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Family business thoughts

by Rick Baker
On Nov 9, 2010
Joan Fisk shared many personal stories with us at the October 22nd Centre For Family Business breakfast event.
 
Several of Joan’s comments and stories struck chords with the audience.
 
Joan was kind enough to let me share with you some excerpts from her presentation.
 
Joan’s grandfather, Edward Warnock, while in his early 40’s conscripted to support the Canadian Second World War effort in 1939. This point struck me because my grandfather, almost the same age, did the same thing…leaving his teenage children for 7 years. From time to time, we must pause to remember the war-courage and war-sacrifice recent generations have been spared.
 
In 1954: Joan’s father, James Adam Warnock, picked up the broken pieces of the family business and started over. Within less than 10 years, James Warnock’s life had changed from that of a privileged private-school graduate to a ‘broke’ husband with 4 young children…soon to be 6 young children. Joan’s story of her father’s dedication to re-building the family business is one of the most fascinating family business success stories I have heard. And, the way Joan told the story was laced with openness, respect, realism, tolerance, and love.
 
Joan’s words will show you what I mean…
 
“My father, as you have heard, was a true entrepreneur. He refused to give up when he was faced with the demise of his family business empire, and it was this unbending drive, energy and passion he passed on to his children.”
 
Joan also spoke about ‘change-for-the-better’, including the positive change confirmed by the roles women now serve in business…
 
“In previous generations, generally accepted business practices did not include taking a woman into the company. That was on a par with taking women to sea: bad luck at worst and a lot of trouble at best. As you heard in the history of the Warnock Family business there were no women successors in the first 4 generations.”
 
In 1978 Joan became the 5th-generation President of the family business, Tiger Brand Knitting Company Ltd.
 
And, Joan shared a touching father-daughter story about how that happened too.
 
Joan: Thank You for sharing your sharing your family-business stories with CFFB members, sponsors, affiliates, guests, and friends.
 
Footnotes:
Joan Fisk…samples from Joan’s bio
 
Pres & CEO, Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce, 2008-2010
VP International Women’s Forum, 2007-2010
Director – Wilfrid Laurier University, 2005-2010
Owner – Joan Fisk Designs, 2005-2010
Director – Gore Mutual Insurance, 2000-2010
President – Tiger Brand Knitting Company Ltd., 1978-2005
 
 

Tags:

Leaders' Thoughts | Entrepreneur Thinking | Family Business and CFFB

Family Business Success Story - Wright Landscape Services

by Rick Baker
On Oct 28, 2010
When you sink that absolutely amazing putt at the Conestoga Golf Course do you think of the Wright family?
 
Well, if I ever manage to sink a long putt then I will think of the Wright family. Without the Wright family that putt would not be possible.
 
Here's the Wright family history…
 
James Wright came to Canada from England, where he was a haberdasher. When he arrived in Canada James became a gentleman farmer, and politician. Two of James’ sons, George and John, were born on the family farm in Guelph. In 1867, the year Canada was born, George and his brother John bought the farmland now occupied by the Conestoga Golf & Country Club, then known as the Bend Farm. The Wright family farmed the land for almost 100 years: George passed it to his son William who passed it to his son Oliver.
 
In addition to all the work put into his farm, Oliver Wright helped build our community. Oliver served as president of many agricultural organizations, reeve and warden of Waterloo County, and he was a founding member and president of the board of the Doon Pioneer Village Foundation.
 
In 1960 Oliver Wright sold the farmland and that led to the development of the Conestoga Golf & Country Club.
 
That’s why that absolutely amazing putt would not have happened without the Wright family.
 
Oliver Wright’s son John carried the family’s deep passion for the land…our green environment.  John Wright attended the University of Guelph and began his career by working pest control in Toronto where he ended up focusing on weed control. In 1967 John created Wright Lawn Care in Bloomingdale, not far down the river from his hometown. John has always been a conceptual thinker who has a knack for hiring skilled workers to deliver the services.
 
The Wright Family Home - 1967
The Wright Lawn Care Fleet – Early 70’s
 
While all of this was happening on the work front, on the home front John and his wife Ruth brought another generation of the Wright family to our community. Following shortly after an older sister their son Dave arrived in 1972.
 
