Years ago I visited all the local pet shops weekly. I was a huge advocate for local vs. box stores because I felt it was easier for the operators of the companies to be able to control the care of the animals. I’m not saying that big box stores can’t and don’t, but a corporate structure has a more handicapped structure for the local staff in my personal opinion.
So after visiting local shops for years and years, I noted a few things I would want to change. The first is they never seemed to change. In fact, some of these stores that still operate today, which I guess would be now considered “competition to us”, look very much the same. Using the same enclosures and cages they did years ago. One thing that people frequently note about EPBI is how much it always seems to change. This is because when I made the decision to start our company I set out with the understanding that EPBI would never be done being built. It would be continued to be toyed with and experimented with to find the very best procedures and “tools of the trade”. As I write this article today for you I am 10,000 feet in the air on my way to The Global Pet Expo in Florida. Small secret- I’m a nervous flyer and this plane is shaking more than I was before I got on it! That said, I suck it up because Orlando, Florida houses the largest pet inventory convention center in the world. That’s literally why they call it Global! This event is exclusive to pet store owners and was created to give us great education seminars and opportunities to meet vendors from around the world. My wife sits next to me on this plane very nervous, and no it’s not because the plane is shaking! She knows that I get some amazing and COSTLY ideas here at the show. She knows that I love to talk and interact with people so I’m sure to bring us all home more changes for EPBI!
Looking back at the growth we see here at EPBI I believe the biggest reason for this continued growth is that; we have so many coming to learn from us and to just over all see what’s new here! So years back after having started the spark necessary to get us all out into this adventure together I found something really cool. You all wanted the same thing I was searching for! You wanted to feel included, you wanted to see considerable upgrades in care and processes. I know this frankly because so many of you have shared that’s what you wanted.
I absolutely love that the best part of EPBI is the fact that none of us know where this train is heading yet. We may never know! How cool is that, we all know that together we are taking my small spark and blowing it up into something that others can only wish they run.
I admittedly question to myself when I see people going to pay for the resources we give away so freely. I can’t for the life of me understand why some shop owners are out there trying to charge to learn from them. That’s not the way to show dedication to your client’s pursuit of education of Aviculture. It’s more proof to me that our community needs us. They need a company that will share its knowledge built at all times for free. They need to see that dedicated sense of community and partnership. I always tell people we don’t refer to clients as customers here. We call them friends. This word reminds us that the people that come here are here to support everything we are doing here. Friends are the reason for our continued growth as well. We know that people are out there telling their friends there is no better place to acquire a pet bird! Listen, we don’t have an unlimited amount of birds here, we have the birds that are the best pets that you can ask for. The best part is we are dedicated to caring for these animals in the highest possible way. We are committed to showing you all through our own actions what it is to be dedicated to care for birds.
When I set out to start the company I was all alone. My wife who was at the time questioning my sanity, loved me but didn’t yet understand what was living in my mind. She didn’t get that what was going to be made was something that we would soon refer to as “our third child”. Our company culture is very unique. It’s so obvious to most that we treat people like we were watching out for a family member. It did NOT take long for our community to grow and grow and grow. More than 15,000 people now know who we are, support what we do, and shop in our facility by physically stopping in or even seeing us virtually. I can’t tell you how humbling that is years later. I wanted to create a place people would love. I get energized on even the worst days when people share how much this place means to them. I truly started our company to be able to have a great place to shop myself. Before I knew it we created a place that surpassed all expectations.
So where does that leave us? Well let’s see- I’m still 10,000 feet in the air in a shaky plane setting out to learn more, to get great and unique products and waiting for that beverage cart to come by with a rum and coke! Oh ya, that’s right I’m telling you guys about the story of our reason for being. I think I’ve covered that; now let me share how proud I am that. this year I’m flying in our two highest managers to Florida to help join Jamie and I as we are going to be learning at Global. Ryan and Nicole I pray your flight is a tad bit softer. That said, I look forward to learning along side of these two great people and I’m so grateful to my team I’m leaving behind who are going to help keep you all moving as if we were all still there. That is something I’m so deeply proud of. I strongly suggest visiting our Facebook page.
Bình luận