Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
From the military to structures with Austin Goeman: Episode 55
189 Plays2 months ago
Austin talks about his company's growth, moving into larger structures and events and 2026 trends he's seeing. After serving in the military post-high school, Austin came back to the family business and is excited to take it to the next level. He talks with us about lessons from the military he brings to his work and how JK Rentals retains employees as they travel around the country. We close talking about cultivating different culture in a tough labor market.
This episode is brought to you by Anchor Tents & Clear Spans. Visit www.anchorinc.com to learn more.
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:01
Speaker
All right.
Introduction and Studio Announcement
00:00:02
Speaker
Well, we're back today with another episode of Under the Vinyl, rental management media podcast. Shout out to our new recording studio. I think we're going to move here.
00:00:17
Speaker
right well we're back today with another episode of under the vinyl a rental management media podcast shoutout to our new recording studio i think we're gonna move here Yeah, thanks to Robert at Event Essentials and everybody at Event Essentials for having us. It's
Meet Austin from JK Reynolds
00:00:31
Speaker
been great. We did a great live show today, and so they have loaned us their nice conference room to to interview our guest today. Who didn't know we were actually doing this until seven minutes ago. Well, if he would have showed up on time this morning, he would have known. Hey, he got tickets to a concert last night. He did. That he didn't know he was going to. And he drove an hour and 20 minutes there and back, so I'll give it to him. That's right. My my life's impromptu.
00:00:55
Speaker
So anyways, Austin from JK Reynolds. john Austin, how you doing, buddy? Great, great. We had, like you said, had some coffee this morning, a little pep in the step, but we're here. I love it. ah Well, give us a quick intro on yourself and um just your day-to-day job and and what you guys do.
00:01:13
Speaker
Yeah, so, um Kurt, John, they were owners of JK. I'm Kurt's son, and I pretty much grew up doing it. You know, fireman's picnets is kind of where we all started. That's what I remember when I was real small. And then after high school, i left for the military for a little bit.
00:01:33
Speaker
Eight years I served and then came back here, started a running some of the operations and yeah now I'm a operations manager, senior operations manager for JK and that's kind of where I'm at right now. So trying to take it to the next level. Well, thanks for your service.
00:01:51
Speaker
And how long ago did you come back into the business? 20, May of 2022. Yeah. Coming up on four years now already. It's actually, i mean, time's, time's flying by. So.
00:02:02
Speaker
So folks who may not know JK Reynolds, give us kind of your elevator pitch on what you guys are and who you are.
What is JK Reynolds?
00:02:07
Speaker
We are an event and tent based company, I guess I would say trying to switch more to the events and the larger structures, tents, trying to get not necessarily away from the backyard stuff. But um that's because that's where we started. I think there's there's still appreciation for all of that stuff. But our focus is definitely on the larger events space. So
00:02:34
Speaker
And you're based out of Wisconsin? Yes, and then we have another smaller location, North Chicago, which we're slowly improving on, and we get a decent amount of work out of Chicago, too, so keeps us busy down there. Yeah, I heard that Chicago market's kind opening up. There's really no no players in town anymore, so... Yeah, ever since Marquis kind of closed the doors there and they moved on, so there's a couple other...
00:02:59
Speaker
people in the in the area. But yeah, it's definitely a little more open than it was before.
JK Reynolds' Event Collaborations
00:03:05
Speaker
Well, and so for people who don't know too, JK isn't just your smaller rental company in the area. You guys are ah you guys are traveling the country doing some stuff for some specialized customers. don't know if you want to share what you guys are doing or kind of what size stuff you're doing, things like that.
00:03:21
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, like I said, we're not that we get away from any of the backyard stuff, but we definitely have some some larger scale stuff. We do the Mecham event, which is definitely our largest of all of our events.
00:03:34
Speaker
We've been partnered with Mecham for 20 plus years. I can't remember. I don't know the exact day when Kurt started that whole thing, but, um, yeah, travel nationwide pretty much, um, follow them around as much as we can. we've been East coast, West coast, and yeah, spent a decent amount of time down in Florida. So it's definitely nice during this time of the year. Well, kind of. We were all three just down in Florida together at ATA, and it was a little cold. Yeah, it was a little cold. Yeah, we were complaining. a little I don't know if you remember that. There was frost on the ground, and I did not come prepared for for the short duration. so
00:04:14
Speaker
This episode of Under the Vinyl is brought to you by Anchor Tents and Clear Spans, a fifth-generation family-owned company making tents and clear span structures right here in the USA. Anchor isn't just about selling the best products on the market. They share decades of experience and stand beside you as you grow your business. Anchor's craftsmanship and engineering give you a peace of mind and will allow you to use the equipment for years to come, season after season.
