On Owning a Kayak Shop
The irony of all ironies just happened to me. It is Thanksgiving morning and I just awoke from a night on the floor of the retail area at the kayak shop. (It is cheaper to heat this than my own house). I had spent the last week being particularly reflective on how darn thankful and appreciative I am for not only my life in general, but the people who make it so.
The irony was, at 7:45 a.m. when the phone rang with its first phone call of the day, it was a coworker calling to thank me and tell me that I was appreciated. Now, I won’t speak of the big crocodile tears that NEVER appeared in the corner of my eyes, but I was truly moved. Thanking me, are you kidding? If only you knew what Linda, Tony, Casey, and all my dedicated friends do for me. It would degrading to call them my “employees.” This group is dedicated to no end at making the kayak shop succeed. Their committment to my personal welfare is beyond belief. They understand and are believers in the bigger picture of what we are trying to do here. This place is not about profit and loss statements, it is about relationships. I challenge anyone to find better relationships than the one’s we have here.
The tumultous economy is enough to keep any small business owner awake at night. I receive regular offers from my staff to furlough their hours (maybe they don’t like working here as much as I think they do?) Surprisingly, one of these amazing human beings tells me regularly that if conditions warrant they will take no pay, yet keep coming in to work every day and every week just like normal. All of them work for no benefits and barely over minimum wage in a job that includes copious amounts of responsibility, lots of pressure, and grueling quantities of hard, manual labor. (Not to mention a boss that is tough to work for!)
They may rarely receive recognition for it, but I certainly realize that they take a personal and real interest in the company and in me, well beyond what their shift calls for. Casey and Linda regularly work from home on their own time (even though I tell them not to.) Tony regularly comes in on his day off to lend a hand or cart the trash home for the Wednesday garbage collection. Casey brings me coffee in the morning and even leaves it on my doorstep on the days she is not working. Tony looks after my house when I am out of town. (Casey actually cleaned my house when I had company coming from out of town). Linda brought me a plate of brownies yesterday. All of them are tirelessly promoting OKC Kayak and befriending me around the clock.
This has been a challenging year of great growth. I too had to grow. It is very difficult for me to ask for help, and we had to do a lot of that this year to get the job done. My best friend Jason has had to give, give, and give to the point that I often feel like I am taking advantage of him. Being in the role of best friend, I am consoled by the fact that I think he does understand. Other friendships have been one-sided and a bit neglected the past year as well. I call Michaeal Veasey usually needing a trailer of boats shuttled around. I call Kevin and Jodi when the website needs tweaked, or Tom when we have a computer issue. I lie to Doris telling her that her eyes are pretty just to get her to notarize yet another boat title. I cheat Amber out of the $300 an hour normal billing fee she receives for her accounting expertise. The tables will turn once again, I promise.
My beloved coworkers, you are my incredible friends. …and my friends, so much more than friends. You are the most amazing team of leaders with incredible personal values. Each and every one of you are my life. You make my life!
I love each and every one of you with all my heart!
CROCODILE TEARS
CROCODILE TEARS