It’s Not Just a Game!

Do you ever get this one? “Relax man, it’s just a game”. I beg to differ:

It’s the most patient, loyal and hopeful fans in North America.

It’s skateboarders, CEO’s and ESL students sporting their Canucks Blue in downtown Van.

It’s endless uniform changes, none of which were great, but we wear them all proudly.

It’s lacing up your sons skates, beside a Sedin twin and thinking, “Holy Crap, it Daniel! Wait, its Henrik! err . . . what do I say?” It was Henrik, my son asked.

It’s games being broadcast in Punjabi, a community joining in on the celebration at 72^nd and Scott Road after every win and in doing so, exemplifying everything that is great about Canada.

It’s Bure and Mogilny, brilliant but flaky.

It’s Smyl and Linden, rock-solid but wanting.

It’s Naslund, a little tragic.

It’s Messier, the best leader in sports until he came Vancouver. What the hell?

It’s reading a box score and instantly memorizing the stats.

It’s accepting that Luongo will let in a bad goal and put “foot in mouth” every second game. Who cares, he wins games.

It’s sending and receiving every email over the last month with the signature, Go Canucks Go!

It’s huge goals: Burrows, D. Sedin, Kesler, Bieksa and Burrows.

It’s Finish, Swedish, Canadian, American, German and Danish players admitting in a heartbeat that the Cup is bigger than the Olympics or any World Championship

It’s huge hits, killer power plays, biting and loving Bieksa’s pummeling of Marleau - you play with the bull, you get the horn –

It’s forty years of ups and downs, mostly downs. Questionable draft picks, some inspired (Burrows). A parade of owners, gm’s and coaches. Two cup runs, many early exits and now  . . .

Two wins away.

Go Canucks Go!

“No, We Don’t Subcontract”, Liar!

Franchisee, licensed applicator, contract employee, certified contractors . . . just another term for Subcontractor.

I can’t tell you how many tender meetings I have attended where the painting companies dance around the question “Do you Subcontract your work?” Here’s the truth, every major non-union painting company, in Vancouver, including Wolfgang, utilizes subcontractors.

Why do major firms contract out their work? Commercial Painting is seasonal. Eighty five percent of the revenue is produced in an eight-month period. A subcontractor business model allows for a quick ramp up and greater capacity.  The best painters like to work for themselves in order to maximize their earnings. So, when we sub contract we get the best tradesmen in the city on our team. When we subcontract our work we fix our largest cost, labor. In business when you fix your largest expenditure you lower risk.

Why do smaller paint companies (two – ten employees) choose to contract their work from larger firms? Again, it’s simple. The most talented painters in the city, the most operationally excellent tradesmen, like to focus on producing work. So they build relationships with a few larger shops and eliminate the need for costly marketing, sales and admin.

Customers benefit from the subcontractor model because they get the most skilled painters producing their job and fixed labor means no cost overruns.

Sounds good right? Many customers don’t think so.

End users get nervous because they equate sub-contracting with the old ”dump and run” It may be true sometimes but if you are dealing with a professional firm it is not the case.

At Wolfgang every one of our projects, small or large, is overseen by one of our project managers. Every project ends with a Quality inspection with the customer, project manager and sub contractor in attendance. Deficiencies are noted and corrected in a timely fashion.

Our sub-contractors go through an interview and screening process just as an employed painter would.

Our contractors attend Wolfgang University where they learn our values, best practices, systems, and customer service standards. Wolfgang U is rigorous and on going. If the attendees don’t maintain an 80% GPA throughout the courses, they don’t work for us. If they pass and maintain their GPA, they become one of Wolfgang’s certified contractors.

It’s interesting to note that since Wolfgang began subcontracting three years ago our quality survey scores have improved from 4.4 to 4.6 out of 5 and our “would recommend” score moved from 92% - 96%.

So hopefully, a little information, will help our customers become more comfortable with the term subcontractor.

True Patriot Love

It started off with an ambitious relay across our great country and ended with a gold medal that will be cherished for generations.

Along the way we witnessed unspeakable tragedy on the Luge track and eloquent humanity during the opening ceremonies. Collectively, we held our breath when Joannie Rochette skated and triumphed under the most adverse conditions.

We watched, with jaws dropped, as Shaun White took our breath away on the half pipe and cheered wildly when Petra Majdic tenaciously skied to a bronze medal in Whistler. Canada’s athletes struck gold on home soil for the first time and then punctuated Bilodeau’s achievement with a record breaking thirteen additionally gold medals.

What a performance!

We high fived strangers on the street, hugged, hooted and hollered. “Oh Canada” poured out on every street corner like beer at Canada Hockey House. Yes, there were some glitches but, who cares! VANOC, its Volunteers and the city of Vancouver laid down a golden performance. The legacies are many: Canada Line, highways, stadiums, word class sporting facilities and Own the Podium.

But, more lasting than any is the feeling that Canada can “clutch up” on the world’s stage. I believe our country and our people have changed. Canadians are more united, more determined and more proud than before these games. This was a seminal moment for Canada.

I am so proud to be a Canadian. Go Canada Go!

Live and Learn

It seems that the recession is ending. Let’s hope? Consumer and business confidence is up, retail sales are solid, houses are selling and stimulus programs are in full flight. I question how the economy has turned around so quickly but, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

The 1st quarter of 2009 was a dark time at Wolfgang HQ. Very bleak! But, as the year unfolded and we executed our recession strategy our prospects brightened. In fact, by year end, we had completed our best revenue and earnings year to date. So, what did we do right?

· We made the tough and painful decisions quickly
· We set clear expectations with our key staff to expect a bumpy road ahead
· We changed our business model from employee based to contract based
· We managed overhead tightly
· We increased our marketing effort four fold
· We watched cash flow like hawks
· We took great care to provide excellent service to our clients
· We lowered our prices
· Our staff came through big time with loyalty and performance

All the above were great “recessionary” moves that buoyed Wolfgang in 2009. Can’t help but think “Should have made those moves when the economy was booming!” Live and Learn.