00:04:35
Speaker
For the next generation of rental owners and installers, Anchor aims to not just be your supplier, but a trusted partner helping guide you into the right products to grow your business. Call to be connected to your sales rep today, 1-800-544-4445, or visit their website at So what makes what makes you guys different in the market right now?
Company Values and Quality Standards
00:04:57
Speaker
thats so good That is a good question. um I would say we strive to to to meet high standards of quality. And then i think service, you know as as you know, the service definitely has to come with it. And whatever needs to be done, I mean, like I said, impromptu stuff happens all the time. And you've got to make it happen. it's just the way it is. That's that's the ah event industry. so Yeah. Well, we were laughing last night. I guess you and your wife had made plans to do something.
00:05:25
Speaker
Yeah, we actually got hooked up with a concert. The Pork Tornadoes were in town. Shout out to Jerry. No, they ah they came in town. They were in Madison for a show. that I think they come a couple times a year up this this way. And they had played actually at our wedding. So um we've seen them a couple times. But stopped in to see them, say hi. it was a pretty good night. so That's awesome. And you guys partner a lot with ah Event Essentials here, correct?
00:05:56
Speaker
Yeah, they're just, a they're, you know, in the proximity in the area here. So we partner with them on these larger, again, larger weddings, that type of stuff, setting up the structure. You know, they're they're more focused on the actual wedding and event planning, that type of stuff where we have the the bigger structures put it up and then let them do their thing. So um I think, like I said, that's kind of our our focus moving forward is we're trying to,
00:06:26
Speaker
get or stay in the the larger events, the larger structures, that type of stuff, and then let someone else come in, let the other partners come in and, you know, focus on what they're best at. You don't want to hang the chandeliers. You don't want It's not that we won't hang the chandeliers. We'll help out where we can, but we don't typically have that type of stuff I think there might be one dusty chandelier that's left in our our inventory right now so yeah well I tell people the time yeah my guys are tank guys they're not going to carry your dish no yes we will carry your dish yeah exactly but I'm going to cringe the entire time because I'm nervous they're going to break them that's not what they're used to doing yeah wash their hands before they touch the liner and the linens. and Yeah, those guys aren't, they're not washing their hands and wearing white gloves. That's not there. They don't, if they didn't sign up for this. What product are you guys currently using as far as flooring and structures?
Equipment and Structures Overview
00:07:17
Speaker
Flooring, so we have the standard Sherlock slash Duratrac, uh,
00:07:23
Speaker
and then we have some of the granite's epic flooring um kind of the same thing as the tf 2100 right not the same but it's the it's kind of the same because we we we still swap parts and submarine parts from you all and you same And then we still have like a couple of the older school, Wanger, Staging, Bill Jacks, Z-Deck, same thing, interchangeable stuff.
00:07:50
Speaker
So yeah, that's really about it. and We have, again, some smaller stuff for dance floors, but not not too much in the the higher end, you know, premium quality stuff. And then structure-wise, what are you mainly running?
00:08:04
Speaker
ah We have mainly venue, Anchor's venue, and then their Expo series, they're their 334 profile, and then we also have run some Loisberger stuff, the Levo, Arkham, kind of the ah not the non-A-frame stuff in Loisberger and more of the A-frame style for for Anchor. How has that Levo been for you?
Levo Structures Popularity
00:08:30
Speaker
Vivo's been good. and It's a you know a hot, as now everyone knows, it's the powder coated, the black look. It's a hot commodity. If you didn't attend the ATA show... Every structure was black, and it was either an Arkham or was black, and it was a garden tent. Right, yeah. It's ah that's you know it's the new hotness, so or maybe it's still new, I don't know. It's the new sexy... yeah so No, it's been it's been good. I think a lot of people like that.
00:08:56
Speaker
you know it's something it's It is It's something different. It's... ah something that they gravitate towards for some reason. I don't know. It's just the look, but they they like it. And, yeah, it's doing, you know, everything is doing what it's supposed to do. Yeah, what everyone thought it would do. Well, and I think that's helping your your side of the business grow more, too, is just getting that different product and that different thing and bringing it to the market and keeping you guys, you know, keeping everybody relevant when they get something like that. um And that just goes into you guys growing your business and how you just added on to the building and and you guys are progressively growing. How is it growing and how is it scaling that business right now?
00:09:36
Speaker
Yeah, that definitely plays a part, I would say. um it's you know Weddings, again, trying to remain event focused as far as what we do, but we do do the weddings.
00:09:47
Speaker
um So that's where that does come into play. I think we you know everyone knows there's there's decent money for these premium products, so and people are willing to to pay for it. So I think that we do want to keep pushing towards that part of the industry right and you know whatever the next thing might be I don't know if it is I know you guys have some white powder coated stuff right uh whatever the wood grain ones right the wood grain stuff I mean I don't know what the next answer is if that's or if we're think it's something it doesn't have to be a specific thing it just has to be something something different i was in this answer you can get left behind real quick so yeah yeah I think great that's right yeah i like the red
00:10:32
Speaker
whatever it is right?
