Paint & Decorating Retailer February 2022

Rules to Recruit

Wood Stains That Deliver

1025 E. 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana 317-275-9400 NHPA@YourNHPA.org YourNHPA.org

EDITORIAL, DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Melanie Moul Managing Editor mmoul@YourNHPA.org

Hans Cummings Products & Digital Editor hcummings@YourNHPA.org

Lindsey Thompson Associate Editor lthompson@YourNHPA.org

Carly Froderman Associate Editor cfroderman@YourNHPA.org

Aubrey Smith Senior Designer

Autumn Ricketts Graphic Designer

Austin Vance Production Manager

Freda Creech Sales & Production Assistant

Kevin Trehan Digital Media Specialist Kate Klein Issue Contributor

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Whitney Daulton

Executive Director, Marketing & Communications

Julie Leinwand Corporate Communications Manager & Editor

NHPA MEMBER SERVICES

800-772-4424 | nhpa@YourNHPA.org

LeAnn Day lday@YourNHPA.org Executive Director, Paint & Decorating Programs

Scott Wright swright@YourNHPA.org Executive Director, Advanced Retail Education Programs

Katie McHone-Jones kmchone-jones@YourNHPA.org Director, Member Services & Events

Jesse Carleton jcarleton@YourNHPA.org Training Manager & Editor

Renee Changnon rchangnon@YourNHPA.org Retail Engagement Specialist

Natalie Harris Data & Information Coordinator

NHPA SALES

Scott Gilcrest

317-508-7680 | sgilcrest@YourNHPA.org

Field Sales Manager & Southern Sales Director

David Brodowski 440-520-9551 | dbrodowski@YourNHPA.org

Midwest Sales Director

Jordan Rice 217-808-1641 | jrice@YourNHPA.org

Northeast, Northwest & Canada Sales Director

YOUR NHPA

OUR MISSION

The North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) helps independent home improvement and paint and decorating retailers, regardless of affiliations, become better and more profitable retailers.

Anatomy of a Sale

Some say that selling Is an artform, but fortunately it’s also a teachable skill. In March, Paint & Decorating Retailer shares best practices from retail thought leaders Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender for teaching your employees how to sell more effectively. See how their method of explaining the sales process can help your employees create an atmosphere of excellent customer service and encourage customers to purchase.

“Add-on selling needs to be a natural part of the conversation. There needs to be a

level

of

comfort with selling related items

and it can sometimes be hard for people to want to talk about it.”

—Georganne Bender Kizer and Bender Speaking

PAINT & DECORATING RETAILER

(ISSN 1096-6927): Published monthly except December by the North American Hardware and Paint Association, 1025 E. 54th St., Indianapolis, IN 46220. Phone: 800-737-0107. Subscription rates: January through November issues, $50 in U.S., payable in advance. Canada $75 per year. All other countries $100 per year. Single copy $7, except July issue, $25. Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Paint & Decorating Retailer, P.O. Box 16709, St. Louis, MO 63105-1209. Returns (Canada): Return undeliverable magazines to P.O. Box 2600, Mississauga, Ontario L4T 0A8. PM# 41450540. Copyright © North American Hardware and Paint Association, 2022.

NHPA EXECUTIVE STAFF

Bob Cutter President & CEO

Dan Tratensek

Chief Operating Officer & Publisher

David Gowan

Chief Financial Officer & Executive Vice President, Business Services

NHPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Jared Smith, Jared’s Ace Hardware, Bishopville, South Carolina

EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN

Craig Bond, Tommy’s Paint Pot, Eugene, Oregon DIRECTORS

Alesia Anderson, Handy Ace Hardware, Tucker, Georgia

Jay Donnelly, Flanagan Paint & Supply, Ellisville, Missouri

Ned Green, Weiders Paint & Hardware, Rochester, New York

Scott Jerousek, Farm and Home Hardware, Wellington, Ohio

Ryan Ringer, Gold Beach Lumber Yard Inc., Gold Beach, Oregon

Jackie Sacks, Round Top Mercantile Co., Round Top, Texas

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Bob Cutter, NHPA President & CEO

NHPA CANADA

NHPA CANADA

Michael McLarney, +1 416-489-3396, mike@hardlines.ca 330 Bay Street, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, Canada M5H 2S8

CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTION & LIST RENTAL INQUIRIES

CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

Richard Jarrett, 314-432-7511, Fax: 314-432-7665

Consultant Sam Brownell shares insights on the steps you should take to set up your business to sell or buy. Plus, learn how the NHPA Retail Marketplace can connect you to the right buyer, seller or key personnel.

When Galen Harris took over as owner of Sequoia Paints in 2021, he set out to open up new opportunities for the company while still honoring the legacy previous owner Jim Elder had created.

Connecting with the local community is one of the easiest ways retailers can build a loyal following of customers. See how retailers use special events, social media and more to gain faithful patrons.

NEWS, PRODUCTS & TRENDS

Get the Latest Updates

Access the following resources plus the latest industry news and exclusive content at PDRmag.com/february

Find More Online

OPERATIONS

Equip Your Team

Retailers across the U.S. are facing labor issues, struggling to find good help and people to fill open roles. Use these resources to help with recruiting and retaining quality workers in any labor market.

Template Job Descriptions

NHPA has put together a library of home improvement industry job descriptions for common jobs in the industry. Browse our list for inspiration in crafting your own job descriptions or edit the existing templates to fit your needs.

Write With Might

Your job postings should be engaging and informative, letting job seekers know why they should work for your company. Learn best practices for crafting an effective job posting to attract quality workers.

Come Together

Hosting monthly group interviews has allowed HomCo Lumber & Hardware to save time and money during the interview process. Discover their best practices for hosting these types of open interviews.

CATEGORY

Staining Supplies

Customers need more than just stain or sealer to accomplish their exterior wood maintenance tasks. Check out the list of the supplies customers need to complete their exterior wood care projects.

CATEGORY

Playset Products

Discover the products and processes your customers need to perform regular maintenance on their playsets, keeping them safe and fun for the kids, young and old.

CATEGORY No Pressure Cleaning

Educate your customers on the different types of pressure washers and accessories available and how they can take the hard work out of spring cleaning maintenance.

Think Paint. Think Corona.

For more than 60 years, our fourthgeneration family company has been committed to providing the finest paintbrushes and rollers in the industry. Each professional applicator is handmade in Tampa, Florida, USA, to meet the needs of the professional contractor as well as the DIY painter.

Corona’s professional tools are constructed to exacting standards. Using a combination of traditional and innovative techniques, we deliver the highest performance and durability, the finest finish, and ease of use and cleanup with today’s coatings.

For the next paint job, big or small, think Corona.

CONNECTIONS

How to Reach Dan Dan

Tratensek YourNHPA.org/tcb-pod dant@YourNHPA.org

Want Fries With That Smile?

My mother lives in a small town in central Illinois and the closest “real town” to her is about 10 miles away.

The only reason I refer to this neighboring city as a real town is because it has the types of things most city dwellers are accustomed to. There is a high school, a couple of gas stations, a car dealer, a small hospital and a handful of fast-food restaurants.

Whenever I pick my mother up for a visit, she always likes to stop at one of these fast-food places to grab a cup of coffee and a hamburger for our ride.

For the past two years, the McBurger joint we stop at has honestly become one of the highlights of our trips. Why? Because they have a young man working the drivethrough line who tries his hardest to put a smile on every customer’s face.

