POSTED ON December 31, 2025

How to Thrive as an Independent 1099 Medical Sales Rep

In this episode of the Medical Sales Podcast, Samuel Adeyinka sits down with Bruce E. Brown, a seasoned sales professional with over 20 years in pharma who made a rare and successful transition into medical device sales as an independent 1099 distributor. Bruce shares how he broke away from the corporate structure, built his own LLC, and created a sustainable business by representing multiple product lines. He reveals unconventional but effective strategies for gaining access to surgeons and hospitals, lessons learned from the opioid era, and the realities of commission-only sales. This candid conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to survive, grow, and thrive as an independent medical sales professional.

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Transcription:

Samuel Adeyinka (Host):
Hello, and welcome to the Medical Sales Podcast. I’m your host, Samuel Adeyinka, founder of a revolutionary medical sales training and mentorship program called the Medical Sales Career Builder, and host of the Medical Sales Podcast.

In this podcast, I interview top medical sales reps and leading medical sales executives from around the world. It doesn’t matter what sector of medical sales you’re in. Medical device, pharmaceutical, genetic testing, diagnostic lab. You name it.

You’ll learn how to break into the industry, become a top 10 percent performer, or climb the corporate ladder. Welcome to the Medical Sales Podcast. And remember, I am a medical sales expert sharing my own opinions about this amazing industry and how it can change your life.

So, you’re a distributor for Bio-Pro, correct?

Bruce E. Brown (Guest):
Correct.

Samuel Adeyinka:
Okay. How many distributors does Bio-Pro have?

Bruce E. Brown:
Good question. I honestly couldn’t tell you. I don’t know.

Samuel Adeyinka:
Okay. But you’re not their sole distributor. You sell for other companies too?

Bruce E. Brown:
Oh no. I have many different lines. Over the years, that was actually something I wanted to talk about.

For example, I was a distributor for MySonics, an ultrasonic osteotome. They wanted to hire me as a direct employee. But with that comes rules, regulations, reporting, and restrictions.

I wasn’t going to do it. I had been independent too long. And after spending 20 years in pharmaceutical sales, I knew exactly what the corporate world was like. I told them, “I’m just going to be my own guy.”

Samuel Adeyinka:
That’s really interesting. So right now, you’re an independent sales rep distributor for Bio-Pro and several other companies. You have your own LLC, and you come from 20 years in pharma.

Let’s rewind. Twenty years is significant. It’s not common to see someone transition that late in their career from pharma to medical device and actually succeed. But you did.

Bruce E. Brown:
It’s funny you say that because I remember people telling me, “You’ll never be able to do that. You’ll never be taken seriously.”

For decades, I was around hospitals and clinics. I’d see reps in scrubs going into surgery, and I thought, “I can do that.” But access is the hard part. Unless you’re behind the red line in surgery, you often have no access at all.

You can’t just walk into a doctor’s office. The receptionist will tell you they’re seeing patients and don’t see reps. So you have to figure out where they are and how to approach them.

Samuel Adeyinka:
Right.

Bruce E. Brown:
One thing I learned over the years is something that sounds ridiculous but works incredibly well. The FedEx envelope.

You put a technique guide, your business card, and a handwritten note inside. On the outside, you write:
“Dr. Smith. Personal and Confidential. Do Not Open.”

You’d be amazed how often that gets to the doctor’s desk and gets opened.

Samuel Adeyinka:
Hold on. You’re giving pearls away right now. So you intentionally use a FedEx envelope and write “Personal and Confidential” on it?

Bruce E. Brown:
Exactly. I’d either leave it with the front office or send it. Sure, most of them get thrown away. But every once in a while, you get that phone call.

Samuel Adeyinka:
That’s gold. Please keep going. What other tricks did you use?

Bruce E. Brown:
One of the best situations I ever had was with a disposable product. When you can get a disposable item on the shelf at a hospital, you don’t need to be in every case. That’s mailbox money.

I’d do in-services, set up the cart, make sure everything was running, and then I’d have access to the facility. I could say I was checking inventory or making sure nothing was expired. That gave me freedom to walk the hospital, meet surgeons, and build relationships.

Very few reps have that kind of access.

Samuel Adeyinka:
That’s incredible.

Bruce E. Brown:
Another tactic was what I call “sink selling.” You bump into surgeons while scrubbing in. You start a conversation. It’s awkward sometimes, but you have to go where they are.

If I had a case at 11 a.m., I’d get to the facility at 7:30. It’s far more effective than knocking on doors all day.

Samuel Adeyinka:
That’s behind the red line.

Bruce E. Brown:
Exactly. And sometimes it didn’t go well. I had a surgeon once completely lose it on me. But overall, it worked.

Everyone has their own strengths. You just have to know yours and lean into them.