Returning to the Family Business
00:10:34
Speaker
I think you want to be at the the front of the front of it, right? Not catching the tailwind. So I think that's like it important. We had the Levo for coming up on a year and a half. no you know So i not that... ah you know What was that first job you did with Robert, the first your first Levo job? No, so the first Levo job was with Mecham now coming up, or I guess just over a year ago.
00:10:57
Speaker
you know He will hint that he wants something new. So we had obviously that idea. That's kind of where that came from. And then... you know you knew that you'd be able to get it in for the wedding market and potentially some other corporate stuff so uh i think that's the tougher part of that yeah that um piece is the corporate or the non-wedding style But I think it's out there.
00:11:24
Speaker
Maybe it it just hasn't taken traction Well, that's really all it takes is you need one customer that you can trust that you know wants something different and they you can go bounce ideas off and say, hey, what do you think about this? And that you know at least you know, okay, I can put the Levo up at Mecham. Well, right. That and, you know, he, I think, trusts that...
00:11:43
Speaker
Obviously, we go to the shows, right? We we know what the the new things that are incoming and we have the ideas. So, you know, one hand kind of washes the other and you can trust us to bring something in new that's going to be an attraction, right? Because that's that's part of part of the show. so yeah Let's jump into the nitty gritty here. So you grew up in the business. Your father was is the owner of the business.
00:12:08
Speaker
How was it for you to grow up in this business and where did you did you think that this is where you were going to end up?
00:12:15
Speaker
I guess I didn't really know. ah but I mean, really my whole family kind of at some point would be in and out, you know, whether it was working part time during the summer or whatever they had came in for, ah you know, full time at some point. And I think that's the beauty of having a family owned business is that you can provide.
00:12:35
Speaker
that for, you know, family members to to come in and, you know, have have a job and have some steady income. Right. um But yeah, when I left for the military, I I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I knew i wanted to I knew I wanted to go serve for for some time. And I'm pretty set on trying to be the best at whatever whatever it is that I'm doing. So um I found out that wasn't wasn't quite, i didn't want to do a full 20. I think eight years was good enough for me.
00:13:07
Speaker
And then, yeah, I came back. I i knew I wanted to come back. I just didn't 100% if where the you know where he was at, where the business was at. So I think that is, ah that's the challenge though. That's what the fun part is, is that I want to take it to the next step and i want to be i don't I don't want to say I want to be the reason, but I want to have a good influence on why you know, it it was taken to the next step. So I think that's that's the one. How was working with your dad every day?
00:13:38
Speaker
I'm sure you, I'm sure, I was gonna say, I'm sure you can answer. It's like I would. It has its moments, it's good. um Like you said, i I tried my best to separate the whole family from for father business side, but and you know, you hear me call him Kurt, whatever, that's that's business side, it's Kurt. Yeah, it's exactly. I try to have family, so, you know, then it's dad, so. I don't want to, I don't like to mix those. I don't want to have any hurt feelings or any tears shed between us on the business side and then have that hurt the family. That's, that's not that at that point that it's not worth it. yeah Do you guys feel like you're pretty good about leaving the bullshit at work and then the family at home? Yeah, I think you, you know, you're gonna, it's gonna overflow because that's just the nature of, of the business. You you're going bring some stuff home. I'm just as guilty of them for you. That's what we know. Right. Like when we are together outside of work, that's what we right that's it's Exactly. it's It's your life. you know like That is what everything is kind of dependent upon. right and so yeah It overflows, but like you said, do your best to to contain it and compartmentalize it and put that away.
00:14:41
Speaker
for you know When we were go hunting,
Military Leadership Skills Applied
00:14:44
Speaker
something like that right up north, we don't really want to talk about that. Let's focus on having fun and the other things that are going on throughout our lives. so So when when you came back from serving, how old were you?
00:14:59
Speaker
I would be coming up on four years ago, so 27. Yeah, just just under actually got out, i like almost it was almost right on my birthday so when you got When you came back then, did you go back on a crew? What was your job position? no I literally um drove back.
00:15:21
Speaker
I think I took a week to get myself settled in at the the the new house that we had just purchased. My wife, Logan, she had came back I think a week earlier. She had lined herself up.
00:15:32
Speaker
with a job and then you know we had the house and everything we move took a week to move in and and I hopped right in you know it was it was weird at first to come back for sure because I went out and did like some backyard frame tent with I remember as I think it was like a 20 by 40 with concrete block and i'm like oh my gosh like this is you know they just threw me yeah they just threw me out there it's not like I didn't know what I was doing but I think it was almost created like a false expectation like since I grew up with it that I knew everything and I was like Guys, like you gotta to get me yeah you have to give me a second to like get back up to speed here. and then Plus all the stuff that you know happened while I was gone.