He sings hello to you through the speaker. He cracks jokes when you pull up to the window. He asks you what you’re doing today and how your day is going.

Last time we were in line he asked a driver to roll down the back window so he could high-five the toddler in the back seat and hand the child some stickers.

Because he works the order and pay window, and you have to pull up to the next window to actually get your coffee and burgers, almost every customer pulling up to that window is smiling and laughing. The ladies working the next window smile back and joke about whatever antics the order taker was up to.

My mother gets a huge kick out of this. She always jokes with the young man and tells me how she loves the drive-through line here.

“The attitude of a single employee can change the entire customer experience for your operation.”

There is nothing different about 95 percent of her experience at this restaurant compared to any others she might visit. Same burgers. Same coffee. Same prices. The one difference is this young man and the joy that he offers.

I tell this story to illustrate a few points.

One, the attitude of a single employee (even one likely earning minimum wage) can change the entire customer experience for your operation.

Two, this cookie-cutter franchise operation’s management has created a culture and atmosphere where employees feel free to express themselves and are encouraged to interact with customers in a positive way.

Lastly, this little story truly underscores how important it is to hire for attitude and train for skills.

I know hiring and retaining employees is harder than it ever has been, but if the McDonald’s in Clinton, Illinois, can find a way to make visits memorable for every customer passing through the drive-through line, I think anyone can find a way to do the same.

Dan M. Tratensek Chief Operations Officer & Publisher

OUTREACH

Share Your Stories

Send your merchandising tips, event recaps, employee morale boosters and other stories to editorial@YourNHPA.org

Diversifying Through Decor

Tri-City Paint & Design Offers Custom Furniture Services

Since 1992, Tri-City Paint & Design has been serving clients in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, with a wide array of paint, sundries and wallcoverings. The store strives to be more than just a paint store, and through the years has developed into a one-stop shop for interior design needs, including offering custom furniture and reupholstery services.

“We’ve always had the in-home consultation aspect of the business, which is a natural fit for the paint store,” says Thoma Doehring, owner and design professional. “About 14 years ago,

we found we needed to diversify even more and decided to add the custom furniture services.

We’ve had window coverings for almost 30 years, so it was a natural progression to get into the other home decor items like custom furniture.”

The store uses local suppliers whenever possible and works with two local furniture manufacturers for the custom pieces. The reupholstery company is also a local company.

“It’s important to support other local businesses and have that mutually beneficial relationship,” Doehring says.

COMMUNITY

Generously Giving to the Community

When it comes to supporting the community, the residents of Abilene, Texas, come out in full force all year round, but especially show their generosity during Abilene Gives. This one-day event in May, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Abilene, brings together nonprofits from around the city and provides an easy way to give. In 2021, the event raised over $1.9 million in 24 hours.

Chris Cummings, owner of The Paint Center in Abilene, participates in the event by donating money and promoting the event on the store’s Facebook page. The store is also a faithful yearlong supporter of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a national association that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children.

“CASA helps kids who have been taken out of terrible living situations and tries to give them a better life,” Cummings says. “I think it’s important to not only donate ourselves during Abilene Gives, but let others know about these amazing nonprofit organizations that are really making a difference in our community.”

COMMUNITY

Partnering in Christmas Giving

Norberg Paints in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, showed its generosity last December, joining 10 other local businesses to sponsor the first annual Grouchmas. During the event, attendees visited Fallsville, a village with 10 different houses, each sponsored by a local business to support a specific local charity. Each house was decorated with an oversized stocking filled with items community members and businesses donated for that charity. The stockings were auctioned off with the proceeds and the items inside the stocking being donated to the respective charity.

“It was an honor to partner with 10 other local businesses to help put on this event and create the opportunity for the community to join in and support and fill the stockings of these groups,” says co-owner Stuart Norberg.

Special Offer

Read the story for details on how you can save money on your first listing.

Take the Next Step for Growth

The time is now to invest in your operation. Whether you’re in the market to add a new location or if you are looking to enhance your team, the North American Hardware and Paint Association’s NHPA Retail Marketplace is the solution.

The Retail Marketplace launched last year as a platform for retailers who are ready to sell their business. Now, the Retail Marketplace has expanded its capabilities to include listings for retailers who are ready to buy existing operations and listings for career opportunities.

“The NHPA Retail Marketplace employee listings offer companies like ours an opportunity to fill professional roles with experienced people,” says Nick DeMao, CFO and vice president of administration for Busy Beaver, a multistore home center operation based in Pittsburgh. “This platform will allow us to look beyond our immediate market and find the right fit for our operation. We look forward to the possibilities this service will offer.”

To put your business on a growth path for the new year, head to YourNHPA.org/marketplace to see sample listings and read the FAQs. If you have any questions, email marketplace@YourNHPA.org.

Take Advantage of This Special Offer

Through March 31, you can access a special offer if you’re ready to take the next step. List your business for sale, post a buyer’s listing or post your open job by the end of the first quarter and get 25 percent off the listing price. To take the next step for your business, visit YourNHPA.org/marketplace

SUBSCRIBE

Check Your Email

Visit YourNHPA.org/subscribe to sign up for newsletters that are right for you.

Podcasts to Play

Subscribe or listen to the podcast at YourNHPA.org/podcas

Taking Care of Business

EPISODE 55 – WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NHPA IN 2022

Dan catches up with NHPA staffers Renee Changnon and Melanie Moul to find out what’s on the horizon for the member services and communications teams at NHPA.

“For

—Melanie Moul, NHPA

Webinars to Watch

Visit YourNHPA.org/webinars

5 Future-Focused Indu

5 Future-Focused Industry Insights

NHPA’s Dan Tratensek and The Grant Farnsworth discuss key in y top challenges and opportuniti

NHPA’s Dan Tratensek and The Farnsworth Group’s Grant Farnsworth discuss industry data and retailers’ top and opportunities going into 2022.

2021 Conference

This collection of presentations features content from experts, on sustainability, e-commerce,

Contactless Commerc

This collection of and panel discussions features content from experts, retailers and channel partners on e-commerce, leadership and more.

Commerce

Learn what the next year—and for retail technology and how y use tech to take new steps for w

Learn what the next decade—look like for retail and how your business can use tech to take new steps forward.

Inventory Managemen

Management

What long-term effects will the retailers manage their inventor retail inventory management h to view NHPA’s library of webinar content.

What effects will the pandemic have on the way retailers manage their inventory? This webinar analyzes how retail management has changed.

Discover the Benefits

Visit YourNHPA.org/membership to learn about services and training for NHPA Premier Members.

Attend the NHPA All-Industry Conference

Learn more about the conference at YourNHPA.org/conference

Invest in your people, explore new products and discover retail technology solutions at the 2022 NHPA All-Industry Conference.

The conference is co-located with the National Hardware Show and will deliver industry-specific educational programming and networking opportunities for show attendees. Conference speakers include successful retailers and industry leaders and experts who will discuss the topics and innovations affecting home improvement retailers today.

“The NHPA All-Industry Conference is an opportunity for the industry to come together and for home improvement retailers to connect with other independent retailers, industry leaders and vendors,” says NHPA president and CEO Bob Cutter. “We look forward to presenting this year’s educational offerings, which are designed to help retailers grow and succeed, and we are proud to partner once again with the National Hardware Show.”

At a Glance

What: NHPA All-Industry Conference at the National Hardware Show

When: April 5-7

Where: Las Vegas Convention Center

Top reasons to attend: Keynote speakers, new products, networking and more!

