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Episode 33: Here's to the small and new rental operators with Matt Moretz
168 Plays2 months ago
This episode has a little bit of everything and is all about the smaller operator. The guys talked with Matt Moretz, owner of Festive Elk in Boone, N.C. about being new to the business. He bought the company two years ago and basically walked in to a mutiny, almost lost everything, and started cold-calling mentors. Nate, Kyle, and Matt get in to all the nuts and bolts of business ownership, mistakes made, big wins, and everything in between.
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Purpose
00:00:00
Speaker
This is Under the Vinyl, a rental management media podcast. I'm Nate. And I'm Kyle. And this is what we talk about, tents and everything tent-related. Let's dive in. I'm the one you call when you need a tent up or down.
00:00:14
Speaker
I'm a tent rental man, I'm working on all day. Getting mistakes in the ground no matter what they say. From sunrise to the night, make sure everything's right. Yeah, I'm tent rental man, I'm working on...
00:00:29
Speaker
All right, we are live on location here at Party Reflections. Yeah, shout out Dan Hooks. Thanks for putting all this stuff together for us. ARA just released some pretty cool stuff today. It was really interesting. You and I will talk about that a little bit later, Nate. but ah Today we have Matthew Moritz with ah the Festive Elk out of Boone, North Carolina, right?
00:00:47
Speaker
Yeah. So how long have you been in business?
Matthew Moritz's Journey into Tent Rental
00:00:50
Speaker
Uh, so we've been in business for about two and a half years. Okay. We, I was a UPS driver. Um, didn't like what I did. ah very grateful for, you know, that, that job, but I just never got to see my kids. And I was like, you know what? There's very used to be a dad or a husband if I'm not.
00:01:08
Speaker
Yeah. so really just, you know, prayed about that and God kind of blessed. He's just blessed us with the opportunity to buy a business in Boone. And honestly, I didn't want to, we had a couple of things. Hopefully I'm not like jumping to what Ken does, but, um,
00:01:23
Speaker
We yeah had a couple of businesses that we ah were looking at. and Other industries. Right. um And the thing is, is we kind of like overlapped this way. And we're just like, you know, I don't really know much about that. Yeah.
00:01:36
Speaker
And I feel like that's kind of how the industry is a little bit. So it's good thing that, you know, you guys are really helping that. Yeah. How did you hear about the industry, though? Really, it was just like I tripped into it. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Where did you find ah like the listing?
00:01:50
Speaker
and so my didn't even say it was a listing well he said he was he said was a searcher basically yeah it was privately listed um and so it was just all word of mouth so a lot of people that were already in the industry were like already working at it yep um and someone that had already like let the paperwork in to purchase it and for some reason we came up second on that list and um and ah So anyway, we she was like ah she backed out and because they told her she'd have to be there every day. And she was like, I'm not doing that.
00:02:24
Speaker
And so that's how we got into it. yeah so So you're saying the person that was going to buy didn't want to be there every day? Right. Yeah. She was from out of out of town. She thought she could just put some money into and have an operational business. that More of an equity partner.
00:02:37
Speaker
Yeah. And um so, yeah, it was ah it was kind of just, it was like I said, it was a God thing because, and they you know, we had all these people with tons of money. Like, they could have just definitely destroyed us because we've we put all of our house money in to purchase business. Yeah.
00:02:54
Speaker
We were going to build a house and then was just like, well, why don't don i just put it into that and you try to build something, you know, generation,
Initial Challenges and Mentorship
00:03:02
Speaker
generation. What did the business look like day one, inventory-wise, staff-wise, any of that? set move though So that's a long story because it's like, well, you go into a business and, um you know, a lot of the staff either left or they stayed and then you just...
00:03:23
Speaker
there this we just We were looking at the books and we found sewing up this... Questionable thing. yeah Very questionable things. um And so i guess the best way to put it is we had six got six people ah that worked there. We tried...
00:03:39
Speaker
they There was a family of four that worked there and kind of tried to do a hostage takeover on us. They were like, well, you don't know anything. and Let us run the place. Yeah, we're going to run this joint and you're going to just kind of do what we say.