00:16:08
Speaker
you know You got to relearn everything and learn all the new tips and tricks and everything. That was kind of where I was going with that. How did... how did you would not ah not you adjust get but getting back into it but like how did everybody treat you as you just came back in being the owner's son coming back in you're going to fall in this new role did you feel like you had something to prove or did you feel like you were able to get right back in where you were no i did i i think taking on a new role i definitely felt i had something not to necessarily to prove but i just wanted to prove like
00:16:40
Speaker
um I think a lot of the guys had respect for me, but I wanted to prove that I wasn't just going to come back and start pointing fingers and telling everybody what to do. Like, that's not what my plan was. My plan was to put my head down for the first couple of years. Right. And ah basically solidify all that respect and reassure that everybody or reassure everyone that, you know, hey, I'm not here to.
00:17:01
Speaker
to overrule anyone or start telling their jobs right start telling everybody what to do all of a sudden. and I think, you know, I showed that and now I'm kind of, like I said, moving up a little bit and now I can actually make some decisions. And i think everyone, you know, is behind me as far as whether it's a right decision or a wrong decision. I'm not always going to have the the right answer, but they're at least behind, behind me in my decision making. And, you know, that's the way forward for that. So.
00:17:29
Speaker
Did you take anything from the military that you were able to implement in the business? Oh, man, yeah. No, for a lot. Yeah, I have a lot of good buddies that I'm still, like, we have a group chat um from...
00:17:43
Speaker
2018 to 2020, I served with those guys. And I mean, literally to this day, we still text each other and everything. So I took a lot of leadership. um I think that's one of the biggest things that I did bring back leadership in organization because we ran at an extremely high level. And yeah, it was something that you can't really obtain too many other places. So very grateful for that.
00:18:09
Speaker
like holding just standard values just being on time the organization everything from and just through today what's yeah yeah on time today well in his mind he was on time to be fair he was on time ah but yeah I just feel I learned when I started in the industry at A's Rentall there was a JW Sharpe always taught me he had served and if you're not 15 minutes early you're late and i am always early to everything except for when i'm with my wife shout out my wife I love you but We're always late when I'm with her, but I always have taken little things like that from from people who serve. Yeah, it's funny. We actually just watched like a, I don't know, it two-minute Instagram reel or whatever. it was We have these monthly, and we call them huddles, um and it's literally a 15-minute meeting to talk about whoever we call it is the quarterback of the the discussion.
00:19:01
Speaker
ah you can talk about whatever you want. It is 15 minutes, we set a timer, and you go through whatever topic you want and maybe leave a little of time for, you know, a little, some discussion afterwards, but once the timer hits 15 minutes, like, it's it's done, it's over, so I think that's a cool way to help someone get something that they might see as a problem or want to highlight right off of their chest and like make everyone aware.
00:19:26
Speaker
And one of one of the topics was definitely being on time and just ah like to your point, right? Like, hey, if you show 15 minutes early, and like that's a sign of us of respect to that.
00:19:37
Speaker
Hey, I'm going to give this person my and my attention like they yeah they deserve more than more than that. So it's something that I think I take um probably harder than than most people about just showing up on time or just being there on time. And yeah, if you're a ah lead of some sort, right, or you're in charge of something, well, yeah, you should be 30 minutes early just so that way everything is going smooth because you show up on you know, right on time, let's just say that's when stuff starts to go wrong and then you're trying to react and you don't have time to react at that point, right? Like you're already behind schedule at that point. So, yeah.
00:20:12
Speaker
I mean, it so I know Kevin Moore out and at Ultimate Events, and I talk about this every time I see him, but he does a bonus structure, so you can get paid a dollar more an hour if you show up every day that week on time.
Challenges of Modern Work Culture
00:20:25
Speaker
Oh, wow. Wow. Okay, heard of this? that's it actually Typically, only one to two people out of his, like, 80 staff members get the bonus. Interesting.
00:20:35
Speaker
See, that that blows my mind. because So I guess when how we have it structured right now is that pretty much as soon as you're clocked in, the time starts like yeah getting paid, right? So why would you, and unless you're told otherwise, why are you not showing up early? like you're If you're already getting paid, yeah I mean, it just to me it makes sense. Because essentially every hour before you're supposed to show up is a free hour. Well, and it's overtime. Yeah. yeah I think it's different. That's how I'm looking at it, Abby. I think it's different with the younger generation today, though, coming in. 100% it is. say saying that Unfortunately, I'm not hating on the younger generation, so everybody listening. No, it's okay. It's okay. it just
00:21:11
Speaker
It's just one of those things where I think it was it's not it's a it's something that's forgotten and hasn't been passed along anymore. It's like... And a lot more people are working from home, so they're not having to check in at a certain time, right? Where there's a lot of people in our industry that still have to check in at a certain time. But it's it's almost like a lost art, too, to show up 15 minutes early, drink your coffee, hang out for a minute, then clock in.