Additional co-locating events include Coverings, the tile and stone industry trade show, and the IDA Expo, the International Door Association’s trade show.

Explore Free Educational Offerings

Visit YourNHPA.org/training for Train the Trainer, Trainer’s Toolbox and other free tools for home improvement retailers.

Stay Current With Safety Training

Courses are available for purchase in the NHPA Training Store. Visit YourNHPA.org/training-store

Employees need proper training to maintain a safe workplace, both for themselves and for customers. To make that training easy, NHPA offers online courses on a range of safety and compliance topics, such as how to use a fire extinguisher, correctly lift heavy boxes or prevent workplace harassment.

Through a partnership with a trusted name in compliance training, JJ Keller & Associates Inc., NHPA’s training helps retailers follow best practices while staying current and compliant in some of the topics required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other federal regulations.

The JJ Keller courses are now available in NHPA’s Training Store. Each course includes interactive elements, videos and a test. A number of courses are available in both English and Spanish. While these courses will help meet some regulations, retailers may still need to check with their local authorities to see what requirements they must meet for full compliance.

Available Courses

• Back Safety

• Diversity and Discrimination

• Fire Extinguisher Use

• FMLA for Supervisors

• Forklift Safety

• How to Prepare and Respond to an Active Shooter Threat

• Sexual Harassment Prevention

• Workplace Bullying and Violence

• Workplace Safety Basics

PRODUCT NEWS

OUTREACH

Retailer Recommendations

Send an email to editorial@YourNHPA.org telling us about the products your customers love and why they are such a hit in your business.

RANDOM ORBIT SANDER

BOSCH TOOLS | boschtools.com or 877-267-2499

Bosch Power Tools’ Brushless 5-Inch Random Orbit Sander features an ergonomic palm-grip design, compact body, a vibration-dampening element and an easy-to-reach on/off switch. It is available in a 12V or an 18V model, both with a speed selector switch and 6,000 - 10,000 OPM no-load speed. The sanders are compatible with Bosch’s mobile dust collection attachments.

ANTIMICROBIAL PAINT

PPG | ppgpaints.com or 800-441-9695

AIR-PURIFYING

PAINT

or

GUSH | gowithgush.com or imran@gowithgush.com

Gush Cair Air-Purifying Paint contains no formaldehyde, is has excellent tolerance and low thermal conductivity. reactions break down toxic VOCs and

Gush Air-Purifyin contains formald quick-drying, has burning tolerance and low thermal conductivity Catalytic reactions help break down toxic VOCs and unpleasant odors, keeping interiors safe from airborne pollutants. Cair’s air purification capabilities have been tested by TUV, adopting JEM 1467, the standard for air cleaners of household and similar use. Cair is available in 66 colors.

PPG Copper Armor™ paint contains Corning® Guardiant® technology proven to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses on the painted surfaces, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in two hours. It is suitable for application in high-traffic areas such as health care, hospitality, office and educational environments, as well as residential applications. It is available in eggshell, satin and semi-gloss finishes, can be tinted to more than 600 colors and is zero-VOC. PPG Copper Armor also provides a mold- and mildew-resistant coating on the dry paint film.

LUXURY HOTEL-INSPIRED WALLPAPER

WALLSAUCE | wallsauce.com or info@wallsauce.com

New wallpapers from Wallsauce feature designs inspired by luxury hotel rooms. Each design is available on a choice of three wallpapers including premium paste-the-wall, peel-and-stick and classic material. Each design is supplied pre-cut in even-width panels, making installation simple.

Be In the Know

Visit YourNHPA.org/subscribe to be sure you’re on the list for the Paint & Decorating Retailer Hot Products & Trends newsletter.

CORDLESS PIN NAILER

MILWAUKEE TOOL | milwaukeetool.com or 800-729-3878

Milwaukee Tool’s M12™ 23 Gauge Pin Nailer is a compact cordless nailed suitable for professional carpenters and remodelers alike. Its lightweight, ergonomic design provides accessibility in tight spaces and confined corners. It can drive up to 750 nails per charge and is compatible with pin lengths from 1⁄2 inch to 1 3⁄8 inches.

RUBBERIZED SEALANT SPRAY

GORILLA GLUE CO.

gorillatough.com or 800-966-3458

Gorilla Waterproof Patch & Spray is a flexible, rubberized coating designed to smoothly cover small gaps and cracks, forming a watertight seal. It is self-leveling, temperatureand UV-resistant, seals out water, air and moisture and is paintable when dried.

WATERPROOF KNEE PADS

TOUGHBUILT® | toughbuilt.com or 800-288-4695

The versatile solution for wet and dirty jobs, ToughBuilt®’s Waterproof Knee Pads feature a pliable outer shell that protects knees on rough terrain and delicate surfaces. A flexible accordion top keeps out debris while remaining comfortable while walking.

HIGH PRESSURE LAMINATE SURFACE

WILSONART | wilsonart.com or 800-433-3222

WilsonArt’s High Pressure Laminate Stone Collection features a textured matte sheen that offers a more casual look with authentic characteristics and veining details. The surface is low-maintenance, made from sustainably managed woods and postconsumer recycled content, and is GREENGUARD Gold Certified to meet low chemical emission limits. It is available in six new designs inspired by natural stone looks in on-trend colors, including brown, taupe, brick and turmeric tones, as well as neutral tones of warm white and light beige.

ALL-WEATHER PEN AND NOTEPAD

RITE IN THE RAIN riteintherain.com or customerservice@riteintherain.com

TILE CUTTER

MARSHALLTOWN | marshalltown.com or 800-888-0127

MARSHALLTOWN's 17-inch Tile Cutter can cut ceramic, porcelain and mosaic tile up to 17 inches long and ½ inch (12 mm) thick. It can cut tile up to 12 inches by 12 inches at a 45 degree angle and features a two-rod rail system for smooth operation. It includes a 5⁄8-inch (15 mm) tungsten carbide scoring wheel and adjustable measuring guide.

Rite in the Rain’s Safety Blaze Orange 3 inch x 5 inch TopSpiral Notebook is small enough to fit in a pocket and features 50 sheets of all-weather paper, a rust-resistant wire O-ring binding, and a tough Polydura outer cover. The Rain Weatherproof Pen performs underwater, upside down and in temperatures ranging from -30 F to 250 F, allowing workers to take notes and keep records in all weather conditions.

Second Chance

Catch up on products you may have missed in previous issues of Paint & Decorating Retailer at PDRmag.com/products

LADDER TOOL HOLDER

MONKEY RUNG PRODUCTSR monkeyrung.com or wholesale@monkeyrung.com

Monkey Rung® keeps user safe by enabling them to maintain three-point contact so they can complete ladder tasks more safely, quickly and efficiently. Each unit includes three interchangeable stainless steel attachments to hold paint cans, tools, bags, buckets and more. It installs in seconds with no tools required on all major ladder brands. Monkey Rung features ultra-light yet durable construction for long-lasting use.

