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Sean is in the House
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Sean Gleaves from Dynamic Delivery Blinds sits down with Krislyn and I and talks his business, community businesses, and more.
Hey guys, it's Carrie Ann, your host of the Hub and a founding member of Thrive Hub. Our mission at Thrive Hub is to empower new and inspiring entrepreneurs in our local community by connecting them with experienced business owners. Whether you need guidance on starting your venture, building your network, or tackling business challenges, we're here to help you get up and running. Hey guys, welcome to the hub. And today we have Sean from Dynamic Delivery Blinds on with us, and along with Chris Lynn, and we're gonna have a fun episode for everyone today. Alright, Sean. Welcome, welcome.
SPEAKER_00So that's it. We're gone.
SPEAKER_04Yep, you're on.
SPEAKER_00Oh shoot. Man, buckle up, y'all, dude. I'm so excited. Man, first podcast, and then the hub stepped out of their boundaries and said, Hey, let's get this kid in here. Oh, I don't know if they knew what they was in for, but oh, I can't wait. Alright.
SPEAKER_04We're ready.
SPEAKER_00Y'all ready?
SPEAKER_04My first question for you is our goal is to assist new and upcoming business owners. What is one thing you wish you knew as a new business owner when you were starting out?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, one thing I wish I knew. Well, there's a lot that I wish I would have known, but I mean, uh I think I think it's just don't invest, always invest in your business, but always invest, don't just invest in one thing to try to get it going. And what I kind of mean by that is when I first started out, I was like, man, we got to put all the money in the in the in the uh uh social media. Web, web, this and that, this and that. We gotta put it all here, put it all here. And and and that's not that's not the right thing to go. Sometimes you gotta find different avenues, uh, how to get this thing off off and off and running. And then when you find the avenue that's good for your business and running, then it's then go with that. You know, just don't put all your eggs in one basket. And that and that's also another thing that I really, really wouldn't know is don't put all your eggs in one basket. Don't do not do that. I had to find out the hard way uh about not doing that. And you trust me, you don't want to find out the hard way uh about putting your eggs and in all eggs in a basket because I can leave you in a bad spot and nobody wants to be there, you know. Yeah and so, but yeah. That would be the one thing I would I would definitely tell the people, man, is just don't put don't just don't put all your eggs in one basket. Please don't, you know.
SPEAKER_02I think that's great advice, and something that I think about is how did you get started in blinds and what did that journey look like? You're talking about putting all those eggs in one basket, and for me, I think you have to have a lot of commitment and passion for something in order to put everything in, and I know your family's involved too, so dragging them into this. What got you started in the blind industry, specifically in this area, too?
SPEAKER_00Oh, whoo, man. All right, you ready for a roller coaster? We're ready. Yeah, this is what it is, man. Um, what got me started in the blind business is not something I wanted to do. It really wasn't. It it traged is what got me into it. But uh when uh when the blind business first started was by my brother, rest in peace. Uh Greg Glee started this, and uh he started it uh through a carpet company, man. He was laying carpet for a while. And then uh a buddy of his said, hey man, you should start getting blinds and you know, associating blinds with your business. And so he started doing that, and then he landed the gig with Lowe's. Started off at Lowe's and uh Knownsville Road, he started there, uh, and then he put in about uh man, they put about about a year and a half there, and then he got a couple more, he ended up getting the Smyrna Lowe's and then the Murphice Bro Lowe's, and then he called me up, and I wasn't doing nothing but sit on the couch because I just recently hurt my back because I was a beer man, dude. I was rolling beer all over, man. I was actually the route driver for Hendersonville, and man, and that's where I grew up, you know. Oh, yeah, also talking to a unicorn too, straight up. I was born and raised from the county's own. That's a lot of things people don't know about me. Like I am straight up born from Hendersonville. Uh, but back to the situation at hand. Um, but yeah, Greg was getting he was getting busy with that. And so he called me. I just hurt my back. It was something that, you know, it wasn't too strenuous, you know. So I was like, yeah, I'll help you out, you know, you know, show me how to hang these blinds. And so uh he taught me the ways and whatnot. And then we brought on uh a buddy of his, Mark, came on, and then the three of us, dude, we took on uh those three stores, tackled them out. We ended up adding pretty much all of Middle Tennessee, and before it was all said and done, uh we ended up having 30 low stores in the pocket. You know, we had all of Middle Tennessee, we had southern Kentucky, uh, and man, we was going all the way uh west, pretty much, man, we were going coast to Memphis at points in time. Jackson, we had to do the Jackson store uh a few times, man, because it was just uh good work, man. If you just do good work and just stay and just stay just doing good work, man. Uh be genuine with your customers, you know. It will all just travel. And it and I promise you, uh nothing but good things will come about it. And so um we ran that. He passed away in 2016. Um, and then I was left with a decision pretty much. I basically right then and there, that day I became an owner. Like it popped right there. And there was nothing for me. It was just I became an owner. I instantly worried about the employees, I worried about uh Mark, I worried about Chris, I worried about my family. It was just strictly about the employees. And so that's one thing I knew I had to own uh owner, ownership quick ability is when I just bam, it just clicked for me. And so after that, we branched out. Uh Lowe's kind of gave up, and this is what I talked about earlier. Don't put your eggs in one basket. Uh Lowe's came up with me uh to me with a proposition and basically said, you know, hey, we're going a different route, but we still want to keep you on, but you're gonna have to work for somebody else and be their be their blind person and not you have all of them. And I was left with a decision, you're like, you know, okay, be work under somebody again, that's what we built. And I was like, nah, man, I'm just gonna branch out on our own, man. We're just gonna we're just gonna do this thing. I was like, no, I'm sorry, but you know, uh-uh. We built this and we're just gonna do it on our own.
SPEAKER_01Oh yes.
