6 minute read
Editor’s Notebook
THE HVACR MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
TERRY Tanker Publisher ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com
PETE Grasso Editor pgrasso@hvacrbusiness.com MEGAN LaSalla Art Director mlasalla@hvacrbusiness.com
BRUCE Sprague Circulation Manager bs200264@sbcglobal.net BARBARA Kerr VP Operations bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com ADVERTISING STAFF ERIC Hagerman National Sales Manager Tel 216-409-3246 ehagerman@hvacrbusiness.com TERRY Tanker Publisher Tel 440-731-8600 ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com
HVACR Business, founded January 1981, is a monthly national trade magazine serving contractors, mechanical engineers, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors, trade associations, and others in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry primarily in the U.S. The editorial focus and mission of HVACR Business is to provide business owners and managers with the very best business management concepts available. Critical topics covered include leadership, management, strategy, finance, sales, marketing, training, education, staffing, operations, human resources, legal issues, customer service and more. We are dedicated to helping contractors master these key management skills and provide them with the resources necessary to build strong, profitable companies. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of submitted advertising and editorial information. Copyright©2021 by JFT Properties LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any information storage retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unauthorized copying may subject violators to criminal penalties as well as liabilities for substantial monetary damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys’ fees. This publication should not be utilized as a substitute for professional advice in specific situations. If legal, medical, accounting, financial, consulting, coaching or other professional advice is required, the services of the appropriate professional should be sought. Neither the authors nor the publisher may be held liable in any way for any interpretation or use of the information in this publication. The authors will make recommendations for solutions for you to explore. Any recommendation is always based on the authors’ research and experience. The information contained herein is accurate to the best of the publisher’s and authors’ knowledge; however, the publisher and authors can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof. Subscription Rates: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: U.S. and possessions: 1 year $48; 2 years $75; 3 years $96; Canadian and foreign, 1-year $108 U.S. funds only. Single copies $8. Subscriptions are prepaid, and check or money orders only. Subscriber Services: To order a subscription or change your address, write to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039 or call (440) 731-8600; or visit our Web site at www.hvacrbusiness.com. For questions regarding your subscription, please contact bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com. HVACR Business (ISSN 2153-2877) Copyright ©2021 is published monthly by JFT Properties LLC,31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, Phone: 440731-8600. Periodicals postage is paid at North Ridgeville, OH and additional mailing offices. (USPS 025-431) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039.
31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104 North Ridgeville, OH 44039 Tel: (440) 731-8600 Web site: www.hvacrbusiness.com (ISSN: 2153-2877)
BY PETE GRASSO EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
What’s Your Next Big Opportunity?
Ihad the pleasure recently of visiting George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia. I’m a bit of a history nerd and I’d read a biography on Washington late last year, so believe me when I tell you this was a huge thrill for me.
I’ve learned so much about Washington from the various biographies I’d read about him and the other Founding Fathers, as well as a couple of Revolutionary War books. So much of what I’d known about him had to do with his leadership — he was a tremendous leader who knew how to motivate people and surrounded himself with some very smart and talented individuals (August 2020, pg. 5).
Other than the time spent touring the grounds of Mount Vernon, the various out-buildings and, of course, the mansion itself, one of the things that was most fascinating to me was about a mile and a half down the road from the main grounds at George Washington’s Gristmill and Distillery.
It was not uncommon for a large, working plantation such as Mount Vernon to have a gristmill to process wheat, corn and barley. A canal was dug so that water flowed downstream to operate the mill.
About the time Washington was retiring from his second term as President, he hired a new farm manager to oversee operations at Mount Vernon. John Anderson, from Scotland, also had experience distilling grain in both Scotland and Virginia.
Almost immediately, he recognized a new opportunity for Washington. Mount Vernon, at the time, was growing rye, corn and barley. Anderson knew all those grains, combined with the large working gristmill and abundant supply of water, would make operating a distillery a profitable venture.
The only problem was, he’d have to convince the General.
Washington really wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker — he preferred sweet, fortified wines such as Madeira and Port, as well as a good porter (I’ve been told he was a bit of a beer snob). So, getting buy-in on a distillery was not so easy for Anderson.
The proof, of course, was in the profits. At first, Anderson used a portion of the nearby cooperage building for his distilling operations, and as the profits began to roll in and Washington saw the potential, that space proved to be too limiting in size.
Construction began in October of 1797 of a stone still house large enough for five stills. The foundation was large river rocks brought from the Falls of the Potomac and the walls of the distillery were made of sandstone quarried from Mount Vernon.
At peak production, the distillery used five stills and a boiler and produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey, yielding Washington a profit of $7,500 in 1799. This made the distillery one of the most successful economic components of Mount Vernon.
Here is what impressed me the most. As I said, I’ve learned a great deal about Washington’s leadership abilities — as both a General and President — but Washington was also an entrepreneur.
He didn’t know anything about distilling whiskey — heck, he didn’t even drink whiskey that often — but he listened to the smart people he hired and let them do what he hired them to do: make money. He gave Anderson the leeway to use his creativity to go above and beyond simply managing the farm.
Washington listened to his proposal for a distillery, let Anderson show him it could be profitable and then gave him the go-ahead to move forward with his plan once it was proven.
In the end, it became the largest distillery in Virginia and a hugely profitable venture.
How often do your employees bring you new ideas? Do you allow them the freedom to think creatively? Do you nurture their growth and celebrate their initiative?
It’s been said the best leaders hire people who are smarter than they are … while that may be true, it doesn’t matter how smart they are if you don’t listen to them. Your next big opportunity could be in the mind of one of your loyal employees — it’s up to you to unlock that idea and embrace them as a valuable member of the team. u
