Rick Lierz shares the story of how his dad and a friend started Franklin Building Supply back in 1976. Among their dreams, none included ever having any kids in the business. Rick unpacks the story of how the company evolved and to everyone’s surprise he and his sister eventually came into the business. He also shares how how they navigated the Great Recession to eventually realize a long held dream to turn the company into a 100% employee-owned company. After 10 years of employee-ownership and 50 years of business, Franklin Building Supply is going stronger than ever! A special thanks to Season 2 sponsor Trus Joist!
Looking to give your business a spark this week? Work through the five ideas below with your team. Come up with solutions, implement and then rinse and repeat for a few weeks in a row. Become narrow minded: Instead of trying to sell to everyone, sell to someone. Identify a narrow segment of the population you can go after with full gusto. Resist the temptation to spread yourself thin to reach a large group of people. Make regulars not feel regular: Commit to learning their names, offering perks or simply a heartfelt thank you for their patronage. Make a point to make them feel special and appreciated. Clean out your closet: Get rid of something. Whether a burdensome policy, a low margin product or an unnecessary menu item, something can go. Buy from yourself: Be a customer, step out from behind the desk or counter and walk through a transaction…