00:21:33
Speaker
Or they show up too early, clock in too early, and then go sit around. and Drink their coffee? Oh, it drives me nuts. Yeah, that's and i maybe that isn't a ah testament to that is that with the flexible schedule that everybody had, you know, during COVID and you can work at your own pace as long as you're getting your work done that. Yeah, maybe there isn't the yeah the push. Right. To be on time, because I even find that with myself, like if I'm furthering any education or something like that, right, unless I have a ah something pushing me to to do it. Yeah.
00:22:04
Speaker
I guess I'm just um right. I'm not forcing myself to do it where if I have, I'm on ah a schedule or like a regiment, like, no I like, I have to get this done. going to fail. Right. Like, and I, you're not, you're not, no one's. It's an accountability thing really. I mean, that's why I'm a big calendar guy. If it's Nate loves his calendar, it's in my calendar. And if it's set there, that's everything. But if it's not there, we'll see. You want to talk to Nate, you better send him a calendar. I'm a big guy. Only if he accepts it Yeah.
00:22:33
Speaker
have three kids. I have a lot going on. So with that, how are you keeping people and retaining people, and how are you guys kind of hiring? Especially with your traveling nationally. Traveling nationally, being in the snow, all the little things that hit you.
Balancing Work Travel and Family Life
00:22:46
Speaker
Yeah, I think that is something that I kind of was explaining to our guys now that when we go to Florida come December and January, it's kind of bonus, right? Because you're getting out of the cold weather. And the past two weeks here, I think, what, we had a high of 13 in the past two weeks. With a wind chill of negative 52. Right, and I think, what, it was two...
00:23:10
Speaker
Well, how many ever weeks ago now is negative 20 on the one weekend? And yeah, it's I mean, it's bone chilling. No one's trying to work in any of that. So, yeah, we look at it like a bonus to go down to Florida and start traveling right to get to get away from the snow. and And on top of it, yeah, of course, you're whenever you're traveling, you're trying to incentivize it in some some way, shape or form.
00:23:29
Speaker
So we're working through a lot of that stuff just to see what what works, what doesn't, what's best for the guys, um you know, what works well for us. and And like I said, trying to see what what they want because whatever, you know, ultimately those are the guys that are putting the tents up. It's not always me or it's not always whoever the sales guy is on the job.
00:23:49
Speaker
So it's important to to figure out what you know what their needs are and what makes their lives easier because if you want to keep them around well and you want them to keep traveling, then that's what you have to do. you have to you have to meet their expectations. Well, we were just talking about this out there, you and i Sometimes it's keeping them happy.
00:24:06
Speaker
It's figuring out how to keep their families happy. That's the hardest part about traveling, especially you start, I see it at these shows now. Everyone's crews seem to be getting older. Yeah. um So they have wives, they have kids. it's It's like we discuss it when we travel at work, like, okay, well, you know, Kevin's been on the road for five weeks now, and I know his wife's going to start to...
00:24:26
Speaker
maybe get a little angry. So you got to figure out a way to keep her happy. Kevin doesn't care. He likes it. He's having fun. But you know, it's sometimes you got to remember that, yeah, they have lives too outside of what we're doing. And that's one of the hardest parts about traveling. Well, finding that balance. Yeah. Got to find the balance. Yeah. i think we try to We try to swap out ah guys, you know, what if if they want to. Again, you know, it's a lot of guys like to stay down there and get the, right, collect the hours, collect the paycheck. But if guys want to come back for whatever reason, like if they have a family event, man, like let us know. That that that stuff's important. You're you're only going to get, especially if you have kids, you're only going to get so many of those. And then after that, it's gone. So we...
00:25:08
Speaker
We'll do our best to work around everyone's schedule as much as we can. You know, obviously sometimes when push comes to shove, it just is what it is. But family is definitely important because, like you said, keeping keeping the wives and the family happy is going to allow you to continue to do your job. And, you know, even as you've seen, Logan came to the to the show or to the event last night, and then we had went to the concert and everything. So it was good to get her involved and get her out of the house. you know and Well, you've been on the road. You were away last week.