The same year Dave was born, John Keenan joined Wright Lawn Care. John Keenan has been with the Wrights ever since…more about John Keenan later.
 
Dave Wright grew up in Bloomingdale, surrounded by his father’s bustling lawn care business. As a university student, Dave worked at other local landscape businesses. Dave suspects his Dad might have had a hand in getting him those jobs. Certainly, that could have happened…John was and still is well known in the landscape industry, not just locally but throughout Ontario. John helped create the Hamilton Chapter of the industry association ‘Landscape Ontario’ in the early 1970’s and John championed the founding of the Waterloo Chapter of Landscape Ontario.
 
In recognition of his long-term contribution to Landscape Ontario, John Wright was awarded a lifetime membership in 2007.
 
Another proud Wright achievement
 
Dave, like his father, ventured from our community to seek work. But, this time the son travelled even farther. After obtaining a landscape architecture degree from the University of Guelph, Dave Wright spent 7 years consulting on major landscape projects in North America and Asia, including exotic places such as Dubai. Dave worked out of offices in Cambridge, Houston and Vancouver.
 
Then, like his father before him, Dave returned to our community. In 2002 Dave joined the family business and the Wrights began succession planning. The succession plan was completed and John Wright retired about 4 years ago.
 
Now, some more about John Keenan.
 
John has been a vital part of the Wright family business since 1972. John illustrates the important role key, valued employees can play in family businesses.
 
John Keenan is one of those straight-up fellows who says what’s on his mind. He has analytical skills and he knows how to take care of the details. In the early years John Keenan worked in the field and later made sure the operations were kept on track while John Wright used his vision to build an entrepreneurial enterprise.
 
As the Wright family-business succession happened and the company was passed from John Wright to his son Dave, John Keenan provided stability.
 
John Keenan
Dave Wright
 
John Keenan had been a part of the leading-generation success and he was excited about the prospects for future growth. Today, John Keenan runs the operations in all divisions of the Wright family business. And the Wright family business is doing very well, tripling in size since Dave Wright and John Keenan pooled their skills in 2002.
 
The 2010 Wright fleet
 
Dave Wright carries on the Wright family tradition of building our community. Dave is past-President of the Waterloo Chapter of Landscape Ontario, where he now serves as the provincial board representative. Dave is also a director of the board of our community’s Centre For Family Business.
 
The Wright family has a 5-generation tradition of making our community a better place to live. They cared for the land and paved the path for the Conestoga Golf Course. Then they created beauty throughout our community…and at our homes.
 
Here’s a sample of terrific Waterloo Region landscaping…
 
Quality work, a Waterloo Region project by Wright Landscaping
 
Well done Wright family!

Tags:

Entrepreneur Thinking | Family Business and CFFB | Succession

Obvious Adams & the Five Tests of Obviousness

by Rick Baker
On Sep 8, 2010
Obvious Adams’ is a curious little book, roughly 6,000 words placed on 50 pages. The book, first published by Robert R. Updegraff in 1916, can be read in a lunch hour…or quick readers can finish it in a coffee break.
 
It is the story of a successful business fellow – Obvious Adams – who is able to see through the fog of the details around problems and find excellent solutions in the obvious. Obvious Adams sees the obvious while others do not.
 
The little book is a great introduction to marketing and problem solving.
 
This book has much to do with the little philosophies I call Seeking Simple and P=2S+O
 
I will write more about Obvious Adams, Seeking Simple, and Making It Stick in the near future.
 
Today, I am introducing more of Updegraff’s thinking…
 
In 1953, almost 40 years after he first published ‘Obvious Adams’, Updegraff added a section describing the “Five Tests of Obviousness”.
 
Updegraff’s Five Tests of Obviousness

Test One: The problem when solved will be simple. The obvious is nearly always simple--so simple that sometimes a whole generation of men and women have looked at it without even seeing it.

Test Two: Does it check with human nature? If you feel comfortable in explaining your idea or plan to your mother, wife, relative, neighbours, your barber and anyone else you know, it's obvious. If you don't feel comfortable, it probably is not obvious.

