Generation of family ownership: Second.
Revenue: More than $100 million.
Number of employees: Close to 1,500 — 900 in Mexico alone.
First job at this company: I worked for my father’s emblem business when I was 17, but the company went under when my brother and I were in college, and we had to drop out of school. My father didn’t actually file bankruptcy, but the company folded. The three of us restarted it in 1990 in South Florida when I was 20. I’ve been here 36 years now.
Most memorable thing I learned from my father: He was a super personable guy; everybody loved him. He understood that having a personal relationship with customers is probably the most important thing in business. My 23-year-old son, who works in sales here, has the same gift as my dad. I don’t. I have to work at it.
Best thing about this business: The things we do that continue to amaze me. When I see them in action — like some of the visionary ideas we’re working on with technology, or with processes we put in place five or six years ago that are just now coming to life — it’s gratifying.
Our greatest success: Making it to this point — between our own failings, being a startup from a failed business with no money or credit, losing our biggest customer, my father passing away, the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19, getting through 35 incredibly difficult years. It hasn’t been easy, but we feel really good about how we’ve positioned the company for the future.
A quote from our mission statement: “As a trusted advisor, we will become our client’s indispensable partner through consultative and innovative solutions, impeccable craftsmanship and fast turn times.”
On my desk: Absolutely nothing other than a keyboard and monitor, and the reason is dead serious: I just can’t handle clutter. I don’t have anything on the walls either. I don’t want distractions.
One of my greatest accomplishments: Everything is iterative, so there’s not any one thing. A few successes are having the mindset to continually push forward, such as the decision we made to invest in technology early on, even though some of it failed. Having technology be such a front-facing part of the business has paid off both on the product side and on the customer interaction side. Investing in TRUE Lean and the Toyota Production System were also good choices. And finally, making a very complicated organization simple from the operator’s perspective is probably our biggest recent accomplishment.
Best advice I ever got: To find a mentor. The gentleman who told me that has since passed away. He was a YPO-er and his best advice was really to join the organization. “You have a great business here, but you’re screwing it up,” he said. “You need to get around other people that are also screwing it up, but who are actually learning from it. You’re not, so you need to join YPO and find a mentor.” I did both, and quickly.
Advice for other family business leaders: Treat business like business and family like family. It takes real effort for me to avoid talking about work when we’re not there. To try and separate the two and keep the relationship between family members in the business professional, I have to be the CEO when I’m in the office. My son and I can talk work at home, but there are some things I won’t talk about there, to make sure the interaction doesn’t become emotional. If it does, it could slowly degrade the quality of your relationship with your family.
On a day off I: Work out and spend time with my two sons and my wife.
Books I think every family business leader should read: “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill, and “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey.
Philanthropic causes our family supports: Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Boys and Girls Club.
Words I live by: Be consistent — very predictably consistent — in everything you do.