00:25:38
Speaker
Yeah, we went down to, well like I said, we were just finishing up at the Kissimmee event down there, or the Mecham Kissimmee event, rather, and then I stopped in over at the ATA show and now came back here and came to another event, but Well, think all of our wives have the same complaint about all of us. So when we can get them together and let them talk ah talk about us being gone. Well, yeah, and we had we had talked about, you know, at the ARA show bringing them. And um last night, I think i we had met a a lady and she had said that, yeah, well, yeah, that's, you know, the ARA show is the time, the big event where maybe more a little bit. It's good for significant others. Family friendly right like there's a lot of things to do they can come to the show they can and while you're not at the show go to do whatever it is that they want to do Orlando there's plenty of stuff to do. My wife came to Vegas last year I think yours Mine did too my wife's coming this year. So it was good. It's good to have them come and also just experience and meet the people that we talk about and make those connections so they know who we're, you know, we're around and things like that. and So that's been fun. But also even your sales staff, you guys, it looks like you got some new faces in the office. um How is the office staff been, not just the road guys, but just office staff been and growing that side?
00:26:52
Speaker
So that's something I think we're transitioning a little bit in our business is just, and i think you kind of know it too, right? yeah Your sales guys, I mean, there are your- And ladies. Yeah.
00:27:03
Speaker
your Your sales team is sometimes not always like the traditional salespeople sales team. They're also the guys that are out there, you know, they're they're project managing as well. They're not just selling to sell.
00:27:16
Speaker
um And I think that's kind of what makes this industry unique, right? And yeah, that's that's something we're we're working on as far as... i kind of agree with what you're saying, that if you have a project manager who also sells, it makes things so much easier because they're able to take the project from conception to finished product. Right, there's no disconnect, you know. In that case, if it's someone who just sells and then hands it off to operations, you know, that's where you get your disconnect. So you've got really make sure your sales staff is sales and project management so that way they can...
00:27:45
Speaker
But it's also the only way they're gonna learn. i mean, we talk about that all the time. you know i um hired Taylor in Nashville for me last year, and she had been in events and stuff like that, but she had never physically been on tents or seen tents. And the first job that she did with me was NASCAR.
00:28:01
Speaker
And that was also when my wife was going through some stuff. So we were, I was in and out. And so she helped me manage on site, but she was also being able to see physically and learn physically on site and see the stuff. So it's not just like you're selling it. You're out there physically seeing it, touching it, understanding it. Otherwise, i mean, you're never to learn this industry.
00:28:18
Speaker
Well, yeah. And I, we had highlighted to our, our marketing lady, Ashley, in some of the posts that, you know, she was able to come out and watch the guys build or, you know, experience the event and all everything. And she's like, well, that's, you know, it's it's necessary to see how everything kind of comes together. And like you said, get everyone involved, yeah you know, make them understand how everything works and all the steps and processes that take place for things to get where they
Defining Success at JK Reynolds
00:28:47
Speaker
need to be. So go what makes somebody successful then at JK?
00:28:51
Speaker
want to make somebody successful. mean, success can be defined in obviously many different ways. And I think that's that's on each individual person, right? Like, that's not me telling you, hey, Kyle, you're successful because of this. Like, if you set a goal out to be whatever it is that you wanted to be in the company or you were going to do something, I mean, that's success, right? and it's It's not, I don't think that's, it's and it's kind of judged on,
00:29:17
Speaker
your failures too. It's like, you know, if you you fail at something and then the next time you knock it out of the park, well, that's success. Exactly. So, yeah, I don't, there's no, there's no real, I don't think metric. It's, that's an individual basis and however somebody wants to set their goals or, you know, meet an achievement, that's on them. Are you asking them Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. i You know, that's something, too, I think with our our culture, it hasn't really... We've always just had to put our heads down and grind. it and that's That's everybody. That's everybody. It's so funny. And the to get that culture to shift is so hard. It's tough. You know, you start asking the guys, hey, have you like what's your goals? like Yeah.
00:29:58
Speaker
And... But nobody's ever done that. And that's that's the thing. And it's not it's not bad. It's tough because, and it's not no knock to anybody before us at all whatsoever. You didn't have to. You didn't. No, you didn't have to. People just jumped in and did it. And now it's a totally different way that you have to create culture. so I get it. And we want everybody's culture to be better. But like, that just hasn't been a thing for this industry. As the labor market gets harder, that's going to be what defines how successful you can be. oh yeah It's not about what tents you own. It's not about how many trucks you own. It's about your staff.
00:30:30
Speaker
And it's not the ownership. Take them out of it. It's the guys on the ground, boots to the floor. And you need, we we talk about this so much. Oh, we've got to find a new topic. But it's, you need to give them the career path to come into this. And you need that. Really, they make our businesses successful.
00:30:47
Speaker
Austin, me, you, we can say all the stuff we want, but it's the guys putting the tents up every day. And you've got to, we need them. So, Well, and we've all been through that. All three of us have been through it and in their positions that we know what that that's like and what it takes. And we're grateful to be in the positions that we're currently in today. So we want to build those people up to to because we know that what that feels like like. I had a meeting with a guy before I went down to Florida and I flat out told him, my goal for you is that you in two years are doing my job.
