2018 Family-Owned Business

A look at

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

Suffolk’s

local enterprises

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 | 1

family-owned business SPOTLIGHT ON

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

www.suffolksheetmetal.com

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2 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Long nights of family towing

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

James Jones and his truck for Bennett’s Creek Wrecker Service.

ALEX PERRY/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

James Jones has been towing wrecked vehicles for decades, and since 1991, he’s done it with his family’s business in North Suffolk.

Bennett’s Creek Wrecker Service fills a need for an area of northern Suffolk with little else in the way of towing and wrecker services, Jones said. He takes his twoton GM wrecker to handle

cars, trucks, motorcycles and occasionally utility sheds.

Before he bought his latest truck, he had put 220,000 miles on his other one in about 23 years.

That one is still going strong with 350,000 miles of wrecking, he said.

“That’s just from doing it nights and weekends,” he said. “Now I’m doing it full time.”

Before Bennett’s Creek See TOWING, 3

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

Towing: Business Continued from page 2

Wrecker Service, Jones worked at the former Citgo gas station at the intersection of Bridge Road and Lee Farm Lane. He drove nights and weekends from midnight to the morning sunrise, often hauling two or three times a night.

These days, he keeps the tradition going with help from his wife Deborah.

“The wife writes the checks, and I’m the one that’s out getting dirty,” he said with a sarcastic laugh. “She rides with me once in a awhile, if it’s like a pick-up in Suffolk or Newport News.”

His copilots are more often than not his daughter Amy Prillaman’s children, two boys ages 9 and 5 and a 7-year-old girl. He said they often fight to see who gets to ride along with their grandfather in the passenger seat of his two-ton tower.

He likes to tell his grandchildren it’s “Christmas time” when they see the red lights of fire trucks and the blinking blue lights of police cars.

“My youngest daughter, Nicole, she rode with me when she was in a car seat,” Jones said about his now 29-year-old daughter. “Now my grandbabies have ridden with me in a car seat, too. Police officers and fire department

‘Now my grandbabies have ridden with me in a car seat, too.

Police officers and fire department get a little awestruck when I pull up and there’s a car seat with a grandbaby in it.’

James Jones

TOW TRUCK OPERATOR

get a little awestruck when I pull up and there’s a car seat with a grandbaby in it.

“They’re like, ‘You got a passenger?’ I’m like ‘Yep, I sure do.’”

Jones feels good to keep the family business moving forward into the future, with some enthusiastic assistance for his grandboys when it comes to pushing buttons and pulling levers.

“They think that’s the neatest thing in the world to be able to go with granddad and go do a wrecker call,” he said.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 | 3

How working parents can create better work-life balance Many working parents struggle to maintain a healthy balance between their responsibilities at work and their obligations to their families. An inability to maintain that healthy balance can have adverse effects on men and women’s careers as well as the relationships they have with their families.

A 2015 survey of more than 2,000 adults commissioned by the workplace solution provider Workfront found that 38 percent of survey participants have missed life events because of a bad work-life balance. Access to technology that means work is never too far away might contribute to poor work-life balance, as 57 percent of respondents also acknowledged feeling that technology has ruined the definition of a family dinner.

Finding a healthy balance between work and life at home may require a concerted effort on the part of working parents, but there are ways to successfully juggle a career and family.

4Set reasonable goals.

Much of the difficulty

men and women experience in regard to finding a healthy work-life balance may be a byproduct of working parents spreading themselves too thin.

Setting reasonable goals can help avoid that, but doing so requires taking commitments to one’s employer and family into consideration before agreeing to take on new projects or setting deadlines for projects to be completed. This should be applied to both work and home. If a work deadline is unreasonable, professionals should discuss

that with their employers, who might change the deadline or arrange for extra persons to work on the project. At home, parents should avoid taking on too many projects, such as chaperoning a child’s dance or coaching a sports team, if doing so will adversely affect the amount of time they get to spend with their families.

4Look for ways to be more efficient.

Interactions with coworkers can make work more enjoyable, but working parents should not spend too much time shooting

the breeze with their fellow employees. Doing so wastes time and only contributes to work-related stress. Commuters who don’t drive themselves to work can be more efficient by using their commutes to read emails, arrange meetings or catch up on projects. Doing so allows for more time to get work done while in the office, which can make it easier to go home on time.

