If you peruse the list of ENX Magazine’s 2021 Difference Makers (and it’s our largest yet, at 84 honorees), you will find many tales of imaging industry men and women who have logged 20 to 30 years and more. Their passion for sales and service has enabled them to find a home in one of the best industries the country has to offer.
But as we embark on this year’s individual personality profiles, we felt it was only fitting to shine the first light not on an honoree with decades of experience. Rather, we present to you Adam Gregory II as a prime example that despite the notion the industry is a mature one, the future is actually brighter than ever.
Readers may be familiar with his father, Adam Gregory, the head of St. Augustine, Florida-based Advanced Business Solutions (ABS). Adam Gregory II, one of his seven children—several of which are among the ranks of the family-owned business—has carved out a name for himself in a very short timeframe in both a sales and technical service capacity.
And he is only 20 years old. Some grizzled sales vets drive cars older than Gregory.
“What sets me apart if having the knowledge that I do about the industry at such a young age,” Gregory said. “Being able to talk to my peers with 30-plus years in the industry, like I have been here forever, truly strikes them as impressive.”
Baseball has long been a passion for Gregory. He picked up the game at the age of four and spent many a spring and summer pitching and playing center field. His talents caught the attention of several schools, including Barton College, Kiser University and Florida Southern, but various injuries brought his playing days to an end.
New Passion
Wanting to make money before taking on college debt, he decided to join the family business, where he was tending to the logistics side, handling shipping and supplies for end-users. Gregory harbored a passion for sales, but at such a young age, he felt it was important to learn as much as he could about the equipment ABS sold. And what better way to do that than become fully trained as a service tech?
Gregory quickly immersed himself in all the manufacturer lines that ABS carries. “After spending a year in the field with clients and decision-makers, it gave me a better understanding of their thought process and also provided the opportunity to have those conversations more frequently,” he noted.
Sales seems to agree with Gregory. During his short tenure, he has exceeded quota and increased sales revenue for the company by more than 20%. He’s overseen installations for accounts in excess of 250 machines. And with the cross-training under his belt, Gregory is able to pinch-hit on the technical service side as needed.
Gregory remembers booking his first deal in excess of $100,000. That taste of early success provided a shot of confidence and the desire to reach for greater success. But what he finds most rewarding is helping facilitate customer happiness.
“Being able to sit down with them and explain the truth behind what they are spending and how I can help them achieve their goals, at a fair price, truly is amazing,” he said. “I have the will to succeed. I want to be able to earn a good living and live a wonderful life with a family one day.”
It comes as no surprise that Gregory’s parents have been his greatest influences, both personally and professionally, from the dusty ballfields of his youth to his flowering career in office equipment sales. “They’ve taught me traits like hard work, honesty and the will to succeed,” he noted. “I owe it all to God and my parents for the successful salesperson I am becoming.”
Lofty Goals
While 2020 offered its share of challenges, Gregory and ABS enjoyed numerous highlights, including a Xerox deal for 200-plus machines. Gregory closed more than 10 agreements in the final six months of the year, and in 2021 the company is looking to bolster revenue by at least 20%. Gregory is pushing to increase his own closing rate by at least 30%.
With much of his story left to be written, Gregory is looking to scale to even greater heights. “I can’t sit dormant and be happy with what I have achieved in the past,” he said. “There are always more people for me to help. I am very happy where I am right now, but I need to celebrate with my team and get back to work.”
Away from the office, Gregory enjoys watching sports, hanging out at the beach and spending time with his family. He coaches peewee football and participates in numerous fundraisers with the local YMCA.
“Time off work is very important,” Gregory noted. “It gives you a glimpse of why you work so hard and need to continue to do so.”