METALLIC PAINT VENETIAN PLASTER GLASS BEAD GEL METALLIC TEXTURE

DECORATIVE

SOAPSTONE METALLIC PAINTS WEATHERED GRANITE SANDSTONE

SLOW DRY FLUID ACRYLICS VENETIAN PLASTER GLAZING MEDIUM

METALLIC PAINT

EXTERIOR METALLIC PAINTS SOAPSTONE SLOW DRY FLUID ACRYLICS TOPCOATS MURAL & THEME PAINT GLASS BEAD GEL

SOAPSTONE GLAZING MEDIUM WEATHERED GRANITE MURAL THEME PAINT SANDSTONE EXTERIOR METALLIC PAINTS GLAZING MEDIUM TOPCOATS VENETIAN PLASTER GLASS BEAD GEL SLOW DRY FLUID ACRYLICS METALLIC EXTERIOR METALLIC PAINTS GLAZING MEDIUM SLOW DRY FLUID ACRYLICS MURAL & THEME PAINTS TOPCOATS TINTABLE BASE METALLIC PAINT VENETIAN PLASTER GLASS BEAD GEL

METALLIC TEXTURE SOAPSTONE WEATHERED GRANITE SANDSTONE

EXTERIOR METALLIC PAINTS GLAZING MEDIUM SLOW DRY FLUID

Premium quality & consistency

Small batch production for greater control  NEW! Exterior Metallic Paints

Metallic & Decorative Plasters

CABLE MANAGEMENT CLIP

GCK PRODUCTS | gadgetklip.com

GadgetKlip’s unique design hugs cables, keeping them wrapped tightly without pinching, for safe, secure organization. They are patent-pending, made in the U.S. and available in three sizes.

SCRUBBING SPONGE

SCRUB DADDY | scrubdaddy.com or 844-35-SCRUB (72782)

Scrub Daddy Eraser Daddy 10X is specially formulated to last 10 times longer than ordinary melamine erasers. One pad can tackle an entire houseful of jobs like cleaning baseboards, door frames, handrails, white sneaker gums and unpainted walls. It is water activated and removes marks, scuffs and fingerprints from hard surfaces with no soap or cleaning agents. The FlexTexture side adds durability and is great for removing abrasive surface debris before flipping over to use the PowErase material. They’re ergonomic and are available in a variety of colors to allow for color-coding cleaning jobs.

(Good) Help Wanted

6 STRATEGIES FOR FILLING JOB OPENINGS IN YOUR OPERATION

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON

Help Wanted. Now Hiring. These signs have become part of the landscape at many businesses across the country as companies struggle to fill open positions. The obstacles go beyond finding quality employees; many businesses are having a difficult time just finding people to fill job openings.

One data point the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers is number of unemployed persons per job opening. When that number is above one, there are more unemployed persons than there are jobs available. Since June 2021, that number has been below one, indicating there are more job openings than unemployed persons to fill those spots. At the end of 2021, there were 10.6 million available jobs but only 6.9 million unemployed persons to fill those spots.

Finding workers to fill open roles has become one of the biggest hurdles for employers, and the home improvement industry is not immune. In late 2021, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) conducted an informal survey and found that 60 percent of respondents indicated having trouble finding workers to fill open slots.

Paint & Decorating Retailer spoke to several retailers who shared their insights on the hiring strategies they use to find and hire new employees and the ways they have navigated the recent hiring and labor shortage issues. Whether you are feeling the effects of the labor shortage or have been able to consistently find good help, these best practices are helpful for recruiting and retaining quality workers in any labor market.

Dynamic Descriptions

NHPA offers a library of home improvement industry job descriptions that you can use as is or edit to fit your needs. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/job-descriptions.

EMBRACE FLEXIBILITY

Be willing and open to change strategies, especially with advances in technology and changing conditions in the job market.

If the pandemic taught us anything, it was the importance of flexibility and being able to adapt to constantly changing environments. The staff at Hagan Ace Hardware discovered that being adaptable was one hiring strategy that has helped find workers to fill open job positions.

Hagan Ace’s director of human resources LaDonna Silcox says that the pandemic changed the way the company hires and onboards employees. Prior to the pandemic, when Hagan Ace would hire a new employee, that employee’s first day took place on one of the biweekly New Employee Orientation (NEO) meeting days.

“In the past few months, we found that we were losing workers before they even started. We would hire someone but they would change their mind or decide to go another route between the time we hired them and their first day of NEO. So, we changed our policies,” Silcox says. “Managers now have an employee start on any day and come to the next available NEO day for that training after they start.

An employee doesn’t necessarily have to start on an NEO day.”

For Factory Paint & Decorating, which has locations in Pembroke and Plymouth, Massachusetts, being flexible means responding immediately to any job applicants rather than waiting.

“We’ve been lucky to have retained most of our employees, but with the few hires we have made this year, our new strategy has been to respond instantly to the application rather than take a few days to review,” says marketing director Kristen van Dyk.

“When the candidate seems like a good fit, we request an interview via text and email to cover both avenues of communication.”

The company also posts open job positions more often, and has tried posting in different places online.

“We typically advertise our open positions on Indeed, Facebook and our company website, but I have also added our job openings to LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter,” van Dyk says.

TAKE A DIP OUTSIDE YOUR JOB POOL

Look to hire from groups you may not have considered before.

Another way companies are filling open positions is by looking beyond their normal pool of job candidates. Deniece Maston, a knowledge adviser with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), says she has heard from numerous SHRM members who are getting creative and tapping into resources they may not have used before.

“These members are looking at job candidates with criminal backgrounds and from tech schools and tapping into groups they may not have even looked at before,” she says. “A big push in some industries has been looking at mature candidates and retirees, while I’ve heard from others who are posting on job boards they have never considered before and partnering with organizations in their communities that help people find work.”

Maston says the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discourages employers from having blanket policies

that deny employment to any person with a criminal history. Rather, the EEOC advises employers to conduct individualized assessments to determine a candidate's employment suitability.

“I hear from members that generally employees with criminal records are no more likely to be fired for misconduct than people without records,” she says. “Also, they are statistically less likely to resign, which saves employers in turnover costs.”

SHRM also notes that all 50 states offer insurance bonds to employers who hire risky populations through the Federal Bonding Program under the Department of Labor. Employers may also be eligible for tax credits or other incentives from their state.

Factory Paint & Decorating also expanded its candidate pool by widening the mile search radius on the job sites where van Dyk posts open positions. Widening the search net allows the company to reach more people within the stores’ different zip codes.

HOST REGULAR INTERVIEWS

Be on the lookout for potential employees who would fit well on your company’s team.

Whether the store has job openings or not, once a month, the management team at HomCo Lumber & Hardware in Flagstaff, Arizona, gathers in the store’s conference room for a group interview, says chief operating officer Todd Callan.

“People don’t believe us when we say we don’t have a labor problem. Businesses say there are no good people out there to hire, but they are there, they just may not be available when you need them,” Callan says. “That’s the philosophy behind having these monthly interviews—we hire good people when they are available and find spots for them in our company.”

Callan hosts the monthly interviews, and the store manager Christy Engle and chief financial officer Dan Groth help facilitate. Other members of the HomCo staff also participate in the group interviews; for example, if there is a job candidate who would be a good fit for the lumberyard, Callan will bring a lumberyard employee to be a part of that group interview.

“We like to bring in a mix of staff because they are the ones the job candidates will actually be working with,” he says.

Having one set time each month for interviews saves time and energy. Callan says they normally can finish the group interviews for five people in an hour, which saves hours over meeting with each of those candidates individually.

“The process works. It’s fun and has really helped us bring on some great employees,” Callan says.

4

PROMOTE FROM WITHIN

Show your employees you want them to succeed by giving them the guidance and resources to move up the ranks.