4Request changes to work schedules. While See PARENTS, 5

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Stacie and Ray Cobb run Suffolk Sheet Metal, which has been in the family since 1970.

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Keeping it in the family

BY KELLIE ADAMSON STAFF WRITER

Cola Cobb purchased Suffolk Sheet Metal in 1970 and turned it into a heating, air conditioning and electrical installation and service. Now, 48 years later, the com-

pany is still being run by family.

Ray Cobb is the president of Suffolk Sheet Metal, and his wife, Stacie, runs the dayto-day operations for the company, and they are more than happy to keep the family business

going.

Cobb graduated from Nansemond River High School in 1991 and went off to college with no intentions of working for his father at the company. In just a year, he See METAL, 5

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high schools, were judged by a committee based on academic achievement, extracurricular SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD involvement and community service, an essay on the Peanut Festival theme and an on-stage answer to a question during the banquet.

Continued 4 “I was from reallypagesurprised,

of makes it special to know that it’s the family thing that we can celebrate the peanut.”

Glover has been attending Suffolk Christian Academy since she was in kindergarten. She is on the volleyball, basketball and

FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 | 5

Metal: Three Cobbs in business

found himself back at the family business.

“I started school to do other things, but I decided that wasn’t going to work out,” Cobb said. “I didn’t really have other options. It was really destined to happen.”

Cobb had been working for his father for as long as he can remember, because he started at Suffolk Sheet Metal as a teen working during the summers.

Having to work with the family isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but the Cobbs have found how to make it work and keep everyone happy.

“It has been trying at times, but we have to respect each other and be able to separate father from boss,” Cobb said. “The same goes for separating husband and boss. We have to understand and respect the boss’s decisions.”

Stacie didn’t intend to work with her husband and in-laws, but she felt pulled to join the company when she saw the need. Thankfully, she

See QUEEN, 15

‘It has been trying at times, but we have to respect each other and be able to separate father from boss. The same goes for separating husband and boss.

We have to understand and respect the boss’s decisions.’

Ray Cobb

PRESIDENT OF SUFFOLK SHEET METAL

has been able to watch her mother- and father- 11 am in-law, Peggy7 amand Cola, to figure out the right dynamic of working with your significant other.

“I listened to Mr. and Mrs. Cobb and see how they interact,” Stacie said. “As a woman, I watched how she worked in this business, and she really did teach me a lot.”

The way they continue to make it work after all these years is just a simple understanding that work is work and you have to leave personal business back at the house.

The couple has three young boys together, and that means there is

a possibility of carrying on the Cobb legacy at Suffolk Sheet Metal.

While keeping the business within the family would be nice, Cobb doesn’t want to force his children to work there if they have other aspirations.

“I would like to say, ‘Yes they’ll work here,’ but I don’t know,” Cobb said. “If they want to do something else, they should do that.”

While this wasn’t Cobb’s first choice of career, after 25 years, he is happy with his choice to come back home and join his family.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world. I enjoy what I do,” Cobb said.

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Parents: Work-life balance Continued from page 3

technology may have largely eliminated the separation between the office and home, working parents can use that to their advantage by asking their employees to alter their work schedules.

Telecommuting one or two days a week can help parents feel more con-

nected to their families, while flex schedules can ensure working parents don’t miss any of their children’s dance recitals or weekday afternoon ballgames.

4Unplug when you get home. Perhaps the simplest and most effective way for parents to

regain a healthy worklife balance is to unplug their devices. Employing “Do not disturb” settings on smartphones and turning off tablets can ensure parents spend their time at home connecting with their families rather than working.

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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

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How entrepreneurs can spread the word about their business Today’s entrepreneurs face an uphill battle when starting their businesses.

Whereas the competition in business has always been stiff, many trailblazers of yesteryear typically competed against only other locally owned businesses. But thanks to the internet, businesses are now competing on a national, if not global, stage, making it harder than ever for businesses to draw attention to their products and services.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, roughly 66 percent of small businesses will survive their first two years. While that number should calm the nerves of entrepreneurs familiar with the widely circulated statistic that eight out of 10 small businesses fail, it’s important to note that

the five-year survival rate of establishments opened between 1994 and 2010 was just about 50 percent. A 50 percent chance to be in business five years after opening is certainly better than a 20 percent chance, but a 50/50 shot at being in business five years from now is unlikely to excite many prospective business owners.

