Time to Reflect

As Charles Dickens said, “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.”

Or maybe Freddie Mercury of Queen said it better …

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality.
Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and see,
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,
Because I'm easy come, easy go, Little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me…”

Whether it comes from Merry Old England or the rock and roll of my youth, I have a lot going through my head these days. As I get ready for a little vacation, it is time for me to look back over the last year and take a breath.

A little less than a year ago, I was getting back from the beach and looking for a business to buy. Then, along came the poker game. That started the adventure that is FabTech.

I have learned a lot about the business, the people here, the culture, the products and myself. I know some of you are now groaning about another top 10 list, but here it goes.

The top 7 things I have learned in my first 7 months at FabTech:

7. Customer interaction is the most important thing you can do with your time. Customers are not a “hassle” and they don’t “interrupt your day.” They are the ones who pay the bills.

6. Financial statements can be fun. Well, maybe not fun, but getting a real handle on how your business is doing can be very clear when you look at the numbers. The exercise of looking at the numbers weekly and monthly gives me a chance to be sure we are doing the right things.

5. Take time for yourself and your family. It is very easy as a business owner to get wrapped up in the issues 24x7. I am still learning how to balance the work and family time. This is not just about the time spent in the office and on the phone, but the mental break away from thinking about it. It is tough but necessary.

4. Cleveland sports teams make me crazy. Ok, not about the entrepreneur, but I am sick and tired of my favorite teams watching others have parades. The Tribe and Cavs both showed promise going into their seasons, but both disappointed. Maybe it is the year of the Browns??? Only my days living near Wrigley Field make me feel that someone knows our pain.

3. The commercial glazing market is all about managing chaos. No project seems to go as planned. Speed and flexibility is the key for everyone throughout the channel—from the architect to the glazing contractor. Sometimes the projects can feel like a big game.

2. We live in the greatest nation in the world. Whether McCain or Obama win, consider yourself blessed. It just takes a quick look at the situation in Zimbabwe to see how bad it can be for others. My father lives outside the United States and recently told me that he has grown in his appreciation for the USA from afar. In fact, he is now looking to move back to the U.S. Sometimes the grass is not greener.

Although sometimes you just have to laugh at what other voters do.

1. Customer is king. Right or wrong, the customer is always right. Whatever you do for a living, this is always number one.

Enjoy the summer and thanks for reading. Now, where did I put my flip flops?