Latest / Built In The Bayou / Episode 1 | What 50 Years Doesn't Tell You
Transcript
- 0:12Evan: All right, everybody.
- 0:13Evan: Welcome to our first ever episode of Built in the Bayou, where we talk about things of faith, family, and business, the good, the bad, the ugly, what it's like to uh be part and run a small business in today's day and age in the off-road suspension world.
- 0:31Evan: Uh everybody knows Skyjacker, but not everybody knows the story or what it takes to actually run this brand successfully.
- 0:39Evan: So we'll touch on all that.
- 0:41Evan: Uh hear from a lot of exciting guests, talk about our history, and uh it's gonna be fun, a good journey to uh explore topics and have some good conversation.
- 0:51Malerie: Yeah, we're really excited because this episode is about what 50 years doesn't tell you.
- 0:58Malerie: So so many people know who follow our brand that we just had a really successful 50-year anniversary.
- 1:05Malerie: Um, and with that, there were so many exciting things around it.
- 1:10Malerie: Um, and so for those of you who are new to our story and new to the brand, I just wanted to give a quick run through before we bring on our special guest for the episode.
- 1:19Malerie: So our grandparents um were some of the most hardworking people in that generation.
- 1:25Malerie: They are just, they did not make them like they used to.
- 1:27Malerie: Okay.
- 1:28Malerie: Um, and they had a hobby and a passion for mud racing, being outdoors, hunting, um, really did love just like that outdoor lifestyle, adventure lifestyle.
- 1:40Malerie: Um, our grandfather was um really into racing, the mud races.
- 1:45Malerie: They would go on the weekends and stuff with their friends.
- 1:47Malerie: And as most men during that time frame, super competitive, wanted to win.
- 1:52Malerie: Um, and one of the ways he kept getting stuck was he his tires, he couldn't get through those thick mud because we're down in Louisiana.
- 2:00Malerie: And so he was like, I've got to figure out a way to get bigger tires on my Bronco.
- 2:05Malerie: And so that's like what started Skyjacker, a hobby that created and turned into this amazing business that has now led us into three generations, um, as Evan and I are, third generation.
- 2:19Malerie: Um, and so from there, it just kind of like catapulted of just this amazing life that they worked really, really hard for.
- 2:29Malerie: Um, a lot of really cool things.
- 2:30Malerie: We've worked um with movie sets, with actors, with musicians, but also like family members getting to be in the car seat and going up Hell's Revenge and Moab.
- 2:40Malerie: Um and now our kids get to go out there with us.
- 2:42Malerie: Fourth generation is already out enjoying this lifestyle and this industry.
- 2:47Malerie: So it's been a really fun journey.
- 2:50Malerie: Um, our parents, his dad, Lonnie McCurry Jr., um, is our president, and my mom, Cindy, is our CFO.
- 2:58Malerie: And so Second Jen has been here from the beginning.
- 3:01Malerie: Um, and now it's Evan and I.
- 3:04Malerie: Yeah.
- 3:04Malerie: And we're trying to carry the torch, um, which is really exciting.
- 3:10Malerie: Um, but we both know, especially being brought up from the beginning to where it is now, that there's no way to make it to 50 plus years successfully without incredible employees and without a major backbone of team of people behind you.
- 3:30Malerie: And we're actually really blessed to have that.
- 3:34Malerie: We actually have, I counted this today.
- 3:37Malerie: Um, we have a ton under these numbers, but we have six employees that this year have hit a 20-year mark, three that hit 25, 130, and one non-family member who hit 43 years this year.
- 3:52Malerie: Um, and all of those numbers are non-family.
- 3:55Malerie: Um, and so you just don't see that anymore.
- 3:58Evan: No, you don't find that anymore.
- 4:00Evan: And they're non-family, but they might be family whether they like it or not.
- 4:03Malerie: Whether they like it or not, yes, for sure.
- 4:05Malerie: And I think that is the thing about family business and small business.
- 4:09Malerie: It's so different than corporate.
- 4:12Malerie: And I also think people, one of the reasons we wanted to do this episode specifically is people think we're like a huge conglomerate because we do sell worldwide, not just in the United States.
- 4:24Malerie: Um and so that's why today our perfect guest is Jeff.
- 4:31Malerie: And Jeff Burley has been with us for this year in August, 25 years.
- 4:37Malerie: Um, so over or at exactly half of our company's history, he's been here.
- 4:43Malerie: Um, and Jeff is the controller of our company.
- 4:46Malerie: So, Jeff, hi.
- 4:47Jeff: Hello.
- 4:48Malerie: Thank you for coming on today.
- 4:50Jeff: It's a privilege.
- 4:51Malerie: Yes.
- 4:51Malerie: Um, can you tell us exactly like what your role is at Skyjacker?
- 4:55Jeff: Sure.
- 4:55Jeff: It's it's well, I don't know if I can be exact because the controller is is in a typical business is is certain things, but uh I I do a lot more things with human resources, benefits, and things of that nature.
- 5:10Jeff: And uh and on the corporate side, helping expand the business, helping align the business uh to stay in compliance with government, things of that nature.
- 5:21Jeff: And uh it's it's it's the accounting side, it's the financial side, but it's but it's other stuff also.
- 5:27Malerie: So you didn't put therapist in there.
- 5:33Jeff: Well, uh uh I have therapy and I do that about three or four times a week.
- 5:39Jeff: When I walk out of here, I get a set of golf clubs and I go play golf.
- 5:43Jeff: That's my therapy.
- 5:44Malerie: Yeah, and you have to have that.
- 5:45Malerie: Oh, yeah.
- 5:46Jeff: Oh, yeah.
- 5:46Jeff: You have to check out.
- 5:47Evan: Yeah.
- 5:47Evan: You have to check out.
- 5:48Malerie: Well, and I think just to your point, um, naming all the different things that you do, like you said, my title might be this, but I do all of these things.
- 5:56Malerie: And I think that that is one thing, which I'll let you get into that, but that separates family business and small business from corporate.
- 6:04Malerie: And so one of the reasons that we wanted to have you on for this specific episode was because you've actually worked in both.
- 6:10Malerie: Right.
