progress - family owned business

FamilyOwned

Business

A special section of the REGISTER-PAJARONIAN

Progress

Page B2 — REGISTER-PAJARONIAN, Tuesday, September 22, 2015

ProgressFamilyOwned

Business

Erik Chalhoub/Register-Pajaronian

Pictured, from left to right: Rocky Franich, Leyton Felix, Rick Hernandez and Gene Carreiro.

By ERIK CHALHOUBOF THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN

WATSONVILLE — At Marty Franich’s Ford and Chrysler deal-erships, most of the cars parked on the lot have “EZ4U” printed on their license plate holders.

It’s a sentiment owner Rocky Franich said his dealerships aim to live up to: Making it easy for the customers.

“Buying a car is an exciting event for people,” he said. “Auto-mobiles are an essential tool for most people, and we really try to address any needs and concerns.”

Franich said the dealerships differentiate themselves with a personal touch. For instance, Franich, whose office is located next to the showroom at the Ford dealership, said he likes to meet and greet customers as they are looking around.

“We’ve always had a hands-on approach with our customers and our employees,” he said. “Our style has always been to be acces-sible to our employees, accessible to our customers, and so forth.”

A major fleet dealer, which sells to local and national rental car companies, Franich said the busi-

ness sells cars in all 50 states. But he is quick to point out that none of this would be possible without the dedication of the employees.

“I attribute the success of that to our employees,” Franich said. “What makes the business tick, it’s the employees.”

A staff of about 90 across both dealerships, Franich said many have been working for the business for more than 20 years, some over 30.

The business’ beginnings trace back to the late 1930s, when the Franich Inside Garage set up shop on Main Street and would service cars and store them for those staying at the

Resetar Hotel.Always fascinated by cars,

Marty Franich, Rocky Franich’s father, and three others bought the Desoto Plymouth dealership in Watsonville.

After serving in World War II, Franich became a Lincoln/Mer-cury dealer in 1948. In 1963, the business became a Ford dealer, and in 1982, a Chrysler dealer.

Marty Franich Ford Lincoln is located on 550 Auto Center Drive in Watsonville. Marty Franich Chrysler Jeep Dodge is located at 555 Auto Center Drive. For in-formation, visit www.franichford.com or www.martyfranichchrys-lerdodgejeep.com.

For the love of carsFranich dealerships aim to make car-buying experience easy

Contributed

Marty Franich is shown in an undated photo.

Photo by Lynsey Leon

Wesley House’s sun room.

All family hereWesley House provides compassion for elderly


LA SELVA BEACH — It takes a special person to have the patience and compassion to care for the elderly. Finding those people is a rare prospect. But Wesley House has managed to do just that. "The employees have a gift with the elderly," said Janet Leon, whose family has run Wes-ley House for four generations. Daughter Lynsey Leon agreed, saying the residents consider everyone to be family. "We're very fortunate that all of our caregivers are phenom-enal," she said. Wesley House is a residential care facility that provides one-on-one care in two locations in La Selva Beach and Watsonville. The assisted living facility offers a home-y feel, where residents can decorate their own rooms to their liking, and provides services such as meal prepara-tion, laundry and housekeeping.

Wesley House also takes care of the residents' personal needs and assists with daily activities. The La Selva Beach location stretches across two homes, connected by a "sun room," and a spacious back yard. Wesley House encourages its residents to interact with each other, offering such social ac-tivities as live music, craftmak-ing and many parties, because "why not?" Janet Leon said. It even has its own licensed salon, a popular area with the residents, Lynsey Leon said. It's all part of the family vibe of the home, and Lynsey Leon said the staff considers every-one as a grandparent, who all have stories to tell. Wesley House has its roots dating back to the 1950s, when Lynsey Leon's great-grandmoth-er Bertie Rackley opened a four-bed facility. Leon's grandmother Lucille Hance Cann opened Wesley House in 1962, and the facil-

ity has remained family-owned since. Lynsey Leon said she didn't originally intend to be a part of the business, working for a num-ber of years booking concerts in Monterey. "Growing up, I said I would never do this," she said. "I saw what hard work it is. But, I always loved talking with them and being with them." Earning a biology degree in college, and being a med tech, Leon said she decided to work toward an administrative license, a process she found "fascinating." Once complete, she became full-time at Wesley House. "It is nice to be part of a fam-ily business," she said.

