It’s not uncommon for recent college grads to latch on to the field of their first job and stick with it, but Teresa Utt took it a step further. At the time 24 and recently graduated, Utt bought her career path.
New to Massachusetts from Tennessee and armed with a degree in communication from Lee University, Utt, now a sales executive at Andrews Associates in Enfield, bought a direct mail company for $5,000 in the late ’80s from a woman who was looking to split from the business.
With no knowledge on how to use the machines, yet intrigued by the possibility of using her communication degree, Utt dove in, but quickly realized she needed some rescuing.
She started calling around for help with the direct mail machine when she got in touch with Judith Knapp, who later became her business partner at Andrews Associates.
Within the year, Utt returned the business to the woman she bought it from, who was actually interested in taking it back, and so began Utt’s 18-year immersion in direct mail.
Today, Utt is in sales, though she doesn’t really like to call it that.
“A lot of people, including myself, don’t like sales people that much,” said Utt. “I feel like I’m more than [a sales person].”
“I’m a fanatic for customer service,” she added.
Utt, who started at Andrews in 1989, owned part of it and grew it, started to feel a little burned out by 1997, so she left Andrews to be a broker on her own, but maintained a strong relationship with Andrews while she was away.
For about a decade, Utt was on her own. But it got to a point where she couldn’t work alone anymore, yet didn’t want to hire someone.
And a lot changed while she was away. E-mail, ink jets, productivity levels, and even software have changed the whole direct mail business, but Utt has kept up with the times.
“I know so much about the business and how a letter shop runs,” she said.
She has not only learned more about direct mail, but about sales, too. “If you treat prospective clients with respect, you’ll have a better chance of retaining them,” said Utt, whose main job responsibilities now are to get and maintain a healthy customer base, along with learning new products and printing methods.
Looking to the future, “I hope I’m still at Andrews,” said Utt. “It was a nice circle for my career.”
Utt, now 43, lives in Massachusetts with her husband and step-son and enjoys swimming at the beach.
Amanda Blaszyk is a staff writer for the Hartford Business Journal.