SPEAKER_00And uh that's what, yeah, that's what we did, man. We did. And uh, and so in uh 2016, 2017, 2018, uh we branched off from Lowe's and then basically just did it on our own. So basically, uh the good work that we did from Lowe's, it got me contractors, uh, basically all kinds of clients, designers, that basically when they called Lowe's and they sent their handyman and their people out, they were like, uh, where's where's dynamic? The people that did this did this did our other house. And they were like, oh, they're no longer with us. And so they instantly, some people just instantly just drop what they're doing. Like, no, we won't, we want those guys, man. Yeah, they want to make body work. Yeah, yeah. They knew what we were doing. We wouldn't walk in just, you know, saying, hey, well, uh, well, I'm putting your microwave in here. Uh, I'm also here to measure your blinds. No, man, that's what we did. Like, that's that's what you got. When you call dynamic, you're getting a professional service. A lot of people just think blinds are just putting it up. Man, I can go to a lot of people's houses where you just get handymans in there and I can look straight up and be like, hey man, you're missing the balance that's supposed to come with your stuff. Uh, you're missing hold down brackets, you know. This dude put it on the door, now you're you're opening the door and the blinds just bah pow- pow- pow-ba- pow.
SPEAKER_04You totally did that in my house. You came and fixed blinds that were already there. Yeah. And they were missing, they were missing brackets, they were missing things.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and and and that's the and that's things that you need, you know, because when I put a blind in, uh our manufacturers give you lifetime warranty, and they give you lifetime warranty for a reason because they expect us as professionals to do it right, to put it up right, and and and you don't have to worry about it. Blinds, whatever kind of window treatment should be a one-time purchase. And and and that's how we that's how we want it to make it. We want to make it a one-time experience, you know, that is so good. And then once you move to another house, or if you happen to, you know, have a friend or whatnot, you know, hey, before you buy blinds, you need to go see dynamic delivery blinds like off the top. And if you don't, I'm gonna put you in a stranglehold because you're making a bad decision. Yeah you know I love that.
SPEAKER_02And something that I'm hearing that I feel like is really important for other entrepreneurs getting started, and then also I think of even our next generation of entrepreneurs and the high schoolers that we have. Number one, decisions. You had a lot of decisions that were put in front of you and that had to be made, and so I think it's very admirable that you made those decisions. And it doesn't take time, it doesn't take help, yes, but you went through and you made it happen, and then also the fact that the good work represents itself. So you didn't have these businesses or these other people saying, Hey man, can I get your resume? Can I see what these things look like? They literally saw you walk up, they saw you do the good work, and for that they wanted you there. So I think those are two things to really note from that experience that are important and that I hope everyone else can look at. Really just putting yourself out there, making those decisions and showing up the best you can is the best way to get that work and continue for continue forward, even when you're moving into different journeys. So I love that.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, absolutely, man.
SPEAKER_02Congrats, that's exciting.
SPEAKER_00Uh I always try to strive, man, to just, you know, networking is key, man. It it it really it really helps your business a lot. If you really wanted to get out there, especially get it out there in um and even in your local market, and if you're trying to go expand, you know, downtown or Nashville or any other markets, like everybody now is have some kind of networking event. And and and it's beneficial for any small business business that is starting up and coming to find some kind of networking, man. You got to. It's it's you can't you can't do this alone, man. You know, you you'll never know who you might meet that might be the perfect match for you to, you know, get something going. Uh, you know, that's why I network a lot. You know, I I I I'm looking for I the more we get and invest in our business, I'm looking for more people to partnership with. You know, I'm looking for exterior people all the time, electricians. Uh man, I I I get into these big projects, and some of these uh GCs have people that walk off on their jobs for them, and they're asking looking at me like, hey man, uh, you know anybody can do some locks or some doors or put signs up or something? You know, and it's always good to have somebody's name in the pocket. You know, if I got your card or whatnot, I can easily refer you, and that's just another opportunity. Yeah, and so you gotta you gotta jump on those opportunities.
SPEAKER_02What do you feel like are some of the most beneficial networking opportunities here locally? You say that you're Sumner County grown. What are some of the things that you've done here besides the Thrive Hub events? Because you've been at many of those, and for that, we're very appreciative. But I'm interested to know what other ways are you getting connected that have really fed back into your business here local?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, uh just being just being in the community uh chamber, uh uh support local. If you support local people, they'll come support you. Like I go to the local gym, you know, and that that's helped out a lot. You know, they they they see my uh my vehicle, uh, they see me in there getting it in, and some people are like, hey man, you did the blinds or whatnot. Yeah, man. Uh uh, and then you know, they say, no, I got I got a customer and I got a friend, you know. Uh that's the thing about local. Uh uh, I would tell I tell everybody is that this I want to sell you a blind and then I want to see you at the bar down the street and I'll buy you a beer. You know, the same thing. I totally agree. I mean, that's what I want to do. You know, I see people all the time in Kroger, you know, hey Sean, hey man, I love the blind, they still coming up. Hey, they're still up and down. I'll be like, oh man, hey, I love it, man. Here, let me get you a six-pack for that, you know, because uh uh man, I it's just it makes me feel good to do good for the community, man. Because when I see people out after I done put their blinds up or whatnot, oh man, the first thing I want to do is give them a hug, man. I don't even know why. Like, because you supported me, that that just means the world, world to me. Because you mean you you have million other choices to get your other blinds, but you chose to stay local and support local, you know. So that means the world to everything. Actually, for local people right now.
