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May 2009
 | May 2009 |
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People
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Written by Debra Hindlemann Webster
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Monday, 04 May 2009 08:58 |
 "I like to be part of a team," says Karen Donavon. "I don't want to do it all on my own," The feisty 67 year-old takes time from her job to perch on a tall stool, and tells what it's like to be a part of "the back of the house." The apparel business relies on thousands and thousands of people like Karen. Some do one or two tasks; others are multiply trained and find themselves to be rarer than hen's teeth in an industry that treasures them.
Gary Schultz, president of Edwards Garment Company, offered Karen a job on the spot when he met her, and asked her if she wanted to move to Kalamazoo. "I've got only three like you, and one is about to leave!" he wailed. Jest or no, the longtime multi-taskers are hard to find.
Whether larger corporations like Edwards, small manufacturers, or distributors, all of us need the folks who are the backbone of our industry. The more talented they are, the more quickly they rise to the top. But there are also those whose "top" is about doing their jobs well, no matter how great or how small. Karen is the perfect example.
She was raised on a 160 acre farm in Illinois, and learned from day one how important it was to do her work well; survival depended on it. She learned the value of producing something that benefitted her own family, and helped others at the same time. "Uniforms are the same as my Daddy's crops, or Mommy's grapevine in her garden," Karen recalls. "When I work, I feel important because I know that I'm helping to make clothing that makes people feel proud. I know that while I'm earning a salary and keeping busy, others are going to be looking mighty nice in the special outfits we do for them. What could be a better job?"
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 May 2009 08:15 |
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Economy
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Written by Joseph Greco, MSOD
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Monday, 04 May 2009 09:06 |
 And it's more fun. You've heard the saying: those trying to get even will lose those trying to get ahead. Current economic reports state that we're experiencing the worst recession since the Great Depression. While we humans feel more comfortable playing name tag and joining the negative maddening crowd with subjective sound-bite labels, let's remember to review the objective facts. Even if unemployment reaches 12%, that means that 88% of us are employed. And we are all still consuming. While this fact does not help those recently laid-off, we are fortunate that Americans are resilient, resourceful and creative.
I began working in the clothing industry full time thirty-six years ago this month. That was the recession of 1973 to 1975. And since that time and even now there have been more recessions. Don't let inertia stifle you. Automatically continuing past practices and policies and resisting change characterize a powerful but negative force. Instead of acquiescing to 'woe is me,' better to ask (if you want success) 'where is me and where am I going?' How can I use my experience, competencies, and capabilities to reverse any downward trends and grow profitably?
Even though we may be intelligent and creative under normal circumstances, unfortunately it takes a cataclysmic event to motivate us to move on from past practices. As part of Mother Nature, we're not surprised to learn that intense and destructive forest fires are necessary from time to time to foster re-birth of certain species of seeds.
If your business is not as successful as you would like, you have few choices. You can stay where you are and succumb to the chorus of excuses to confirm your malaise. You can re-invest your energies from your past experiences or you can learn from the experiences of others.
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Last Updated on Monday, 17 August 2009 19:33 |
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Companies
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Written by Jackie Rosselli
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Monday, 04 May 2009 07:57 |
 It's the one bright spot in an otherwise murky economy: small businesses are holding their own.
The economy may be unfavorable, but small businesses aren't doing as poorly as some would expect. In fact, the majority are experiencing positive growth despite the economic downtown, and those in the uniform industry are no exception.
Take D.W. Uniforms, a small manufacturer located in south Florida. Undeterred by the gloom and doom, the company recently moved into a new facility in Pompano Beach, doubling the size of its previous space. A new business plan is also in the works, and calls for, among other things, a 100% increase in sales over the next 18 months. And while layoffs are the norm nowadays, D.W. is adding to its ranks, hiring a marketing person and increasing the size of its sales force. They're recently hired a Las Vegas rep, and are looking for additional presence in Atlanta, Chicago and Florida.
"The name of the game is sales," says Harriet Moskowitz, director of marketing communications and brand management for the company. "You have to put people in place in order to grow." You also have to increase visibility, which they've done by exhibiting at industry shows throughout the country.
Their great expectations are all the more striking when you consider that D.W. Uniforms is barely four years old.
But perhaps not. Small business owners across the country are particularly optimistic these days, if last month's Discover Small Business Watch is to be believed. Its April survey had the highest number of small-business owners expressing confidence about the economy its had in 14 months. And according to the Small Business Success Index (SBSI), an ongoing study of U.S. small businesses, "nearly 70% of small businesses are actually projecting revenues that are at or ahead of last year's levels, despite the economic situation."
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Last Updated on Monday, 04 May 2009 08:49 |
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May 2009