- 6:10Malerie: Um, even though you've been here for 25 years of the company's growth, you actually were able to bring a lot of things to the table because you worked in a corporate setting.
- 6:22Malerie: So, can you just kind of start from the beginning and give us your path of work and how you got here?
- 6:28Speaker: Um I have to go back to the beginning because actually I was getting my degree and I was actually working here part-time.
- 6:34Speaker: I got my degree in accounting and finance.
- 6:36Speaker: Wow, I didn't know.
- 6:37Speaker: And I worked here part-time.
- 6:38Speaker: And uh then from that I I was hired at back then it was called CentryTale.
- 6:44Speaker: It's gone from Century Tell to Lumen now.
- 6:48Speaker: And I was with them for 13 years and uh working in the telecommunication industry and in the corporate setting, wearing a tie, wearing a coat, all that kind of mess.
- 6:58Speaker: And uh some of the things that the the policies, the procedures, the way they conduct business, the way they set up structure, those are the things that I brought in when I came in uh to Skyjacker.
- 7:13Speaker: However, I didn't come straight in from Century.
- 7:16Speaker: I left Century and went with a startup, which was really fun.
- 7:20Speaker: It was a telecommunications startup over in Dallas.
- 7:23Speaker: We moved our family to Dallas, and uh right before I moved over there, Mr.
- 7:28Speaker: McCurry and JR approached me about uh coming over and I showed them my deal, and uh they they weren't prepared being a family-owned business.
- 7:38Speaker: Sure.
- 7:39Speaker: They weren't prepared for for that kind of deal.
- 7:41Speaker: Yeah, and so I said, okay, no big deal.
- 7:43Speaker: Well, if it happens, it happens, you know.
- 7:46Speaker: So we went over there, and about a year and a half later, JR approached me again over there, and uh it was time.
- 7:53Speaker: So we moved back and my role here was they gave me the title of controller.
- 7:59Speaker: I worked directly with Miss Nail, which Miss Nail, I miss Miss Nell.
- 8:04Speaker: Uh I worked with her uh 22, three years directly with her, and she's she's a jewel.
- 8:15Speaker: She is uh irreplaceable.
- 8:18Speaker 2: And she's also savage for people who see our grandmother.
- 8:21Speaker 2: They she's just to cut in on this, she's like five foot three or four.
- 8:26Speaker 2: I don't want to offend her, but she's like this tiny little sweet thing, but until you get into like a room of business, and then she's not a tiny little sweet thing, and Jeff knows that more than anybody.
- 8:37Speaker: Oh, she she would she would she would tell me she know she would have meetings with the with a CPA or with uh on taxes and things of that.
- 8:43Speaker: She says, and she would find arrows that they would, you know, but she is she was she knew the business and she knew how to how to to uh handle Mr.
- 8:54Speaker: Murgur.
- 8:55Speaker: And and so she did.
- 8:58Speaker: Yeah.
- 8:58Speaker 4: Well, I think it's important to add too that like for most of the history, you know, Pawpaw built the product, designed the product, and mama basically did everything else.
- 9:07Speaker 4: That's right.
- 9:08Speaker 4: And so it's like, you know, she she was the one doing marketing, uh doing financials, helping in operations, HR, like all this stuff to where then when you were able to come in, it was just a probably a really good dynamic.
- 9:23Speaker 4: I would I would like to assume back then.
- 9:26Speaker: One of the things when I when I came in, because they didn't have this position, I it was a new position.
- 9:32Speaker: When I came in, Miss Nell says, What am I gonna do now?
- 9:34Speaker: I said, You're gonna do whatever you want to do.
- 9:36Speaker: Yeah.
- 9:37Speaker: And I gave her the freedom to what she did was she was she she would go from department to to department and just sit, she would come in my office every day, and we'd sit for about an hour, and then she'd move on to the next apartment.
- 9:51Speaker: And and that was continuity.
- 9:53Speaker: That was she would she would hear this, she would hear that, and she could put all that together and formulate a plan going forward.
- 10:00Speaker 2: I love that, and I do miss that.
- 10:02Speaker 2: Yes, yes, I do too.
- 10:04Speaker: I miss the I miss the conversations with her because she's very easy to talk with, she's very easy to work with.
- 10:10Speaker: And don't get me wrong, we all have our our days tipping point.
- 10:14Speaker: Yes, and and uh, but uh she was she was very gracious, she she honored God with the way she talked to people and the way she the way she conducted business, and I I admire.
- 10:28Speaker 2: And for those who are listening or who don't know um our family as well, um our grandmother is still alive and here.
- 10:36Speaker 2: Um she just she has some health things, and so she's not able to be in the office like she was.
- 10:42Speaker 2: Um, they're both, you know, older, but I can say our grandfather's still here every day.
- 10:48Speaker 2: And if our grandmother felt how she used to, or if her health was better, she would also still be here every day.
- 10:55Speaker 2: It's hard for her to not be.
- 10:57Speaker 2: So um just putting that out there.
- 11:00Speaker: Well, we also this past year we formulated a uh uh uh board of directors, and so she comes in for that, and she's still able to, she's still sort of in touch, but not as intimately as in touch as she was prior to that.
- 11:16Speaker 2: Well, let's let's shift and talk about that because I know um family business, I've only been a part and worked deeply into this one, but you know, you just talk to other friends and industry people who are also family business.
- 11:30Speaker 2: Um, and when you tell them that we've created a board, they're like, oh wow.
- 11:34Speaker 2: And so what from your experiences working in the corporate side helped you?
- 11:39Speaker 2: Because you really helped spearhead and push, you know, for us to have the board.
- 11:42Speaker 2: So, I mean, was that the knowledge of that helpful to be able to help us start it?
- 11:47Speaker: Absolutely, because uh it was getting to the point where I needed more, more uh uh credible voices and where you could sit down in a setting and talk about it instead of a one-off meeting.
- 12:02Speaker: This way we could come together because uh leading up to that board, if we made a decision on something, I would go to this one, I would go to this one.
- 12:12Speaker: I kind of had an impromptu board meeting, but it was individual with each one of them.
- 12:16Speaker: This way we could pull it together, plus we had to redo our bylaws, and that was that took us a year to do that because they were 50 some odd years old.
