness!” – THIS. IS. DUKAAAAAAL!

The Spartan Sprint by Danielle Pan

Sparta was an ancient city-state of Greece (home to the Spartans) and well known for its fierce warriors with six pack abs like Gerard Butler…Okay, that’s from the movie 300 but the point here is that those Spartans were powerful! They were fighters!  DUKAL Corporation?  Yeah, fierce is our middle name.

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It didn’t sound so scary when my supervisor approached me for the first time and said “Hey, Danielle, Chris is doing the Spartan Sprint on April 13th, want to join? You’ll have plenty of time to train.”

“SURE!” (As a new hire at DUKAL I am practically overflowing with enthusiasm at all times of the day)

This exchange happened in January, which left me, along with my Supervisor, our Marketing Assistant, and one of the Operations Managers about 3 months to train (ample time I thought). Plus according to the official race page this was a 5k distance, so how bad could it possibly be?

You know those people who get a cough and a runny nose, and then they look up their symptoms on WebMD and determine that they actually have contracted Ebola?  That’s essentially what happened when I started researching this event… 8 ft walls? Box jumps? Ropes?  Rowing machines? Javelins? BURPEES?!!!!!! I was more and more grateful that I was working at DUKAL with every passing day – I figured I’d need all the medical supplies we sell to cover my wounds come race day.

3 months passes by surprisingly quickly and the big day we piled into my supervisor’s car and headed out to Citifield. We were hampered by weekend traffic and arrived at the venue slightly later than anticipated but we got through registration successfully. (Did I mention that you have to sign and hand in a death waiver? A DEATH WAIVER… but I digress.)

We waded into the throng of racers waiting for their heats to begin, the temperature was surprisingly cold for April, and even though we were technically indoors you could feel the frigid air seeping in. They released us in groups of 15 and after just a few minute pause and the signal to start…We were off!

Among some of the more memorable obstacles included  wooden climbing walls, jumping up flights of stair with an elastic band around your legs, rowing 500 meters in 2 minutes, and navigating treacherous monkey bar contraptions.  Of course, all that pales in comparison to that wonderful moment when you finish that last obstacle and wobble to the finish line on noodle legs.  I felt such a great sense of camaraderie as we joined each other at the finish… breathing heavily but still alive.

The team catalogued our collective injuries post-race and the results were thus:

·         Bruises in an assortment of sizes and locations

·         Scrapes ranging from barely there to lightly bleeding

·         Sore muscles

·         Pulverized palms

·         Stubbed toes

·         Stinging forehead from being smacked in the face by my own pigtails (Just me)

Resisting the urge to swath myself in adhesive bandages, I displayed my wounds proudly in the office on Monday.  I’d say this would have to be one of DUKAL’s more memorable competitive moments, it was pretty glorious, and we’d totally do it again…I think. 

Maybe one of you dear readers would like to join us next year in this ultimate feat of athletic prowess? We’ll be waiting for you at the start line J

 

Bandages n' Brackets: DUKAL's thoughts on March Madness

There are a lot of reasons to love the month of March. (The vernal equinox or the ushering in of a much needed change in weather comes to mind)  Spring training comes to a close and opening day (GO METS!) is right around the corner.  The NFL draft conversation and trades begin to pick up steam.  But these event pale in comparison to one of the most heavily watched spectacles in sports, March Madness.

March Madness is one of the biggest sporting events on the sports calendar.  From March 21^st to finals on April 6^th, college diehards and casual fans plan evenings and lunch breaks around games throughout day.  Everyone loves an underdog, and anything can happen in any given game.  But the underdogs shine brightest during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.  Records are wiped clean at the tipoff of every game.  Sure, the Duke’s and Syracuse’s are favored, but the Florida Gulf State’s and Butler College’s are on equal ground with the powerhouses of college sports. 

It also brings camaraderie amongst friends and co-workers.  Everyone’s got a pick to go deep into the tournament.  Whether you pick winners based on whose mascot looks cooler, use a secret statistical formula, or ride your alma mater all the way through the tournament, one’s picking is a big part of why March Madness grows in popularity from year to year.  It makes for good conversation while the coffee brew in the morning, or friendly banter over lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Who are we picking? 

Rich DeJoseph , Northeast Account Executive - “Now that my initial pick of Gonzaga was struck down by the unexpected Witchita State Shockers, I’d bet the farm on Kansas riding their record through the final four over Duke in the championship.”

Travis Torre, Director of Logistics – “Everyone loves Cinderella stories.  I think that’s one of the big reasons why the television ratings are at an all time high for the tournament.  Teams like LaSalle and FGSU (Florida Gulf State University) have gone out and usually dominant teams.  I have a lot of family that have graduated from Florida, so I’m picking them to win tonight against FGSU, and to win the whole tournament, beating Louisville in the Championship game.”

Eryn Marx, Marketing Assistant - Duke

Matt DiClemente, Project Coordinator – Kansas

Suzanne Carlino, Graphics Manager – FGCU

Connor Farrell, Project Coordinator - Michigan

Who do you think will win it all?!?  Tell us who you think will win and why in our comments section below, Facebook, and Twitter!!