00:03:51
Speaker
um And so I fired all Okay. All right. Nice. Started out with the bank. Well, I'm like, you know, I have a military background, so I don't like being told what they need. So burn the house down and rebuild it. out Yeah. And i was just like, there was one dude or two guys that were ten they were on the tent crew. They were the bottom guys.
00:04:10
Speaker
um One of them's still with me. The other one, he was still a good dude. um Still a mid kid, ah but he's doing something else, which, you know, is it's fine. But, um... Yeah, so i so I got taught how to do all the stuff by ah Justin Myers is his name. um He taught we tell me how to do all of it.
00:04:29
Speaker
Is there anyone like mentoring you in the business? Yeah, so that's a, there's a lot of people that, I mean, coming into this ah business, there's been a lot of people that have really just helped us out. Like, um you know, there are some that were kind of against us, and I think it's because we were suffering a lot from on them, and they were kind of just like, maybe mad at that, I don't know.
00:04:52
Speaker
But, yeah. Territorial is the word we'll use. Yeah. i But the thing is, is they don't do it. And you like all the people that I've noticed that have that attitude with people filming it, they're
Current Business Scale and Operations
00:05:03
Speaker
lost. Yeah, they knew did moved on pretty quickly and weeded out.
00:05:06
Speaker
Now, just for everybody listening or watching, tell us how many people you got working for you. Kind of give us an idea of how big you are. Obviously, don't list your financials. We don't need to hear all that because they're helping bunch out there.
00:05:17
Speaker
But just kind of tell us how big you you are. but Okay, so we have the like... it's ah in and 3,500 square or 13,500 square foot place. Okay. we, I have, I'll see what, what?
00:05:34
Speaker
Five full-time employees, including myself. Okay. Is that office and field? Yes. cook So we have pretty much our project manager, my wife, operations, and warehouse manager.
00:05:49
Speaker
Okay. um And then everyone else is seasonal. When we do like seasonal work, it really just depends. um So we've gotten up 22 that first year. That's awesome.
00:06:01
Speaker
Yeah, it was awesome, but also, like, we almost drove our business into the ground because, like, having that much money come in and not knowing really how much went out, like, we didn't know anything about it. Like, so there were a lot of hard lessons, like, to where we almost tanked the whole thing. And, like I said, by the grace of God, we made it through it. But usually, and I brought that down to 15, to where, you know, it was...
00:06:30
Speaker
It's just, I know that we're efficient at the deal. So and how many years have you been in business now? Two and half. Two and a half. Okay. So you came in right after Cumbus. Right. Okay. So on the good end. Right. Right. Everything they started picking back up.
00:06:42
Speaker
So why did you think this was even going to be a profitable business if you didn't know anything about the industry? I just looked at on and and the books, really. got um Like I said, my father-in-law, he just ah told us, he's like, you really need to look at these books. I think it's a good opportunity.
00:06:57
Speaker
um and so we did and we're like oh well you know i have four kids um so it's like we gotta have some money you know uh we told me once more yeah yeah so he's gonna he's gonna make some new property building well no he's just building crew yeah so yeah exactly oh my son comes out with me all the time oh but and he'll remember that forever Yeah.
00:07:19
Speaker
It is is just a great body experience with like, you know, when they get to like, I have a 15 year old too. She works there. Like, but you can tell she does that. She's like, I'm just doing this for, to get some.
00:07:32
Speaker
Yeah. yeah But, um but she'll remember that when she gets older, she'll say, Hey, I worked in the business. I mean, I remember when I was young working in the business making $6 an hour. You know what i mean? I'm sure you remember going with your dad to job site, things like that. Right. And that's actually a huge help. Like, yeah.
00:07:47
Speaker
You know, you don't have to pay somebody to, like, if I want to go pick something up on a weekend and and I have to, like, land it. Yeah, bring a guy in. It's like, hey. Yeah, you know. so It did not come help. I mean, my two-year-old, I was out of town for a week in Nashville doing the that Titan Stadium job.
00:08:04
Speaker
My wife brought my two-year-old up. She came out to the field and hung out under the tents, walked around me for a while, hung out with the planner. It was just cool to have your family out there with you our job site. Well, another that you have to look forward to,
Refining Business Focus and Networking
00:08:15
Speaker
Your kids will have friends. Yeah. Like the, I think for me, it was like 15 to 20. If he, my dad needed five extra guys, he'd just call me, Hey, you got five friends who can come in on Saturday.