SPEAKER_04It totally does. I support local too, and one of the things I do is uh my kids are in sports, and I look and see which local businesses are supporting the sports teams in the community because they're supporting my kids, and I want to support the businesses that support my kids and the community. So that's definitely a good spot to look for local businesses, and if you're a business owner, advertisement too, ask your local high schools, all their sports teams need financial support, um, and then go out to the games and be in the community, like you said, and see the people that you're supporting. It's a really good idea.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, absolutely, man. Like I wanna like I'm gonna do a couple of local shout outs to some people too, because there's a there's a lot of there's a lot of people that uh that uh gave me uh uh the education that I needed. And uh, like Jamie Nixon, man, he got me started. Like, I would never, I'd I'll be honest with you, I would not be sitting here doing a doing a podcast if it wasn't for that man. That man got me, he taught me basically the importance of getting out and networking and being in the community. Like I never would have had to that put that in my repertoire if I would never would have asked or talked to Jamie about that. Man, I didn't even have to add Jamie. Jamie gave me that, you know, as a as a client and a business, you know, working together with him. And that's what I like about small business. They want to see you because they know if you're gonna succeed, they're gonna succeed, especially when you're working together with each other. And that and that's what it's about. And so I I shout him out a lot because he got me in the community, he got me to know y'all. If I never would have, you know, it's known stay positive news. I never would have known uh the flex base because he actually invited me uh to the spot one time when we were doing a local, you know, networking little thing on a Wednesday. And that's how I even met everybody was through him. If he never would have told me that, man, they never would have got it started. You know, just simple things like that, you know, they can get the ball rolling. And you know, and and to be honest with you, that started freaking from here to hell. I'm uh excuse my language, but I'm here. I'm here right now, sitting here, and I can tell you I'm a board member of the chamber. You know, never like two years ago I could tell you that right now. Two years. I never in a million years thought I'd be a chamber member. Never thought I'd be sitting right here in front of y'all. So you you never know what could happen when you just pour into community and if you trust in the community. So just just that that's just very important to me right now, is giving back to the community right now.
SPEAKER_02I love that. What's really standing out too is like I do see you so involved in these things, being on the chamber board, being part of BIs and all these things. But to hear something as simple as, I'm part of a local gym and that is feeding back to me, I think that's really important for us to know that there's other opportunities to connect and collaborate outside of your typical networking opportunities that we have. So thanks for shouting that out. That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Like all day long. Like I shout out all of them, man. Like uh me and the wife, we like to do late night pub crawl sometimes, you know. Uh the pizza pub. I've gotten business off them, off, off people in there, you know, just being in there, you know, enjoying beers and having some pizzas, you know, all seasons. Uh Neils, man. Oh, dude. You catch me in Neil. Hey, y'all catch me in Neils. The Neils are telling you right now, man. I I gotta get back in there. You know, I came in there one day they did uh karaoke one night, man, and I cut it up for them. Oh man, so you never know. And and it's like things like that. People remember that. Like the next time I go in the nails, they're like, Why you ain't been in a karaoke, Sean? Like, oh man, I'm sorry. You know, so but hey, I gotta give you show y'all some love to love too and get back out there. But you know, just being seen, like I love that. The simple fact that, you know, I got to know all y'all, and now I see y'all out and about at night, uh, during the day, whatnot, through the community. And it's just good, and you know, it's just and and and it's just like it's a referral network, you know. Who is that? Who that's Sean the blind man? Like when the blind man you can actually see, but he's gonna send you some shades, man, if you need anything. You know, so and that that helps out a lot, man. Business is all it just helps helps me out a lot. And I thank the community, I thank all y'all for that.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome. So uh getting into that business a little bit more, I want to go back a little bit to the beginning, and I want to ask: do you remember one of your very first customers or one of your very first wins whenever you decided to branch out and just be dynamic delivery blinds by yourself? Do you remember that first? Hell yeah, man.
SPEAKER_00Local dude. Uh, some people may know him, whatnot, and I hope he's on my friends list, Tyler Mother freaking Faulkner. Uh that man right there, he was a Lowe's customer, dude. And uh, we did some work for him from Lowe's. Actually, it's two people him and God uh Glenn Baggett, man. I ain't seen you for a minute. That was another one. But Tyler Faulkner, dude. Um we did some work for him, and uh, I think he went back into Lowe's one day and we were gone. And he was like, dude, who are these people? That did it and and um make a long story short, actually, he got our card and uh actually called us. He's like, hey man, these people at Lowe's, they're not, they don't know what the hell they're doing. Uh man, you still do the blinds, man? Because they said you wouldn't hear, yeah, man, we're independent now, man. We're doing everything. He's like, Oh, for real? He's like, Yeah, man, I got like 20 properties I need you to do. And I was like, hey, I got you, man. I 100% got you. And so he got us rolling, really good rolling. I thank you a lot, Tyler. Uh, he really got us rolling, and and he still to this day says his referral. I've done his house, he's done his his sister's house. Uh, I mean, uh uh uh a couple of construction guys. Uh I I love him to death for that. And then also Glenn Baggett, man, they built a big subdivision and they used Lowe's uh a couple times, and then they found out we wasn't there, and they were like, you know, uh, let's get that man's number because we got we've been to build this subdivision and he knew what he was doing, he did it right. And so uh they ended up building almost close to like four to five hundred homes that are still building in Pleasant View, and we still to this day, even though he sold uh all off his part of it and new builders are building, they still call us. Shout out to Bernstein locals, they still call us. And so um that that that that those two those two guys right there, yeah, yeah, they were definitely wins when when we uh when we first started, because I didn't mind we need to know where we're gonna go. Well, I had that direction. I knew where we wanted to go, where we were gonna go, but you know, we needed us some boom to get there, and they provided it right off the top. And so it gives me chills.
SPEAKER_04I love that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, man, and once they did it, and once again, local people, man, local. And so couldn't have done it without them.
SPEAKER_02I love that so much. Okay, and then you know, a lot of this has been happy and all the things, but surely you've had some hard times in your businesses. So what have those hard seasons been like and how have you gotten through them and gotten to the other side with the positivity, knowing that yeah, we're gonna get through and this is gonna be successful because this is something that every entrepreneur deals with.
SPEAKER_00Oh man, uh, I still do with it to this day, man. There's uh uh if you're a risk taker, um that's what it's gonna that's where it's gonna be, man. Uh God, there's I I can I can go on for days about you know about the scary times uh about this business because I get in the commercial side, and that's always scary because there's so much I I have to invest in this company and into my team and to get this going. Because if if you don't get this part right, you your business could really struggle. It could either damage us and not put us there. I mean, and or keep us out of business. But um the first time I I got into the commercial gig, that that was pretty hard. Um balancing commercial and residential because I uh uh number one, I ran short of guys, you know. I was happy I had the work, but I didn't I I I I I knew I had to be on a certain schedule with the commercial work, and if I wasn't on that certain schedule, you know, I get penalized. And so I was there at times where, man, how am I gonna manage that? And then uh miss so-and-so's shutters just came in, and and you know, when people buy shutters, they have to wait three to four weeks, and so uh she needs her shutters, and and I'm in Knoxville, and and she's down here.
