Early in 2009, in the worst possible time to start a new company, we opened our metal cutting and finishing business, WPC Services, across from Rick’s Sign Co. on U.S. Highway 80 in Longview, Texas. I tell people now that we timed it that way because we like a challenge. Why do anything if it’s going to be easy?

 

As you know, the economy tanked, and by the end of the year we were the only one of Longview’s three powder coating shops still going, and we weren’t setting the world on fire. Our waterjet business was growing, but agonizingly slowly. With all the payments and overhead we had to deal with, there wasn’t a lot left for payroll, so as much as was possible I did a lot of the work there myself. 

 

One afternoon, after working most of the day at the sign shop, I found myself out behind WPC in the sandblasting area getting ready to prepare some parts for powder coating. I was a bit overwhelmed with work, and finally it was time to get some more help. But I needed the right person, and right then it was only a part-time job. How in the world would I find someone that would dig in and do the dirty work, and any other work that needed to be done, at WPC and across at the sign shop, and be productive and reliable as well?

 

I did not have a clue how to find the helper I needed, but I needed to find him, and find him pretty quick. Well, I have prayed for a lot of things, but I have never prayed to find the right employee, but I did that day, and I said it all out loud. Then I put that helmet on and went to work. 

 

In an hour or so I was through with that task, dusted myself off and went back up front only to meet a truck driver making a delivery of a pallet of sand for the waterjet. The driver was interested in what we did there, and asked a few questions then finished with, “Don’t suppose you need a little help around here do you?”

 

My usual answer was “no, not yet”, but today it was “yes” and I told him I had some part-time work for someone who didn’t mind getting sweaty and dirty a good part of the time. He said his son Kory, a senior in high school with a short school day, didn’t mind hard work at all. But knowing a bit about teenagers I wasn’t too sure.

 

Then he added, “Well, actually he has a job right now, but he usually has two jobs and he just lost his second one. So, he’s looking for something else to do.”

 

“A second job?” I thought to myself. This was sounding interesting at least. I told the truck driver to tell his son to come by and see me when he could. About an hour later, Kory walked in my office and applied for that job. And when I asked him when he would like to start, he said he could start right then. “Tomorrow will be soon enough,” I replied. “Just come prepared to work.” And that’s exactly what he did.

 

Kory has been with us over a year now, gave up his other job, and has helped us get a lot of things done. And he is the type of worker we are always looking for, and fortunately have been pretty successful finding. Although, in this case, and I am very thankful for it, Kory found us.

 

The type of person Kory is, is the kind that is bored when they are not working. They are naturally productive. Standing around doing nothing would be foreign to them, and they are not going to do it as long as there is something in front of them to do. 

 

All our other employees at the sign shop are the same way. When we are looking for help, we are looking not so much for someone with particular abilities or a certain amount of experience, although some of that is certainly helpful. But what we are really looking for is a personality type, a type of worker that has a built in, self-motivated desire to be getting something done. A great part of my job is to find something for them to do, dealing with clients, bidding jobs, doing the layouts and otherwise making sure there is always work ahead of them to produce.

 

I hope this year we’ll be needing more help, and in fact, over the past several months we’ve hired one additional sign shop employee already, and a part-time waterjet operator. We know the kind of personnel we need, even if we don’t always know how to find them, and I certainly believe there are good people out there who need the work.

 

Being an amateur entrepreneur and running a couple of small businesses comes with plenty of risks and responsibilities and no guarantees. Yet, I have to be optimistic, get up early every morning and go fight those battles. I am, and we are, still “in the trenches.”

 

But, I am glad to still be in the fight, and I’ll bet you feel the same way. I hope your sign business is going well, you’re finding the help you need, in every way you need it, and are on your way to a very productive year. We’re sure trying to be.

 

Have great month—Rick