Well, here goes nothing! When I took this role 7 months ago, I overlooked the fact that I would have to put out a regular newsletter. I was pleasantly surprised when I was asked to start this. Admittedly, a bit nervous at the same time too. Writing is not my strong suit, but I look forward to sharing industry knowledge with you. And it doesn’t hurt that my lovely wife is an author and willing to help!
Let me give you a little background on myself. I’m what people call a “Half back” I was born in Massachusetts, moved to the east coast of Florida when I was a kid, then to the west coast for college, then came halfway back and landed in North Carolina. I met my wife in Tampa where we had four kids...in five years...and all of them are girls. Man...that sounds scary when I type it, but at this point, I wouldn’t know what to do if I had a boy. I enjoy outdoor activities and adventures like camping, hiking, softball, racquetball, and watching the kids enjoy life and learn. Prior to getting into propane, I was a manager for various pet specialty retail stores. I decided I needed a change of pace and joined one of the majors as an Operations Manager in Tampa. After about a year and a half, an opportunity became available to transfer to Western North Carolina and shortly after that, I was promoted to a Branch Manager. I’ve been in the industry for nearly twelve years now. I’ve held fuel piping licenses in both Florida and North Carolina and have been successful in growing each location I have been responsible for. My strengths lay in problem solving and utilizing resources to get answers. I enjoy helping people in any way I can and I love hearing success stories. Over the years, you have gotten to know Steve Ward and the infinite knowledge that he effortlessly brings forth. I look forward to this new journey using my skills and trying to learn as much as I can from him and any other resources available to be the expert you deserve.
If you’re reading this, then you probably already know a bit about Gardner Marsh. But if you don’t know, we have been around since October of 1961 (Happy Birthday Month to us!). We are currently in our third generation of family ownership. Before coming aboard, everyone I met from GM had been here for 30+ years which spoke volumes about the company and the people here. I am happy to have joined this team and I am looking forward to years of collaboration with you, our customer.
As for this little newsletter, I have my own ideas of how it will go, but I’d really love to have your feedback and involvement. Please share your experiences, questions, feedback, success stories, or anything that you think would be appropriate for this venue! Each issue, I’ll try to address common problems I have experienced or problem readers submit. I will most likely have a product spotlight each month related to the topic, it may be a physical product, an idea, theory, or just something to ponder on. If it’s a product, I’ll do my best to convince the boss to discount it for a week or two after the newsletter comes out, because it’s just more fun to buy stuff when it’s on sale, right? This issue’s Product Spotlight is not a product at all and won’t cost you a penny, it just takes some effort is all!
Teamwork & Collaboration
In all my years of management nothing has made me more successful than teamwork. There has been no tool, marketing gimmick, piece of equipment, or any other thing that has been more impactful than teamwork and collaboration. According to Merriam-Webster, teamwork is defined as, “work done by a group acting together so that each member does a part that contributes to the efficiency of the whole.” Teamwork starts with leadership and attitude. When you walk into a store with poor leadership and low collaboration, you’ll know it right away. The staff is disengaged, the place isn’t organized, no one is talking to each other, not a smile in sight. You’ll see the exact opposite in a store that has this fundamental need in place. It can be a buzzing place filled with conversation and smiling team members. You’ll feel welcomed and you’ll be more inclined to spend your money. It is the foundation of a successful, cohesive business.
Email Darren: dmcardle@gardnermarsh.com