When starting out, small business owners must find ways to make their presence felt in crowded marketplaces. Though the following strategies might take time and some trial and error before a business starts to draw some attention, small business owners can greatly increase their chances of being successful by committing to marketing.

4 Start early.

Entrepreneurs need not wait until the doors of their businesses open to start spreading the word.

In fact, waiting until the doors open may be too late. Take to social media sites, particularly the ones your target customer base is most likely to use, and establish a profile of yourself and your business. Update the status of your business at least once per week as you draw closer to your grand opening.

4Start blogging.

Blogging about your business and posting content to that blog that’s easily shared is another effective way to spread the word about your products and services. When creating content, make sure it can be easily shared through See WORD, 7

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DOWN HOME COOKING THAT’S ONLY AT

Supporting a charity can benefit small businesses

Small businesses are continually seeking ways to compete in ever-competitive markets. While they often fill a niche not easily met by larger corporations, small businesses sometimes find it difficult to gain traction in a community and fully showcase all they have to offer. Getting more involved in their communities, including working

collaboratively with nonprofit organizations, can provide the boost small businesses need to connect with their communities.

Many large companies boast programs that promote social responsibility and community involvement, and it can be a smart move for small businesses as well.

There are plenty of ways

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small businesses can get involved with local charities.

4Find a good match.

Consider working with a charity that has a connection to your business so that there is a common purpose. For example, a pet groomer may want to work with an animal welfare organizaSee CHARITY, 9

Word: Encourage reviews

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LOCALS CHOICE

2018

2018

Continued from page 6

Facebook and other social media platforms.

Such content can go from being seen by one potential customer to being seen by hundreds in a matter of minutes.

4Encourage reviews.

Few modern consumers make a purchase without first reading some product reviews. A recent survey from Jupiter Research found that 77 percent of people take the time to read reviews of a product or service before making an online purchase. Small business owners can use that

to their advantage by encouraging customers to review their products and services. In addition, before opening your business, contact locally based bloggers and offer them the chance to review your products as a means to spreading buzz before opening your doors.

4Seek help from family and friends.

Friends and family members are wonderful assets for small business owners. Ask friends and family to spread the word about your busi-

ness via social media and traditional word of mouth. Many of your friends and family are no doubt proud of you for going out on your own, so expect them to be enthusiastic when asked to help spread the word.

Small business owners face a big challenge in getting their businesses off the ground.

But there are ways to spread the word and increase your chances of being in business for many years to come.

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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Frances and Morris Glover Sr. own G&G Farm Service, which has a building on Dutch Road.

Glovers keep farm company running

BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR

Morris Glover Sr. started his business at the age of 25 and hasn’t stopped since, although now at the age of 76, he’s starting to slow down just a little bit.

Glover started farming as soon as he got out of school and soon bought an old building in Holland from George D. Underwood Sr., he said.

G&G Farm Service started buying grain and selling fertilizer and chemicals. The operation has evolved over the

years, but it’s still a running institution for the Glovers and farmers in the Holland area.

G&G Farm Service buys grain from local farmers and holds it until the price is good to sell. It also buys peanuts exclusively for Severn Peanut Company, acting as an agent for that company.

About 15 years or so ago, the business got out of the fertilizer and chemical side of it and now does exclusively peanuts and grains.

“It’s very low-key, a small business here,”

Glover said.

The business has changed over the years.

More farmers are building their own facilities and buying their own trucks so they can store and transport their crops themselves.

“The farmers now are getting bigger, and they put their own grain bins in and buy their own trucks,” Glover said. “It’s a shrinking business, because everybody’s doing their own thing. But it’s still enough to keep us busy See GLOVERS, 9

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 | 9

Glovers: Farm service company Continued from page 6

for right now.”

Glover’s wife, Frances Glover, joined the business when they got married 38 years ago.

“I never see him,” she said, talking about one of the worst pitfalls of being in a small business.

“I used to work here fulltime when the kids were little.”

The Glovers have a farm operation, Glover Farms Partnership, which they own together with Charles Archer, who was brought on as a partner about five years ago. He was a manager up to that point.