Test Three: Put it on paper. Write out your idea, plan or project in words of one or two syllables, as though you were explaining it to a child. If you can't do this in two or three short paragraphs and the explanation becomes long, involved or ingenious--then very likely it is not obvious.

Test Four: Does it explode in people's minds? If, when you have presented your plan, project or program, do people say, "Now why didn't we think of that before?" You can feel encouraged. Obvious ideas are very apt to produce this "explosive" mental reaction.

Test Five: Is the time ripe? Many ideas and plans are obvious in themselves, but just as obviously "out of time." Checking time lines is often just as important as checking the idea or plan itself.
 
 
 
PS: I am fortunate to own an original printing of Obvious Adams, complete with a touching hand-written father-to-son note that reads”
John
A tip here, boy, towards Success.
Dad

Tags:

Family Business and CFFB | Father-to-Son Lessons | Seeking Simple! | Solutions & Opportunities

A Family Business Success Story – Stemmler’s

by Rick Baker
On Aug 31, 2010
Children should be able to enjoy the fun of a hotdog at the ball game.
 
Adults with Celiac disease and other similar problems should not have to miss life’s food pleasures.
 
Here’s a story told to me by Kevin Stemmler…
 
When he was a boy, family and friends in Kevin’s community gathered at the local baseball diamond to enjoy one another’s company and to play and watch baseball. When the summer weather was hot the ball park was the place to be for fun with friends.
 
While a few decades have passed, Kevin still vividly recalls one experience he had at the ball park when he was a teenager. Kevin and his buddies were watching younger boys, about 10 years old, playing a game. When the game was done the younger boys came to the concession booth. All the boys were ordering hotdogs and drinks. Then Kevin heard one mother tell her young son he could not have a hotdog because it would make him sick.
 
Kevin imagined how bad it must have felt to not be able to have a hotdog with your friends.
 
Kevin felt bad for the young boy because he knew the young boy was missing an experience that was a big part of childhood and growing up: bonding with buddies, having fun and gatherings, and sharing fun food like hotdogs. Kevin knew the boy would stand out from his buddies. Kevin felt it was important for children to fit in and since the boy was not able to eat the hotdog he was not fitting in with his baseball mates.
 
For Kevin, the experience was poignant and filled with emotion.
 
A few years later, just after his teenage years had passed, Kevin joined his family’s business. His memory of the young boy’s hotdog allergy remained vivid. Children with special food needs had become a motivation for change. Kevin was thinking, “Children should not have to deal with these food challenges. Children should be able to enjoy their childhood years”.
 
Children should be able to enjoy the fun of a hotdog at the ball game, with their buddies!
 
That is one of Kevin Stemmler’s inspiring stories.  [For another inspiring story please check the comments linked to this family business blog-story.]
 
When Kevin decided to join his mother and father and work at the family business, Stemmler Meats & Cheese, he was inspired by this thought, “We can develop specialty foods and we can make children’s lives easier and more fun”.

 The Stemmlers - from left to right - Kevin, Shawn, Mom [Maryann], Terry, & Dad [Gerry]
Proudly holding their Junior Achievement Retailer of the Year Award
 
Kevin’s vivid teenage memory is one of the seeds behind the passion that thrives at Stemmler’s today: a passion for creating healthy things that taste good….healthy things with in-your-face flavours.
 
I wondered how Kevin came to have such empathy for others. As Kevin talked, it became clear his father Gerard (Gerry) Stemmler provided Kevin and his brothers Shawn and Terry a role model with solid character: “My father enjoys people and personal relationships.” “We are workaholics, passionate, with devotion and drive to succeed…and doing it with humour.” “My father set the base.”
 
And Mom was a solid role model too, injecting strong work ethic into the family business. Maryann Stemmler, the boys’ Mom, especially enjoys the produce and baking areas of the business. As Dad works at cutting the meat Mom visits the produce auction to make sure Stemmler’s has a great supply of quality locally-produced foods.
 