••• Wesley House is located on 121 La Selva Drive and 123 La Selva Drive in La Selva Beach, and 922 Brewington Ave. in Watsonville. For information, call 685-0646 or 761-2220.

REGISTER-PAJARONIAN, Tuesday, September 22, 2015 — Page B3

317 W. BEACH STREET, WATSONVILLE, CA 95076831-786-6912

COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIR • CUSTOM BODY WORKPAINT • PINSTRIPING • KANDIES • GRAPHICS • PEARLS

WE WORK WITH ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES“The Best Deal in Town Guaranteed”

Tarmo Hannula/Register-Pajaronian

Jaime Rodriguez talks about running his business, JBS Collision Repair, Monday at his West Beach shop.


Joe Rodriguez Jr. pulls apart the front end of a pickup that was heavily damaged in a collision.


Alex Ocampo paints several car body parts inside a spray booth.

By TODD GUILDOF THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN

WATSONVILLE — Before he died in 2000, Joe Rodriguez told his sons he wanted them to take over his auto body shop. And so it was that a 20-year-old Jaime Rodriguez went to the City of Watsonville to transfer the title for Joe’s Auto Body to his own name. But a perplexed clerk told him, to his surprise, that his father had already transferred it. The business was already his. “He must have really wanted me to have it,” said Jaime Rodri-guez, who now runs JBS Auto Body out of its new location at 317 East Beach St. His brother Joe Jr. works full-time in the body shop, while several other relatives help oc-casionally. Rodriguez’s career in the auto body business began when he was still in elementary school, when he would go after school to his father’s shop. After he finished his home-work, his father never allowed him to merely sit around. “He said, ‘grab a piece of sandpaper and get to work,’” Rodriguez said. That was his introduction to the auto body business, and as he got older he learned the other aspects of the profession.

Soon, he was ready to learn one of the more difficult parts of auto restoration, even if he was reluctant at first. “I was 17 when I painted my first car,” he said. That started when his father told him to grab a sprayer and get to work, a request he initially balked at. After some cajoling, his first attempt predictably left streaks running down the sides of the vehicle, Rodriguez said. “I said, ‘I don’t want to finish, because I keep messing up,’” he said. His father’s response? “He said, ‘you know what you’re going to do? You’re going to sand it down tomorrow and do it again,’” Rodriguez said. This time, however, it was at his father’s side that he learned the finesse it takes to paint a car by hand. That experience cemented his love for the profession, he said. “After that, I wanted to be a painter,” he said. Within a few years, Joe Ro-driguez had taught both his sons, Jaime and Joe Rodriguez, Jr., everything there was to know about the business. “He taught me and my broth-er everything he knew,” he said. After his father’s death Jaime was left bewildered by having

to take over managing the busi-ness, and he soon realized he had to move it from its original Grove Street location. After two moves to Freedom and Pajaro, and working at two other auto body shops, Rodri-guez discovered the West Beach Street site, which offers a shop, a painting area and a space for detailing work. “What I like is getting a vehicle that needs work and giving it back to the customer in perfect condi-tion,” Rodriguez said. “I want to give the best I can to my customers. That means a lot to me.”

••• JBS Auto Body is a full-service business that offers all manner of restoration work and collision repair, custom body work, paint and pin striping and offers a full detailing service. It is located at 317 West Beach St. in Watsonville. For information, or to make an ap-pointment, call 786-6912.

A body of workSons running father’s business


The Mehl family and staff are deeply appreciative of all the community support we have received for all these years.Please know that we are committed to continue serving our families in the future with the same level of service and care that we have provided for the past 86 years.