SPEAKER_02And again, you're that local guy and you're wanting to represent local and support local, and so it's I totally get that trying to map both of it. But one thing I remember when you came to um the hub's open house, and that was one thing Gracie said, Well, how have you been doing? You're like, Well, good, I've been getting into the commercial side, and that was a plus and a pro. And so it's so interesting to hear that that was one of those hard times, but then also how it's paid off, and I feel like that's so true for so many of those risks, like you said, that we take that yeah, it's scary in the beginning, but moving forward, it is something that's worth it. And something I think about a lot is Jennifer, and I want you to share a little bit about the family being part of the business. Even you coming in today, I was like, I wonder if she's gonna be in there because she's your right hand.
SPEAKER_00She would be so mad to hear this right now. Oh, y'all, y'all, y'all, y'all might need to edit that part out of anybody. Oh, because even that's so funny y'all say that because even on the way up there, she was like, they would be so mad if I showed up and and not and and not even. Yeah, they were like, Man, what would happen if you got sick and I showed up? They would be so disappointed.
SPEAKER_02I was like, solo, she is. No, but no. Her supporting us, because I feel like she is part of the backbone of dynamics.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, you can edit the backbone, man. It's like, nah, she's not just the support, she's everything. Like it's uh um, it's like when I listened to an earlier episode of what you're talking about, um, you know, juggling being a mom and also being a small business owner. Uh, she's day-to-day that, you know, um, you can't think of her without thinking me. And that's how that business goes.
SPEAKER_01And so uh Yeah, man, y'all gonna make me cry at your manual.
SPEAKER_00It's uh it's it's it's hard. A lot of people say, like, you know, how can you, you know, y'all work, y'all spend a business together, and you know, and and uh how y'all spend all this time together? And it's like, dude, I love her and I like uh we have fun. Like that's that's the that's the number one thing we have is fun. Like uh you can't have a healthy relationship, healthy business, or healthy anything if you're not having fun while you're doing it. And so uh, you know, it's it's it's a God blessing that we like we like a lot of things to do together. I mean, we like cycling. Uh I mean, she likes camping. I'm 60, 40 on camping, but I mean I'm there. Uh, but you know, but as far as this business, man, she does uh she does everything. She's she's she's all she's the mom, she's uh the accounting, she's a scheduler, she has to keep me in check. Uh she has to sometimes she got the babysit grand grandkid. And so Jennifer has a lot on her plate and and also uh holding a part-time gig. So um she is where I get everything from because what she pours in, I pour back out. Yeah. And so uh and it just works hand in hand like that. And so, but yeah, she is definitely uh the backbone. We got uh our sons doing this with us. Uh it's been just a family thing, even though, you know, it they could be times, it could be streams and hair pulling uh and there's there's times, you know, you you you you I have to separate. This is Jennifer, the business owner, talking to me.
SPEAKER_02talking to the business owner versus uh the wife and so at times that does get a little bit challenging but I mean I'm getting better at it because I I I I I know from just just from years this is going on that you know hey it's is the business I gotta I know to separate the business part from you know uh the loving wife part and which I've gotten good at and so but without her there's no dynamic delivery bonds that's that's 100% you know yeah that's awesome super um okay the next thing that I wanted to ask is what do you feel like that some of those pros and cons to working with the family are because you guys are really good at having fun but at the same time like you said there is that struggle so what are some of those pros and cons and for me I think back to when I started working I was 15 I started here at the barbecue place porch and grill in my house and they're a family owned business uh the Barry family and I think that really shaped who I am for local business and just family owned businesses so I'm a little bit curious into what some of those specific pros and cons are and how you would encourage other family owned businesses to work through that.
SPEAKER_00I think fun is a great answer and I think you guys just emanate that um but beyond fun pros are it's family and and you're always going to get excellent extra mile uh they're gonna want to be like you and they want to do it like you so the job is going to be done so that's the that's one pro I love about you know our family oriented like everybody knows how how it's supposed to be done and they do it to a T. Uh the con some of the cons could be or or actually what happens with us is sometimes the family business gets brought into the business. And sometimes that that that can be stressful because we always at the end of the day we want to be parents first uh before you know business owners and sometimes we have a hard time putting that ahead you know putting that before our work. And so that is a con, especially with uh uh with Chris because we always want to spend he's got a grandchild and so we always like I'm we're pretty much ready to put down you know I'll jump off the scaffold real quick you know yeah yeah in a heartbeat you know and so that could that you know yeah that that you know it's a good thing love him does but sometimes he he he drags me away and it's not his it's not his deal it's just I want to be more with the kids and I do with work. That's how to balance it's it's kind of a good happy con but yeah uh but yeah that that that can sometimes that plays plays a bit your grandpa guilt like mom guilt you grandpa guilt oh absolutely absolutely man uh you always want to do something for your kids man and then uh you know and our youngest 18 year old he's he's uh transitioning from getting a job oh yeah I don't know when this is gonna air but uh shout out to him good luck he's got a job interview today yeah yeah at Stimm's banking and guess what another another yeah oh yeah you know where I'm looking to I'm about to shout out White House's only favorite bank thank you Kate Key thank you Kate Key that's hey once again I'm gonna go back to the story of this local local you know you put in local and and and it puts right out so uh another one shout out to local your banker Kate Key you know I love it uh uh yeah I do too and so but you know and you got that going on so yeah that that that that can be some cons and pros but but the pros is is you know you're gonna get the best work out of them yeah um you know they know it's representing their family's name and that's important yeah and they and and the family knows that and and and uh and that's how you're gonna you know you're gonna get something genuine also when we when they come out there and so shout out to my workers Chris Zach uh Mark all of them man rest in peace Keith you know we lost an employee a couple years ago and he was a good worker too so that's always uh hits the heart when you know friends and family but uh but we we keep rocking and rolling man shout out to my team man I I love y'all to death man that's awesome something that we have talked about a lot at the Thrive Hub is something called a legacy business and so I'm curious if you think that dynamic delivery blinds will continue to be a legacy business and if you think that your children will eventually run this one day or not.
