Power
As far as the movie business goes, film distribution agent is not the most likely place to become a power broker. You may think that striking out on your own will up your chances, but all it really does is spread the market even thinner because you become yet another competitor looking at the same amount of films.
There is the occasional individual producer rep who can rise above the rest and secure their own fiefdom within the business, but besides connections and abilities, it takes a mountain of luck (and money) to get there (source).
The biggest power comes from the biggest power players. Disney and its distribution arm, Buena Vista, are two of the most enormous names in entertainment on the entire planet. They have a team of hardworking film sales agents and acquisitions officers getting out there, seeing films, meeting producers, and deciding how many theaters in which to open on which day in what part of which year.
Becoming a part of this team is desirable if you want to work in the corporate world. While you'll have less personal power, you'll have a greater presence in the market simply because you work for one of the big guys.
The crazy thing is the power possibility doesn't end there. Just ask Kevin Tsujihara, who worked his way up through the ranks at Warner Bros. until he became distribution manager and now CE-Freaking-O of Warner Bros. This guy used to have to dial hundreds of numbers just to sell one film. Now he gets to tell Batman what to do. That's basically mic-drop time.