A different kind of experience for those who want to be Greater, Faster.
There are over 25 million businesses registered in the United States. Only 20,000 take in more than $100 million in revenue (less than 0.1%) and an even smaller fraction reach $1 billion in revenue. Building a large enterprise that can support and reward many employees and customers is rare. This paper shares ideas on why some companies thrive much more than others and why Berlin Packaging has been able to excel in the packaging industry by embracing a Greater, Faster spirit.
The best companies send a clear beacon of WHY they exist. Some companies are able to capture the hearts and minds of consumers. Consider these leaders and what they stand for:
Think different
You are now free to move about the country
The relentless pursuit of perfection
Just do it
Building a smarter planet
Transforming the way we work
The miracles of science
Innovation Each of these companies communicates WHY they
Listed above are ad slogans, but behind the
exist. They share their passions, and they draw in
marketing lies real culture and beliefs.
customers and employees that share these passions. BerlinPackaging.com
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The WHY is more important than WHAT is sold or HOW it’s offered. To stand above others, the best companies
and also think differently. If Apple were to make
succeed not because of WHAT exactly they sell
televisions or automobiles, there would be people
or HOW they go to market. Instead, the best
who would line up to buy them because Apple’s
companies win because of the thought and energy
WHY resonates with them. It’s not about WHAT
they put into their WHY and how that WHY rings-true
Apple sells; it’s about WHY they do it. The same is
with the marketplace.
true with Southwest. Southwest’s WHY is focused on the democratization of air travel. Every person
Sure, Apple sells computers, phones, and music,
deserves a seat and respect; every person deserves
among many other things. These items and systems
love. This has struck a chord with many people who
have great processing power, are beautifully
show their love and loyalty back to the airline.
designed, and are easy to use. But there are many other companies that sell even more powerful computers or phones with larger, even more beautiful screens. And Southwest flies over 100 million passengers every year between almost 100 cities. Their flights are affordable and
The best WHYs are truly emotional, visceral, and
on-time. But there are many other airlines serving
clear. They capture a crisp feeling, they inspire you
these and many more cities.
to action, and they may give you goose bumps. The best WHYs act as beacons to customers,
So what makes Apple one of the most valuable
employees, and suppliers.
companies in the world and Southwest the only airline that’s been profitable for 40 consecutive
WHY needs to be authentic. People can see through
years? Apple and Southwest are different in that they
marketing mumbo jumbo and half-truths. Winning
are clear in their WHY. Apple challenges the status
with WHY requires walking the talk every day.
quo; they appeal to those who imagine new futures
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Berlin Packaging’s WHY is to help you be Greater, Faster. Berlin Packaging is dedicated to those who:
This WHY is unique in the packaging industry. No other company starts with an emotional beacon.
•
Aim to dominate and blow through obstacles;
The packaging industry is obsessed with WHAT.
are unstoppable.
This isn’t inspiring.
•
Want to achieve more.
•
Want to succeed, ascend, elevate, and get more
Instead, we wear our intent on our sleeve, and
out of their business and their lives.
we’re proud to help businesspeople and companies
•
Are uncomfortable with the status quo.
succeed. We are like a fierce boxer, a hungry shark,
•
Are proactive about change.
a performance jet, a determined mountain climber,
•
See the world through optimistic lenses.
or a speeding train. We are unstoppable.
•
Feel that anything is possible with the right
We are a juggernaut.
approach and effort. •
Want to control their destiny.
We attract employees that derive joy from building
•
Expect more from those around them.
businesses and striving to accomplish great things. We want to attract customers and suppliers that share our same mindset.
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We support our WHY with a well-tuned HOW. We’ve cultivated our Greater, Faster mindset for over 25 years. We’ve built our HOW to support and fuel our WHY. We allow our customers to control their destinies and become Greater, Faster by: •
Living our customer-focused mission. •
•
We aim to increase the bottom lines of
deep network.
our customers. •
•
Packaging is just the currency we use •
Being a Hybrid Packaging Supplier . We combine the best elements of
•
manufacturers, distributors, and value-added service providers into a differentiated business model. Learn more at PaintTheTarget.com. • •
We specialize in inventory management so our customers don’t have to.
®
•
We have tremendous purchasing clout to drive down costs.
to do this. •
Leveraging our supply chain experience and
We appreciate the importance of speed and reliability in winning in the market.
•
Operating robust systems that underscore a passion for precision.
We quantify our value and walk our talk.
•
We have invested in a world-class Oracle
Engaging a superior team with Anything is Possible
software system that’s so valuable we call
and Customer Thrill mindsets.
it Fortitude.
®
•
We invest heavily in recruiting the right traits
•
We became ISO 9001 Certified in 2004.
and training the right skills. •
We abide by a HR strategy that motivates and rewards our employees for excellence.
•
We instill a customer-experience focus in everything we do.
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Ultimately, we deliver all of this through our WHAT. We provide packaging products and services for customers of all types across all industries. Our WHAT includes: •
Broad product offering.
Superior service execution. 99%+ on-time delivery every month for over
•
Over 33,000 SKUs.
•
Custom packaging, graphic design, and
10 years, with more information at
brand strategy from our Studio One Eleven
99PercentOnTime.com.
•
•
•
•
design division.
•
Dedicated Quality team that advocates for you.
Specialty product solutions, including
•
Customer touchpoints infused with our
Dangerous Goods UN-packaging, Qorpak lab
focus on POKER service (Proactive, On-time,
supplies, and Freund Container convenience.
Knowledgeable, Easy to do business with, and Responsive).
Relevant to your needs. •
Wide array of industry experience and packaging knowledge.
•
Over 90 locations so we’re close to you.
•
Lower total system costs.
• •
Leading Net Promoter score.
Business partnership. •
Consulting and financing to help you unlock growth and profits.
•
Quantified value through semi-annual Business Reviews.
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Are there learnings here for you and your business? WHY does your business exist? WHY do you get out of bed in the morning? Are you communicating this as a beacon to your customers and employees? What about your supply chain partners? Do they share the same passions you have? Focusing on your WHY is simple to grasp but hard to get right. Driving to an authentic, emotional, powerful statement of WHY can help you re-focus your business and catalyze a fresh look at WHAT you offer and HOW you do so.
Learn more about the power of WHY.
Transform yourself with Berlin Packaging.
Simon Sinek made a thought-provoking speech at
Berlin Packaging is not for everyone.
TED Talks. See it here: TED.com/talks/simon_sinek_
But if you are hungry to be Greater, Faster,
how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html.
then we are ready to begin.
You can learn more about Simon and his approach
You can learn more about our HOW and WHAT
at StartWithWhy.com.
at BerlinPackaging.com. Give us a call to experience our spirit and unique attitude. You can reach us at 1.800.2.BERLIN.
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