Feature, V10I6

Ties That Bind

(Photo courtesy of Wavebreakmedia from iStock)

Josh Payne knows that shed companies don’t live in a vacuum.

That’s why The Shed Depot of North Carolina is thoroughly enmeshed in the community, where its contributions range from sponsoring the local football team to donating a shed to the local Lions Club to participating in a local charity raffle that benefits the homeless.

“We even built a raptor cage one time for Holly’s Nest Animal Rescue and Rehab, a group that rehabilitates wild animals,” says Payne, who is general manager of the Sanford, North Carolina-based company.

“We’re a custom builder, so people come to us and ask us to do these odd jobs sometimes … we have a history of trying different things.”

It all melds nicely with the company’s belief that small businesses should give back to the community in which they operate. As such, they’re constantly looking for ways to accomplish that purpose.

“You serve the community and there’s some give and take there,” Payne says. “You’re part of the local fabric.”

He isn’t alone in that sentiment. Mervin Vargas, owner of United Shed Transport in Covington, Texas, contributes frequently to Covington Fire Rescue, the local volunteer fire department.

A former volunteer fireman himself, Vargas provides free transportation for sheds donated to an annual fundraiser auction.

“If a manufacturer says they’re going to donate buildings for bunkhouses, or a fundraiser, I tell dispatch to put it at the front of the line,” he says. “We’ll take them out there and set them up for them.”

And if a fire truck breaks down, United Shed Transport will provide free transportation to the repair shop.

“It’s expensive to hire a tow truck to take the truck to get work done, so I’ll tell the chief that if he’ll work with my schedule, I’ll take it up there for them,” shares Vargas.

In the process, he remains connected to the community and helps build name recognition.

“My ears are always open to any opportunities,” he adds. “As soon as I hear something, I like to jump on it. If the need arises, I like to help.”

Nearby Eagle Ridge Barn Builders also supports Covington Fire Rescue, as well as the Rio Vista Fire Department down the road. The company also contributes to the Texas Game Warden Association’s annual efforts to assist children with special needs.

And when the need arises, the employees of the Itasca, Texas-based shed company will work on a Saturday to build six to eight sheds, then donate their pay to a family in need.

“Instead of us paying them for those sheds, we’ll get the cash and give it to someone that they want to help, and we as a company will add some on top of that,” says CEO Anthony Miller.

They’ve become an integral part of the community as a result.

“There have been countless times when someone stopped by because they noticed what we’ve been doing,” he says. “If you help people, they’re going to come to you. It goes both ways.”

But in the end, it’s not about the publicity or tax write-offs for Miller.

“I get a bigger sense of reward by just helping my neighbor two blocks down by putting a roof on their house or giving them money for groceries,” he says. “If I can help somebody in my community that’s struggling, it makes it more personal.”

Miller says what goes around comes around.

“If someone is in need I want to help them,” he adds. “A lot of people helped us and supported us in the early days of our company, and I want to pay it forward by giving back to the community and seeing everyone move forward in life. “We’re here to help people. We’re not here just to make money for ourselves.”

Jonathan Overholt, owner of shed builder Overholt & Sons in Russellville, Kentucky, says his Mennonite upbringing and years serving as a missionary in Arkansas instilled in him a “servant’s spirit” and a strong desire to serve the community.

That’s evident, he says, in the way he conducts business.

“In the shed industry, there is a temptation for shed builders to become driven by profits, and when that happens, production becomes the main or sometimes the only focus,” Overholt says. “When that happens, the relationship with the customer is often not a priority.

“While profits are essential to continuing a business, that is not our main focus,” he adds. “We strive to treat customers as we would want to be treated by providing them with a quality building that has eye-pleasing details and that will give them many years of service.”

Whether it’s by providing quality sheds to volunteering their time to clean up after natural disasters, Overholt & Sons believes in serving the community.

“I don’t really separate work from my Christian life,” he adds. “It boils down to treating others as I want to be treated by trying to meet people’s needs and doing all we can.”

As a result, his customers are more like friends than business associates.

“It’s important that our clients are happy, and that we don’t walk away until they are happy,” shares Overholt. “That would be my way of giving back and trying to better the community … by serving the best we know how and showing that friendships, not money, come first.”

Ultimately, says The Shed Depot’s Payne, doing the right thing is its own reward. In recent months, the company has begun supporting communities across its entire coverage area.

Case in point: in the wake of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, The Shed Depot built and delivered a shed for the fire department in Newland, North Carolina, deep in the Appalachians, after their old one was crushed by a tree.

“There are so many good community causes. Sometimes they do things for you, and sometimes you do things for them,” Payne adds.“We’re just part of the community and trying to chip in where we can. Along the way, we hope to create an environment where everyone benefits.”

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