As an aside: when we first talked Kevin explained his Dad [Gerry] is now retired. That means Gerry now works 3 hours in the morning, has a break for 3 hours or so, then returns to work for another 3 hours. And Mom [Maryann] is working right along with her sons and Gerry. Clearly, Mom and Dad still enjoy the work and the relationships with all the good people at the store and all the people who do other jobs that make the store possible. And of course they enjoy the long-term relationships with their clients’ families.
 
Stemmler’s is proud to be serving generations of clients.
 
This local family business has been recognized by peers and by community. The following is just a sampling of the recognition received by these proud people at this Heidelberg-based company:
  • 2nd recipient of the Small Meat Manufacturing Award from the Ontario Independent Meat Processors Association
  • Small Business of the Year award from the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce
  • Junior Achievement retailer of the Year [see picture above]
And, how do the Stemmlers react when they receive these awards? They are honestly surprised, they feel honoured, and they display them with pride in their lobby.
 
Over the last 25 years, the Stemmler’s store has grown and taken on a fresh new appearance.
 
Here’s a picture of the original Stemmler Meats & Cheese store at Heidelberg:
 
 
Here’s a picture of the new Stemmler Meats & Cheese store at Heidelberg:
 
 
And here’s the inside of the new Stemmler’s store:
 
  
 
The Stemmler family has built on the strong base set by the father and mother 25 years ago.
 
Stemmler’s is the place to go for specialty meats and cheeses and other foods.
 
When major health organizations such as McMaster University Hospital started to recommend Stemmler’s products to people with special dietary needs, the Stemmlers received the good news as confirmation they were helping people and they were doing things right.
 
The Stemmlers are excited about serving a specialty niche…they like the challenge of building a reputation for doing the tough things, creating specialty products. They want to always be able to provide the personal touch. They see an advantage in remaining small enough to focus on what they do best. And, they can tackle new product challenges quickly. Their approach is: “Let’s hash it out and let’s go!”
 
Kevin and the Stemmler family are also passionate about supporting our local farmers. Kevin cites two very good reasons: the local food is more tasty and the value we create when we build community through supporting one another is of benefit to all.
 
If all of that hasn’t tempted you to visit the Stemmler family in Heidelberg…here’s a picture of some of Stemmler’s specialty products:
 
 
To the Stemmler Family:
 
Congratulations for setting such a fine example for people who work in or are considering working in a family business.
 
Here’s a link to Stemmler’s website www.stemmlermeats.ca

Tags:

Family Business and CFFB

Don’t put the cart before the horse... - Part 1

by Rick Baker
On Aug 25, 2010
Another father-to-son note…
There are carts and horses and chariot drivers and chariot warriors.
 
I figure the Greeks, about 3000 years ago, looked at it this way:
  • Horses were horses and they were worked so hard they knew enough to drink when they were taken to water. If they didn't, then they died. Then the soldiers ate them. Horses also became eaten if the soldiers ran short of other meat.
  • War carts were chariots. Horses pulled these carts, these carts didn't get to go before the horses. If the carts broke then they were either fixed or taken apart and the pieces were used for other things. If fuel was in tight supply then carts could be burned to create warmth and to cook food.
  • Chariot drivers: chariots contained two men. One drove. He was either junior, less skilled at fighting or both. His key roles were to protect the other more-valued man, the warrior, to protect the horses and the carts because they were expensive, and to place the warrior in a position where the warrior could have a good shot (spear shot, bow shot) at the enemy.
  • The warrior. He was the leader. He got all the gold - the spoils of war. He also, as a general rule, took the largest risk and got to die first. He only drove the chariot when the driver was thrown, was too injured to drive or was killed. If a driver was injured or killed then, after the skirmish, the warrior would replace the lost driver. I mean: the warrior wouldn’t want to be the driver because warriors fought, while drivers drove.
Drivers and warriors didn't pull the chariots. If the horses were injured or killed and the chariot was immobilized during the battle then the driver and warrior either ran, or tried to hitch a ride on another ‘single-manned’ chariot...or they stood their ground and fought.
 