SPEAKER_02Carrie Ann and I both have small businesses Dreamweaver balloon and Crystal Kedos and Burry Friends neither of us at this time are thinking they're going to be legacy. No my kids were on the podcast and so that it's not going to be so it's something you know that we kind of sit with and we're happy to do this. We're having fun doing it and so we're doing it for now but hearing you and this impact that you have in your family being involved I'm curious to know if you guys think this will be a legacy business moving forward.
SPEAKER_00Oh man it long term answer probably not and it's not and it's not because I the first person I'm gonna hand it off to would be Chris and I know Chris is going to keep me going as long as he can but I do know with the with the new generation man they're they're they're they don't want to get too many hands on and stuff and the hands on they want to put on is in is in the phones and I can you can't blame them. You know they're trying to get get strike it big quick and with the uh with the capability with that they have the opportunity to do that. And so you get more people and more young people you know wanting to do that it draws away from more people more skilled workers out there. And so can I say it could be a legacy business I mean yeah if if if it if you know if our family keeps teaching it down to other ones but it's hard you know when they can yeah have other options have have a smile and a good hairdo and guess what they got 50 million likes and is and there they are you know and so um that's that's the problem I'm going to see but I I I do see uh it going for a little while but eventually that I think that's going to kill it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah you know I understand that I definitely do. And hopefully you know maybe bringing in opportunities like hey we want you to come in and make content of the blinds you know and giving them that opportunity to absolutely who knows always some fun opportunities and with that being said years from now when you're looking back over all of the work that you've done what is something that you think is going to make you the most proud uh man I'm already proud man I ain't gotta look back on it like I I don't I don't I don't have to look at look back on it just knowing consider the fact where I came from and from where I'm at now oh man that's that's that's I'm already here I'm happy that's what you want in life.
SPEAKER_00And so um I ain't gotta look back on nothing.
SPEAKER_01That's awesome.
SPEAKER_00I don't I mean I look back on things uh it's it's a lot of trials and tribulations but I I uh just knowing where I'm at now uh that that means the world to me and and I don't and you know I I I cherish that so I really don't it's just right now in the moment and I think that matters so much. Oh absolutely you know and I don't know what the future's gonna hold but I I know where I uh I know where I want to go and so that's why I'm handing I'm I'm doing it and so that's all I can ask for.
SPEAKER_02Congratulations that's awesome oh thank you I love it so earlier we were talking a little bit about putting all your eggs in one basket putting all your money into the social media and the marketing side of things so I'm interested that now all of these later all these years later with the experience that you have what do you think has helped dynamic delivery blind stand out locally uh us being genuine yeah you know uh you're not gonna go all right you go to Lowe's the process is like this you can either A call somebody schedule something online B you're gonna get not a window treatment professional you're gonna get their handyman or whoever they send out there C if you actually wanted to go to there you probably want to get the carpet guy or little Johnny who's not there uh or the next person that's hiring D if you end up or did I say C D I don't know I don't even know but just just follow up just follow me with following me this is the process you're gonna go this is Lowe's Home Depot this is why I stress out in my new in some of our new social media ads about about why you shouldn't go here um you always got to find somebody and if you want to look at something it's hard to get help you got to hit a red button guess what uh what you got to do with us if I'm not there scan the QR code I'll be there in two three minutes if not less or maybe in the back but you're always gonna get help from us um you're always uh we know what we're doing uh see we're not a franchise like budget blinds we're not somebody who just who just put money down and bought it we built this genuinely from the ground up you know we used our people we used local resources we used uh local local people that gave us a chance you know that that you know you know depended on us to give them good quality work and we did that you know a lot of people can't say that loads can't say that they're just gonna bring in another person the next body in the next body out you know um I really pride ourselves on on us being genuine and and being and being professionals and knowing what we do that you that you're trusting in us that actually you have no worries when you're purchasing no treatments from us like none at all and so I really pride and pride ourselves on that.
SPEAKER_00Even if we do mess up you're gonna see us out in the street and say hey I mean you can see me right now if if we've ever put something up bad for y'all or anything tell me I'm gonna come immediately fix it. I'll drop what I'll do and I'll make sure we get we get you going and get you happy. You know you're not gonna get that from all the other other uh manufacturers they're gonna want you to prove it and do all this and that and where's your receipt has it been this past 90 days you ain't no man I'm I'm we're here for you yeah you know we we provide a service and we stand by our service no no uh hidden hidden nothing so we're we're there we're here I love that so you mentioned your space so I want you to tell us a little bit about that so you're on highway 31 right absolutely 1632A Highway 31 W. So if you ever want to come uh actually just touch feel see um your product before you buy it you have an opportunity to do that uh especially uh if you make an exterior shade purchase uh we have exterior shade you can actually see how that works and whatnot before you make a purchase because that that can be a very expensive purchase and so we give y'all the opportunity to actually you know see and feel and do what do what you want to do uh before you spend that money uh for that and and and and a good thing is also is we're gonna beat anybody's price we're we're one of the lowest lowest dealers there is and so uh we also strive on that you bring me a Lowe's Home Depot budget blinds or a boomin' blinds price I'm gonna do my best to beat it. No if that's butts about it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah I like it I like that too make it accessible for our local people here and I really think that matters a lot absolutely and knowing that you're gonna be local and be around like you say I'll drop something I'll be there in no time and that's 100% right because you are here local in some area in Robinson County of course so we're grateful for that and I love whenever I'm driving down Highway 31 and I see dynamic delivery blinds I see the vehicles I see the brand and it's something that pops out and so I'm glad of you guys yeah absolutely man that's what that's what we pride ourselves on.
