By: George Shannon, Induron Coatings Consultant
Events happen in our lives that we cannot control. We don’t get to choose everything that happens to us. We DO get to choose how we respond to those events.
I started in the coating business in 1969 and just recently decided to retire. I was a salesman in four different territories and an executive manager for two companies. Not all experiences were good and not all were bad. Some experiences were based on my decisions, but many were based on other people’s decisions. In a nutshell, this is called ‘life.’
The past seven years were a medical and emotional challenge for me. My wife experienced two strokes, two broken hips, a broken shoulder, a heart attack and triple bypass surgery. She never lost her will or her smile. She taught me the true meaning of humility. Don’t ever give up. Accept who you are, your circumstances as they are, and those around you for who they are.
Toward the end of my career, I was fortunate enough to associate with Davies Hood, Tex Enoch and the Induron team. You don’t get to have three generations running your business by being the center of your universe. You pass from one generation to the next by caring about the people who work for you and the people that buy from you. Having relationships in business is not about selling and buying. It is about trust and a true desire to be a solution to someone’s problems.
I learned that the Hood family has built their network through trust, honesty and respect. When I buy something, I want to know that is what I am getting beyond the physical product. I wish I had more time with Induron, but like everything else time passes, people move on, and the legacy hopefully continues. With Induron, I feel confident that there will be a fourth generation holding the standards of history and legacy high.
To learn more about George’s journey, check out his book, “The Best Seven Years of My Life,” which is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Goodreads or listed to him discuss the joys of care giving here.