- 12:25Speaker: And that was very, very uh enlightening and very uh educational and and I enjoyed it.
- 12:31Speaker: I enjoy that kind of stuff.
- 12:32Speaker: But uh I think that having the board gives voices in a in a good setting, in a not a confrontational.
- 12:43Speaker: I'm I'm sure there are gonna be some times when it is confrontational, but this gives us gives us a a venue to to set an agenda and have some some uh structure where we can discuss business.
- 12:58Speaker 2: Which I think for anybody, and I know Evan being family will also feel this way, especially third generation, I think.
- 13:05Speaker 2: Um it's really hard to have all three generations in a room and agree.
- 13:12Speaker 3: Yeah.
- 13:13Speaker 2: Because it is so vastly different.
- 13:14Speaker 2: And even though we're so blessed to have first generation still here, and obviously second, it's really hard.
- 13:22Speaker 2: Um, I think for there to be a good communication because we communicate differently than they do, first of all.
- 13:31Speaker 2: Um, but then also just our energy as they're on the ladder end wanting to like slow down.
- 13:37Speaker 2: We're like, no, we can't.
- 13:38Speaker: Yeah.
- 13:39Speaker 2: Uh, you know, no, we don't get to do that.
- 13:41Speaker: Well, look, look at this, what we're doing today, podcast.
- 13:43Speaker 2: Right.
- 13:44Speaker: I mean, this is something, I mean, this is this, these things are very credible, very needed.
- 13:50Speaker: And uh just moving, you're expanding your market, you're you're you're making your brand more solid in the market, and and uh that's that's valuable.
- 14:00Speaker 2: And I do think um it's really cool, obviously, to be able to do the podcast.
- 14:06Speaker 2: And Evan and I have been around all of these industry people.
- 14:09Speaker 2: I mean, just some of the most incredible people, and we have some incredible employees here.
- 14:13Speaker 2: Um, but I can say the fact that first generation and and some of our parents, because JR was our one of our first, essentially marketing directors, um put out a catalog, like all our first catalog, all those things with another our other 40 plus year employee.
- 14:33Speaker 2: Um and they didn't have the resources that I have as marketing director now.
- 14:40Speaker 2: Like, I don't even know how they did it.
- 14:43Speaker 2: When I look back at Momal's stuff, her hand drawing things from the SEMA booth at the 50 year, like the fact that they actually accomplished what they did without the tools that we have today blows my mind.
- 14:54Speaker 2: Yes.
- 14:56Speaker 4: I mean, they just wanted it.
- 14:57Speaker 4: They were gonna make it happen.
- 14:59Speaker: It was mail order.
- 15:00Speaker 4: Yeah.
- 15:00Speaker: I mean, that was the that was the internet back then, mail order.
- 15:03Speaker: They would mail, they would, they would see the the the magazine or the catalog or whatever, and they would place the order.
- 15:09Speaker: They had to send their money in, and it would be a a cashier's check or something like that, and then we would ma uh uh ship it out to them.
- 15:17Speaker: And so that's how it happened.
- 15:19Speaker: And the mail was very important to us back then.
- 15:22Speaker: And now it's the internet, it's a website, it's you know, this kind of stuff.
- 15:28Speaker 2: When you were doing corporate side, um, and then you know, you came back, you were here corporate, then came back.
- 15:35Speaker 2: Were we really far behind as far as technologies and things like that?
- 15:42Speaker 2: I know we've come a long way and you've helped spearhead.
- 15:44Speaker 2: You and Evan both have really helped spearhead a lot of those procedures to be up to date, and we have an amazing IT department, but um going back and forth to both, like could you see the difference?
- 15:56Speaker 2: Like, were was it truly like oh wow, small business and smaller family business, they really were behind compared to corporate Yes, and and and and uh that's a short trite answer, but yes, uh what what I mean there's a lot to that because they were still doing some a lot of things right, but there's some things we could do better.
- 16:15Speaker: And and being being uh coming from the corporate environment, that allowed us to whether it be on the employee side or the business side, uh, because uh the benefits and things of that nature, we we we uh modified the modified things like that to to better accommodate to to retain people because that's extremely important is to retain people because I remember the first time I did the the W-2s, we had roughly around somewhere between 45 and 50 employees, but I did uh 80 plus uh W-2s.
- 16:50Speaker: That's that's uh that's a lot of turnover.
- 16:53Speaker: So we were able to do something with the the benefits and and pay and wise, and we're we're not we're nowhere near that.
- 17:02Speaker: Yeah and and and the other side of it is the the the data.
- 17:08Speaker: Data is I I I came from a telecommunications company, and when we would we would purchase companies, uh we needed their data to go into our system.
- 17:18Speaker: So that we because basically you had to uh the most expensive part of uh our business was to dispatch somebody to go take care of somebody's house.
- 17:27Speaker: Well, if you had the data, you wouldn't have to do it, you could fix it in the system.
- 17:30Speaker 1: Yeah.
- 17:31Speaker: So I looked at it this way when we looked at our data that that uh that we have today to make it easier for customers to do business with us.
- 17:38Speaker: And we could just hand them or download or this or that.
- 17:42Speaker: We could we could increase our our market share.
- 17:45Speaker: And plus, uh not only that, I wanted to go international.
- 17:49Speaker: I wanted, I mean, we we that's the only way we can expand our mark internationally, you know.
- 17:55Speaker: And uh so that's those are the things that the data side of it was a is a is a big deal, and we are catching up, you know, as far as we're not there yet, but we are we are certainly made strides to to with our data side.
- 18:10Speaker 4: There's been a lot of progress on that, I would say, in the past two years.
- 18:13Speaker 4: Yes, come a long way.
- 18:15Speaker 4: Yes, yes, a long way.
- 18:17Speaker 2: And and that was one of the the the probably the biggest things to to to overcome or realize because we we would go buy a truck or a or a Bronco or whatever the case may be, and and that's it it's expensive, yes, but that that vehicle and our data increasing our is just as important and just yes, I can definitely see how the shift has happened for the uppers, the owners, to realize that there's just as much value in putting that amount of dollar amount into our data and our policies, our um what technologies as it is to buying a new vehicle.
