Scott Whitten had sold print for more than 20 years and was feeling burnt out. In 2018, he joined Proforma, reinvigorating Whitten and allowing him to offer a total solution for well-established customers by expanding the offerings he was able to provide. 

Since then, Whitten’s sales have soared to more than $5 million, with almost half of that growth occurring within the past year. Whitten attributes this rapid increase of sales to two services Proforma exclusively provides: Success Coaching and Proforma’s eCommerce platform, ProStores. 

“Operations, policies, procedures, sales, marketing, networking – I have access to all of those things and more because of the relationship I have with Proforma and my Success Coach,” says Whitten. “Our Success Coach Team has the inside knowledge and vested interest to empower me with the proper resources, connect me with other Members of the Proforma Network, and act as a sounding board for new ideas in ways that I could never find elsewhere.” 

Proforma’s dedicated Success Coaches work closely with interested Owners and their teams to tailor solutions and resources to each individual’s unique goals. Whitten feels so strongly about the positive impact they have had on his business operations that he contributes Proforma’s Coaching Program as one of the key reasons for his rapid growth in sales. Whitten is also passionate about Proforma’s eCommerce solution, ProStores. 

“You ask yourself, ‘how do you capture the most orders through your company in the most efficient way while being maximally profitable?’ And the answer is company stores,” says Whitten. “And ProStores is the best in the industry.” 

ProStores allows for a workflow that consolidates vendors, saves the buyer time, and allows for more brand control. Because ProStores was built in-house by Proforma’s premier Technology Team, it is extremely customizable, and updates to the platform are implemented in direct response to feedback from Members of the Proforma Network.  

Whitten says this feedback loop and collaborative efforts are a positive pattern he has noticed at Proforma across all departments. As a representative of the Owner Advisory Council, a committee assembled to gauge Owner opinions and enact initiatives, this is something Whitten sees firsthand. 

“The Leadership Team listens to us and has developed an entire training platform with a designated eCommerce Certification. In addition, they communicate with us regularly about developments and help us thrive,” says Whitten. “They really are all about the Owners being as successful as they can be. It’s not just something they say – they really do care and it shows.”