Glover said his son, a bridge engineer, didn’t care to take over the family business, so Glover had to find someone else, resulting in Archer being brought on as a partner.

“It’s a real small family operation, but the farm’s not so small,” Glover said. “We’re farming between 8,000 and 9,000 acres of land.”

Glover said that while he’s been slowing down, other people are helping the business run smoothly. Tommy Goodman is the manager, and Betty Smith is the office manager.

“We more or less oversee and fill in when somebody’s got a problem,” Glover said. “We’re not out here every day like we used to be. I’m working now more than I want to, because I can’t find enough people that really want to do this type of work. They want a job where they can stay clean.”

Agriculture is indeed a dirty job, but the Glovers have been up to the task since the 1960s and seem to have a few years yet.

“We do the best we can,” Morris Glover said.

Charity: Business can support charity

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tion. Service-related businesses, such as law firms or accounting firms, can assist groups that offer services and business counseling to needy families. Landscapers may find a good fit with an environmental protection charity.

4Donate goods or services. Charitable organizations are always in need of more money to fund their efforts, but small businesses can contribute in other ways as well.

Businesses can donate supplies and services, such as a printing firm offering to print business cards or brochures for the charity. Business owners and their employees can volunteer their time, which can be a great way for employees to connect outside of the office and boost morale in the process.

4Support a fundraising event. A highly visible way to support a charity is to host or support a fundraising activity. Small businesses can offer to collect donations at their offices or stores.

Warehouse spaces can be used to store supplies, while other venues may be ideal spots for dances, walks or charity dinners. Businesses can ask that the charity mention the sponsorship in event advertisements and marketing.

4Financial donations can make “cents.” Giving to charity is a way to increase tax deductions and reduce annual tax bills. Small businesses can work with their financial officers or accountants to develop a budget for charitable giving.

4Obtain meaningful

exposure to influential people. Working with established nonprofits can help provide a connection to influential people in the community and beyond. The more exposure a business can get, the more access it has to networking opportunities.

In addition, more contacts in the community can increase word-of-mouth marketing that increases your customer base and improves your standing in the community.

Supporting local charities can benefit small businesses in various ways. Small business owners can explore the various charitable opportunities at their disposal in an effort to connect with their communities and grow their businesses.

—Metro Creative

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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS

SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD

Gwaltneys are family, coworkers and neighbors

BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR

Gwaltney Dental has been caring for Suffolk patients’ mouths for 35 years, and it’s now a true family operation with three Gwaltney dentists.

The practice started in 1983. Dr. Steve TRACY AGNEW/SUFFOLK NEWS-HERALD Gwaltney’s first office From left, Dr. Ryland Gwaltney, his wife, Dr. Whitney Gwaltney, and his father, Dr. Steve Gwaltney, make up Gwaltney Dental. The business is was in Suffolk Plaza on North Main Street. It preparing to build a new building on Godwin Boulevard.

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moved to its current location on Pruden Boulevard in 1988.

In recent years, his son, Dr. Ryland Gwaltney, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Whitney Gwaltney, also have joined the practice.

The Gwaltney family couldn’t possibly be closer. Not only are they family and co-workers, See GWALTNEY, 11

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Gwaltney: Three dentists Continued from page 10

but they live next door to each other, too.

It’s a fairly unusual arrangement, but they’ve made it work and even enjoyed it.

“I really want to see them succeed,” Dr. Steve Gwaltney said of the next generation. “That’s my goal in whatever they do.”

The younger doctors said that being able to learn from a more experienced professional — who also happens to be family — has been beneficial for them.

“We had a lot to learn just getting out of school,” Ryland Gwaltney said. “He has helped us grow faster.

I can’t imagine how far we’d be behind.”

His wife agreed. “I know I’m extremely lucky having Dr. G. as my mentor, because I don’t have any dentistry in my family,” she said.

“I did a residency program, and I learned a lot there, but it still doesn’t compare. It is a different dynamic, because we are family. There’s a comfort level being able to talk with them and share with them.”

Whitney Gwaltney also said she believes the

arrangement has benefited the patients.

“Not only does he want us to succeed on a professional level, but he also cares because we are family, so he wants us to succeed on that level as well. We’re all ganging for each other.

We want all of our patients happy and the best treatment for them, and also we all care about each other.”