When looking to fill management or other associate roles, recognize the excellent employees you already have on staff and focus on promoting from within your company.

Silcox says that the management team at Hagan Ace Hardware strives to promote from within whenever they can to reward those employees who want to move up. The company tasks store managers with meeting with their employees regularly to learn their goals and how they see themselves advancing in the company.

Joan Saunders, store manager at the Hagan Ace Green Cove Springs location, has been with the company for 47 years. She meets with her employees once a quarter to review their job performance and talk about each employee’s goals with the company and how she and the other management team members can help them achieve those goals.

If Saunders hears from employees who want to advance to other job positions or sees potential in an employee to move up in the company,

she has those employees shadow herself or other management team members.

“When I make decisions, I’ll include those employees in the process, showing them different ways I would handle issues,” Saunders says. “Having them shadow and learn from me and other managers is especially helpful when things happen on the floor because they can see work in action and the steps we take to get everyone on the same page and working together.”

Saunders also sets an example for her employees on the skills, attitude and dedication it takes to be promoted and be successful in the company.

“I’m on the floor about half the time I’m here because I want them to see me out there working with them, and see that being a manager includes helping out wherever you’re needed,” she says. “I also have an open-door policy, that if there’s an issue at work, or even at home, I want to be there for my employees. I’ve found through the years that the more you’re involved in your employees’ lives the better employees they’re going to be.”

Hiring Questions

We asked NHPA staff and retailers to share their favorite interview questions they ask that get interviewees to think on their feet and provide a peek into their personalities. Consider adding one or more of these to your list of go-to questions during your next interview.

What’s the best movie you've seen recently?

Do you like working with a team or independently?

A penguin walks through that door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?

How many marbles do you think are in this jar?

Give me an example of the last time you disagreed with your boss and how you handled it.

Tell me your favorite joke.

What color would you be and why?

If a truck was stuck under an overpass, how would you get it out?

Tell me something unique about you that will help me remember you. 1 4 8 2 6 3 7 5 9

Employee Appeal

Learn best practices for crafting an effective job posting to attract quality workers at PDRmag.com/effective-job-listings.

EMPHASIZE COMPANY CULTURE

Hire employees who fit well into your company’s culture and team dynamics and train them for the role you need.

Rather than hiring for a specific job opening, companies should consider hiring for its culture, looking for workers who fit in well with the team and who can be trained to do well in a certain role. Your company’s culture can also be a major selling point in attracting quality employees. The PricewaterhouseCoopers 2019 Future of Recruiting Survey found that the top influences for accepting a job offer were overall compensation at 38 percent, company location at 34 percent and company values and culture at 29 percent.

Saunders says it’s the family atmosphere at Hagan Ace Hardware that draws employees in and motivates them to stay. Employees also appreciate

76 percent of job seekers and employees report that a diverse workforce is a top factor when evaluating companies and job offers.

Source: Glassdoor, Diversity and Inclusion Workplace Survey

the company’s culture of giving back to the community and local organizations.

Hagan Ace Hardware donates money, products and time to local charities, and in 2021, it donated over $110,000 to local causes and organizations.

“Several times a year, we’ll host a weeklong event where customers can round up their purchases and all the money raised goes to a local food pantry or other charitable organizations,” Saunders says. “Usually the Hagan family will match whatever we collect at the store level, making our contributions go even farther. They set an excellent example for what it truly means to be part of a community and a giving culture.”

At HomCo Lumber & Hardware, an employee must be a good fit for the company’s culture above all else. Callan says the company competes with large employers in the area, so it needs to set itself apart with a culture that welcomes and allows for growth. The company’s careers page on its website shares its vision and mission, and those facets of the company’s mission and focus are even painted on the walls in the group interview room for potential employees to see.

“Most people don’t realize that working in hardware can be a career and not just a job,” Callan says. “Our culture focuses on helping our employees grow while serving our customers.”

Must-Ask Questions

Discover the 10 questions you should ask any potential employee at PDRmag.com/10-interview-questions.

6

UTILIZE SOCIAL MEDIA

Embrace

digital tools, such as virtual interviews and social media, to find and hire candidates.

Jobvite, an applicant tracking software and recruiting platform, surveyed 1,500 working adults in the U.S. at the start of 2021. The 2021 Job Seeker Nation Report found that 44 percent used social media sites to search for jobs.

Along the same vein, some companies, like Bennett’s Paint in North Logan, Utah, have turned to social media as part of their hiring strategies. Co-owner Ben Jenkins says the store posted a job opening on Facebook for the first time in 2017 and has used the medium several times since then for job openings.

“We use social media as part of a larger hiring strategy, which includes posting on our website, our marquee sign, online job search websites, local job services and putting signs up in the store,” he says. “Logan has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, and every store you walk into has a ‘Now Hiring’ sign, so social media has been one more way to reach potential candidates.”

Maston from SHRM predicts that technology and the digital world will continue to trend into

the future. She has heard from SHRM members who are specifically looking for resources about virtual resumes and interviewing.

“Even before the pandemic, employers had been relying on and turning to interviews via virtual outlets,” Maston says. “Looking toward the future, I would not be surprised to see more employers and employees embracing technology during the hiring process. Instead of sending a cover letter, a job applicant might send a link to a TikTok video explaining why they want that job and why they would be a good candidate.”

STRATEGY

Are You Ready to

Buy or Sell?

8 TIPS TO PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

BY JULIE LEINWAND

You may have put selling your business or buying additional stores on hold during the peak of the pandemic. But now, following nearly two years of historic sales throughout the industry, you are finally ready to take that next step.

Whether you’re preparing to step down from your operation and sell or you’re looking to expand your business to additional locations, there are preparations to be made before you can move forward.

For professional insights into best practices for selling and buying a business, Paint & Decorating Retailer consulted Sam Brownell, managing director of Stratus Wealth Advisors LLC, which provides essential data and advice to help independent retailers make the best decisions for their company and family through valuation, succession planning, asset management and financial planning services.

On the following pages, get tips from Brownell about the steps you should take—either as a buyer or seller—to prepare yourself and your business.

Listen to Episode 48 of the “Taking Care of Business” podcast featuring NHPA CFO and executive vice president of business services Dave Gowan to learn more about the NHPA Retail Marketplace at YourNHPA.org/tcb-pod.

Ready, Set, List

If you want to take advantage of the flourishing acquisition market, the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) has a platform to meet those needs.

The NHPA Retail Marketplace has expanded its capabilities to include listings for potential buyers and job postings.

“Expanding the NHPA Retail Marketplace is a natural evolution for the platform,” says NHPA CFO and executive vice president of business services David Gowan. “Retailers who are looking to exit their business but want to pass it to another capable operator can use this service to vet the next generation of ownership, and retailers looking for their next investment opportunity can find an operation that fits their growth strategy.”

Additionally, NHPA understands the challenging labor market, so the job posting segment on the NHPA Retail Marketplace will offer another solution for retailers who are looking to fill their open positions with high-quality, experienced workers.

Start the new year off right and invest in your future with a limited-time offer List your business for sale, post a buyer listing or post your open positions on the NHPA Retail Marketplace by March 31 and receive 25 percent off the listing price.

For more information, visit YourNHPA.org/marketplace or send an email to marketplace@YourNHPA.org.

Sellers

Start with a valuation.

“Most business owners think their businesses are worth more than what a third party will tell them, and this can be an important reality check,” Brownell says. “Emotionally, you feel your business is worth quite a bit, but a buyer is not going to have that same emotional connection, so they are going to look at it much more objectively. Starting with a valuation helps ensure we’re asking the right questions.”