00:31:14
Speaker
That's what I want for you. yeah Yeah, I think, you know, one of those things that will help that along is repetition, right? Like if you're continuously asking these guys, hey, what's your goal? I think they need some some structure to it too.
00:31:27
Speaker
You know, the easiest thing to Google is like how to set a goal whatever. This comes up with the smart goal. um But I think writing it down is is huge, right? And that's something where you can see it.
00:31:38
Speaker
You know, you're looking at this stuff every day it doesn't have to be you writing it down. It can be a simple picture on the wall of... whatever it is that you're after, right? But repetition on, like I said, every morning, like, no, you wake up and you see the picture. you're like, okay, yeah, like, I want i want that. I want that.
00:31:55
Speaker
um So what's Austin's goals within the next one to three years? What's my goal? And I'll fight you with his father. Yeah.
Personal Aspirations and Business Growth
00:32:01
Speaker
yeah No, so my my goal is, and this is more on a personal level, but we're going to keep our family growing. i think that's important, keep them healthy. And then I think we're looking to move at some point. We want to be able to build a house, get get a decent chunk of land where The kids can go and beat the crap out of each other outside or something. Take them hunting. Yeah, you know, whatever. Ride ride some UTVs, full railers or whatever around it it. You know, something like that. Yeah, pretty much. And I think that's our, mine and my wife's goal right now. Obviously, the business is going to, where that goes is going to help drive some of that too, you know. So, yeah, that's, for for me personally, that's that's my goals.
00:32:46
Speaker
And is there something that excites you for what's coming up for JK and just the industry as a whole then, goal-wise? Yeah, I think just the you know, the ever, well, hopefully the ever expanding business and the connections. I mean, I mean, what I would say a year ago, I didn't really meet you guys. I didn't know too, too many people.
00:33:11
Speaker
still going to continue that. I think that's a real exciting part is just all the connections. I have. a good amount of connections from in the military that I can like reach back to. And like I had said, I mean, I'm texting these guys on, I don't, you know, maybe monthly or whatever it was to just, we just, you know, you start up a, somebody shoots a text or says something stupid and it fires up from there, he chirps up. So, I think the the making more connections is definitely on on the list and then continuing to just grow our Chicago office so that way we can have a reason to, you know, expand that office. well yeah And it's funny, the other day at ATA, he came up to me and he's like, is that Kevin over there? and that was like, here he goes, I should probably go introduce myself. Yeah, we're all in a group text together. Text together. Yeah.
00:34:01
Speaker
Yeah, well, it was, I mean, for the longest time, like I said, we went Owen to Houston for and and visited Houston Tencent events. They were setting up the Leave Owen Weird. Oh, and you never saw Darren? Never saw Darren. Weird. Weird.
00:34:13
Speaker
That's ironic. Never saw Darren. We don't see him much either on job sites. we ah ah We went to, I don't know, it was another ARA show. I think he was there, but yeah, I just never connected with him again. And then, you know, at the ATA show, I was finally connected with him was like, finally.
00:34:30
Speaker
You do exist. Yeah, yeah, a year and a half later. so Well, he's got Steven, right? Yeah, exactly. Well, before we close out here, let's hit you with some rapid fire questions.
Rapid-Fire Insights and Advice
00:34:40
Speaker
What's your favorite piece of equipment?
00:34:43
Speaker
oh man, I think I like, i like ah we got a skid steer, a track skid steer. And the only reason I say that is because you can throw multiple attachments on there and we can do, you know, we'll take that stuff and do some personal stuff back Personal stuff, there you go. Tenox just showed me a video of their stake puller that they have, that rotating vibrating thing. Oh, okay, yeah.
00:35:04
Speaker
Crazy. So it's actual puller? Yeah, the one you guys use. The same, the same, okay, yeah, yeah. says Yeah, so Kurt had, I don't know exactly what he all came up with, you know, he doesn't like to share some of that stuff sometimes. But yeah, we have a, it's like a vibrator that will drive, which it's not as good at driving yeah um through, say, asphalt. Yeah. um But come grass, yeah, it's a...
00:35:28
Speaker
ah vibrator that will put them in and then also pull them out. which You know, it saves on the labor because it's a one-man show at that point, right? Absolutely. ah Most stressful event type?
00:35:40
Speaker
I would say probably in that when we are prepping for Mecham, one, because everyone wants to take vacation around Thanksgiving, right? And You have all the holidays coming up. There's a lot of prep work that comes with that. And, you know, I'm getting yelled at for not having any plans together. trucks on the road. Yeah, in my personal life. And then on top of that, you know I'm trying to pull all that stuff together and make sure that everybody's lives are a lot easier.
00:36:10
Speaker
Yeah. One tool you couldn't live without.
