I’m going to change the names or redact the names of the letter writers in this column. I got his letter in mid-January this year and it is a classic example of the power of human enterprise.
“Dear Harris DeWese,
“It was four years ago now that I first contacted you in hopes you could help the company my father and I were running at the time for a gentleman who passed away. You asked about the plant, what our sales were, which were only $1.5 million, and you said that there was nothing you could do for me at that time, which I understood.
“I just want to thank you for not helping! For it allowed us to go through a hard time mentally and financially and the crew we had were all let go and the plant was shut down.
That’s me. Ol’ ”Mr. Helpful.”
“My father, Bill Redact, went off and pursued a real estate career and I went off to
“Giant Financial Company”. When our plant was closed, it was during a time that a Hasidic Jewish family from Brooklyn, NY was also closing their printing plant, North Jersey Litho, not because of financial problems but because of a buyout by a (real estate) developer. Irv Jersey owned North Jersey Litho, for more than 60 years and was one of the founding fathers, was retiring. His son, Myron Jersey was still interested in staying in the printing business.
“Irv and my father knew each other from the industry and had a friendly relationship especially on the printing equipment auction for Sam would always out bid my father on equipment. They became good friends and Irv told his son to look into this plant in Northeast, Pennsylvania that my father built in 1990.
“Myron made the trip up to the plant, met with the bank, and on his way home decided it was a good deal only if he could get my father and I to rejoin the company. Needless to say, we returned and hired all the people back and added many more. Many of them had worked for my father for more than twenty years.
“We are a true success story with me as really the only salesperson, besides Myron Jersey, the owner. When we reopened the doors to the plant, that my father originally built, our sales started at zero just continued to grow:
October 2005: $1.7 million
October 2006: $5.2 million
October 2007: $7.5 million
“We look to continue to grow as a privately-owned family-run company. My father is President of the company and is found often loading pockets, bringing roll stock to the web presses, etc… We have great people who have been with us for over 25 years and know how hard it is being with out work.
“I always look forward to your great articles in Printing Impressions and always chuckle by the end of the read. You are an inspiration to me and I use your advice in growing the sales of this company everyday. In a world of big corporate printing companies, many people find a relief in dealing with good old country boys who deliver what we say we will deliver.”
You think this is unabashed self-promotion? Hey. I didn’t write the letter. I’m not going to stand in the way of the truth.
Sometimes turning my back on some deserving people makes “it all well”. Then other times I just bring a little fun to a heavy situation in a big, big company and it makes “it all well”. “Making it all well” is what happens when I kiss my granddaughters’, Allison or Abigail, boo boos to make them well.
“Hi, Harris! All my people passed this article around the office, "How Not to Succeed" published in the January Printing Impressions. A great chuckle we all had, and since we interface with our own reps (on and off-site) as well as reps from vendors we deal with. It is astonishing how some people operate! Thanks for a well-written article aimed at a big subject.”
Understand, please. This is not self-aggrandizement. This is what the people say. I can’t stop ‘em.
These letters have reminded me of a letter I received about twelve years ago. My book, Now Get Out There and Sell Something! had been published and I received this letter from a young woman in Umpulatta (Ump-ew-ladda), Alabama.
“Dear Mr. Maňana Man Harris DeWese,
“I’m Norma Jean Clark and I live in Umpulatta, Alabama and sell printing for Umpulatta Litho. You may remember I bought your book and you let me pay for it in $2 monthly payments with money orders from the post office.
“I was really down on my luck when I bought the book, Now Get Out There and Sell Something! My husband, Derek Dwayne, left me and the kids for my best friend Brenda Wanda Sludd. He took Brenda in the pickup and I sure missed my truck. Now, I’ve four kids under seven and I’m three payments behind on the house and no pickup.
“My sales were so low that my boss, Junior, let me work a shift on the six color. So I’m workin’ two shifts selling and printing and thank God for Mama lookin’ after the kids.
“I read your book during my breaks and lunch.
“Soon, things began to change for me. I landed three big corporate accounts over in Birmingham and two more down in Montgomery. All the sudden I’m too busy to keep up my six color shift.
“It wasn’t long before Junior came to me and offered to sell me the company. I decided to play hardball and told him, “Junior, this is a printing company. You are supposed to pay me to take it.” Well we reached a fair price and now I’m the owner and president. I still sell and I let Billy Ray Daniels run the administration management stuff. I’m also on the board at the bank and I bought the Ford dealership, so I can get a new F150 whenever I want.
“My old best friend Brenda Wanda drives one of our trucks since she left Derek Dewayne.
“But best of all, plant cleanup maintenance is handled by my ex, Derek Dwayne. I personally sign his pay check.
“Your book gave me all this success and I love you Maňana Man!
“Well, Mr. Maňana Man, I heard you are coming out with two more books and I want you to send them to me immediately. Same deal right? $2.00 per month?
Okay, it’s a deal but you will have to stay out there and sell something!
Good grief, I’m so good.