00:08:28
Speaker
And like, it was guaranteed a crew. It was, I miss those days. Like it used to be so easy to find people to come in on a Saturday and help you out. And I was working for Bryant's and I was on the UK campus. I had some friends that were either in law school or grad school.
00:08:40
Speaker
And I'd be like, hey, we got this nighttime job on Saturday. You want to come? I'll give you some cash. Yeah. And they'd be yeah, hop in for some beer money. That's all your friends. Yeah. Yeah. So you're going to have a good time. to Yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:08:51
Speaker
So how did you decide then once you got the business, sell the books, sell profitability, which direction you want to take this? Um, so it took a while, uh, to kind of like understand it fully. Uh, we owned CrossFit gym before that and maybe some other smaller businesses. So we had an idea, but there wasn't anything that was bringing in just some amount of money. yeah Um, but as I said, you know, there's a lot in, but also a lot out, you know, you have to learn that your labor costs are, Right, outrageous. You guys have always, you know, i fit on that before. Thanks.
00:09:21
Speaker
And so it was like I went in, i kind of just looked at the whole place, and i really worked in it, like, the first year, like, I was out there, one in the morning, we were putting tents up. Yeah.
00:09:32
Speaker
i got and So that was just rough. And then, you know, I found i was like, well, I'm not really making a lot of money in this area. So like all the table tops stuff, not talking to like dishes and I'm talking about like the glass cylinders or like saw shaker candelabras, you know, We had that, um and we had some speakers that were older or whatever, and I was just like, and no one's rented this at all, and it's taking up space, but it's not contributing to my business, so I need to just sell all that.
00:10:04
Speaker
yeah So I was like, because I was listening to somebody, it was probably some podcast or reading some book, and it was like, you need to be efficient at a certain things. You don't need to be in the old...
00:10:16
Speaker
You can, you can, what is it? Find your niche. Right. Jack of all master of none. Yeah. Right. Yeah. I was like, so that's kind of where i was like, okay, I need to get rid of a bunch of this prep. And then I just need to and maintain this stuff and keep doing this and see where that takes me.
00:10:30
Speaker
And so that's kind of where we've kind of been. It's like, okay, do I need to flex into this area or am I overstretching? Is that going to be good for my market? And really it's all about your market. Yeah.
00:10:41
Speaker
What's your market handle? Um, how much can you kind of squeeze out of your market? Yeah. And, um, but that also goes into, I can't, I can't do everything in my market. So with that, then what products do you guys currently have? What have you found as your niche right now?
00:10:57
Speaker
So, uh, we have a lot of venues. Everybody wants, I live in the mountains in Boone. Um, and it's very, every venue is almost like very barn style. Yep. Uh, like that rustic wood, everybody comes from, you know,
00:11:10
Speaker
Florida, we're like a resort town, essentially, but in the mountains. So um everybody wants that rustic brulee. You know, they all want to get married in the mountains. So, you know, um anyway, so ah we just kind of try to tap into that. And, you know, that's also been a learning factor of, I mean, was speaking with mentors, you asked about those.
00:11:32
Speaker
You know, talk to Dan Hunts every month. ah I asked him to ah be my mentor. Was that just a cold call thing? You just called and said, Hey, I'm looking for a mentor. Yeah. just was like, you know, it was very uncomfortable.
00:11:44
Speaker
I was going to say somebody coming new into the industry, not knowing a lot of people. Right. Exalting guy like Dan Hooks. Dan Hooks is a great guy. And I'm sure he'd be more than willing to help you out, but I'm sure that that was a nerve wracking, even in my call.
00:11:55
Speaker
Yeah, so, well, it was like a slow process. Like, ah I was like, hey, I'm really having trouble in logistics, like, and figuring out trucks. And he's like, okay, we'll come down one day, you just sit with Ryan, ah which is like one of his logistics guys, and he'll teach you what how we do things. And so I sat there for like six hours a day and just asked question after question.
