As I sat down to write this entry, I had a completely different subject in mind. When I noticed it’s been almost two years since I “successfully” wrote a blog entry, my mind was suddenly changed. Maybe I’ll focus on the other subject eventually, but what’s now at the front of my mind needs to be said. Let’s hope I can say it in a productive way.
My previous entry is titled “The COVID Way.” In that entry, I discussed how Amerivet Services was getting kicked around a bit, but we were kicking back too. To be brutally honest, that situation has held true for two years. We’ve taken a lot of lumps, faced a lot of challenges, and we’re still here kicking back!
COVID has changed Amerivet Services quite a bit, but most of the changes have been good. We’ve been forced to go back to the roots of the company, focus on what we know works, and make honest decisions about what doesn’t. When it comes to what doesn’t work, the fuse has to be very short.
I’ve had a million conversations with other business owners. The challenges we face at Amerivet Services seem to be common throughout the business world: Employees are hard to find. Skilled employees are hanging out with the unicorns these days. Raw materials are readily available one day and GONE the next! Customer demand is high but fickle. Prices of EVERYTHING are so high it’s hard to bid a project with more than 10 days’ confidence in your numbers.
So what can we do about it? The answer is different every day. The world is changing so quickly it’s hard to predict. I’m more optimistic than I’ve been in 2-1/2 years. Is it the outside world’s fault? Maybe a little, but the team at Amerivet Services shows so much promise that I’m really excited about our future. We have quite a few new people, but their attitudes are good and I have more opportunities to get out and teach them to do things my way. As most of you know, my way is a very good way. I’ve been doing it my whole life. As these kids learn it, they’ll be set for life too!
So what HAVE these kids done in the last couple of months? Well, we moved 2000 lb beams into the basement of one of Detroit’s most prestigious architectural wonders, and then raised them by hand. They now support the limestone facade of the whole 5 story building as the basement expands past the foundation. We removed the entire steel structure from the front of a Target store in a single night, allowing for the new Target look to become reality. We completed a steel door restoration on a 100 year old mansion, literally against all odds. We used one of the worst pontoon boat accidents ever to teach the guys how to weld aluminum in a worst case scenario. We completed a dozen heavy equipment repairs, doing buildup, hardfacing, and installing fish plates. We’ve made dozens of rollup door repairs. We’ve inspected and repaired two aircraft hangar doors! We’ve been very busy!
What’s in our future? Well, it looks like we’ll be replacing the siding and adding onto an aircraft hangar, installing structural steel for patient lifts in a hospital, and structural reinforcement for new rooftop equipment at a school. We’re installing a dishwasher in a restaurant kitchen, complete with fully welded stainless steel duct and sink modifications. As varied as this seems, it absolutely is where Amerivet Services comes from! I’m very happy to get back to our roots!
Also, I’m very proud to say, because of the effort Charlene and Janet have made to learn and develop the workings of this business, I’m now in a position to get in the field substantially more often, so that I can mentor our field team and show them how things should really work. Every time I get on a job site with them, I’m very humbled by how much they learn and how well they apply it!
How does this affect you? From my point of view it’s pretty simple: You get to be served by a virtually “new” company that has a fresh sense of enthusiasm and is backed by my service ethic and lifetime of experience in almost every field! You can call us any time with any problem, and we’ll solve it as quickly and professionally as possible! We’ve got your back!
For our parting shot, check out Logan and Allen hanging a beam by hand!
