This Little Light of Mine

STARTING SMALL

by Larry VanHoose

2007: The company I worked for was rocking and rolling and money seemed to be pouring in from every direction. Of course, it was going out fast too. I had been hired to come in and stop the leaks before they turned to a flood. The business owners wanted to create a financial legacy for their own children, not necessarily their supplier’s or vendor’s children. And so, presented with a challenging and substantial offer, I left a job that I had worked at for eleven years – where there was job security, good pay, and benefits – to work for a small business that was trying to move up to the next level and needed a GM to make that happen. It all sounded good on the surface, and I enjoyed being back in the building industry where I’d first began my professional career. There was only one problem. 2008: The recession hit the building industry hard. Really hard. The money that had been pouring in slowed to a trickle, then a drip, then nothing. Suddenly and surprisingly, I faced making hard choices for our small company. What products to cut, what expenses to trim, what materials to re-source, what bridges to burn, and what employees to (unfortunately) let go. It was a hard time, but it was about to get harder. After cutting nearly a half-a-million dollars in annual expenses and payroll, the next step for me was either to cut the critical workers or find someone expendable. There was really no choice and, in the end, that someone expendable was me. I literally laid myself off. 2009: I met a man who, after a few conversations, invited me to build “sweat-equity” in his firm and help him make it more efficient and profitable, whereby ultimately, he could sell it and focus on other business efforts he was more passionate about. We got out the books and the scissors and the calculator and after months and months of marketing, strategic decision making, and seemingly endless negotiations, we made it happen. Sold! Of course, then I was out of a job yet again. The new owner was willing to keep me on, but only if I moved to California. Well, that was never going to happen. But one thing was different this time. I knew I could make something from almost nothing with the right team and the right idea, and so we did. My new partner and I worked on one project after another, and with a great team of passionate folks around us, we made progress and over time we were mildly successful, but more importantly, we were no longer subject to the decisions and priorities of others – we didn’t have to bow to “the man.” And even though the work was hard, we were making our own way and learning how to be entrepreneurs as we went, flying the plane as we built it to coin a phrase. Owning a start-up small business is hard work, and it’s not for the faint of heart. The level of commitment and tenacity required (not to mention cash) is often something of which books are written and movies are made. I call that grit. Honestly, I think in this post-covid world we need more grit and less entitlement and government bailouts. I should not expect anyone else to carry my responsibilities. I made my choices and it’s up to me to live with them. That doesn’t mean that I’m not extremely grateful when my neighbors, friends, and family support my professional efforts. When they do, I know that it’s not a requirement of our relationship, but an act of selflessness and even love. Sure, they may need what I sell or the service I perform, but the truth is there is almost always someone else doing the same thing that I am doing, often they might get a better deal if they go to a competitor who deals in large volume. Like the big-box stores, the big publishing houses, or the flashy new enterprises. But we small business folks can usually provide something the big guys can’t or won’t – someone who really cares about them and will listen to their needs. 2022: The news on the television, online, and in print right now is that we are almost back to where we were in 2008, a full-blown recession. The one thing I can count on is not being taken care of by big government, big stores, or the latest new trends, but rather my community, my friends, and my family. Sure, they may not always be able to carry my burdens, but at least they’ll care and try, if even just a little. Care and try, if even just a little – something that often is missing from the big guy’s efforts. That’s why I’m a huge proponent of small business and why I own or am part of several small businesses, and why I intend to always do my best to support small business. These folks are my friends, my neighbors, my community, even my family. And that kind of love and support is everything. “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:34-35 The Message). And what about 2023? Well, the future isn’t known, but I for one, hope it starts out small.