The Seasonal Dash

It's probably fortunate that most of the companies' revenue is concentrated in the same months as their employee costs. All but Planters add substantial seasonal help. Planters' 12 full time employees just work even harder and faster and longer hours during the busy seasons, taking vacations and lighter schedules during the slower parts of the year. Myer is proud of his employees, saying they're loyal and hard working and just know, and do, what has to be done, however long it takes. Their spring sales tend to take longer, too, for less profit. One half ounce of turnip seeds takes a while to measure out and tie up, and turnip seeds just don't cost much. Planters does add some help during Christmas to do the gift baskets which are fairly time intensive. Charlie Wald's additional 90 or so employees each year include retail clerks, warehouse assistants, drivers, and pyrotechnicians. Some of the last have worked there for over 25 years and all are trained and have state certifications. Family members help out too, both full and part-time. The small town employment opportunities of Greenwood can be both support and hindrance, but as for any company, great help is always welcomed. Cool Crest owner Frank Licausi notes that the full time gardening staff and maintenance crews are as important as the front line people. With 5000 flowers, hundreds of trees, the courses, the video games, the kitchen, restaurant and all the rest, there's always work to be done. His summer staff zooms up to 60, always a challenge in hiring and training. Bill Thomas at Gunite notes his full time staff of nine goes up to 12 and his other company goes from 18 to 25. Manager Willie Davis says as union contractor, skilled labor for short term jobs is hard to get and sometimes he must go to St. Louis or Texas halls to get people. But Thomas says that during his shorter not-as-busy season, he can meet his overhead by saving up inside jobs for winter. He believes his success is due to his superior people and their commitment to the work they do, and thus he tries to keep all the employees he hires and encourages them to make twelve months of wages in 9 months. He's philosophical about the challenges of a seasonal business, saying there's all kinds of challenges anyway. "We're dealt a hand of cards, we learn to play 'em, and we just don't complain about them." That may pretty well sum up the attitude of all these entrepreneurs, once they stop to think about it. They all love what they do. They also know they may be sprinting now, but they'll eventually return to the slower, long distance run. It's a good race. The staff of Ingram's Magazine congratulates the proprietors and team-players of these exceptional small businesses. We realize what it takes to successfully operate a small business, and of the challenges associated with competing with larger, more financially sound colleagues. We know of the challenges small businesses encounter with politics in the marketplace and within industry. We also believe that passion and drive will always win over the competition - regardless of their size and resources. We dedicate this edition of Ingram's to small businesses - you represent the foundation that this great community was built on, and of its exciting future.

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