Our Family Serving Your Family Since 1929

222 East Lake AvenueWatsonville 724-6371 LIC #323

www.mehlschapel.com

John Navarro831.234.5133

[email protected]

Mia [email protected]

Jane Moresco831.254.0852

[email protected]

Kevin [email protected]

Merette [email protected]

Megan Moresco Barros

[email protected]

“The Right Agent Makes All TheDifference in the WorldTM”

Se habla Español

REALTY WORLDBay Properties

444 Airport Blvd., Suite 107, Watsonvillewww.realtyworldbayproperties.com

Broker #01907328

Contact REALTY WORLD – Bay Propertiesto discuss your needs today!


John and Mia Navarro are owners of Realty World Bay Properties.


WATSONVILLE — Buy-ing a home is not a simple process.

Most people think they know how, said John Navarro, who owns Realty World Bay Prop-erties with his wife and broker Mia Navarro, but once they get into the nuts and bolts of it, they find themselves in need of help.

That’s where Realty World comes in. Helping potential buyers through the process, the staff is able to offer guid-ance every step of the way, he said.

“We get a lot of joy in helping guide them through the whole process,” John Navarro said. “It is a journey, and sometimes it’s not an easy journey. It’s a great satisfaction to see their face when you give them the key.”

But buying the home and

signing the contract is just the beginning, said agent Jane Moresco. Moving out of an old home into a new home can be an arduous pro-cess that may be the most difficult part of the entire journey.

Moresco said Realty World of-fers “move outs,” helping people pack and unpack.

“It’s not just about buying a house and doing a contract,” she said.

Mia Navarro said she began working with her mother Moresco and John Navarro at another brokerage, but the three later decided to start their own business. In 2011, Realty World Bay Properties was born.

They chose Realty World as a franchise not only for its ser-vices and support for franchi-sees, but also because the Bay Area-based company is on the forefront of technology, Mia

Navarro said. They were one of the first to offer QR codes for their listings, which users can scan on their smartphones and receive information on the home.

Starting a family-owned bus iness fo l lows a long -standing family tradition, said Mia Navarro, the fourth generation to be born and raised in Watsonville. Both of her grandfathers and fa-ther also had their own busi-nesses, and John Navarro’s parents did as well.

“There is a lot of entrepre-neurial spirit within the family,” she said.

Realty World Bay Proper-ties, which serves clients in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, is lo-cated on 444 Airport Blvd., Suite 107 in Watsonville. For information, call 722-1020 or visit realtyworldbayproper-ties.com.

Every step of the wayRealty World Bay Properties guides home buyers

Contributed

Mehl's Funeral Home, as shown in 1929.

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE

WATSONVILLE — Anita La-porte Mehl was born on Aug. 24, 1898, in Watsonville. She was raised on a dairy farm on Beach Road, where her father delivered milk by horse and cart to the residents of Watsonville. After graduating from Notre Dame High School, she moved to San Francisco where she worked at The Emporium De-partment Store, selling gloves to the ladies of San Francisco. There she met her husband, Carl E. Mehl, who was work-ing at Halsted & Co., a funeral home there. After they married in 1917, they purchased a funeral home in Auburn where their children, June and Jim, were born. They stayed until the opportunity to “move home” came when Bur-land Bros. Funeral Home in Watsonville came up for sale. Carl and Anita Mehl purchased the business on Sept. 29, 1929, and renamed it Mehl’s Funeral Home. Since that date in 1929, the Mehl Family has been here through three generations, ready to serve all fami-lies with the utmost care and consid-eration.

Serving families with care

Contributed

Carl E. Mehl and Anita Laporte Mehl.


Ave MariaMemorial Chapel

Let the Carroll family help you during this difficult time

COMMUNITY CHOSEN

Best Funeral Home

609 Main Street, Watsonville(831) 724-4751

Family OwnedAvailable

24 hours a dayFD 438

ProgressFamilyOwned

Business

(831) 818-106942 Brennan StreetWatsonville, CA 95076email: [email protected]


Chuck and Ramona Allen.