- 19:02Speaker 2: And I think that um that is something we were definitely behind on.
- 19:06Speaker 2: But I do think that because the team of people, and because you're here, which I really I think, and Evan, I think can attest to this too.
- 19:14Speaker 2: It's you hear all the time when all these big, huge conglomerates are buying out all these other brands.
- 19:20Speaker 2: I feel like, you know, there's hardly any left that are still family owned, um, which is really special for us to still have this.
- 19:26Speaker 2: I know it's it would have been easy to sell out, you know, um everybody's circumstances are different.
- 19:31Speaker 2: Um, but I'm very proud that we're still here and family owned.
- 19:36Speaker 2: But um, you hear a lot of times, oh, they're just the numbers guys or just the numbers guys, you know, they don't understand the brand, they're not enthusiasts, like, and that's why some of these brands die.
- 19:46Speaker 2: And I think it's really special for us that you're really not an enthusiast.
- 19:52Speaker: Right.
- 19:52Speaker 2: You're a golfer.
- 19:53Speaker 2: Like that's what our job is.
- 19:55Speaker: I will I will I will tell you this.
- 19:56Speaker: I go back go back to when I was in high school.
- 19:58Speaker: I used to go, my uncle raced, uh he he raced, he had a Bronco and he raced, and I'd always go to the mud races.
- 20:04Speaker: And I remember they the they would they would go back into the woods and you just have to listen.
- 20:09Speaker: Oh, he's over there, he's over there.
- 20:11Speaker: Then they went to the circular, the oval track, and which was you could sit in a whatever grandstand and watch it.
- 20:17Speaker: And I remember Lonnie McCurry, Merc, Lonnie McCurry's Four Wheel Drive.
- 20:20Speaker: I didn't, it wasn't Skyjacker, but it was Lonnie McCurry's Four Wheel Drive.
- 20:24Speaker 1: Yeah.
- 20:24Speaker: And uh I I said, you know, I would love to.
- 20:27Speaker: It wasn't it wasn't a I don't mean the to it wasn't something I was looking because it was a family-owned business.
- 20:35Speaker 1: Yeah.
- 20:35Speaker 1: But I it was something exciting, yeah, different.
- 20:38Speaker: Oh, I'd love to have a four-it was four wheel drives.
- 20:40Speaker: It was, you know.
- 20:41Speaker 1: Yeah.
- 20:41Speaker 1: I think that man part of you.
- 20:43Speaker 4: Oh, yeah.
- 20:43Speaker 4: I think it's uh what we do is so cool.
- 20:46Speaker 4: I think you don't even have to necessarily enjoy it or be a part of it, but it's always intriguing.
- 20:51Speaker 4: Oh, yeah, you know, to somebody who's maybe not an enthusiast of it, but it's always intriguing.
- 20:55Speaker: And the other the other piece of this is is as as I worked here, uh as you look at as the economy event flows up and down, people this is this is disposable income.
- 21:10Speaker: People don't have to have a product.
- 21:12Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah.
- 21:12Speaker: And but the American public loves working or building or doing whatever with their vehicles.
- 21:21Speaker: I don't care what socioeconomic you're at, they are gonna have they're gonna do something on their vehicle, yeah.
- 21:27Speaker: Whether it's a car, truck, bronco, whatever it is.
- 21:30Speaker: And uh I'm not gonna say it defies the the economy, but it does.
- 21:36Speaker: Well, I think it's people are gonna people would rather have a a nice looking vehicle and they live in a yeah, that's some of it.
- 21:42Speaker 4: I I think some of it too is is how good the Lord's been to us as well.
- 21:47Speaker: Absolutely.
- 21:47Speaker 4: Especially, you know, we I I was not here when the economy was tough, you know, in oh seven, oh eight when that happened.
- 21:55Speaker 4: But from what I hear and how the Lord took care of us, it's one of those stories that reminds us of like Always uh steward the blessings the Lord has given us uh the most wisely manner that we can um and to bless his kingdom and in return he'll bless us.
- 22:11Speaker 4: Yes.
- 22:11Speaker 4: And I think uh that's just a testament of how our grandparents and how our parents and how uh everybody who's had a decision-making authority here have you know lived those principles.
- 22:24Speaker 4: And I think that's important, especially for Mallory and I to really see that.
- 22:29Speaker 4: Um, because third generation, uh, you know, we weren't necessarily here, we didn't see the first generation build it right.
- 22:38Speaker 4: Our our our my dad, her mom, they did see it, but I think there's uh a lot of maybe not like history loss, but uh some of the meanings and sacrifices that the second generation saw, the third generation didn't.
- 22:53Speaker 4: And we've seen that out of our parents and the second generation, but I think that's like coming off this 50th anniversary year has been so crucial for me and I know for you too, just to learn the struggles and what it took to actually start a business, build a business, maintain a business, and grow a business.
- 23:11Speaker 4: And uh, I just think all that to say, uh, it's just like it's just a blessing that like we're able to uh to talk with you, like still have our grandparents and parents here that we're able to continue learn, uh learn the history of the business, uh, steward the business well with the blessings that the Lord has blessed us with.
- 23:31Speaker 4: Yes.
- 23:31Speaker 4: And then and treat those around us right.
- 23:34Speaker: Exactly.
- 23:34Speaker: That's that's that's important how you treat people and and customers.
- 23:39Speaker: I mean, just people in general, whether it's an employee or a customer.
- 23:42Speaker 2: Well, and I was gonna follow up from that.
- 23:45Speaker 2: And when you when we say when I was saying earlier about like um corporate guide, not suit, not a not a normal enthusiast side of it.
- 23:55Speaker 2: I do think that one of the reasons, aside from wanting to have something different and exciting, and automotive is it's exciting no matter what.
- 24:03Speaker 2: I think it gives a different interest than just like a sitting behind the desk for a normal, you know, whatever.
- 24:08Speaker 2: But I think at least what I can tell from you with your age range of where you're at with the group of people who have been here, I feel like the reason you've stayed, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, compared to going somewhere else or going back to corporate, is because of the faith and the people here and the relationships that you've built.
- 24:26Speaker 2: So even though you're not a like a you're not taking your jeep out wheeling on the weekend, you're you've stayed because of the relationships and wanted to better the family business.