SPEAKER_00Another thing I can I if I can give something for like the young guys or young people out there ladies and gentlemen that's uh trying to start a small business uh if you look good you're gonna feel good so man make sure you you you if you got vehicles that need to be wrapped wrap them invest in that like there's nothing I can I can't tell you how many shout out to Chad Richie and I print works and bowling green um for that design that he made for us uh on our wraps because I've gotten so much business so much calls information um the more information the more you can make your your rap and your logo or who you are stand out the better uh people got eyes you gotta be able to see them for now I mean until I put shades on them but you know and so uh but yeah yeah you gotta you gotta go out there and look good man yeah you definitely gotta look good and that's something I've been hearing over and over again um we recently had Amy Williams with Conya Roofing come in and talk to our youth professionals and they have a rap vehicle and she said Maybe yeah talked to her this morning man she was uh uh she's looking out helping us on a helping me out on the project and so once again local helping local yes right and then here we are shouting her out so she said anytime that she has a little bit of extra time she will literally just drive around the busy intersections of White House so that people are seeing her brand and her logo and for her she'll add a dog in the car too to get a little extra attention so that helps.
SPEAKER_02But that's something that I think that we're hearing a lot is just to have your brand out there. We had another brand recently say that they will just park their car out in different locations. That's wrapped that way it's getting those eyes and not keeping it in the same location because if you do then it becomes something that you just pass and don't even look by what I'm hearing a lot and I'm glad that you brought that up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah that's how everybody knows I'm at the gym man y'all see the truck y'all see the y'all see the van out there parked out there y'all know where I'm at?
SPEAKER_02Yeah the 1440 shout them out yeah I like that um so speaking of supporting new businesses getting started what are some marketing ideas or strategies that have worked best for you obviously marketing is not in your realm you're here for the blinds and I think that you have really embraced video and content and all different styles to really get your name out there so I'm curious and what has worked best for you in the service industry that you would recommend to other people oh man uh boots on the ground yeah boots on the ground straight up door knockers like that that was our bread and butter before we even got into social media or even the internet uh what got us started once we left Lowe's is we had these door hangers we would put on everybody like if we would go to new subdivisions uh new construction area and man I would litter the hell out of all that stuff I would put door knockers uh yard signs man boots on the ground you got to be seen um um the wrap just just just being seen and and and I'm not saying door knockers may work but it's just just put just be walk just be seen man just have your name out there something yeah something that came up right away with both of you guys being on the chamber board is um the goodie bags that they have so oftentimes the chambers will do swag bags and they'll say hey if you have 200 of this drop it off and we'll throw it into swag bags and so if you have 200 pins 200 whatever that you can throw into somewhere I agree boots on the ground is a great yeah chambers yeah chamberly stepping their game up on stuff like that man like they they're like they do what they can to help to help you if you send them stuff like we're gonna help you like we're gonna put it out there like uh they got a like a review system going on now like if you got a Google uh we believe you Google review business if we've done anything so uh like the chamber heavily man chamber definitely is is is doing things for small businesses man you can't you can't go and that that goes for the the White House and the Robertson County too I agree with that they do that I don't know about Sumner County man I need to go in there since I'm born and raised but I don't hear nothing go go see check out check out there six ones are disconnected in the Zeman I'm about to get out there man because you know um the hometown is gonna be showing me no love Harrisonville what's wrong with y'all stand up I'm gonna be getting much business from y'all I'm gonna go ahead and let it be known I'm gonna keep it one hundo if y'all know me especially the people that grew up me from Hendersonville y'all know yeah uh uh yeah what's going on in Hendersonville let me know why all your window treatments are going why y'all going to Lowe's man y'all getting low the budget what's wrong with y'all the budget blind dude is is is really on the budget like he can't man seriously he can't get enough gas to get you all's appointments man goal to get you some business in Hendersonville yeah man my hometown don't even show me my love you know gallant hey the outin' stand up the outin's been there you know they got the new Nexus subdivision and I've done I would say 75% of that and so uh they really they really uh have showed me some love and I wouldn't have got that if it wasn't for South Palmer's chapel that they built up here David Weekly and once again boots on the ground I walked in there and talked to the homegirl Colleen uh who who sat there and worked the front desk and was showing people houses and stuff and I was like man you know I gave her a $50 Amazon gift card and said thank you because she referred one thing to me and I gave her uh our card or a business card and she referred one thing I gave her a $50 Amazon gift card and man that one house turned into pretty much all of South Palmer's chapel in the next subdivision in Gauton.
SPEAKER_00So I I I I can only tell you from what I know booth on the ground man.
SPEAKER_02Yeah that's awesome.
SPEAKER_00I love that so much are there any other referral tips like that that you like to utilize I really love that idea having an extra $50 gift card for Amazon in your back pocket and when you have that to pop it out because it does matter and you know you talked about that a little bit earlier if you have someone out and about in the world and they're like hey I really love this to buy something so is there anything else like that that you like to do to really show your appreciation for those who are referring you oh yeah man we love to uh we we give out you know the Amazon gift cards um Texas Roadhoff gift cards man if anybody leaves us reviews or whatnot we'll send them a uh a Texas Road out gift card in the mail a lot of people don't know that they'll just show up you know with a Texas Roadhouse gift card in the mail like oh why are you doing it and it's explained you know thank you for leaving us a review or what have you and uh uh yeah yeah and then uh that just that just refers you know more referrals man they tell their neighbors or whatnot who moved in who asked who did your blinds you know oh dynamic delivery blinds did it man and if you do it and you leave them a review guess what you can get a freaking uh uh uh Texas Rhode House gift card in the mail you know yeah and so always do something to always um you know give back after after you know a purchase that's always a good way to you know to get you your your Googles up you know because everything revolves around SEO in the world so um if I can give you another tip is try to tie in um you know giving out invoices receipts back to your Google stuff or whatnot reviews anything that can get you anything seen out there on the on the on the social media world is is is always going to help. And that's what's kind of kind of what is kind of gone to nowadays is that but um but boosting the ground still does work because you are the you are the first line of offense.