WATSONVILLE — Being involved in the community for many years, the relationships that Chuck and Ramona Allen of Keller Williams Commercial Realty have nurtured have proved invaluable to the success of the business. Earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business manage-ment from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Chuck Allen has been specializing in the real estate needs of the Pajaro Valley since the 1960s, from everything from luxury beach homes to farmland and industrial properties. “We’re fortunate to be able to be doing what we like to do, and doing it for as long as we have liked to do it,” he said. Throughout the years, Allen has served, and continues to serve, on a number of boards of local organizations, including the Agricultural History Project, Salvation Army and Teen Chal-

lenge Monterey Bay. “What’s nice about this busi-ness is that it allows us to be very involved in the community and community organizations,” said Ramona Allen, who serves on the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Board of Directors. By being involved in local organizations, Chuck Allen said they try to give back, which Ramona Allen echoed. “We try to give back as much as we receive, or more than,” she said. While the Allens have formed relationships throughout the community by their involve-ment, it’s also because Chuck Allen is a Pajaro Valley native, having lived in Moss Landing at a very young age and working in the fields, as well as graduating from Watsonville High School. “Probably how it all func-tions the way it does is really because of Chuck, and the fact

he’s lived in the Pajaro Valley,” said Ramona Allen. Chuck Allen said he got into the industry because he was looking for a career that varied day-by-day. “I was seeking a career that has variety,” he said. “And do we have variety. You never know what the next challenge is going to be.” At some point, the Allens thought they were going to pass the business down to the next generation, but their children and grandchildren have all chosen other avenues and been involved in other successful businesses. And that’s OK. “We like what we do and are still doing it,” Ramona Allen said. “And maybe doing it for the next 10 years. We’re so community-based, and that’s the key to Chuck’s suc-cess and our success.” For information, call 818-1069 or visit chuckallen.yourkwagent.com.

Establishing relationshipsChuck and Ramona Allen’s community involvement proves invaluable


WATSONVILLE — When a family member dies, the respon-sibilities that fall on the rest of the family can be a daunting task, let alone the emotions that run heavy during this time.

But Ave Maria Memorial Cha-pel aims to make the funeral process as easy and comforting as it can be.

Owned and operated by the Carroll family, Ave Maria pro-vides a welcoming “home feel-ing” for those families struck by grief, said Patrick Carroll.

“You have to have a lot of compassion for families,” he said. “It’s a business where you make friends and you help others.”

That was even more so when the Carroll family purchased the business from Stewart En-terprises, Inc. three years ago, who were operating it as Davis Memorial Chapel.

Free from the confines of a corporation, the changes were immediately noticeable, Car-roll said. Ave Maria now serves about 300 families a year, more

than double what Davis was offering, according to Carroll.

In addition, it became more community-oriented, as would be expected from a family that has deep roots in the Pajaro Valley.

“We have families tell us, ‘you treat us like family and not like a customer,’” said Debra Carroll.

“We’ve lived here our whole life,” Patrick Carroll added.

Furthering their community-based mindset, Ave Maria raised more than $1,000 for Hospice of Santa Cruz County at the Spirit of Watsonville Fourth of July Parade by selling hot dogs and snow cones.

In addition to enlarging the chapel space, which can seat 250 people, Ave Maria trans-formed a former casket room into a reception area. This is a place where family members can unwind after an emotional service and tell stories of the person who died.

It can also serve as a place for family to pull themselves away from the service, for any reason. They can also not miss a minute of the service thanks to a

television mounted on the wall that airs the service live.

“We try to make every service a celebration of that person’s life,” Patrick Carroll said.

Each service is personalized to the family’s needs, he said, adding that “if it comes from your heart, do it.” Ave Maria even airs services via the Skype online video messaging service, for family members who are un-able to attend.