Carts were deaf. The chariots simply could not hear or think or do anything on their own. So, they required hands-on supervision and controls. Without horses the chariots were only as valuable as the adornments they displayed, the cargo they held, and the protection and the maneuverability they provided to the men. Without horses, the chariots just stood around and did nothing. With horses but no men, the chariots looked good but for the business at hand (warring or terrorizing or perhaps parading) they were absolutely useless. At best when men weren’t around the horse and cart ran around in circles or took off and got lost.
 
When a driver was added, the cart and horse did a lot better. As a unified group they really got places. And, as long as the path was simple, without obstacles and without treachery the horse and cart and driver got along just fine. When minor issues arose, including attack by lesser-skilled fighters, the horse, cart, and driver prevailed. They did some off-road stuff and they killed some guys, got some loot, returned to camp, and bragged to their buddies over some wine and roasted meat.
 
But, when the combo of horse-cart-driver met an unfriendly horse-cart-driver with a warrior the following happened: the driver without the warrior died and was stripped naked and left for the kites to pick away at, the horse and cart and the driver's armour and weapons all got a new owner. That new owner was the opposing warrior…he took their lives then their stuff. However, when there was a shortage of manpower or a real dirty job needed doing, sometimes the driver didn't die. The opposing warrior just stripped him down and took him into slavery.
 
Warriors had a wonderful, absolutely terrible life.
 
The horses had it pretty good. At least, they had it good as long as they could perform. Horses really didn't plan for the future. They didn't have to worry about planning their day, or next week, or next year. They just plodded along until they got whipped - then they ran. When their usefulness was over, and that is something they didn't worry about because they were pretty much thinking about a bag of oats, their life ended quickly. The only pain they had was the pain of the whip and the pain of injury sustained in battle. But, when the pain was extreme it was quickly ended when they were killed and eaten.
 
Carts: again, they were senseless. Just tools for the men and work for the horses.
 
Drivers: these guys were doers. They got to manage carts and horses and from time to time they got to fight. Of most importance, they had the vital job of protecting the most-valuable asset: the warrior. They succeeded when they managed the horses and chariots in a manner that allowed the warrior to do his job. Killing. They got to fight after the warrior had taken his best shots or when the warrior was injured. If they fought well then they received rewards (a bit of loot, plunder, and maybe even slaves). If they had sufficient skill then they might be able to become warriors.
 
What's the point?
 
There are several:
  • horses are horses
  • carts are carts
  • drivers are drivers
  • warriors are warriors
 
Don't get them confused.

Tags:

Family Business and CFFB | Father-to-Son Lessons | Personalities @ Work

Do family businesses have better values?

by Rick Baker
On Jun 17, 2010
Recently, I was chatting with a business friend and he felt family businesses had better values than other businesses. To be more specific, we were discussing bait-and-switch and other deceptive marketing tactics employed by some businesses. My friend made the point his family business does not engage in that sort of marketing.
 
That got me thinking.
 
My family company is a member of our community’s Centre For Family Business [CFFB].  www.cffb.ca
 
Every month the CFFB members meet, have breakfast, network, enjoy a family business presentation, and receive education from an expert. The 3-hour sessions, which I spend with my son Jack, are my favourite business experiences. So, I look forward to the sessions.
 
Now that I have relayed my pro-CFFB thinking, I suppose I may be a little biased…favouring family businesses?
 
Regardless, I am wondering if family businesses have better values than other businesses. Could family businesses serve as ‘role models’ and ‘mentors’, helping other businesses create and sustain better values?
 
The question is important to me because I believe Values are the starting point for business success. I mean Personal Values.
 
I believe business success follows a path like this:
 
Values ► Culture ► Communication ► Value
 
V-C-C-V
 
Where:
Values = the personal Values of the Leaders of the business
Culture = the business Culture the Leaders of the business demand/accept
Communication = how well the business Leaders communicate the Culture
Value = the Value the business delivers to one and all, but especially to its Clients
 
Again - I am wondering if family businesses have better Values than other businesses.
 
I am going to give that more thought.
 
More on family business values in future blogs…

Tags:

Communication: Improving Communication | Family Business and CFFB | Values: Personal Values

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