- 24:36Speaker: Yes.
- 24:36Speaker: I I I agree a hundred percent there, uh, because the way I looked at it is uh as you grow revenue, as you grow net income, guess what?
- 24:48Speaker: You get to give more to God.
- 24:50Speaker: And so that's the way I looked at it too.
- 24:53Speaker: And plus I love the people that I work with, uh care about them.
- 24:57Speaker: And we have we don't have outside, you know, we don't go out and eat and all that, but we have a good relationship, a good working relationship, a a uh a camaraderie, a a respect, things of that nature.
- 25:12Speaker: They bring me in on things uh that I I enjoy doing, just help making a decision.
- 25:20Speaker: And uh in the when I was at the corporate side, they just said go do.
- 25:25Speaker: You know, they already made the decision.
- 25:27Speaker 1: Right.
- 25:27Speaker: Here I wanted what I like about it is is you can take it from the c the the the boardroom to the warehouse.
- 25:36Speaker: You know, yeah and you can treat those people the way you want to be treated, and that's extremely important.
- 25:43Speaker: Uh I mean you you're gonna have you're gonna have people that are gonna turn over a lot, but you got you got a core group that you're gonna that you respect, that you want to honor, and treat them as you want to be treated.
- 25:55Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah.
- 25:56Speaker 2: Yeah, it just it's special for sure because as much as it's it's everything is so wonderful at so many different times, and yes, there's great camaraderie, we know we're family and we know how hard family business is.
- 26:12Speaker 2: And so I I guess my point to that is you know, Evan and I, we we have a legacy to fight for.
- 26:18Speaker 2: Like when it gets hard, it's like, oh well, suck it up.
- 26:22Speaker 2: Like we we have, well, we have a choice, but we we took that choice all the way.
- 26:26Speaker 2: We have to stay and we have to fight.
- 26:27Speaker 2: So if it gets crappy and really hard, we have to like go for it and like just stay in the fight where it's like the employees don't have to do that.
- 26:36Speaker 2: Like, this isn't their legacy.
- 26:38Speaker 2: Like, yes, they get a paycheck here, and yes, we love them and we feel like so many of our employees are family, but this is not their family business or legacy.
- 26:47Speaker 2: And so it's like the fact that so many have stayed, I think it's just a testament to you guys as well, who've stayed in the fight with us when it definitely we know it hasn't been easy because especially when you got three generations in here now.
- 27:01Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, when everybody first started, it was just mama and pop ball.
- 27:05Speaker 2: And and and then it came in JR and Cindy.
- 27:08Speaker 2: So you've had these four owners, which Evan and I aren't at that place yet, but we still are growing up and building our businesses, our business, our lanes within the business.
- 27:19Speaker 2: And so we're having more of a say as we get older and we grow, improve our spaces and things like that.
- 27:25Speaker 2: And so I just, you know, I I joke with all of you all the time, like, thank you for staying.
- 27:30Speaker 2: Thank you for staying.
- 27:31Speaker 2: You're never allowed to leave.
- 27:32Speaker 2: I'm like, are we gonna, especially for some of our guys who are getting older?
- 27:35Speaker 2: I'm like, okay, what kind of what are we gonna offer you to stay on part-time?
- 27:38Speaker 2: Like you never you don't leave us.
- 27:40Speaker 4: You can never retire.
- 27:42Speaker 2: One of them actually like said something about retiring with in a couple years, and I was like, absolutely not.
- 27:47Speaker 2: They're like, What do you Mallory?
- 27:48Speaker 2: I want to enjoy it.
- 27:49Speaker 2: I was like, absolutely not.
- 27:50Speaker 2: No, you do not get to leave us.
- 27:53Speaker: Actually, we've we haven't had one fully retire yet, but uh we're on the verge of of that.
- 28:04Speaker 2: But you've helped be able to work a policy in place that we didn't have before.
- 28:08Speaker: Absolutely.
- 28:08Speaker: And and that was some other stuff you're talking about, like an employee manual.
- 28:12Speaker: Uh uh just just the small things that to give structure to a business that help the employees feel at peace where they're at so that they ah you know sometimes though, all that uh all they care about is what they get paid versus uh other benefits because yeah, uh we're unique in in an uh in this area where we pay 100% of our employees health insurance, which is really incredible.
- 28:38Speaker: And it's it's it is expensive.
- 28:40Speaker: And we are we run 49 to 51 employees roughly uh a year, and and that's that's not a big group.
- 28:50Speaker: No, and not everybody's on it.
- 28:52Speaker 2: But yes, but I can say just because we've been privileged enough to hear some of those hard conversations, I know for a fact if this was a corporate situation when money got tight, bye, we don't care.
- 29:05Speaker 2: It's the first thing that's gonna go.
- 29:06Speaker 2: But our our owners are like, no, we want to do this for our people, you know, this matters.
- 29:12Speaker 2: Um, you know, and so they really fight for that, even though that might take money out of their you know, pocket, they are willing to sacrifice that.
- 29:21Speaker 2: And I think that that's um really important.
- 29:24Speaker 2: And though those are things that we hope to be able to continue, but man, that's hard.
- 29:30Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's important to say like that our parents, grandparents are willing to sacrifice, you know, personal resources first to take care of the business and the employees.
- 29:41Speaker 4: And I feel like that's one of the reasons why it's you know, we look up and it's a 51, 52-year-old business.
- 29:48Speaker 4: Yeah.
- 29:50Speaker: One of the things that that that we were going through right before COVID, I may have been right in COVID.
- 29:56Speaker: I I can't exactly remember.
- 29:57Speaker: We did an expansion.
- 29:59Speaker: The largest expansion we had ever done.
- 30:02Speaker: Uh over 25,000 square feet.
- 30:05Speaker: Uh expanded R D and built a a manufacturing area.
- 30:11Speaker: And I was going, oh, should we do this now?
- 30:14Speaker: I mean, but I mean, it was and it it was a godsend.
- 30:17Speaker: It really was.
- 30:18Speaker: Because now it would probably cost us double.
- 30:22Speaker 2: Right.
- 30:22Speaker 2: Well, and also we've grown so much in the past, I would say, six years, we wouldn't be able to have even fit.