SPEAKER_02Yeah and I almost feel like it's even more valuable now because we have so many who are doing it virtually that you being there and showing the other person matters tenfold. So I think that's awesome. Yeah something that a lot of people know about you is that you're big on sayings and mottos and all of those types of things. So I wanted to know if you had any little sayings that you wanted to leave us with today at the hub to tell us to keep on going and moving forth.
SPEAKER_00Man be a sponge in life dude because this is why this is why you need to be a sponge when you sponge you soak it all up but you know what at the end of the day you wring it out and you only give out what you don't need and then you use the sponge to keep cleaning or whatever you got to do. You got to be a sponge in life you got to take in what you can take in but there's some things you don't need to take in you got to take it out you know and that's why I like to say to myself I've been a sponge in life you know growing up you know I've I've hadn't always been pretty I've done some good a lot of good a lot of bad but you know through life I've rinsed the bad out and and and kept the good and I'll keep keep wiping that path to me. And so I I like to cut myself a sponge uh health is wealth man uh that's my bank campaign for the past couple two three years because man if if you if health ain't right you ain't going nowhere in life and and I mean that because when you get healthy uh you start worried about yourself you know it it it it it breeds consistency it's gonna breed discipline and those are two things you need in life man if you're consistent and disciplined you can do anything in life you know I I I wake up in the morning um uh gym time you know it's usually five in the morning but if I don't get at five in the morning I I fit gym in like that the the health has got to happen you know because if I don't fit it in I'll get it in in the afternoons you know uh continue on working um family life you know cooking dinner uh you know doing all that things you know it make that makes me very disciplined uh when I get when I got my health right because 2025 was shoot that was it was bad dude 2025 man if I could only I didn't know I was gonna be here next year you know I don't know what the hell was gonna happen you know and then when you're faced with a whole year of wow what you know a whole year of just you just you just misery and it wasn't because of just me or just because you know things in life happen uh but then when you pull yourself out of that and you're like man I'm I'm gonna do my best to never go back to that I'm gonna do everything I can you know just to breathe positivity out there and just you know just just just make somebody if I can make somebody one person smile a day man it's it is what it is man I don't love making people smile many days you know it is I like what people call it they tell me like man as soon as you show I'm walking in the walk in the building man shit just lights up man it's all good man that's that's what I like positivity that's why I like being by stay positive news yes yeah okay one other question I want to ask you is what does success mean to you right now compared to what it meant to you 10 years ago oh wow oh that's awesome man 10 years ago success with man I uh I had that 15 acres on a 5,000 square foot house white picket fence you know living a life society told you right yeah yeah yeah yeah but success right now to me is is you know being happy I I have I have my health I have my life I look at my family they're all of them are doing good um I'm making new friends every day you know I'm on a podcast man uh you know that's success right now how I look at success now it ain't the finer things in life it's just if you're doing good in life if if if you can wake up feel positive about yourself man that that's that's the greatest feeling in the world you know waking up feeling positive thank yourself for another day um you know just thankful I get to get up and do what I do every morning whether it's do blinds well if I didn't do blinds whether it's being an Uber driver whether being uh shoveling uh cement you name it man I I'd be glad I'm up to do it it you know for sure good for you I think that attitude really changes a lot and says a lot about who you are so I love that man you got to man with with with things going on now in the world you got to man you you literally have to like you gotta see past the bad And just you just gotta see past it right now. And you just got to. You just got to. If you're ever gonna get past it, man, because it will turn. Like it will definitely turn. And uh you just gotta just hold on and just see past it, man.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I don't do. Okay, before we wrap up here, I want to ask some rapid fire questions. Okay. So a couple questions I'm gonna throw out. You're gonna give me an answer, and we're just going to learn a little bit about you in a quick little minute, okay? All right. All right. Sounds good. First question. And I know some of these are gonna be hard, and you're gonna want to say a bunch, but we're gonna see how close we can get.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_02Alright. What is your favorite local restaurant?
SPEAKER_01Ooh. That's a tough one.
SPEAKER_00It ain't tough. It ain't tough. I won't tell you because I'm gonna give it to y'all. Alright, look here, look here, guys. Some of y'all are slipping, and I'm gonna go down the line. Alright. Pizza Pub, I love you to death, but you know what? You're not gonna be on the top of the list because why? Oh yeah, why I why? Because I came in there last time, and y'all it's a little bit too packed for me. Y'all used to have my beer ready and waiting on me. Y'all have all the ingredients to be my number one. You got my beer. I love pizza. Y'all got the best wings in town. But I can't give it to you. Um, right now, boom, boom. I'm gonna give you the dick of the boat. Uh no, I'm gonna have to uh I'm gonna have to give it to all seasons, man. Uh yeah, they they keep it popping. They start to carry my beer, you know, sloppy drink, Mike, it gets sloppy, and the food is always is pretty much 80% of what's on the menu is is is is pretty darn good. And so I can't never go wrong with all seasons. I always have a good time in all seasons. Yeah, uh exactly. Sometimes I'm leaving sloppy because Mike we you know we making them go strong, you know, but but yeah, I love all seasons.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Okay, are you a coffee drinker or an energy drink drinker?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, I'm a neither drinker. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Sean on an energy drink one day. He does not need any more energy drinking.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I've had nothing but my water and I've had my uh my amino acids, my essential amino acids. That's it.
SPEAKER_02Healthy and redeem hydrate. I'm here for it. Yes. Are you an early bird or a night owl?
SPEAKER_00Oh You said 5 a.m. for the work. Yeah, I am an early bird. I had to say early bird, but dude, I I can't stay out, man, because there was years that I was a I was a bone center manager. I had to work midnight shift all the time. So I stayed up for a while. So I can do both, but early.
SPEAKER_02Cool. What is one business tool that you absolutely could not live without?
SPEAKER_00Oh, one business tool I could not live without. Uh my driver. Yeah, I can't go nowhere. You can't do no make no money without that.
