Colleen Kramer is President of Evergreen Supply Company, the electrical supply company in Chicago. Colleen gives us some good advice about perseverance and superior service:
What inspired you to start your business?
My defining moment – winning a grade school essay contest in which I described my dad as my hero – set the stage for a successful career as the owner of a large electrical supplies distributorship. I parlayed the thrill of winning a $25 savings bond into a $17.3-million enterprise, and did it through shear perseverance, passion and a keen sense of service. I was the first employee when my mother Patt Gallagher founded Evergreen Supply Company as the first woman-owned electrical distribution company in the Chicago area. Initially denied distribution rights by the leading electrical manufacturers, it took me and my mother three years, two business plans and numerous meetings to win a distributorship from General Electric Company – a pivotal point in the company’s history which has since opened many doors. Evergreen Supply has always underscored the importance of superior service. Deliveries by one of seven company-owned trucks – in the middle of the night, when freight elevators are more readily accessible – are standard procedure. Delivering expensive light fixtures and supplies to a job site – near the actual installation date to avoid breakage and theft – is a practice to which Evergreen Supply has always adhered.
What steps are necessary for an entrepreneur to move her business to the next level?
I believe that vision, drive and courage are essential in expanding a business. The existing business should be in sound financial condition, and the owner will have identified exactly what areas of the business will be expanded, what type of marketing program will be implemented, and whether a bank loan and additional staff will be needed. A talented, dedicated staff is critical because without a good team – one who shares your vision – a successful expansion would be next to impossible.
What challenges and opportunities do you see in the present economic environment?
Today, the greatest challenge for Evergreen Supply is the lack of new construction opportunities in the greater Chicago area. A considerable portion of the company’s business is providing electrical supplies to new construction projects. Several area-based hospitals and universities have launched ambitious construction projects, and I am hopeful that the federal stimulus plan will also lead to additional business. Meanwhile, the number of clients who are part of Evergreen Supply’s Inventory Management Program continues to grow.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting out?
To new college graduates, I suggest women try to think about where they’d like to be five years from now. Aim high, and then do everything possible to reach that goal. Trust your instincts and take the road that seems to call your name. Be practical, yet live courageously. For women who are about to launch a business, I encourage them to plan extensively, get organized and put good business systems in place. Above all, don’t overlook the importance of balancing work and a personal life. As a busy mom with two young daughters, I frequently share my belief that “you can have it all, just not all at one time.”
Evergreen Supply Company is a Member of the Women Presidents' Organization. The WPO is the global peer advisory organization connecting top women entrepreneurs who own multi-million dollar companies.
Comments