Maximize the value of your business with:

Audited financials

“The first thing a buyer is going to ask for is historic financials. Audits show the buyer that you care about getting your business in the right place,” Brownell says. “Look at what expenses you can improve and make sure your financial statements are really clean.”

A capable, self-directed team

“So many owners, especially in this industry, are the business,” Brownell says. “To make their business more attractive to buyers and to make it more valuable, they need to start diversifying away from their leadership, develop their teams and build a company that can function without the owner.”

A diversified customer base

“If you’re a lumberyard or home center in a rural area, and maybe your top three contractor customers make up 30 percent of your revenue,” Brownell says.

“You need to have a good explanation for why they will continue to do business with you or find opportunities to diversify that revenue stream.”

Work with an expert to look at cash flow analysis, tax litigation, estate planning and busines legal documents, such as a professional will.

“The thing about any legal documents is they don’t seem really important until they are—then they are key to have in place,” Brownell says.

Understand the emotional component of selling a business.

“For most people, the biggest hurdle is the emotions that get wrapped up in running a business. In my experience, these folks care deeply about their business, their employees and their communities,” Brownell says. “So in these initial conversions, it can be difficult for the owner to really consider what it might be like to not be an owner. It’s important that, as a seller who is approaching potential retirement, to talk with their family about what their business means to them, how they want to interact with the business as they go forward and their ultimate vision for the business. These retailers want to leave a good legacy and the culture they built to last. So recognizing that emotional piece is a really important step any seller can take.”

Buyers

Establish a vision for your business.

“Your vision for the business is key because that will help reduce the universe of potential businesses you could buy. There are thousands of stores that could potentially be for sale in the next ten years. Your job as the buyer is to ask what your vision is for ownership so you can narrow down those thousands of options,” Brownell says. “Questions such as, ‘Where is my ideal market?’ ‘How many stores do I want to own?’ ‘What is my ultimate ownership vision, and what type of retailer do I want to be?’ should all be at the top of the list.”

Ask questions.

“After you engage the seller and sign a nondisclosure agreement, you will assess financial statements to determine your own independent valuation of the business,” Brownell says. “You are going to want to ask lots of questions. For example, if you see that financial statements haven’t been audited, you need to talk to the accountant. Is the owner still really involved in the day-to-day operations? In that case, it’s not a deal breaker, but that will change the terms of any buyout. Maybe you will want them to stick around for a couple of years to help with the transition, and that becomes part of the negotiation process. Ask lots of questions so you can understand the seller’s business and uncover any red flags.”

Consider how you will structure the buyout.

“Is this over a period of time, are you going to finance it through cashflow from the business or are you going to have to take out a loan? You need to think through the structure of the sale,” Brownell says. “Will you buy the business, roll over the entity and continue operating under the same name? Or will you rebrand? Underlying each of these questions are potential tax consequences that need consideration. The buyer also needs to make sure their legal documents are tied up and they have a good corporate attorney.”

Consider the seller’s perspective.

“There are a lot of moving parts, but essentially, the buyer and seller should try to think like the other side so they can be prepared for any potential pushback during negotiations,” Brownell says. “Buyers also need to understand that there is an emotional component to this process and that they need to be very understanding and empathetic. That emotional component is really important, because it’s not usually something that will break a deal, but it is something that can sometimes be very difficult to manage, especially during the first couple of months or the first year of an ownership transition process.”

OPERATIONS

Keeps Playing for

HOW TO BUILD CUSTOMER LOYALTY THROUGH COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

By Carly Froderman

Customer loyalty is the backbone of independent retailers, and there are multiple ways to build a loyal following for your company.

An exceptional way to receive a steady stream of customer support is by building ties to the community and there are many different ways to accomplish this.

Some retailers work hard to create uncommon store features and decorations meant to catch the eye of customers and get them through the front door of the business. Other stores hold unique events that interest their community or identify popular local charities to support.

Social media is a particularly innovative way to build relationships with customers, and various methods exist for retailers to differentiate their companies, reach new customers and keep existing ones.

There are endless ways to build customer loyalty through the individualization of your store.Read on to see how some retailers dazzle their customers and connect with their communities.

Share Your Stories

Share how you add character to your store or collaborate with your community by sending your stories to editorial@YourNHPA.org

STICKING OUT

Roblynn Home Hardware & Home Furniture has a decorative wooden pole in the middle of the salesfloor. Read the full story on Page 36.

Wreaths of Honor

Formed in 2007, Wreaths Across America remembers fallen U.S. veterans, honors current service members and teaches the value of freedom. Every December, participants lay donated wreaths on the headstones of veterans and several hardware retailers have made the program part of their community outreach.

In 2021 Brownsboro Hardware & Paint, which has two locations in Louisville, Kentucky, started sponsoring Wreaths Across America after the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution approached the new owner Doug Carroll.

“Since we have the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery less than a half-mile from one of our locations, we jumped at the chance to help,” Carroll says. “We have always been involved in local civic and charitable causes, and this is one of the most noble in which we have been involved.”

For every wreath a customer purchases, the store donated a wreath for the first 100 wreath sales.

“We had people walk into the store and sponsor 5, 10, 20 and even 100 wreaths and hundreds more went to our website to sponsor wreaths,” Carroll says. “It was really heartwarming to hear our customers’ stories of friends or family members who are at rest there.”

Revving Up at the Store

Harrison Paint Co. in Bossier City, Louisiana, hosts a car show in its parking lot that attracts big crowds.

Owners Chris and Bridget Hamm say the original idea was to organize a car show in 2015 to draw attention to the store’s grand opening. The business is located in a shopping center along a major street, so their hope was that future customers would notice the parking lot full of cool cars and stop by.

Bridget chose a nonprofit organization to support with proceeds from the car show and invited car fans to display their vehicles in front of the shopping center. She was expecting maybe 20 participants, but instead car buffs showcased more than 80 vehicles.

The car show is now a popular annual event, and other business owners in the shopping center participate and promote their services.

“It increases visibility. People come to the show and then come back to shop,” Bridget says.

Belly Up to the Paint Pub

When the owners of Norfolk Hardware & Home Center in Boston, Massachusetts, renovated the store about three years ago, they added a whimsical touch to the paint department. The Paint Pub, a re-creation of a traditional pub with dark wood and barstools, pays homage to the area’s Irish heritage and offers a spot for customers to have a seat on the barstools while they order paint and consult with the paint team.

“Our company has been around since 1934, and in the old days, we used to have a paint counter with chairs where painters could wait for their paint to be mixed. We took that concept and used it when creating our Paint Pub,” says marketing manager Julie Blake. “Our customers love being able to have a seat and chat while they wait.”

M A R K E T I N G

Social Help

Orme Hardware in Ohio is making the most of its social media by using all of the resources at its disposal. It has worked hard to think outside-the-box and promote more than just its seven stores’ products and services.

One way it is doing so is by familiarizing its customers with its staff. Employees write brief video scripts to guide their content, then record themselves doing DIY projects. The goal is to introduce customers to the experts who can help them at their local stores, and the videos are doing just that. After two employees created a video demonstrating how to apply wood stain to a deck, customers came to the store specifically asking for their help because they saw the staffers in the video.