Families are also provided a complimentary Memorial DVD that plays a slideshow of photos during visitation.

The Carroll family also owns Pajaro Valley Memorial Park & Crematory on 127 Hecker Pass Road in Watsonville.

It’s another way the Carrolls are there for families every step of the way.

“Their loved one is in our care throughout the entire service,” said Jordi Carroll, funeral ar-ranger/office manager.

Ave Maria Memorial Chapel is located at 609 Main St. in Watsonville. For information, call 724-4751 or visit www.avemariamemorialchapel.com.

Helping families during a difficult time


Debra Carroll (from left), Patrick Carroll and Jordi Carroll of Ave Maria Memorial Chapel.


Ralph Oliver, 1935-2004

Hometown Service With World Class KnowledgeFounder, Ralph Oliver's, twin daughters (Jeni�er & Kathy) and granddaugher (Shannon) proudly manage the family busi-ness and preserve his legacy...this page is dedicated to him.

Visit the Historic Tuttle Mansion and Oliver Property Management

In 1892 Morris Tuttle moved to Watsonville, located a plot of 30 acres near a road now known as East Lake Avenue. As time passed, Mr. Tuttle eventually acquired some 300 acres within a four-ranch complex, with 140 acres put to farming fruit. Visit the Tuttle Mansion and read more about the history of the Tuttle family. Since 1974, Ralph Oliver and his family at Oliver Property Management has been preserving this monument for over three decades, including an extensive remodel after damages sustained from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.The family will continue working on conserving this extraordinary home. Currently the family business is headed by the youngest of Ralph Oliver’s family, twin daughters, Kathleen Oliver and Jennifer Oliver-Wess and his granddaughter, Shannon Hill. Together along with a full time, full service staff, Oliver PM continues to help others preserve their investment rental

HISTORIC TUTTLE MANSIONProud to receive the Blue Plaque award from the

Santa Cruz Historical Society

Kathleen OliverReady to serve your buying, selling

and investing needs2008 ... President

Santa Cruz Women’s Council of REALTORS2014 ... President

Pajaro Valley Association of REALTORS

831-722-8874 x325Fax: 831-722-8873

www.KatOliver.com

CELLULAR: 831-206-2249

CalBRE #01116175properties. Stop by and see Oliver PM and ask for a private tour of the historic Tuttle Mansion. Marvel at the ornate woodwork that survived the earthquake and enjoy artists’ renditions during your visit.

KathyOliverOwner-BrokerCal BRE#01116175

722-4694 723 East Lake Ave.Watsonville

JenifferOliver-WessOwner-Operations Manager

FaviolaRamosReceptionist

ShannonHillOffice ManagerREALTOR®Cal BRE#01956565

Vanessa SaucedoMaintenance Manager

Family OwnedBusiness!

Cristina Bernabe-VegaTenant Manager

Progress


Since 1974, Ralph Oliver and his family at Oliver Property Management has been preserving the Tuttle Mansion, located on East Lake Avenue.

Contributed

Jennifer Oliver-Wess (from left), Shannon Hill and Kathy Oliver.

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE

WATSONVILLE — At Oliver Property Management, “Small-town Business with World Class Knowledge” is their motto. In 1969, Ralph Oliver started his own real estate business in Freedom and moved to the his-tortic Tuttle Mansion in 1974. Through the decades he helped many people and families find their first homes; or, their next home for their growing family; or, an invest-ment for future retirements. His youngest daughter, Kathy Oliver, took an interest in the business and started working there her senior year in high school. She would walk from Watsonville High School to work every day after school and learned the ins and outs of the real estate business. After

attending San Jose State Univer-sity, and coming home to work in the family business during school vacations, she became the office manager and the rest is history. After her father, and men-tor, passed away in 2002, Kathy asked her twin sister Jeniffer Oliver-Wess to join her in con-tinuing the legacy their father created with many years of hard work and service to the com-munity. With her experiences, she was able to help Kathy put together a strong property man-agement team. In 2006, their niece, Shannon Hill, joined the team and to-gether they have built one of the strongest property management businesses in the county. She interned on and off, growing

