CAI California Rep Group Onboarding — 20–30 Person Launch
Overview
Citrus America is onboarding a new California rep group of approximately 20–30 people, referred by a high-value dealer contact. This group was recommended directly by the dealer — who told them to engage CAI — making this a warm introduction rather than a cold pitch. A Tuesday kickoff meeting is the immediate milestone. The sales rep portal is a supporting tool for that meeting and for ongoing rep enablement.
California has historically been a difficult market for CAI, with multiple rep group changes over the years. This onboarding is considered a high-priority opportunity.
Related session: [1]
Key Contacts
| Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Framson | CAI — primary contact | Leading Tuesday kickoff |
| Jacob Framson | CAI — sales support | Attending kickoff |
| Gabriel Samano | New CA partner — COO | Point of contact for rep list |
| Valerie (last name TBD) | New CA partner — team | May send rep list on Brian's behalf |
Onboarding Strategy
The Core Challenge
New rep groups carry large brands (e.g., Rationale, Middleby) that generate millions in revenue. A juicer line selling $100k/year at ~10% commission produces only ~$10k — not enough to compete for rep attention. The onboarding pitch must reframe the opportunity as meaningful and growing.
Positioning Approach
- Year 1 target: $500,000 in sales
- Year 2 target: $1,000,000 in sales
- Framing: "We're not paying your mortgage yet, but we want to make your car payment" — position CAI as a meaningful secondary revenue stream with upside
- Emphasize that CAI is there to guide reps toward success, not just hand them a catalog
Loaner Unit as a Hook
A $10,000 juicer loaner unit is available to the rep group. Key talking points:
- Brings foot traffic to trade show booths
- Demonstrates product in a live setting
- Differentiates engaged reps from passive ones (historically, reps who use the loaner unit perform; those who cite weight/logistics as barriers tend not to)
Tuesday Kickoff Meeting Plan
The meeting is not a pitch — the group is already signed up. The goal is to get them excited and equipped.
Agenda Notes (Brian's working script)
- Frame the revenue opportunity ($500k → $1M trajectory)
- Introduce the loaner unit as a trade show asset
- Brief portal walkthrough — "here's what's available to you when you need it"
- Brief website overview
The portal section should be short (1–2 minutes) — enough to show it exists and is useful, not a deep dive.
Pre-Kickoff Requirements
- [ ] Brian to call Gabriel Samano before Tuesday to request a full rep list (names, emails, titles)
- [ ] Melissa to prepare onboarding email template (from Brian) ready to send Monday or Tuesday
- [ ] Portal restructuring and contact info updates completed before Tuesday if possible
Portal Role in Onboarding
The portal is positioned as an always-available resource — reps don't need to memorize it, but they should know it exists and where to find what they need. For a large, sophisticated rep group with their own marketing department, the portal's downloadable assets (flyers, spec sheets, dealer materials) may be used as source material for their own branded collateral.
See: [2] for the full portal overhaul plan.
Key Portal Assets for New Reps
- POS flyers and dealer outreach materials
- Product spec sheets and manuals
- Training sign-up form
- Leasing commercial application
- Warranty and social proof forms
- New customer setup forms (to be added)
- Product training videos (link fix required before Tuesday)
Action Items
Brian
- [ ] Call Gabriel Samano — request rep list (names, emails, titles) for Monday/Tuesday onboarding blast
- [ ] Send Melissa proposed portal structure (section outline)
- [ ] Send Melissa new headshots: Brian, Jacob, Miriam
Melissa
- [ ] Prepare onboarding email template attributed to Brian (replace Jay throughout)
- [ ] Implement portal restructuring before Tuesday kickoff if timeline allows
- [ ] Fix broken "Training Videos" link on product pages (e.g., SSB-ATS)
- [ ] Update portal contact section with new photos and Brian's details
- [ ] Update user list: Andrew (Premier →
andrew@alliancefse.com), delete Rogelio and Bill Flannery - [ ] Confirm rep accounts are scoped to public portal only (not admin backend)
Background: Why California Has Been Hard
"Over the past couple of years, we've been through reps — in Northern California, a couple, and in Southern California, even more." — Brian Framson
The pattern: rep groups with dominant brands (Middleby, Rationale) deprioritize smaller lines unless they see a clear path to meaningful commission. Previous CAI rep groups in California either underperformed or dissolved. This new group came in through a trusted dealer referral, which is a meaningfully different starting point.
Related
- [3]
- [1]
- [2]