The business also uses its social platforms to support the community. Every month, employees from Orme Hardware choose different brick-and-mortar businesses in their communities to promote on social media. Staffers identify other independently owned businesses, research which operators are the best in town and contact the owners to ask if they can post about them on Orme Hardware’s Facebook pages.

The cross-promotion boosts traffic on Orme Hardware’s social media pages and the other businesses’ sites. It also strengthens relationships among local owners, who appreciate the shoutouts, marketing director Rob Bond says.

Recreating Store History

In 2021, the staff at Burney True Value Hardware in Aberdeen, North Carolina, reimagined the first six decades of the store’s history through elaborately staged photographs.

The team celebrated the store’s 100th anniversary throughout the year, and one of the most creative ways was through using costumes, antique tools, old signage and other props to depict each decade for a photographer to document.

“We had already staged a photo of our crew in 1921 garb to celebrate our 90th birthday in 2011,” co-owner Kristy Ransdell says. “We wanted to recreate the ‘30s through the ‘70s to help imagine some of what life was like during those times.”

Employees tried to be as accurate as possible with costumes and used knowledge of Burney’s history as reference when staging scenes in the store representing each decade.

For example, during World War II, Burney Hardware served as a collecting station for scrap metal so citizens could help with the war effort. The current employees tried to recreate a scene in the store that reflected the time period, scrap metal collecting and all.

Staff members posted the historic-looking photos on Facebook throughout the month of September for customers to enjoy leading up to the store’s anniversary party and sale that took place in October.

Roblynn Home Hardware & Home Furniture in Oromocto, New Brunswick, has a two-story building with an open layout that allows shoppers to see to the top of the 40-foot ceiling from nearly anywhere in the store.

In the middle of the salesfloor, reaching from the first floor nearly to the ceiling, is a wooden pole carved with 34 native New Brunswick animals and painted in vivid colors.

Robin Hanson, who founded the store in 1977, carved and painted the 2-ton chunk of white pine and had it installed by crane prior to building the store’s roof.

The unusual floor plan and wildlife pole amaze shoppers and provide a unique in-store experience, says company president Tanya Hanson Rocca.

“We have people who stop and say, ‘Whoa,’” Rocca says.

All-Industry Conference

INVESTING IN PEOPLE, PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY

April 5-7 | Las Vegas

To navigate today’s market, retailers need to be agile and strategic. Join us and hear from industry leaders, subject matter experts and successful retailers who will deliver insights into the current and future state of the id tyL t Y rNHPA.org/conference.

industry. Learn more at YourNHPA.org/conference

SPEAKER ANNOUNCED

Grant Farnsworth

President, The Farnsworth Group

In this presentation, learn how independent home improvement retailers are faring in today’s market and their challenges and opportunities for growth.

RETAILER PROFILE

FRESH START

NEW OWNER BRINGS NEW LIFE TO SPECIALTY STORE

By Kate Klein

OPERATIONS

Exciting Exteriors

See how two paint retailers refreshed their exterior spaces to attract more customers at PDRmag.com/store-exteriors

Sequoia Paint has established itself as a niche paint manufacturer, but the company is now growing with a renewed focus on retail store customers.

The paint manufacturing and retail business has a well-established agricultural customer base in southern California. It also has opportunities to expand the number of DIY and contractor customers it serves.

New owner Galen Harris spent the past year busily repairing, remodeling and remerchandising Sequoia Paint’s retail store. He hired a group of new employees and brought in a national brand of paints and stains for consumer and professional uses. He also set and met big sales goals.

And he’s just getting started.

Where It Began

Sequoia Paint serves a unique purpose for citrus growers in Kern County, California: maker of protective paint for fruit trees.

When Harris bought the business, the company was heavily focused on selling large quantities of paint to its agricultural customers, but the rest of the business was in decline.

Harris had been a regular contractor customer at Sequoia Paint for about two decades and he knew owner-operator Jim Elder was aging. Elder was a paint chemist who worked for large paint companies prior to opening Sequoia Paint in Bakersfield, California, in 1962. He developed the company’s niche line of architectural paint himself and had worked daily at the business for nearly 60 years.

“Sequoia hadn’t really kept up with the times,” Harris says. “The business was in trouble when we bought it. Jim was just getting tired, and I don’t think there was anybody here who had the vision to see the store grow beyond what it was.”

Harris realized Elder didn’t have the energy to adapt and serve a changing mix of DIY and commercial customers, so the business had potential to grow under new leadership.

Learning the Industry

Harris is a paint contractor who was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He began painting for a living in 1987, the year he graduated from high school.

“I didn’t really have a plan other than I knew I wanted to work, and I was really good with my hands,” Harris says.

The contractor who initially hired Harris was a longtime customer of Sequoia Paint, so Harris got to know the store. Harris continued buying from Sequoia Paint when he launched his own paint contracting business, enjoying chats with Elder when he visited the store.

“I didn’t really have a plan other than I knew I wanted to work, and I was really good with my hands.”

—Galen Harris, Sequoia Paint

In 2020, Elder was 93 years old and had been overseeing day-to-day operations for 58 years. He took Harris out to lunch and joked, “Son, why don’t I give you this business and make you a millionaire?”

The seemingly offhand comment from Elder told Harris the retailer did not have a succession plan and Sequoia Paint was for sale.

The next time Elder saw Harris, the store owner bought him lunch again and renewed the conversation, but this time more seriously.

“Jim held the business very close to the vest. He didn’t want it to go to just anybody,” Harris says. “He wanted to ensure his long-term customers were taken care of.”

A NEW DIRECTION

Sequoia Paint is a niche paint manufacturer, but the company is now growing with a renewed focus on retail store customers.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy that he built and continue to service the community with a very good product.”

—Galen Harris, Sequoia

Paint

Harris realized he was interested in buying the business.

“It turned out to be a good fit for me because I had been in the industry for so long,” he says. “I have physically worked very hard all my life. I just felt like this was a business I could grow that wasn’t as demanding physically. It’s a business that could sustain me in my later years.”

Elder and Harris finished the sale in January 2021, about 10 months before Elder died of cancer at age 94.

“I think he kind of knew his time was getting short, but he was very lively and full of energy right up until we

were trying to close the deal. He sold the business just in time,” Harris says. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy that he built and continue to service the community with a very good product.”

Goal Setting and Growing

Harris began working at the business a few months before he bought it and got to know the operation prior to making changes.

“I spent that time really trying to figure out what happened to the glory days of Sequoia,” Harris says.

He spotted some obvious problems quickly, since the company’s two buildings had not been maintained well.

“Jim was from the Great Depression era and maintenance wasn’t in his vocabulary,” Harris says.

He could also see from the store’s financial records that sales weren’t growing, and the company’s contractor customers had dwindled significantly in recent years.

In addition, the employee culture was unhealthy, so Harris decided to hire an almost entirely new staff. He retained one highly conscientious employee and hired five new people.

“We started over with people who are like-minded and want to share the vision of building a brand and have a company where people can have a career and not just a job,” Harris says. “It’s working very well for us.”

Bruce Barta, who worked for Elder for about 40 years, stayed on with Harris and continues skillfully managing the paint manufacturing part of the business. Sequoia Paint’s specialty paint is acrylic, nontoxic and biodegradable— useful for a variety of agricultural applications.