SPEAKER_02Yes, I heard that. What is the best advice you have ever received?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, the best advice I ever received. It's gonna have to be from one of my good, good old mentors, Tom Palmer. And I can't remember what he always said. Uh but he uh but he always he pulled it down to like this, man. If you if if you if figure out what you want in life and what you need in life. Because you can oh god, what do you say? You can want something in one hand, I think you can crap in the other hand, and you tell me what's gonna fill up faster. And I was like, all right, I got you on that one. And so but he always had a he always had a bunch, man. Tom Palmer is is is is yeah, him, his wisdom, oh man, I can go a mile away. Oh, that's why I got nicknames for everybody, and I got it from him because uh he would always give us a nickname, you know, just to brighten up your day.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so but okay, last one for our rapid fire. If you could go back and tell y'all younger Sean one thing, what would you tell him?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, whoo wee. Uh I would tell him, you know, quit spending money on things that you that's not gonna that that's not gonna help you later on in life. Because I used to spend a lot of money on on cars, like man, growing up, I had cars with 20s, paint jobs, all that, because I loved I love to do custom car crap uh growing up. And but I wish I could tell him back in the day was you know, if you take that money that you invest that you had at a young age, Sean, like I was 17, 18 years old with three jobs, uh, two cars with two car notes, paying them all. And I didn't need all that. If I could tell younger Sean, you didn't need that, and you could have just invested in yourself, you know, stacked money, investing, bought a house. I mean, I've got property, you know. That's what I should have been flexing out is buying a house as a property, man. But yeah, if I could tell young Sean, man, save up money and buy some property, dude. Because that's not that's something that's never gonna lose value.
SPEAKER_02Okay, I agree. I love that. All right, wrapping up here, we're just gonna close out by saying a few things. So, first up, I want to ask, what is next for dynamic delivery blinds? Do you have anything on the horizon that you're excited about and want to share with us?
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. Um, absolutely. We're gonna be, I mean, we're gonna be uh we're gonna be a freaking commercial juggernaut next year. I uh uh you know, I I I don't like doing commercial, but I mean the way things are going right now, commercial right now is really been going good for us, and we got a lot of good big projects that's gonna get our name out there uh lot more out in other states and whatnot. So I'm kind of I'm kind of glad to see that we're probably gonna be in more states. Um I don't know if we're gonna be more residential anymore in states, but I mean it gets the opportunity is there, and and so I I like that. So I do I do believe we're gonna have a lot of opportunity to do a lot of good things in other states.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome already. And then what is your final advice for someone scared to start their new business?
SPEAKER_00Oh man, without no risk, there's no reward. All right. You can take that how you want to take it, but dude, if you're not going to man, all right, it's like this. You can trust that person behind you that you can hope he put that bungee cord back before you take the jump, or you know, you go back and check it yourself. But if you go back and check yourself, you may somebody else might grab an opportunity and jump at Mr. Bungee chance. You know, that's not probably one of the best examples to use, but um if that's that's what it is, man. If you're gonna be a small business owner, you're gonna have to take risks. There's there's no if, ands, buts about it. Because if you don't take the risk, there's no reward. You can't just sit back and just hope that it's gonna come to you, hope that that you know this is the right decision, hope that no, you you you better you gotta take the chance. Yeah, either you're gonna bomb or you're not. But you know what? At least you can say to yourself, you tried. Yeah, you know, if you don't try, you don't you never know. Yeah, I don't want to never know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I want to know if I'm good at this or I or I'm I'm ass at it, you know. So at least I know and I know what the else I gotta do. Yeah, you know, and I can always tell people, always just when you get in, never stop growing. Always find another avenue to always grow your business. If your business provides another opportunity for you, take it also. You know, I could have just stayed in the residential game, but I won I did commercial. Uh also started getting with designers. Um we started doing out-of-state work for designers, and so I could have just stayed in my little bubble, but no, you got you gotta once you're in, you gotta keep going because it's it's you gotta stay on top. You know, you you you get your business going, you think you got the championship belt. Yeah, you got the belt, but the hardest thing about it is keeping the belt, you know, because there's always somebody, especially if you got competition business, there's always somebody looking for your spot. Yeah, always. And I want to be the number one business, number one blind business in in at least Tennessee. So, I mean, budget blinds, whoever y'all claim y'all be, Zingas, watch out. Um, um, I'm here and I ain't going nowhere.
SPEAKER_02Yep, I heard that. And I have a feeling you're gonna have a lot of new customers after this. So, will you let us know how people can connect with you and dynamic delivery blinds to get the best blinds in Tennessee?
SPEAKER_00Best blinds Tennessee, man. Just hook us up on our website, dynamicdeliveryblinds.com. You can hook us up on Facebook, Instagram, um, you can hit us up on a uh blah blah blah blah blah. Come to the shop, you know, scan. You know, that's it. I mean, you can hear me on the hub now. First podcast ever done, man. The hub done got me on it. Yeah, you know, and so uh very thankful for y'all. And uh man, that's how you can get a hold of me. Networking, man. You can catch me at the bars out here. Uh, you know, next week we'll probably be lingering and dangling somewhere. Me and the wife, we're trying to get out and do something. So, but you can always get at us at a local restaurant somewhere, man. I'm always around. Boom, boom, all seasons. Uh Pete's pub, I'll I'll come see y'all. Yeah. So meals for sure.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, that's great. Thanks for coming on, Sean. We had so much fun with you today.
SPEAKER_00Man, I'm just why's it gonna end?
SPEAKER_04I'll get another one, and we'll bring Jennifer on next time. Yes.
SPEAKER_00Oh, no, I don't actually need to give Jennifer her own, man. Y'all, golly, she yeah, she can keep y'all busy for a minute, dude. No doubt.
SPEAKER_04All right, everybody. Thank you for joining the hub today. We'll see you next time.
SPEAKER_00Hey, health is wealth.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_03This podcast is intended solely for educational purposes. We do not guarantee that it will result in a successful business, nor is it designed to serve as a step-by-step guide. Please ensure compliance with all applicable city, county, state, and federal business regulations.