Danielle Galian: Tell me a little bit about your background?

Kevin Phillips: I grew up in the small town of Clinton, South Carolina which is 35 miles south of Greenville where ProSource, LLC is located. I graduated from Lander University with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management and Marketing.

DG:  What attracted you to this business/industry? How did you start at ProSource?

KP: In pursuit of a career with my Business degree, I interviewed with ProSource not long after graduating.  What I found interesting about the company was the ability to start in the receiving department so I could learn about all aspects of the business. After working in the Receiving Department for several months, I moved into a Counter Sales role and then an Inside Sales person. In 2007, I was promoted to Inventory Control Manager and then to Operations Manager of the Greenville branch in 2012. Then March of 2016, I was promoted to Vice President of Operations.

DG:  What is the most challenging aspect of your role today?

KP: The most challenging aspect of my role today is finding new employees that want to invest the time and effort in our industry that is necessary to be successful. 

DG:  What is the most rewarding?

KP: Watching employees in our company that put a lot of pride and effort in what they do to make ProSource, LLC successful. 

DG: How do you build and maintain relationships in a relationship based industry such as this? 

KP: From the very beginning in my sales role through my current role, I feel the best way to build and maintain relationships with customers and manufacturers is the good old “Golden Rule” — Treating people how I want to be treated. This means if you make a promise to someone, live up to that promise and do it in a timely fashion.

DG:  Who inspires you as a next generation business person?

KP: Grover and Tonya Martin have always been an inspiration to me.  They have grown ProSource, LLC from a small, single location in Greenville, South Carolina to five locations across the Carolinas with over 150,000 square feet of warehouse and five gorgeous showrooms.

DG:  What are your hobbies/interests outside of the business?

KP: I enjoy spending time with family-my wife of 10 years and our six year old son. I love to grill, hunt, fish, and watch college football — GO CLEMSON TIGERS!

DG: Do you have a personal motto or phrase to guide you?

KP: God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. 

DG:  What’s one piece of advice you’d give somebody just starting out in this industry?

KP: Treat the company you work for like it is your company.