up over the years and had an opportunity to be a part of the family business. “We want Dad to be proud as he looks down on us and sees us keep his business thriving,” said Jeniffer as she looked at Kathy. “Yes, and we made sure his strong integrity and word of honor is shown through our business practice,” Kathy added, “and, he always believe in a hand shake deal. We have that same belief. I joined Oliver Property Management because I have always been interested in the business and loved my grandfather and I wished that he was here to be able to mentor me too. I really miss him.” Oliver Property Management is located on 723 East Lake Ave. For information, call 722-4694.

‘Smalltown Business with World Class Knowledge’

Oliver Property Management helping people find homes since 1969


713 East Lake Ave. Watsonville, CA 95076(831) 722-7131 • www.aldinarealestate.com 713 East Lake Ave. Watsonville, CA 95076(831) 722-7131 • www.aldinarealestate.com

Contributed

The team at Aldina Real Estate Inc.

By TODD GUILDOF THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN

WATSONVILLE — Aldina Maciel immigrated to Watson-ville from the Azores at age 12 and has since built a place for herself here, including a successful real estate business whose focus on family extends throughout the company, its vast customer base and, most notably, into the community. Maciel began her career in real estate in 1991, and estab-lished her Century 21 Classic Properties franchise three years later. She officially set off on her own last year, merging with her Los Banos location to become Aldina Real Estate, Inc. “We are still here with the same great service,” Maciel said. After a successful career in sales with the J.C. Penney Com-pany, Maciel launched her real estate business in Watsonville 1994 as a way to stay in the field she loved. More important, she said, was her desire to spend time

with her young children. The idea that family would be the foundation of her busi-ness and her life remains the foundation of Aldina Real Estate, Inc. The company’s roster is no less than a family tree, whether or not the employees are related to Maciel. Her husband John Maciel serves as Field Manager, while her son Jonathan Maciel man-ages the Los Banos location. Lynnette Sousa has been the company’s property man-ager for 15 years, taking care of properties in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Merced, San Benito and Stanislaus counties. “We take care of and protect the owners’ investment,” Sousa said. Jynnette Sousa-Melo, Lyn-nette’s sister and wife of real-tor Tony Melo, is operations manager, tasked with oversee-ing all transactions, overseeing the office and coordinating the company’s more than 20 agents. Jennette and Lynnette are

Maciel’s nieces. Jennette and Tony, mean-while, have a new baby; a little girl named Summer whom Ma-ciel said is the next generation in the Aldina Real Estate, Inc. family. But Maciel is quick to point out that the spirit of family does not stop at the doors of the business, nor does it end at the boundaries of its vast sales ter-ritories that extend throughout California. “That’s just our real estate family,” Maciel said. It also extends to the Watson-ville community, with several events throughout the year. This includes Aldina Golden Ticket, a Christmastime event in which the company gives toys to low-income children ages zero to 18, which is coupled with a carol-filled celebration. The company also hosts the annual Aldina Business Expo & Chili Cook-Off, an event geared to benefit several charities as it brings the business community together.

In addition, Aldina Real Estate, Inc. hosts the annual Father’s Day Prostate Cancer Fundraiser and parking lot yard sale, with proceeds from sales of furniture and other items left behind by tenants going to the Santa Cruz County Prostate Cancer Support Group. “Everyone is our family,” Maciel said. “The success of our business depends on our community. This is how we give back. We are partners with our community.” While selling or buying a property is never a simple trans-action, Maciel and her agents pride themselves on being able to help people achieve the American dream of owning their own homes. Occasionally that could mean helping them meet credit and other requirements. “It takes time,” Maciel said.