The company makes and sells the specialty paint from its 7,500-square-foot manufacturing plant, which is located across the street from the paint store. Large-scale fruit and vegetable growers in southern California buy thousands of gallons of the paint to spray on the tops of citrus fruit trees, such as oranges and tangerines. The farmers also use the paint to coat tree trunks to protect the citrus trees against sunburn and insects. In addition, farmers and local schools also use Sequoia-made paint for line marking or striping athletic fields.

Building on the foundation of Sequoia’s solid niche paint business, Harris encouraged growth by improving

TEAM EFFORT

the 3,000-square-foot retail store, adding a large national paint brand and focusing on serving DIY and contractor customers. Sales increased by $400,000 from 2020 to 2021.

The company’s growth has come despite COVID-19 pandemic-related supply shortages. Being independent has allowed Harris and his team to find vendor alternatives to keep shelves stocked.

“Bruce has been instrumental in forecasting and staying ahead of raw materials shortages as we’re making our batches,” Harris says.

Their goal is to double overall sales in 2022, which Harris believes is possible due to his team’s approach to service. They are willing to do time-intensive tasks, such as tinting lacquers to finish wooden cabinetry, that competitors don’t have the capacity or experienced enough staff to do.

Sequoia Paint has increased sales of one brand of lacquer by 85 percent thanks to the company’s ability to work flexibly with vendors to stay stocked and the employees’ skill at tinting.

Continuing to manufacture large volumes of Sequoia’s specialty paint for agricultural and industrial uses and also expanding to better serve consumers and professionals have allowed the company to retain its niche while growing.

“We wanted to get back to the core of what makes a paint store a paint store,” Harris says. “We want to be a store for everybody and be there for the contractor and the homeowner.”

LEAVING A LEGACY

Owner Galen Harris believes that growing Sequoia Paint is honoring the legacy of founder Jim Elder, who worked daily in the store until he sold the business at age 93.

UPKEEP OUTDOOR

3 TIPS FOR SELLING EXTERIOR WOOD CARE PROJECTS

BY LINDSEY THOMPSON

Decks and other outdoor wood structures experience a lot of wear and tear, whether it’s from kids, pets or weather. And yet, many homeowners neglect even basic maintenance. The North American Decking and Railing Association estimates that over half of the 60 million decks in the U.S. are in need of repair or replacement. As your customers get ready for their spring cleaning, share these tips for completing exterior wood projects to remind them of these important maintenance tasks, establish yourself as a project expert and boost your transaction sizes.

CATEGORY Stain Superstars

Discover the latest trends in stain colors and styles to share with your customers at PDRmag.com/stain-trends

All the Accessories

Customers need more than just stain or sealer to accomplish their exterior wood maintenance tasks. Here’s a list of the supplies customers need to complete the job. Merchandise these items together and educate customers on why they need each to boost transaction sizes and sell the whole project.

Stain Time

Educate customers on how often they need to seal or stain different exterior wood structures. These timelines are a general rule of thumb; the exact times vary depending on frequency of use and climate.

DECKS

Stained every two to three years

Sealed once a year

APPLICATION & PREPARATION

SMALL SURFACES

Stain Brushes

Pad Applicators

Stain Mitts

LARGER SURFACES

Roller

Roller Cover

Sprayers

DETAILED CLEANUP

Paint Scrapers

Sandpaper

Wire Brushes

QUICK CLEANUP

Hose

Power Washer

Painter’s Tape

Sources: Deck Master, How Often Should I Seal My Deck?; My Handyman, How Often Should a Wooden Fence be Cleaned and Stained?; Backyardville, Keep Your Playset Looking Like New

FENCING

Stained once a year

Sealed every two to five years

PLAYSETS

Stained every one to two years

Sealed every one to two years

TOOLS & GUIDES

Let Us Do It for You

Welcome to a new resource for your operation, Project Point. This one-stop department offers project ideas you can share on your social platforms.

Fans Fun

Create Custom Ceiling Fan Blades

This project turns plain ceiling fan blades into personalized works of art with just a few supplies you already sell in your operation. Merchandise these supplies together to make it easy for customers to find what they need to create their own personalized fan blades.

CATEGORY

Proper Prep

Give your employees the selling skills they need to sell painter’s tape and other prep products at PDRMag.com/prep-products

What’s in Your Project Point Package

Visit YourNHPA.org/project-point to download P

your Project Point Package for this DIY today.

DIY Instructional Guide

This downloadable and printable PDF makes it easy to share this project with your customers. The guide includes step-by-step instructions, a supply list, necessary tools and color photos of each step. There is also a editable version to include your company’s logo and information. 01

Merchandise Planogram

The merchandise planogram lists all of the supplies and tools a customer would need to complete the project. It offers suggestions on how to display and merchandise the supplies and tools so you can easily promote and sell the project to your customers.

Social Media Posting Guide

The social media posting guide provides everything you need to share this project on your own social media channels. The guide includes suggested copy for Facebook and Instagram, project photos and customizable posts to fit your company’s branding and needs.

OPERATIONS

Paint Solutions

Discover how Paint Care helps homeowners and businesses recycle old and unused paint safely at PDRmag.com/paint-care

What to Stock? Everything A Place for

THE PRODUCTS CUSTOMERS NEED TO STAY ORGANIZED

Homeowners are looking for solutions to keep their homes organized and decluttered, leading to an increased demand for home organization products. By 2023, consumer spending on home organization products is expected to reach $12.7 billion, according to the U.S. Home Organization Products Market study.

Aid your customer’s organizational efforts by stocking these products and merchandising them to show how the items can be used to contain clutter and create orderly spaces. Along with getting organized, your customers can spruce up their spaces with the latest trending colors and styles in paint and wallcoverings.

Specialty Cabinet Storage

Pot and lid holders Spice racks Pull-out drawer organizers

Paint Storage Solutions

Silicone paint can lids Paintbrush covers Hooks to store brushes

Sources: Evernote, New Survey Reveals How Americans Are Approaching 2021 New Year’s Resolutions; The Freedonia Group, U.S. Home Organization Products Market 2021-2030

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NHPA offers three online courses to help managers learn effective leadership, communication, problem-solving and financial management skills.

Your Leadership Style

In this introductory course, managers will learn about their unique leadership style and strengths that will provide a framework for their ongoing leadership growth and career development needs.

Leading Your Team

This course teaches managers the critical components of building and leading a team, including communication skills, conflict management, talent development and ongoing performance management.

Financial Management

This course focuses on the key financial management skills that developing leaders need to manage the financial side of the business, including the basics of expense control, budgeting and benchmarking. Join one of our interactive group sessions or start a self-paced option today. Enroll at YourNHPA.org/fol.

OPERATIONS

Attention Job Seekers

Getting a job applicant’s attention is the first step in the hiring process. For examples of engaging employee hiring pages from fellow retailers, visit PDRmag.com/hiring-pages

Attracting Potential Employees Online

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Finding help can be difficult even in a good job market, so when jobs are tight, adding a hiring page to your website is an effective way to attract quality job applicants. To get you started, we’ve created a checklist of seven must-have details a hiring page should include. Share this information with your web developer to get your hiring page launched and those open jobs filled.

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Company Culture

Share what makes your company a great place to be employed.

Employee Testimonials

Include quotes from staff explaining why they love their jobs.

Online Application

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Make it easy for potential employees to apply for openings.

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Employee Benefits

Let applicants know what they can expect from the company.

List of Open Positions

Clearly show what roles are currently open in your company.

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Job Descriptions

Craft informational and robust job postings that appeal to applicants.

HR Contact Information

Provide a convenient way for applicants to ask questions.