The right man for the job

Jeff: Regular readers may have noticed a considerable lack of action on this blog in recent weeks. Same could be said of our newsletter subscribers. While we haven’t gone completely dark, our regular schedule of solid marketing advice and humorous commentary hasn’t been hitting your inbox on an appropriately regular basis.

Truth is, our social marketing efforts – Twitter, Facebook, this blog – have proven themselves to be remarkably successful. Over the past two months alone, what had been a steady stream of business referrals suddenly, exponentially, shifted into a higher gear.

Neal Martin

I’m not bragging so much as fretting… taking excellent care of our new and existing clients during this growth spurt has necessarily led to some areas (this blog amongst them) receiving a bit less attention than any of us prefer. None of us wants to put the blog on a back-burner. Not ever. But taking care of our clients always takes precedence.

Over the past three years, Laura and I have kept the company on a relatively strict diet. We’ve watched peers and competitors ramp up staffing with every new contract, just to swing a wild ax months later when work slacked off. This kind of yo-yo-ing isn’t healthy – mentally, physically or fiscally.

Nothing is more important to the long-term health of any company than its people. Nothing is more detrimental to the long-term health of a company than employees more concerned about keeping their jobs than doing their jobs. There is nothing more distracting than the recently emptied cubicle across the aisle – a constant reminder of that big wild ax.

I’d like to say our goal has been to add staff in a carefully considered, methodical manner. But the truth is that I personally come to the hiring table kicking and screaming and looking for every excuse to NOT add to the team. Not because I don’t want new team members, but because I absolutely DO want them. They just have to be the right people – and not just for today, but every day moving forward.

New Account Executive Neal Martin is an excellent case-in-point.

Neal recently joined the team, right in the middle of our early-year crescendo. An Ephrata, Pa., native, Neal’s primary responsibility here at Tin Cans World Headquarters is to be an outstanding advocate for his clients, ensuring that their projects are completed on time and on budget. Neal brings to the team an impressive sales background and the extraordinary problem-solving capability that clients and staffers alike are growing to appreciate.

Please join me in welcoming Neal to the team. You can email him at Neal@tincansunlimited.com.