00:12:16
Speaker
And then, you know, we did a walk through his building. My wife came down. I brought, you know, one wife's operations guide out too. So we get kind of get an understanding and how everything's structured, how they are efficient in some ways. Yeah. It's definitely a different level. So, yeah like, as you grow, you know, ah I've come to find that you can't, what someone does up here, you can't do that. like or But you can do something similar. Right. You can do something similar or you just have to figure out a different method to it. Yeah. Um, and like, okay, well, how did he get to that point and what steps did he take? And that's kind of what I asked him. Yeah. Um, but it's not just him. I mean, it's, uh, like I talk to him every month, but man, James Arbog, you, when he worked for the ARA, uh, now he's with sales sports. Yeah. we yes and
00:13:03
Speaker
And, um, dude, he's been a blessing too. Um, he's a good LinkedIn follow for everybody out there too. So yeah right. All right. Well, but this goes back to what you and I preach all the time. Yeah. All these people in the older generation in the industry, yeah they have all this knowledge and they want to share it with you.
00:13:19
Speaker
You just have to ask. That's why one day these guys that are becoming retired eventually you' going to be really good consultants. Yeah. that Yeah. They'll make really good money. They might make more money being consultants for all the young guys. Yeah. Less stress.
00:13:31
Speaker
Less stress by
Operational Improvements and Product Focus
00:13:32
Speaker
far. So, dude. So, and was on He was all good with you then, coming in and just basically him taking you under his million. ah Yeah, so essentially, i um and don't forget to mention, just so I have that out there, yeah like Dean Miller's been a huge help actor. Love Dean Miller.
00:13:49
Speaker
Yeah, super dude. oh Yeah, he wrestled, I wrestled, so we kind of meshed in that way. um You know, Larry, he helped me out a lot. He kind of hooked me up with a lot of people and actually helped me set up a bag group. um And so did Dean. um Like, anyway, well, but yeah I ah ah reached out to, um like, I had come here like three different times, you know, and walked around, took a lot of pictures, trying to figure out, okay,
00:14:16
Speaker
how can I make this work in my warehouse? I'm just like, I'm growing out of it a little bit, or do I need need to restructure it? And so that's when we did a full restructure of it. Like, I mean, we broke everything down and put it in a different places, right?
00:14:34
Speaker
um Like my tables were in a second section of ah a building. We were having to carry it, you know, to the trucks. And I was like, okay, that's stupid. Um, It's taking too much time. They're heavy. I'm worried my guy's out. ah How can I get that closer to my truck? So all my tables are inside the back bay.
00:14:53
Speaker
So just like, you know, figuring how how to do that. um But yeah, so he's just been a huge help in every single way. right Is he helping you find the products that you're ah you currently at as far as what you think you should be doing? Are you asking any questions about, well, I currently have this product and thinking about this product?
00:15:13
Speaker
Yeah, I've asked them about some products, and I mean, I kind of just, the thing is is, I ask questions to everybody. Yeah, like, um it's it's either they're going to help you and tell you, you know, yeah, i what can I do, or they're you. A lot of straight shooters in this industry, not that right.
00:15:32
Speaker
It's like, go eat dirt or or you have town dirt or whatever it is. Or, hey, yeah, let's what can I do to help you out? um I'd be more than happy. And that's kind of where I've come to is most people that have helped me out, they they have a lot of friends in the industry, a lot of friends outside of the industry.
00:15:49
Speaker
And, dude, it's been a like... It's just been a blessing. So are you rental heavy on furniture tents? Which, which credit? Furniture, we tried that. It didn't really do like anything, but also you have to be very, be very specific.
00:16:02
Speaker
You know, furniture, like you can't get everybody's tastes. Yeah. Well, and you might order something this year and it's out of style next year. Yeah. Right. Yeah. And that's what I, I like to order stuff that I know will give me a good ROI on and not just a year, but like that year, not just to su a second year. Right. If I could stretch that to five years yeah somehow, which would be pretty extensive, but, um, or at least three, then I'm going to definitely, you know roll in. it So you're in 10 cents. So what size tanks you have?
00:16:31
Speaker
So we have, you know, the 10 by 10 frame, the ones that like slapped together with a button. I'm not really sure exactly what they're called. Standard. Right. Yep. Um, so we have those, uh, which are hips and then that goes 10, 15s, uh, 20s, 20 by 40s. And then anything after that, we have the 30 feature tracks and then the 40 feature tracks. So I can do anything with a 30 by 115 and a 40 by 115. Okay. I can do like two.
