We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tony Cooper a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tony, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

How did you learn to do what you do?
I was fortunate to be naturally skilled in sales and marketing. Growing up, many of my movie heroes were fast-talking salesmen or lawyers whose impactful speeches played a crucial role in the story. Although real life isn’t as dramatic, I loved it. Like many 90s kids, cable TV was a big part of my upbringing, bombarding me with countless commercials that would later prove advantageous. Early access to the Internet at around age 8-10 also fueled my enthusiasm. As an ADHD kid, I quickly learned to improvise, especially since my attention span wouldn’t let me focus long. At one of my first sales jobs in the electronics department at Sears, I’d often read product info cards on the spot to craft convincing pitches for customers. This skill would greatly benefit me as I progressed in my career, and the most significant difference is that I started preparing myself for it.
Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process?
It is knowing that the best improv is equal parts reaction and preparation. If you can train yourself to remember as much about the pitches that didn’t go your way, you’ll know exactly how to pivot based on the situation in the future. Once you master that through trial and error, you begin seeing into The Matrix—I’ll cool it on the 90s references, I promise. And skill without effort is nothing. It’s not enough to be good at something. Being unwavering in your ability to improve will help you more than talent.
What skills do you think were most essential?
Adaptability—not just to the customer, situation, or context but also to your ability to adapt your skills to anything. When I first came to Paragon, I had never heard of or used a Panellift drywall lift, which we are known for in the industry. It’s totally out of my realm of experience. However, the core concepts were the same. Once I learned our history and what we were doing for American Manufacturing, got comfortable with our brands, and listened to customer feedback on what they cared about, I could define what makes us unique. Everything naturally falls into place after that.
What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Learn to embrace change constantly. What’s working today likely won’t work tomorrow. My problem is not that I don’t accept that; I fully embrace it; it’s realizing most people won’t. So, it would be best to learn how to communicate this to your leadership or people working for and with you. You can’t succeed alone, even if you have great ideas. If no one buys into them, they’re just hot air. Those around you won’t always appreciate your passion; trust me, I know, so building relationships must be your priority. I was fortunate to be a part of an organization like Paragon that embraced fresh ideas and took risks while adhering to our history and tradition. It’s been enormously educational but, most of all, a ton of fun.

Tony, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Tony Cooper, and I work for Paragon Pro Manufacturing Solutions as the Director of Sales and Marketing. I have been in sales and marketing professionally for over 20 years and have always been known as a salesman by those who know me. When people frequently encourage you to be a car salesman at 10 years old, there’s usually something to that. Growing up in a military family, we moved a lot, so I had to develop a knack for making friends quickly. At 18 years old, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Maybe I wanted to be a lawyer, but who wants to read that much? My first indication that I was any good was a sales contest at a local office supply store where I had just started working. We had to sell extended warranties for printers and other products. I ended up coming in second with no sales training or experience. That was when I knew maybe there was something to being in sales for a living.
At Paragon Pro, we are best known for inventing and manufacturing the original Panellift® brand drywall lifts, along with other great brands of light construction equipment. Our company was originally named Telpro Inc., founded by Roland Young in 1973. He invented the first drywall lift, branded it Panellift®, and enlisted the help of his sons to run the company. This American success story began in a garage and expanded into a building attached to that garage, which housed our original offices in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Many long-time employees, including the first person they hired, still work here.
I was inspired when I discovered their unwavering commitment to creating top-quality tools without compromise and that we were doing this in the United States when very little was being manufactured domestically. Hearing customers express genuine admiration for our products and how much they have helped them makes it evident that I was part of something exceptional. It’s gratifying to receive unsolicited praise, and I never tire of hearing from people who have been using our products for 20 years without any issues. When competitors attempt to imitate only your products, you know you’re doing something right.
In 2018, our long-serving owners were able to purchase the company and rebrand it as Paragon Pro Manufacturing Solutions. Having worked for both entities, I take great pride in being part of this journey. Every day I come to work, I think about living up to the standard that came before me and what that means to our customers. This drives every aspect of what we do.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Our mission is to set the market standard in our field. This goal is deeply rooted in our shared passion for excellence.

For example, we aim to create products that meet and exceed industry expectations, establishing a new benchmark for quality and innovation. This mission motivates us and guides our decisions and actions throughout our creative process.
As the originators of the Panellift® Drywall Lift, we feel a strong sense of responsibility and excitement. The weight of expectations pushes us to innovate and continuously improve, ensuring that our work sets a new standard in the market.
Ultimately, our goal is to inspire manufacturing in America and to contribute to advancing the light construction industry. This mission keeps us focused and passionate about our creative journey.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I have a story to share about how I met our owner, who is also a great friend of mine. When I first joined the company, then Telpro Inc., I started as an assembly worker at our manufacturing plant. During the interview, I was the only person who showed up in a shirt and tie. My supervisor was impressed by this and mentioned me to the manager, who at the time was the same person who is now the owner. However, he didn’t want to hire me because he thought I wouldn’t like the labor-oriented job and would quit. Despite not particularly enjoying the job, I got to know the owner well as he was the only manager who would sit and eat lunch with us. Realizing my potential to contribute in different ways, he helped me transition from the production department to the sales department by speaking to the department managers. I left the company under the previous management in 2016, and later the owner, who had decided to purchase the company, called me and told me his plans to buy it. Excited at the opportunity to work with a good friend and knowing the company was in great hands, I reached out to him and asked to join his team. I believe we both don’t regret his decision to hire me, and it’s been a blessing for me ever since. Occasionally, I still have fun reminding him that he didn’t initially want to hire me!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://paragonpromfg.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/paragonpromfg/
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/paragonpromfg
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/paragonpro
• Twitter: https://x.com/paragon_pro
• Youtube: @paragonpromfg

Image Credits

Credits:

Telpro Inc.
Stray Media Group
Paragon Pro Manufacturing Solutions
Aspen Studio