- 30:28Speaker 2: So we would have been forced to add on and forced to take on that ex expense now.
- 30:34Speaker 2: Or like you said, it was probably double, honestly, probably tripled.
- 30:37Speaker: Yeah.
- 30:37Speaker: Well, yeah, we did.
- 30:39Speaker: Uh, I think we're around 40,000 square feet.
- 30:42Speaker: We're right now 80.
- 30:44Speaker 4: Yeah, we're a little, I think a little bit over 85,000 square feet under roof.
- 30:48Speaker 4: Yes, yes.
- 30:50Speaker 2: Which is really crazy to think about when you um look back at the original building here and how far it's come, which again is just another testament to the Lord, to the work ethic of our family, and then to our employees who've helped streamline this.
- 31:07Speaker 4: And building off that too, I think it's important to say with the new expansion that we did, that was because for years, you know, the the mindset was to grow profit.
- 31:16Speaker 4: I mean, to grow debt-free.
- 31:18Speaker 4: And so it's one of those things of like they just added a building here as it was could afford it, added a building here as you could afford it.
- 31:25Speaker 4: And so that was like, so our our tubing shop and our welders were over here, uh, our CNCs were over here, you know, this was over there.
- 31:33Speaker 4: So it was like to get a product to finish good, you had to circle the whole dang facility.
- 31:40Speaker 4: And uh so this expansion let us go from a two-bay RD to a seven bay RD so we could do more projects in there and move all of our equipment for manufacturing into one place so it can go through and circle in that one building and come out a finished good.
- 31:55Speaker 4: The only thing we don't have on site yet is you know uh finished coatings like powder coaters ink.
- 32:02Speaker 4: Um, but so it it comes in and it leaves ready to get a coating on it, and then it's done.
- 32:07Speaker: But the the other thing, uh through the 25 years I've been here, we used to outsource all the all the uh welding, cutting, things of that nature.
- 32:16Speaker: But through the years, those businesses either sold or or or shut down or whatever, and we brought all that in-house.
- 32:23Speaker: So when I came here, we were listed as a wholesaler.
- 32:26Speaker: So I changed it to be a manufacturer so we could have take advantage or at least dabble in economic development.
- 32:36Speaker 1: Yeah.
- 32:37Speaker: Where we could get, you know, forego property taxes or take advantage of employees that live in low-income areas, things of that nature.
- 32:45Speaker: And it has been uh that was that was fun.
- 32:48Speaker: That's all that's fun.
- 32:50Speaker 2: Um, and I think it's important to touch on that about the manufacturing, because even though we have this incredible business which we sell worldwide to, um, we're still a small business.
- 33:02Speaker 2: And there's a lot of, and I don't mean this um in an offensive way to our owners, but it's almost like a small business-minded space a lot of times because they've had to handle so many job duties.
- 33:14Speaker 2: Um, there's not that like creativity to like think bigger sometimes.
- 33:18Speaker 2: And so to have employees like you who come on who can see this bigger picture of like, no, no, no, we need to move into a manufacturing space.
- 33:27Speaker 2: Like we've always we've been doing it already.
- 33:29Speaker 2: Why not name it that?
- 33:31Speaker 2: And now we have a whole nother business side that is SJ manufacturing.
- 33:37Speaker 2: Um, and like you helped get them there, and so um just I think it's just a blessing that you came back and that you've been here.
- 33:46Speaker: One of the things that that helped fuel that too is the fact that when we went through COVID, um it was it was we had small packages going out like crazy.
- 33:57Speaker: And and and yes, yeah.
- 34:00Speaker: And and our we we never had large internet sales prior to that.
- 34:05Speaker: And now our largest customer is our as the is our website.
- 34:09Speaker: Yeah.
- 34:10Speaker: So so the thing is, is we need to be able to manufacture it so that we can turn it around within two or three days instead of two or three weeks.
- 34:18Speaker: And we we uh were set up for it.
- 34:21Speaker: We are set up for that.
- 34:22Speaker: And that that's that is that because if you look in your image, if we look in our inventory, it says, hey, we don't have this, but hey, let me I can get this to you in two or three days.
- 34:33Speaker: Is if we go cut it, weld it, right, and have it colored and turn it around in two or three days, that were we hadn't we hadn't accomplished that 100%.
- 34:41Speaker: Yeah, but we are on the way to do that.
- 34:43Speaker 2: Yeah, we're really close.
- 34:44Speaker 2: And I know that it's it's easier said than done.
- 34:47Speaker: Yes.
- 34:48Speaker 2: And until I got more involved, and until you get to be a part of the inner workings of that on different levels, you really think, well, why can't you do that that fast?
- 34:56Speaker 2: Why isn't it working that fast?
- 34:58Speaker 2: Well, it actually does take a ton of moving parts because you have to think in order to do that, you have to shut down equipment, you have to move equipment, so you have to be ahead of production in order to do that.
- 35:08Speaker 4: And and it's like what just happened, like we finally, you know, a year or two later, like, all right, let's move our laser into the new building.
- 35:14Speaker 4: And then the laser head goes down.
- 35:17Speaker 4: And so you can't move it while the laser head's down because then if if it's moved, they don't know what the problem was, or if it was them or a previous fault, or if it was was in the move.
- 35:27Speaker 4: And so now it's like, all right, great.
- 35:28Speaker 4: Well, let's get the razor back laser back up and running, get that that good, and then we'll talk about it again for a later date.
- 35:36Speaker: And that's not a small piece of equipment.
- 35:38Speaker: No, no, oh no, no, probably a week or two weeks.
- 35:42Speaker 4: Oh, yeah, absolutely.
- 35:44Speaker 2: Well, and I just think that's the difference too between um energy and generation is you know, it's like, oh, well, no, we have to reset, regroup, look at a later date.
- 35:54Speaker 2: We'll go a couple months out, and we're like, no, no, no, no.
- 35:57Speaker 2: It's back up.
- 35:58Speaker 2: It's still probably let's meet, let's set a date.
- 36:00Speaker 2: Like da-da-da.
- 36:01Speaker 2: You know, and so they're always, I think, looking at us like that side eyes, be quiet.