00:16:58
Speaker
Any pull 10s? Yeah, ah yeah. i The mouse, man, i it's little risky up there. i Yeah, I don't, um a lot of people like them, and I just like be having a solid, yeah you know, yeah.
00:17:13
Speaker
I miss them. Don't get me wrong, they're faster from what I understand. No sailcloth, or have you considered sailcloth? considered it, but really I don't, you're not very knowledgeable in it. Okay. yeah So i think, uh, match rep, uh, I'll probably and go there and check those out and see how that works. Um, and so I'm open to that, but also
Growth Aspirations and Market Strategy
00:17:34
Speaker
structures. I mean, so I'd really like to get into that, but as I slowly dive into this, you know, it's like, okay, can I afford it?
00:17:43
Speaker
How long is it going to take me for me to get that money you know, Well, that was kind of my next question is where do you, how do you, so ed how do you, how far do you want to grow this thing? How big do you want to grow the product as but as well as the financials of this?
00:17:59
Speaker
You feel like you're in a good comfortable spot right now where you feel like you grow a little bit more. and be good or do you feel like you really want to this thing to the next level and it's also probably really dependent on your area too so yeah it's very market-based I feel like um like I said we don't have everything in it I'm not getting everything the market um and the thing is is that I just I can't supply everything but I can sub right up pretty good yeah well Dennis how far are you from we're sitting right now in Charlotte oh so and you have a great relationship with Dan obviously already so if you need something Yeah. Um, and that's been very helpful, but you know, that's also like, I want to, I wouldn't love to grow it.
00:18:39
Speaker
Like if I can get to a 10 to $20 million dollars business, like, yeah, but that's time, you know, that's going to be a lot of patience and really figuring out what my niche is. And you're wanting to have six kids. Also, you remember you said that. yeah Okay. Just want to make sure. Got off for a vibe. Yeah. I always ask.
00:18:56
Speaker
But yeah, the ah that's where I'd like to get into. um You know, ah I mean, I stay awake every night and I'm just like, what can I do? Like you guys, I mean, you're just laying in bed and you're like, okay, what can I purchase? Writing notes at two or three in the morning. Yeah. Yeah, and exactly. You wake up and I'm like, oh, my son, I'm putting in my notes section, I'm texting it to my wife and she's sleeping next to me, just like to remind myself. Yeah, right.
00:19:23
Speaker
And so, um you know, but the thing is, i also see that my market, it is it is growing, but it's at a slow pace. Yeah. And also know that there's, it's very like heavy.
00:19:35
Speaker
There's a lot of rich people that come in during the summer, but to the most, the population is Uh, like just me, like, yeah, they don't have a lot of work. Yeah. So I have to be able to balance balance. Yeah. Provide for both. Yeah.
00:19:49
Speaker
So, um, yeah, so it's gonna, I would have to probably transition out ah or open another location, um, in Wilkesboro or, ah like, you know, 30 minutes away. I don't run. I have one that's like an hour away.
00:20:04
Speaker
Um, and just, I was actually talking to somebody about that the day that maybe I can, Three years, maybe I can find a warehouse and just like and slowly grow into hey, it's all will-prong stuff down here. Yeah.
00:20:17
Speaker
There's someone, Russ Hicks out of Maryland. I don't know if you've ever yeah met him. He's a great guy. If you look him up on social media, i can give you his phone number when we're done here as well. But he does that. He has some just... satellite warehouses that are strictly will call and he's like i actually make a decent lot of money we just doing that if we could be just a sub rental business i'd be preferable for me but that's the thing about this business is that's why it's different because it's not just like you're not just doing tents you're having to figure out everything that goes well we're well tend that and we're also just logistic companies that also put up tens warehousing logistics yeah yeah
00:20:52
Speaker
so Yeah. So what resource are you utilizing to help you stay motivated and as you get started and to keep going and things like that? I know you've used Dan Hooks, but is there anything that but you turn to other than humans to help you stay motivated to keep this thing going? Because I know as a small business owner starting, right i mean, that is draining.
00:21:13
Speaker
So get into your points that you want to get to you and keep progressing. What keeps you going? Um, yeah I, honestly, I've always been kind self-motivated. I've kind of like, um, and I, I don't know, maybe it's just something inside of me. I just, I just have the urge to want to like, and yeah a just do the best I can. Yeah.