Ryland Gwaltney said he never really decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He was just at the practice so much growing up that it became second nature.

“I think it was just meant to be,” he said. “It was kind of engraved in me. I don’t think there was something else that was going to come up.”

Steve Gwaltney said he has enjoyed watching his son and daughter-inlaw establish relationships with patients who have become like family as well.

“That’s part of the interest in private practice, especially in dentistry, is establishing relationships with your patients,” he said. “I like seeing them meet the new patients. We try to make

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 | 11

sure that Dr. Ryland and Dr. Whitney meet all the new patients to start establishing a relationship. I’ve had some of the older ones 35 years.”

To accommodate the next generation, the Gwaltney practice has purchased land on Godwin Boulevard and is drawing up plans to have a new dental office built there.

“We’re cramped in here for three dentists,” Steve Gwaltney said.

The doctors hope to be able to expand services offered in a larger building.

The practice hopes to capitalize on other relationships in that area as well.

“That’s a tremendous buildup of medical offices right in that area,” he said. “We hope to develop more relationships with those people.”

The doctors are also all in agreement that community involvement is important, and the practice enjoys contributing to various causes in the community, such as environmental causes, the Suffolk Ruritans, Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, youth sports and more.

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Ten building blocks to a successful talk with your aging parent SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-HERALD

More than 90 percent of older adults want to age in place. The dilemma arrives when trying to convince your mother or father they cannot do all that they have been doing since before you were born. Here are 10 essential building blocks that can lead to a successful talk with your parents when you notice they need help.

1. Develop a plan that is agreed to by all influencers before there is a crisis.

2. Discuss your concerns with siblings, your parent’s friends, and your parent’s doctor.

3. Explore suggested solutions to understand the cost, pros, cons and other options.

4. Obtain consensus on

what the solution is. Ensure you explore who, what, when, why, how and cost.

Be aware that old sibling rivalry may rear its head during this time.

If a unified consensus cannot be reached, then clearly define each solution, along with the pros and cons of each one so they can be presented to your parent as choices.

Adult children must present on a “united front,” so agree not to debate the merits of any idea during the talk with your parent.

5. Meet with your parent at a non-emotional location, such as your home or a friend’s home. Have all decision makers there.

Avoid having this discussion during the holidays or dates that are particularly emotional for your parent.

6. Clearly explain the problem. Do not blame or become emotional or demanding. Do not present your solution at this time. Simply explain your concerns. If there are multiple concerns, then express only one of them and go to Step 7.

7. Ask your parent what she thinks the solution is.

Listen (see Step 8). Make note of your parent’s solution. If it’s different than the solution you have, request some time to look into it. Do not get baited into a merit discussion about the idea at this time, especially if your family is rife with sibling rivalry.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 until all concerns have been discussed.

8. During the discussion, make sure you truly

listen to your parent.

Acknowledge concerns, fears and even anger she may express toward your intervention. Give her a chance to express herself, and ask who, what, why, when and how in a nonconfrontational way. Be prepared to accept your parent’s solution, even if you’re certain what your parent wants to do is not going to work. Your parent is an adult and has a right to choose. She even has the right to be wrong and to make stupid choices, just like the rest of us.

9. Your parent’s solutions may be more palatable to her, or she may be so hell-bent on trying it that she will not accept your solution at all. If this is the case, then table your solution for a later meeting

after you and other influencers have had a chance to explore your parent’s reaction and suggestions. Only bring up your solution, at this time, if it seems like the right time to discuss it as an option.

10. Discuss finances.

You need to know where your parent is financially.

Too often, parents delay getting care until after a serious injury or hospitalization. Their reasons for not spending the money are often a desire to preserve their children’s inheritance or because they believe the service is too expensive. Although most people have to live within a budget, getting your parent the proper care at the right time can enhance and extend their lives, may prevent serious

injury or death, and keep them living in their home longer, which is likely where they want to be.

Use steps 1-10 before you are facing a crisis in care for your parent. If your parent continues to be resistant to the idea of assistance, then it may be helpful to bring in an authority figure the parent respects to aid you in getting agreement. Often, your parent’s clergy or doctor can break through these barriers.

Although many adult children attempt to care for their parents themselves, there are numerous studies that show how utilizing professional home care leads to a longer period of independence, as well as better mental and physical health for both you and your parent.