- 36:04Speaker 2: And we're always like, well, come on, come on, you know.
- 36:07Speaker 2: So we, you know, Evan and I are having to, we have a lot of private meetings, Evan and I, you know, because we're just like, we want to say this.
- 36:15Speaker 2: We're like, but that wasn't the time, or it wasn't the right, you know, moment.
- 36:18Speaker 4: And so anyway, we're still well, I think it's important too.
- 36:22Speaker 4: It's like, you know, important for us to be intentional because lack of intentionality creates repetitions of what is easiest.
- 36:30Speaker 4: And that's I don't want to fall into that slump, you know, because for us, especially for me, this is all I this is all I know.
- 36:36Speaker 4: So it's like I have to make this work because this is all I ever want to do.
- 36:40Speaker 4: Uh, but and it's like so we have first generation and second generation, all with different opinions, all with different buying habits, all with different processes on how they would do things.
- 36:50Speaker 4: And it's like, look, let's just at least do it.
- 36:53Speaker 4: Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
- 36:54Speaker 2: Yeah, I love that.
- 36:56Speaker 2: That that is, I think, the difference.
- 36:58Speaker 2: Um, I do think, and I can say, as we get ready to to finish up, and I I we want to ask you one more question, but I can say that there's so many things you can say.
- 37:08Speaker 2: There's so many ebbs and flows, good and bad, like Evan said when we first opened this morning.
- 37:13Speaker 2: But I can say that I do think that second gen for sure has really grown um and really helped back us on that space.
- 37:22Speaker 2: I do think the more we Evan and I grow and prove ourselves, first gen is getting there to also listen to what we have to say more.
- 37:32Speaker 2: I would agree um definitely, you know, like I said, their generation is kids sit down, kids don't get hurt, like sit down, little boy, or sit down, little girl.
- 37:42Speaker 2: But you know, I think now they see that like we care, we work hard, like we're putting in blood sweat and tears too.
- 37:48Speaker 2: So I do think that they have, I do think that Skyjacker moving forward is gonna be a more fast acting, a more more efficient, more not sit around and wait.
- 37:57Speaker 2: Um, we might have to fight it and push still, but I do think they are more willing to do that.
- 38:03Speaker: Well, being being a child and a grandchild, it's difficult to be sitting in a boardroom or in a meeting or whatever the case may be and not agree with your dad or your grandfather or your grandmother.
- 38:15Speaker 4: Yeah.
- 38:15Speaker: And you're you're put into a a situation.
- 38:18Speaker: Do I agree with him because he's my dad or my grandfather or grandmother or mother or whatever it is?
- 38:23Speaker 2: You got or do I disagree because of that same reason?
- 38:27Speaker: Yeah, that's true.
- 38:28Speaker: That's true.
- 38:29Speaker: That's that that is that is tough.
- 38:31Speaker: That is tough for you guys.
- 38:32Speaker: Yeah, that is a that is a different element from from any other non-family corporation, corporation, yeah, decision making.
- 38:42Speaker 4: Well, I think it's hard.
- 38:43Speaker 4: It's it's something that like I've uh I've had to learn, and I would say in the past few years.
- 38:48Speaker 4: It's like it's if you know me and dad are talking about something and dad has his way of doing it, and in my mind, I perceive this as the best way of doing it.
- 38:56Speaker 4: It's not that dad's way is wrong, and it's not, and it's not that my way is necessarily wrong either, but it's the fact of like we're just two different, completely different people that have a different way to get to the goal.
- 39:10Speaker 4: And honestly, dad's way might be a little better just because he has a lot more experience, but I'm still gonna push, you know, sure a certain way just to keep freshness and and new life and well whether whether it was a family-owned business or not, you know, you at you're not always not always gonna get your way 100%.
- 39:28Speaker: You gotta give and take.
- 39:29Speaker: Yeah.
- 39:29Speaker: And whether it's your parents or your grandparents or you worked in a separate, you got to give somewhere, you know, to to to go forward.
- 39:37Speaker 2: Well, and I think that kind of takes us, unless you have something else to add to that, I think it kind of helps us go into our ending question that we want to ask.
- 39:47Speaker 2: I know for me, especially because we touched on Maul.
- 39:51Speaker 2: Um, if someone were to ask me what was the best advice anybody ever gave me, you know, starting out, um she was my first meeting with her, like when we were dealing with a contract.
- 40:04Speaker 2: And back then it's when the magazines were the only way you advertise, the best way you advertised.
- 40:09Speaker 2: And um, it was my first contract negotiation.
- 40:12Speaker 2: And this was like my first week in this in the marketing manager position.
- 40:18Speaker 2: And um, so I'm in there with her, and I think your dad was in there too, because we us three always were kind of um together when I first started.
- 40:27Speaker 2: And she was like, I don't like that price.
- 40:30Speaker 2: And I was like, Okay.
- 40:32Speaker 2: And she was like, ask them to lower the price and ask them for a or ask them for a free issue if we go at that price because that price is higher.
- 40:41Speaker 2: Understand they've gone up.
- 40:42Speaker 2: Put the payments up or spread the payments out.
- 40:45Speaker: Which that's an always been one.
- 40:47Speaker 2: The first time she had had me ask that, I literally could have hit under the table.
- 40:50Speaker 2: I was like, what do you mean?
- 40:51Speaker 2: You know, and I remember she just looked at me dead pain and she was like, No, you're gonna ask.
- 40:56Speaker 2: What's they're gonna say?
- 40:57Speaker 2: No.
- 40:57Speaker 2: Yeah.
- 40:57Speaker 2: The worst they could say is no, and then you're in the same situation you already are in, or you ask because you have the guns to ask, they change it for you.
- 41:05Speaker 2: And then they're like, hmm, okay, maybe I wanna work with her a little bit more and do whatever.
- 41:09Speaker 2: And I just will never forget that because I had done some other things before I came here and did my own business.
- 41:16Speaker 2: And so, I mean, I was used to being able to speak and talk, whatever, but never, and I felt like it's such like this intense environment of contract negotiation, the amount of money that it was.
- 41:27Speaker 2: And um, anyway, so that was the best advice anybody had ever given me is just ask.
