Meet Tyrone DeNeal of DeNeal Industrial Sales & Services in Powder Springs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyrone DeNeal.

Tyrone, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I founded DeNeal Industrial Sales & Services, LLC (DENISS) on Nov. 4, 2016, seven months after retiring from the General Electric Company. I was with General Electric for 43 years and gained massive amounts of experience in sales and marketing of electrical distribution, industrial automation and industrial drive equipment. This experience allowed me to create DENISS as an independent manufacturers’ sales and consultation company.

When I was a student at Purdue University Calumet (now known as Purdue University Northwest), I thought of establishing and operating my own business. Working for General Electric provided foundation that included valuable resources that would make my vision as an entrepreneur come into fruition. However, after retiring, I wondered what would I do with all of this spare time? I spent time fishing with my granddaughter as I promised I would and completed some projects. I then realized that it was time to make my vision come to light.

Even with all of my resources I asked myself what type of business should I consider? I sought out advice and guidance from a couple of gentlemen at the church I attend and a power lunch was held. One gentleman retired from IBM and formed a human resource, training and executive development consulting business. The second gentleman recently launched an economic development company. We discussed several ideas and considered the pros and cons of various types of business and business structures (proprietorship, LLC, Corporation).

After prayer and some soul searching, I decided to leverage my experience in technical sales to start an independent manufacturer’s representative and a sales consultant. I hired Legal Zoom to set up my LLC.

The whole idea of being manufacturers’ representative is to obtain agreements with other companies that desire to have an independent sales force represent and sell their products for a commission. Fortunately, there are several trade associations that have created a database of companies looking for sales reps and companies like mine to represent them. After researching various sites, I joined MANA (Manufacturers and Agents National Association). This has worked out very well as four of the five companies that DENISS represents today are the result of leads from the MANA’s database.

DENISS, LLC’s mission is to help our principals and customers succeed in sales growth and improve profits in the multi-million dollar electrical equipment and components services marketing segments by utilizing the Six Sigma principles: Define, Measure, Analyze, Implement and Control. Our focus is to work with companies specializing in engineered products, Industrial Ethernet switches, electronic manufacturing services, software medical products, motors, blowers and Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration components.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The process of setting up the business was not difficult. However, I conducted a fair amount of research. I attended several SCORE seminars on how to start a business including preparing a business plan, developing a marketing plan and levering social media.

Levering social media has been the most challenging for me. I work with a digital marketing professional to help promote DENISS and our principals. I am learning all about hash tags, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google ads and email blasts. I have admitted that I am intrigued by the potential and possibilities of these digital tools.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are an independent manufacturers’ sales representative and sales consultant.

We have been blessed to represent five companies and are negotiating with a sixth company.

These companies fall into two major areas. The first is contract manufacturing. Contract manufacturing companies build parts and products for other companies. These parts range from electronic assemblies, blowers, motors, fans, pumps and medical devices. The second is Industrial automation companies, which manufacture Industrial Ethernet Switches and develop production monitoring software.

The sales consulting side of DENISS, LLC, includes providing expert advice on Industrial Distribution strategy and policies and applying Six Sigma principles to improve sales processes. Clients and principals contact DENISS, LLC for expertise in sales and marketing complex electrical equipment.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up in Gary, IN. I am oldest of four children and the only son, I was my parents one and only son. My youngest sister is 17 years younger than me. My oldest sister passed away June 23, 2014. My sisters always said I was the favorite growing up.

I was an average student. However, I was inquisitive and loved exploring. My interest in electrical engineering was sparked by two events. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I experimented with a radio at my grandmother’s house. I plugged it into a receptacle but the plug had an exposed, frayed wire, so when I plugged the radio into the receptacle, the wire shocked me and burned a spot on my finger. To this day, I have a discolored spot on my finger. I never mentioned this event to my grandparents or parents.

The second event occurred when I was 16-years-old. I was walking down 11th avenue (a main street in Gary, IN) when I noticed a billboard that had a message: “Learn Electronics Today, Earn Money Tomorrow.” I recalled getting shocked a few years earlier and decided that I wanted to learn about electricity and electronics. During my senior year in high school, I decided that I was going to either a technical school or college. But my grades were below average and I was in the bottom quarter of my class. I decided to take advance math and physics in my senior year in high school. In one year, I improved my grades and moved to the top half of my class.

I applied to Valparaiso Tech and Purdue University Calumet (now Northwest) and I was accepted into both schools. I chose Purdue and graduated with an Associates in Science and Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) in December 1971 and BS in EET June 1973.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3721 New Macland Rd.
  Suite 231
• Phone: 678 575 5866
• Email: Tyrone.DeNeal@Denissllc.com
• Instagram: @denealty
• Facebook: @denissllc
• Twitter: @denealtyrone
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/deneal-industrial-sales-and-services-powder-springs

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