00:21:34
Speaker
so. so I think I just am self-motivated, but i also at the same time, ah I just like the people here, you know, like the the networking aspect. and When you meet people in an industry that like really want to help you out and stuff, it's just like, well, I can connect with people in that way. yeah um So that's almost like a motivation in itself.
00:21:55
Speaker
ah like Oh, well, you know. ah I'm going to hang out with a bunch of guys at the CRE thing, and um I don't know most of them, and we'll probably mesh and get along.
00:22:08
Speaker
But I guarantee you, you walk up to the bar about 10 o'clock, they'll all be sitting there and they'll be like, hey, we're open book. Yeah. Come on up. get Yeah. And that's usually... um So that's very motivating and just to, you know, have that kind of sense of community too.
00:22:23
Speaker
um But when it comes to, like, wanting to grow, it's more of like, okay, I... I'm not, a I hate to say this sometimes because it and makes me sound like I don't fear about events, but it's ah more like I love VizX, right?
Team Building and Revenue Strategies
00:22:38
Speaker
um And it's like, i care about your event. I want it to be super successful. um I'm not necessarily dialed in on what color you want your tabletop to be. Like, I don't really care.
00:22:50
Speaker
yeah I want it to be to the best of my ability that I can provide. There's nothing wrong with that. I kind of feel the same way. The business isn't successful. It's not going to be successful outside the business. So you have to, I get what you're saying, because you have to be successful in the business to have but help it translate to the job side to make sure the customer gets what they want. Right. So I see what you're saying. And then that's when I just hire on people that love doing yeah that aspect.
00:23:13
Speaker
And that's another thing. It's like having to learn how to let go of things. um That was my next question is what's your day-to-day right now? Um, so, well, obviously I, I've got a good team, but that's been, you know, two and a half years. We've worked really hard, um, to, to build solid management. That's kind of, you know, the base.
00:23:34
Speaker
Um, but I know that, you know, every year that we go in there's always a, there's always going to be a constant, like struggle on like, I say, where do I need to peel from here? And which position and do I need to put, like, have someone went in to help so-and-so out or,
00:23:49
Speaker
you know um because there was a lot of flexing in and flexing out of like oh so the project manager would run to the back and help load stuff and i'm like she can't be doing that you know so we have to have a warehouse manager you know because the operations guys down the field doing whatever you know putting up tents or joining like lead teams and stuff like that and um so uh that's just been it's just sad I guess trying to, like I said, being patient and trying to make sure that you make the right decisions and you're always going to have to, like what the Jonathan and Frodo is, like you're always going to have to make some risks.
00:24:26
Speaker
Whether it be people whether it be... people or whether it be um you know Financials, yeah. Things that you're purchasing. um But you can always make calculated risks. yeah Absolutely. um So that's more of so or war so where I'm trying to get to is where I can understand what I truly need, oh yeah what works in my market, how can I flex outside of my market, you know um which is kind of where I'm at now. like We're six on, six off. So summer's great. We make all our money then, but winter's then. Yeah.
00:25:00
Speaker
and How can we generate some revenue? Right, right. And so I've gone into all kinds of things like a board of service, like maybe I can include that. ah But then that's putting your hands in another, you know, thing of the business. It's like, but that would have to be also.
00:25:16
Speaker
ah and Anyway, there's a lot to it. you So it' CDLs, like I know I'm going to have to get my CDLs. um down the road because I plan on yeah having to get to that point. So, and then sending guys to get their CDL so maybe I can drive a truck in the winter, but I don't want a truck. Yeah, you you basically did that, but in your previous career. for actually So, and um yeah, so that's just like, but that's a calculated decision because I know I, like I went to CDL school, I purchased it, I know it will, ah you know, help me in the future, it'll pay off.
00:25:48
Speaker
And... You're an ARA member, the foundation. Actually, they did help us out. Yeah. So 2,500. Yes. Covered half of the cost. um We did get that. We did an awesome job.
00:26:00
Speaker
Shout out to ARA for that one. is And a lot of people don't know about that. Yeah. So you just, you know, cement all your paperwork. Yeah. I use it almost every year for to get a guy a CDL. It's perfect. Or I sent a guy to welding school once and I used it for that as well. Yeah.