- 41:33Speaker 2: Um, and so I try to always tell anybody who asks me that.
- 41:38Speaker 2: I I try to relay that.
- 41:39Speaker 2: And so we want to ask you what's um the best advice someone's ever given you that you've been able to relate to business.
- 41:48Speaker: It has to do with people, treating people how you want to be treated.
- 41:52Speaker: Um my mom and dad, uh just they're the way they raised me is whether you're a janitor or you're the CEO, treat them the same.
- 42:05Speaker: How you want to be treated.
- 42:07Speaker: And and respect what they do.
- 42:10Speaker: Don't look down on them because they do something less than you or whatever, because uh there you could be also.
- 42:17Speaker: And um it is I love working with people.
- 42:23Speaker: I know a lot of counting people are very they put me in a corner.
- 42:27Speaker: I like I like relationships, I like getting dirty with relationships because they're not all clean.
- 42:33Speaker: Yeah, and um, it's okay.
- 42:35Speaker: And and it's okay to disagree too.
- 42:40Speaker 2: Yeah, oh my gosh, that's so good.
- 42:42Speaker 2: Yeah, you know that you know that I love that one.
- 42:45Speaker 2: Being able to agree to disagree is one of the hardest things, I think.
- 42:49Speaker 2: Just our world in general has a hard time.
- 42:52Speaker 2: Everybody is so offended.
- 42:54Speaker 2: And there's many times where I have to watch myself, like, am I being offended, or like, can I be okay that we just disagree?
- 43:01Speaker: And so that's so good.
- 43:02Speaker: And and and and dealing we we in in my role here as as dealing with with the CEO versus dealing with a $12 an hour uh warehouse guy.
- 43:18Speaker: I mean, treat them both with respect, how you would want to be treated, give them all the options that they have.
- 43:24Speaker: And of course, there are policies and procedures we have, just like laws.
- 43:29Speaker: I mean, you gotta buy by them and you know, go that route.
- 43:33Speaker: Say, I hate it, but this is this is the deal.
- 43:36Speaker: And show it show it with respect.
- 43:38Speaker: Don't don't look down on them because of where they're at or or what they've done or whatever the case may be.
- 43:44Speaker: Treat them, treat them how you'd want to be treated.
- 43:47Speaker 2: Yeah, that's so good.
- 43:48Speaker 2: Yeah.
- 43:49Speaker 4: I think it's important too, you know, that's scene all throughout the uh the Bible as well.
- 43:53Speaker 4: Yes, you know, Jesus when he was here on earth didn't treat you know the guy with leprosy any different than he did his disciple.
- 44:00Speaker: Right.
- 44:00Speaker: So good.
- 44:01Speaker: Right, right.
- 44:02Speaker: And and he never failed to reach out to them, whether they were a gentile or a or a Jew.
- 44:08Speaker: Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
- 44:09Speaker: It and because they looked down on the Gentiles as as trash.
- 44:14Speaker: They would have them in their house.
- 44:15Speaker 3: Right.
- 44:16Speaker: Things like that.
- 44:17Speaker: And I just think that that no no matter what where you're at in life, treat them how you want to be treated.
- 44:24Speaker: And and I think they'll see it.
- 44:26Speaker: You don't even have to say it.
- 44:28Speaker: They'll see it.
- 44:29Speaker: You'll earn their respect and you'll respect them.
- 44:33Speaker 2: I was gonna say they'll respect you, and they'll probably see Jesus the first time, and who knows how long that they see Jesus in somebody.
- 44:40Speaker: And you don't even have to say anything about Jesus.
- 44:41Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.
- 44:42Speaker 2: I mean light shines straight through that.
- 44:44Speaker: Because it'll open a door, yeah, and you'll be able to talk to that person about it, whatever the case may be.
- 44:49Speaker: And that's just I like I like uh cause because in in in in church, I like small groups and we just talk.
- 44:59Speaker: Yeah, we just talk about what's going on with your life.
- 45:02Speaker: No, I can't solve everything.
- 45:04Speaker: Yeah, and neither can oh, come on.
- 45:06Speaker: I said, but but I'll walk with you through it.
- 45:10Speaker 4: You need somebody who's willing to hop in the ditch and get muddy with you to walk through life's you know, exertiest moments.
- 45:16Speaker: Yes, and you don't have a lot of friends that'll do that with you.
- 45:19Speaker: You know, if you got that one or two friends, they they will it's a treasure, yes, yeah.
- 45:24Speaker 2: Yes, that's so good.
- 45:26Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Jeff.
- 45:28Speaker 2: Thank you for being here for 25 years.
- 45:30Speaker 2: Thank you, Lord.
- 45:31Speaker 2: But also for um all the things you brought to the table.
- 45:35Speaker: I enjoyed it.
- 45:36Speaker: Yeah, I have and I'm I don't I don't plan to go anywhere.
- 45:40Speaker: Yeah, we don't allow that.
- 45:41Speaker: Um because uh I'm getting it, I'm getting to an age where I'm I'm I'm you know, you can see my white hair, it's not getting any lighter, but it's it's getting thinner.
- 45:53Speaker 2: I don't know who could have possibly given you all those.
- 45:56Speaker 2: Not us.
- 45:57Speaker 2: No, we really appreciate you.
- 45:59Speaker 2: Um, and we appreciate you being on our first episode ever.
- 46:03Speaker 2: It truly means the world.
- 46:05Speaker 2: And um, we just want everybody to stay tuned.
- 46:08Speaker 2: We have, like Evan said in our introduction this morning, um, some really great employees, industry partners, um, ambassadors, um, some legends.
- 46:18Speaker 2: We have some really great things that we get asked all the time, and we just feel like why not talk about it?
- 46:24Speaker 2: Um, we know that any other family business or any other person in business or even in this industry probably has a lot of the same struggles and um peaks as we do.
- 46:34Speaker 2: And so um we're looking forward to building the value and what all we're gonna be bringing.
- 46:39Speaker 4: Absolutely.
- 46:39Speaker 4: Yeah.
- 46:40Speaker 2: Okay.
- 46:40Speaker 2: Well, I hope you guys have a great day.
- 46:42Speaker 4: Thank you.
- 46:43Speaker 2: Bye.