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CarvingOut Your Share
in theMarketplace
Sergio Montolfo, general manager of Phillips & King, shares what
businesses and their leaders can do to grow their presence and
customer base in a competitive market.
INTERVIEW
BY BEN STIMPSON
SOUND
ADVICE
T
[ 94 ]
TOBACCO BUSINESS
[
SEPTEMBER
/
OCTOBER
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17 ]
There are two ways to get more business: win new business or get your existing customers to spend more.
It is important to ensure that you do not focus on one at the expense of the other, as both are important for
growing your customer base. This is something Phillips & King International, a distributor of tobacco, vapor
and alternative products based in California, has been doing since 1906.
Sergio Montolfo, general manager of Phillips & King, has seen his company grow over the years in spite of
challenges on the state and federal level and all the changes that have taken place in the markets his company
deals with. Phillips &King looks at the 50 states as individual countries, each with their own set of regulations and
compliance needs. In addition to understanding the requirements and challenges of different states, Montolfo
also has to stay on top of the trends emerging from each industry.
In the Q&A that follows, Montolfo shares his views of how other tobacco-centric businesses and those working
in the industry can stay ahead of the curve and grow their share and presence in the market.
➤
Photos by Jim Coontz