It’s no secret that the office technology dealer circuit is blessed to have a large number of manufacturers whose offerings—while different in their own ways—meet a high standard of excellence. A quality hierarchy exists in the B2C world, where there are products aimed more at being budget-friendly than performance-based, but the B2B space—with its speeds, feeds and feature sets—boasts a good deal of technology parity.
Thus, with most things being equal, Amy Ranttila appreciates the role that interpersonal relationships play in the success of an OEM. The senior region sales manager for Brother International has enjoyed a bird’s eye view of this approach in action during a 25-year career that includes sales experience with Lexmark and Ricoh.
“I’ve learned that people buy from people,” said Ranttila, a 2024 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “It’s not what you sell. It’s the trust and relationships you create with your partners.”
Forging that trust enables her to demonstrate her value as a partner. In a sense, Ranttila sees a correlation between marriage and business partnerships.
“If there is trust and respect, you can overcome challenges and build a successful business,” she said.
Relationships unwittingly played a role in Ranttila’s foray into the office technology universe. Selling has long been in her blood—even at the age of 16, she sold on a commission base. She joined a real estate agency that was owned by her husband’s family. Her marriage didn’t last, however, and upon getting divorced she secured a sales post with IKON Office Solutions.
The industry provided the opportunity for Ranttila to be in charge of her compensation fortunes. “I’ve always wanted to have a career where I would be financially rewarded for working hard,” she said.
Changing Priorities
As she grew within the industry, Ranttila priorities shifted and she sought more of a work-life balance. While compensation is a universal motivating factor, her most meaningful rewards lie in the interactions with team members and Brother’s valued partners. That, Ranttila feels, is where she makes the biggest difference.
Ranttila’s influences have shaped both her professional and private lives, but not always in a good way. While she counts numerous high-impact managers along the way, she’s also encountered some who do not merit emulating. In a sense, the negative ones carry more weight, as they “taught me what not to do.”
One of the truisms of the industry, in Ranttila’s estimation, is that there’s always room for improvement. She prioritizes finding ways to become a better leader and finding efficient avenues to support her team and partners. Ranttila is proud of the team she’s assembled and feels fortunate to have amassed a group of difference-makers that are the catalyst for Brother’s growth.
“[It’s all about] making sure we have a clear understanding of our goals and creating a path on how to achieve them,” Ranttila noted. “You can’t expect what you can’t inspect.”
Matters Most
Family has always been the driving force in Ranttila’s life. She’s been married to her husband, Mike, for 25 years. She has four children and five grandchildren, with the latter ranging in age from 16 months to 14 years.
“There’s no better job in the world than being a grandparent,” she said. “It’s important for me to be very active in my grandbabies’ lives…they bring so much joy to my life.”
When she’s not spending time with the little ones, Ranttila enjoys being an amateur carpenter and home renovator. “When I’m working on a project I get completely lost in it and time just flies by,” she added.
