Well, The Big Shed Show is over (and the new Shed Builder Expo is just 10 months away) and you’re back home. Were you one of the fortunate ones who won a prize? A lot of nice prizes were handed out by various exhibitors. Whether you were one of the[Read More…]
Past Issues
What Drives Your Negative Customer Experiences?
Think back for a moment on a time when something didn’t go the way you planned. In business and in life, any curve ball can completely alter the experience of a situation. It is the goal of all businesses to satisfy their customers. After all, without customers, a business has[Read More…]
Staying Ahead of the Market
A robust lumber market this fall season combined with lower production from Western sawmills elevated price levels and extended ship times. Buyers’ persistent low inventories coincided with strong demand for many lumber products. The low inventory scenario continues to have the potential for adding volatility to the lumber market this[Read More…]
Down the Drain (Part 3)
As I have covered in the last two installments of this story (Part 1 and Part 2), I had my share of trouble from this customer. She had been as difficult as any customer I have ever dealt with in my over 15 years of building sheds. I was not[Read More…]
Tips for Hosting a Successful Open House
Want an easy way to get people to your location and walking through your sheds? Throw a party! Here in Lancaster County, it seems like every weekend a local business is having an open house, customer appreciation, or other public event. These family-friendly events always consist of a few key[Read More…]
Operate at the Highest Standards Possible
So, I needed to help our daughter purchase a car. I used to sell cars so I thought I had this one in the bag. My daughter and I went to the first car dealership. After a brief meet and greet, the salesman came from the office with an offer that[Read More…]
You Create What You Believe!
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” — Napoleon Hill The shed business, like any other business, is not easy, and I would be fooling myself to say it was. Your business is either growing or it’s not, and your thoughts play a huge role in[Read More…]
Log Cabin Kits
David Schrock, owner of Back Country Optics in Missouri, is one of those lucky people whose professional calling came knocking on his door. Twenty-two years ago, Schrock began working for his brother’s log cabin supply company, which he bought two years later. The business sold stains, fasteners and offered custom[Read More…]
The ABCs of Shed Building Kits
Selling shed building kits is the bread and butter of Domenic Mangano’s existence. That’s because as president and senior designer of Vermont-based Jamaica Cottage Shop, Mangano sells 1,500 buildings annually, with 80 percent in kit form. To what does Mangano attribute those transactions? “When you look on the internet for[Read More…]
Material Pricing Strategies
You’ve been working at improving your shop processes and employee morale, and things are going smooth. Sheds are flowing out the door and materials are flying off the racks. You pick up the phone to order some more OSB and get the bad news: “A hurricane is headed toward the[Read More…]