Sales Spotlight

Left to Right: Gerry LoDuca (Owner), Tony Betti (Central Regional Sales Manager), Brooks Reid (National Sales Manager), Ellenmary Martin (VP of Sales and Marketing)

Tony Betti has been a member of the DUKAL sales force since 2010.  Hailing from Chicago, he is the Central Regional Manager, Tony’s consistently been an asset to the company since coming on board.  At this past year’s holiday party and annual sales meeting, Tony was awarded our Sales Excellence award!  Tony was nice enough to sit down with us for a bit so we could find out his thoughts on medical sales and the industry as a whole.

Congratulations on winning the Sales Excellence award!  What are some key actions/experiences that helped you to make such a large impact in 2012?

The success that I’ve had is due to working closely with various departments within our company. You can’t do it alone and I believe in that. I rely on customer service, marketing, and supply chain for their expertise. Jessica Sable is the customer service representative for the central territory and it all starts with her. Jessica speaks more to my customers in a day than I would in a week. She is the “eyes and ears” of the region.  In addition, support from marketing    providing sales tools to help assist in the sales effort had a big impact.  It’s important I show customers how we can maximize their value in using DUKAL.

What made you want to be in sales and what do you enjoy most about it?

My first “real” job out of college was an outside sales position.  I realized quickly I loved the freedom that sales allowed me to have. If you wanted a raise it was simple…sell more. Sales is entertaining, it’s hard work, rewarding and I enjoy it. I was hooked from day one.  There is nothing else I would rather be doing right now.

What are some of the difficulties you face as medical rep?

The workflow has increased dramatically and so has the need to prioritize what you want to do today, this week, this month, and this year. It’s not an 8-5 work day. Your day begins very early in the morning and ends by answering the last email late at night. Technology has a major impact on the work day. Timely information and correspondence are the rule. The challenge is how to manage your work life and home life.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about what you do?

A lot of people assume that sales travel is all glitz and glamour. First class accommodations, you get to wine and dine prospective clients every night and visit exotic cities. That’s far from reality.  An example of an exciting road trip is driving to Ft. Wayne, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Detroit and Flint for the week. I wish I had a flying car!

Sales involves a lot of traveling, what is the one thing you have to always have with you when traveling that isn’t a toothbrush? 

Over the years I’ve forgotten numerous items to pack in my luggage or in my brief case. I’ve forgotten presentations, computers, shoes and even underwear. However today, presentations and electronic files can be emailed to hotel computers and department stores can handle clothing items. The one item I always have in my possession before I walk out the door is my cell phone.  Think about it. Your phone contains contacts, appointments, calendar, emails, everything.  Besides, when was the last time you used or found a pay phone?

I’m sure there’s been some wild events occur amidst your travels; tell us an unforgettable travel story?

One morning I was going through the security check point at O’Hare airport. The person in front of me was putting their items on the conveyor for them to be x-rayed.  I noticed one of the items was a rather large jar of what looked to be pickles.  I thought to myself, good luck trying to get that jar through security. Sure enough, the TSA pulls aside the traveler with the jar. The agent asks, “What do we have here?” The traveler said it was a jar of Gourmet pickles, hot & spicy garlic gourmet pickles, actually, which can only be bought in the Chicago area. The agent very calmly explains that the jar containing the pickles can’t be cleared through security. Either the traveler must arrange to ship the pickles to their destination or they will be confiscated and destroyed.   Following a brief exchange, the pickle person quickly exited the security area, sat on a nearby bench, opened the jar of pickles and began eating them.  I was happy I never saw the pickle eater on my flight due to the fact there was heavy turbulence that day.

If someone were to begin a career in sales, what advice would you have for them?

Be a sponge. Soak up every tidbit of information you can. Take advantage of industry seminars, take continuing education courses, enroll in sales training programs, be part of company group projects. Read and gather information about not only your industry but others. Read the paper, read online, read a book, read your competitors product brochures, take a break to read the comics.  The quest for knowledge never ends.

We think everyone should want to work at DUKAL, what drew you to the company?

Tough question to answer since many positive reasons come to mind. I would sum it up as opportunity; it was like a siren song which drew me to DUKAL. The opportunity to provide for my family, the opportunity to advance my career in a growing organization, and the opportunity to work with outstanding people.

If we were a customer, tell us why we should buy into DUKAL?

We are a privately held company built on integrity and partnerships for over 20 years.  DUKAL provides an innovative product offering through a vast network of distributors to serve their customer base.  It’s simple. People do business with people they like and trust. We are the face of DUKAL and have a vested interest in satisfying our customers.

How do you see today’s current medical industry trends affecting us in the next 5 years?

First thing that comes to mind is federal regulations and the government being more involved. The medical device tax and new healthcare legislation is having a dramatic impact on healthcare jobs and R&D investment. The challenge will continue on how to build value through the distribution channel and end user.  

How has the ever growing emphasis and use of technology affected you as a sales rep?

The use of information technology is fantastic.  Data is instantaneous and it’s the catalyst for incorporating analytics which aids sales reps in being better decision makers/better business people.

With the rise of real time communication and mobile reliance, how do you feel these things help in sales?

It helps you make better business decisions quickly.  We have a lot of data and the real question is what do you do with that data? Technology is constantly changing and to continue to be successful we need to constantly be changing with it.

DUKAL has recently taken on the Dawn Mist brand, how will this brand help grow the DUKAL business?

It was an excellent acquisition. The basket of products that we offer to distribution and the end user is quite extensive. This will position DUKAL for the introduction of other brands into the DUKAL family.