00:36:17
Speaker
Oh, man, that's a stumper. One tool I couldn't live without. I don't think there's not much that I couldn't live without. I mean, I would figure it out. There's... And spud wrench is mine. I was going to say, Nate. You'll figure it out regardless of whatever it is. I was, you know, I'm trying to think of like a phone or a laptop or something like whatever. I mean, we can... I think I can live without lift phone. Right. We can figure that stuff out.
00:36:40
Speaker
I would just say...
00:36:44
Speaker
Just, so I don't want to, it's like a not, you know, my family is, I can't, I wouldn't be able to live without them because they're they're here to support me and pretty much everything that I do, so. What a humble guy. Best advice he's ever received.
00:37:00
Speaker
Patience. I think I, uh, let me know how you get those. Yeah. If you could teach a course on that. That's been something I'm sure that everybody hears. Um, it's always kind of said by my grandpa passed down and I passed down to me. I keep asking why things don't move faster. Why, why can't we do this faster? Why am I not getting this? Blah, blah, blah.
00:37:22
Speaker
And, yeah, patience, I think that's a that is very, very underestimated and undervalued of how, like, a virtue. so And worst job site moment. You can keep it PG or you can give us some graphic.
00:37:37
Speaker
Worst job site moment. Is there a time where you just exploded or you've had just customer explode? No, not for me personally. i guess as far as, like, the yeah for the on the customer,
00:37:52
Speaker
Definitely everyone, you know, when you start working longer hours and you know the heat of the summer you got a couple different jobs going on at once you lose it on You don't really lose it, but you're you're snappy, right? your Your reactions aren't where they normally are and the guys feel that and I think the best the best way ah that I try to remind myself is calm breeds calm So, you know if you're yeah you can't let them see right and it's that's tough man. I and then not taking it home yeah, it's tough you to keep your composure, right? Yeah. And as soon as you do keep it calm, like you're saying throughout the entire build, down you're going home where you want to at least release and let everything out. And that's not there. That's the wrong answer, too. So that's that is ah there was a time I think just passed a couple of months ago.
00:38:34
Speaker
I just more jobs that came up while I was working on the job and trying to coordinate stuff and finish, you know, a higher end of VIP type of job. And You know, it's just, you just lose it. You snap. That's what I like. I've called you just screaming. I'm not i'm not mad you, Nate. I don't need that. Someone to yell at. Well, otherwise, you take it home, and it's, ah I think the word is, I'm not your employee. Has your wife ever said that to you? ah Yeah, so I think that we ah we have to vent to our, someone ah yeah, the group text helps vent. I have left Kevin Vasquez like 10-minute voicemails of me just screaming. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's great. um I think it makes it even more special because we can all relate at the exact some way, shape, or form to that. It's a support group for sure. This industry, you have to have support groups this industry. Well, and that's what coming to events like this, the best part is. Yes, education, all that stuff's great, but just hanging out with people. no matter what size business you have, we literally all have the same exact Well, and I've talked to Austin several times on the phone, but the first time we hung out was just when we went out to... Savannah. Yeah, Savannah, and we went there for YPN. And so it was good, and then, you know, we've all talked ever since then. So it's just the network events are huge, it's and that's what this industry relies on. So, Kyle, you want to ask our last question?
00:39:52
Speaker
Best piece of advice for someone coming back into a family business? We'll change it up for Austin. Best piece of advice for someone coming back into a family business? Like I said, I think if you you're if you grew up with it, right, and you have guys who have been there for 10, 15, 20 years, right, and they're obviously fairly loyal to your to your company, is that, yeah, you need to, again, put your head down, stay humble, right? there're you're not You're not better. You're not the new hotness. They don't they don't care.
00:40:24
Speaker
put your head down, it grind and, you know, gain the respect to them. And then i think, you know, with that, going back to what I said, it's, it will lead into like the whole patience thing, you know, just time will set its course and you let, uh, you can gain some experience and hopefully make some more informed decisions. Right.
00:40:43
Speaker
Perfect. Well, we appreciate you coming on today. Is there anybody that you'd like give a shout out to anybody that mentored you or just helped you get to where you are today?
00:40:53
Speaker
Not even his dad. He's trying to think outside of Kurt. I see where he's going. I was going to say, yeah, definitely my family. Like I said, they've ah they've supported me through climbing quite literally everything.
00:41:05
Speaker
The amount of traveling that I do is not easy. I know it's not easy on my wife, so shout out to you, Logan. And then ah back going back to the the leadership and all the ah skills that I think I...
00:41:17
Speaker
gained over the while my time and in the military just my the Foxtrot group that I was with those guys those guys mean a lot to me so and they have taught me I mean really invaluable stuff so awesome awesome well we appreciate you jumping on today i know this was uh thrown together last minute yeah no this is great but we appreciate you and uh yeah I'm glad to glad that we could finally get to know you a little bit deeper so this has been another episode of Under the Vinyl the Rental Management Media Podcast