Newport Beach, California-based entrepreneur Devin Doyle serves as the owner and president of Response Fire Supply. Through this company, he oversees sales and operations at the company’s four branches in Nevada and California. Prior to this, Devin Doyle handled vendor negotiations and West Coast sales for Reaction Supply as vice president and owner.

The term “vendor” is often used interchangeably with the term “supplier,” but the two describe entities in very different parts of the supply chain. Suppliers are the first part of the supply chain and provide a good or service that a business needs for its operations. They operate exclusively as business-to-business (B2B) companies and sell their products in bulk. Suppliers are responsible for providing businesses with such things as the tools and materials used in manufacturing certain products.

Vendors, on the other hand, operate as the last part of the supply chain. They provide goods and services to either an individual or company, but these items are already made and the consumer is the final buyer. While vendors can operate as a B2B business, they are often business-to-consumer (B2C) operations and sell small amounts of items. Vendors frequently interact with clients due to their position as the final link in the supply chain.