“We work with some people for six months to a year before they are in their house.” But the agents of Aldi-na Real Estate, Inc. are also skilled at helping clients navi-gate more complicated situa-tions such as divorces when multiple attorneys and clients are involved. “Real estate today is not easy,” Maciel said. “When you’re

done there is a great satisfaction that you have helped people be successful.” Aldina Real Estate agents are Steve Striffler, Robin Brown, Rudy Medrano, Tim Zoliniak, Manuel Ortiz, Santiago Renteria, Tony Melo, Jennifer Swanson, Jordan Thorpe, Bill Lewis, Jef-frey Snyder, Araceli Hernandez, Joe Trindade, Fatima Lima, Lucy Castro and Lori Rolan.

A place to call homeFamily-oriented business focused on clients, community

Erik Chalhoub/Register-Pajaronian file

Aldina Maciel (center) and the staff from Aldina Real Estate present certificates to the participating businesses during the second annual Business Expo and Charity Chili Cook-Off Contest.

(BPT) — Since its incep-tion, the United States has always been considered “the land of opportunity” — a place where any individual with the motivation and drive can start a business and succeed. This notion still holds true today as 99 percent of all American companies are small busi-nesses, according to Small Business Administration. But this doesn’t mean being an entrepreneur or running a business is easy.

Each business has its own set of circumstances and vari-ables that influence its suc-cess, but you control more than you might think, especial-ly the intangibles. We talked to Jessica Walsh, a graphic de-signer who by age 25 became a partner of a New York design firm (now called Sagmeister & Walsh), about what she does to stay at the top of her game. Below are Jessica’s tips to lead entrepreneurs to the promise land.

• Don’t be afraid to experi-ment. No business can get off the ground or grow without taking a few risks or trying new things. And the initial push to open a business is not enough. “A lot of what I do is try stuff out, experi-ment, fail, and try again,” says Walsh. “When we take on any project, we allow a lot of time to play and experiment, fail many times and really allow ourselves that process.”

• Good ideas can come from anyone. “The only true wis-dom is in knowing you know nothing,” as the great Greek philosopher Socrates once said. In other words, you have to be open to new ideas and ways of thinking, especially from sources other than yourself. Walsh ascribed to this mantra, saying “It’s about coming up with the best possible products. So even if it’s an intern that has a fantastic idea, we let them run with it.”

• Stay organized and be effi-cient. A little organization can

go a long way. Don’t just think detailed spread sheets or data-bases with lists of customers or to-the-minute daily sched-ules. It can be simple things like how your desk is laid out or even the computer monitor you use. Walsh points out the utility in widescreen monitors, like hers from the line at LG Electronics, because the extra screen real estate allows her to be able to separate things like email, or chatting, with the more creative work on the screen. As a graphic designer, she gets bonus utility because of its acclaimed color accuracy which, for Walsh, is extremely important.

• Be committed, but keep it light. Owning and operating a business is a serious game; there is no doubt about that. However, you should still try to have some fun when the opportunity arises. “Humor is really an essential part of our practice. It’s in our per-sonalities, it’s a part of all the work we do, and I really think that it’s an important part of experimenting and playing. If you take yourself too seri-ously, you’re never going to just try something crazy or try something new,” Walsh notes how humor opens doors for

professionals surmising.• Stimulate your mind al-

ways. One of the best ways to keep your mind fresh is to stimulate it in variety of ways through people, experiences and surroundings. “I think being in New York affects our work. It’s such an amazing and inspiring city of so many diverse people, and cultural events going on at any one mo-ment,” Walsh explains in the context of being in a big city. “Just go out and meet various people any night of the week because there are so many talented and inspiring people out there.”

• Don’t become content. One of the oldest tricks that’s true for all types of businesses is to never rest on your laurels. Even with all of Walsh’s early success, she keeps pushing forward. “I wouldn’t say I’m 100 percent satisfied,” she says. “I think you have to be hungry: hungry for new work, new experiences and learning new things.”

Owning your own business can be scary as there are so many roles to play. With the above tips in mind, you have a great framework for prosper-ity. If nothing else, embrace the madness to find a real recipe for success.

Six tips for a successful small business

Brandpoint

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