00:26:13
Speaker
I don't know what to do. I think it's any accredited ah program. So as long as they're learning a skill bright and know you can submit the paperwork for it, they... I didn't even know.
00:26:24
Speaker
Yeah. and and Thanks for that. yeah So still new, but do you still have this is something you want to long term?
Long-term Goals and Industry Appreciation
00:26:31
Speaker
Um, you know, and what when we first got into it, uh, it seemed like everybody that went into it, it's like you hold on. If you can hold on for five years, then you're good.
00:26:44
Speaker
Like you've made it. And so I'm like, maybe that's just my goal was to make it five where we're at five. Yeah. I mean, I feel like we can, you're halfway there. Yeah, yeah. And we've already been through, honestly, like i said, we almost tanked our business. oh we We got a lot of help from, like family helped out and stuff. So we dug out of that hole.
00:27:06
Speaker
But yeah, it's just... You just have to like hang on and ruffle up. Yeah. um that's what it is. ah But it seems like you've got a lot of good resources from what you're saying. A lot of good people behind you.
00:27:19
Speaker
And you're kind of slowly starting to figure it out as you get. It takes time. Yeah. For real. like as Like I said, it there's a lot in this yeah so um to learn about. Like if you're... but ah And it's not just learning about tennis, but ah it's learning about, like, okay, well, what are people wanting for their wedding this year?
00:27:38
Speaker
Yeah, the trans man, and and ah like that's where you go into, okay, who's really good at, who loves this? Who loves print? said that what is it the Pantone color of the year? yeah I could not even tell you what it is.
00:27:51
Speaker
yeah But like it's a big announcement every year. I see it on Instagram. Right. So the trends are important. And but that's also why I said, know, previously, like that trend, you want to make sure that it It's going to last. Yeah. And a long yeah and so also another thing, you know, whenever people don't have a lot of like recessionary periods or whatever, you know, ah the mason jars.
00:28:13
Speaker
Yeah. So we we had a ton of it. They never went out. Yeah. And I sold a ton. oh Like I sold most of them. And I kept like 150. And now people are, what that is just, yeah.
00:28:24
Speaker
Everything makes full circle moments untried bad. It seems like in the same industry, there's lot of weird things that come back. But that's, we've noticed that like, okay, well, during like a, ah there's times of hardship where yeah people like have to do more DIY weddings or like doing the, um, the Vrbo or the Airbnb weddings or yeah or whatever, then, uh, low budget, you know, then they're going to go with like, Hey, let's do that Mason's Rd or, yeah you know, and pair it with like checkered stuff or whatever.
00:28:53
Speaker
Well, as we start to wrap this up here, um you know, it seems like you're doing a lot of good things. You're going in the right directions. You're making the right moves, um utilizing your resources. Utilize us if you need anything.
00:29:04
Speaker
Yeah. jod yeah And we can help you as well, get some more resources. But if anybody here is just out there watching, Give him a call. Let the guy out. Follow him LinkedIn because he also puts out some great stuff on LinkedIn. Yeah.
00:29:16
Speaker
Yeah. I don't go on LinkedIn often, but you always pop up when I do decide to log on. I'm like, this is so. It's like James. and Yeah. He's like, hey, man, you got to stay on top. I know. So it keeps you networked. It keeps you networked. But we'd love to get you back on maybe about a year now and just see where do. check in. Kind of see how the things are going, how things are moving.
00:29:33
Speaker
And then we have to get him on the five-year mark. You know, we're halfway there. We're halfway there. and they Did he quit? Yeah. Where'd he go? He's like, where are you all at? Yeah. You can figure that out. But ah we appreciate you coming on today. And you know I couldn't done it without, like like I said, you know, this is, I couldn't have done this without the people helping me. Yeah, absolutely. um So it's still really not based off of what I've done. It's just based off, I have good tune, like at,
00:29:59
Speaker
Um, and I have good people demo actually, and that's why we are. Yeah. It's absolutely, it's really not, it's just, it's not me. He might have those kids by the time we talked to him. Yeah, he might, he might have a full tank. Might have the full tank crew. Yeah.
00:30:14
Speaker
Call me. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, great. it was good talking to you today, and, uh, this has been another episode of Under the Vinyl. Thanks, man. Thank you. You might have a accent.