If you study the war, you learn King George’s strategy was to wage a war of endurance.  He’d just throw more people and guns at us until we were exhausted and quit from fatigue.  He underestimated the will of the Americans to have their freedom.  His country was ultimately the one who surrendered. Here’s what I love about this day: I love that we celebrate the day we declared we would be independent, rather than […]

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”  ~ John Wesley John Wesley founded the Methodist Church.  He was a deep thinker about making a difference. I was listening to a podcast recently where Tim Kight and Urban Meyer were discussing […]

“Adversity is a test of your toughness, not your talent.” Tim Kight. Are you tough?  I’d like to think I’m tough enough.  But, could be tougher.  There’s no chance to pass through this life without facing adversity. I’ve heard it said that toughness is a skill.  Skills are developed through practice. Refined through practice.  Hardened by habit.  Thinking about toughness, I began a list.     You should to. Tough people show up.  They are where they […]

The PalletCentral Magazine, the publication of the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association recently published a report on the economic impact of pallets. Here are some facts to know: The pallet industry has experienced seven straight years of growth, rebounding from The Great Recession of 2008-9. As of 2016, our industry employed more than 67,000 workers, PalletOne employs more than 1000 of these workers.  The output value of our industry is $10.7 billion.  There are […]

One of the sayings I learned early in my pallet career was: “The customer signs our paycheck.” A large pallet segment for us are tomato packers.  One of our sales reps manages that market sector for us.  We manufacture tomato pallets for packing operations from the very tip of south Florida all the way up the eastern seaboard to Virginia and Maryland.  We also get into Tennessee. Tomatoes are grown in warmer climates, so the […]

“When opportunity is knocking, don’t complain about the noise.” –  Chad Veach Progress, growth and/or learning doesn’t come easy.  You don’t sit down to a piano and begin playing.  You don’t pick up a nail gun and start nailing. Whatever comes easy to you, eventually, you get to the point where the next step comes harder.  The next skill is more intricate.  The next concept more complex. The competition is harder.  You discover there is […]

There was a study of email behavior at a large company.  The study determined that email behavior was a predictor of customer satisfaction. We all have customers.  Some are paying customers, those that buy our products.  Others are internal customers, those that count on us to help them get their jobs complete. Here’s what the study found: Customers want a direct response.  Delays because you’re doing research or asking someone else are undesired.  They want […]

“When strength is the mission, hard is the standard and work is the requirement.  When comfort is the objective, easy is acceptable and effort is an afterthought.” –  Brian Kight. Another good thought from organizational consultant Brian Kight. “When strength is the mission” I heard very many years ago that successful organizations are strong, fast and agile.  Strong enough to face the challenges and embrace the opportunities.  Fast enough to be quick on the scene […]

“Building a great team is not just about feeding the positive.  We must also weed the negative.  Identify it.  Confront it.  Transform it.  Remove it.” – Jon Gordon One of the cultural tenets we work under is “purge negativity”. Gordon’s imperative of weeding the negative resonates. We’ve all heard it: “one rotten apple spoils the barrel”. I like the order Gordon provides. Identify it:  Negativity doesn’t hide.  It intends to be noticed.  It is aggressive […]

“You fuel your heart with six things: what you watch, what you read, what you listen to, who you surround yourself with, how you talk to yourself, and what you visualize.” –  Joshua Medcalf, author Chop Wood, Carry Water! I had the privilege to speak to the honor students at Bartow High School as they were recognized on Tuesday night. These kids are the best and brightest in our community.  They are doing good things […]