In completing the nomination process for the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards program, the most difficult task is typically compiling the narrative information about the company. In an effort to assist in this process, we have provided a sample narrative from past nominations that can serve as a guide.
While the nomination narrative categories have changed and been slightly streamlined for 2005, the sample below provides a good example of the type of detail and description the judges are looking for when they evaluate each nominee. Be sure to be specific in answering each question, preferable by providing concrete examples.
SAMPLE NARRATIVE INFO
THE NOMINEES ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
The word that comes to mind when speaking with Doe family is the passion they have for their family business. For them, the family business is their way of having fun, facing challenges, and continuing a tradition that was started by their grandparents in 1902. They take pride in building relationships with their customers, and see the growth of their business not in terms of increased revenue but in the creation of new jobs that will positively impact the communities that they serve.
While the Doe family management – Jane and John - acknowledge that each has different personalities, their passion is the same nonetheless. Jane notes that she is the much more outgoing and aggressive of the two, but she and John hold the same values and approach to making their business the best it can be. The siblings grew up in the industrial manufacturing (machine parts) business (doing everything from cleaning machinery, sweeping floors, and packaging parts), and as 3rd generation owners are proud to be stewards of the family tradition. They know the machined parts business inside and out, and their extensive experience and skills have led to great success for the company. However, they are not content to rest on the successful history of the business. Indeed, they are seeking to push the company into new areas and take risks to grow it to even greater levels in the future. As Jane comments "we were not pushed into the family business by our father, and our children won’t be either. They will come into the business only if it what they really want to pursue it. Both John and I will be excited and proud to have our children continue on as the 4th generation of the Doe family if they so desire."
ENTREPRENEURIAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND HISTORY
The company was founded by Jane and John’s grandfather in 1902 as a supplier of parts and lubricants for local manufacturing companies. The company was sold in 1929, and a new company established a year later focusing on machined parts. In 1938, the company moved into Ontario and started its long running status as a leading producer of machined parts for a variety of industries including (examples here). The company grew through those years and eventually expanded with an additional location Gardena.
The family owned business made the very difficult transition (less than 30% of family owned businesses survive past the first generation) with Jane and John’s father assuming ownership. This however, was a difficult transition between their father and grandparents which was not smooth and seamless as the elder Doe’s stayed active in the business. When the time came for succession in 1981, their father made sure that the transition was smooth, and transferred full ownership and responsibility to the young siblings, with Jane and John each taking control the business with 50% ownership of the company so that each had an equal share. This is another significant accomplishment for the family business, as less than 10% of family owned businesses are passed on to a 3rd generation.
Subsequent to their taking control of the business, there have been many changes. Not content to just "sit on the family business," Jane and John bought a small machine shop operation in Riverside and in 2001 purchased a small plastic injection molding company. Soon after the purchase, the company built a brand new, state of the art location in Ontario for their main office. In addition, the company now owns three smaller machine shops throughout Southern California, and is continuing to look at possible opportunities to expand. Sales have increased significantly, moving from around million in 2000 to over million in 2002.
The siblings foresee continued growth, with Jane overseeing the aggressive expansion that they believe will lead to nearly million in sales for 2004. Jane now oversees the plants in Ontario, Southern California, and Gardena, while John oversees the operations in Riverside and the high desert area. We believe that with the combined revenues, the Doe Company is the largest machined parts manufacturer in the Inland Empire.
INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE APPROACHES
The Doe family likes to say that the fun part of their business is doing things that other people can’t or don’t want to. They view their business as a full service business, offering services that many other machine shops can’t be bothered with, such as design work and inventory management. They like challenges and see the ultra competitive environment of the machined parts industry as the perfect environment to be creative. In order to get closer and build a better relationship with their customer, for example, they were among the first machine shops to bring customers back for additional services and after sale care. Their "Right from the Start" program invites customers back 2 times each quarter for informative get togethers (which include food and refreshments) regarding the current and future needs of there businesses with regard to machined parts.
FUTURE PURSUIT OF OPPORTUNITY
The Doe family sees the future as one of unlimited opportunities, constrained only by the limited hours of the day. Over the past year they have launched a new location in Ontario, expanded throughout the Inland Empire, and are planning several other significant expansions by potentially adding new locations and services through each of the offices.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Jane and John Doe understand the value of teamwork. They view each and every one of their employees as part of the family, and take a great deal of pride in the fact that people who work for the Doe family tend to be long term employees. For example, the general manager’s of the Ontario office has been with the company for 20 years, and the Jane and John openly acknowledge how important their senior management has been to the success of the company. They openly acknowledge that top management is empowered to make decision and utilize their skills and experience to help the company achieve its goals.
CULTURE AND VALUES OF THE COMPANY
Some industrial companies have been depicted as difficult places to work. The Doe family company stands in stark contrast to that depiction. The Doe family has developed their own company credo, which they carry in their shirt pocket every day, and preach to each employee:
With proper training, a well run system of procedures, a great positive attitude, and respect and trust in each other, we’ll make the customer happy and have a great business.
Indeed, the employees at the Doe family company give each other smiles, friendly greetings, and the mandatory "high five" during their workday. Both Jane and John practice an open door management policy – literally. During a recent visit with Jane, we were interrupted a half dozen times by a wide variety of people. As she commented "whether our door is open or closed, they are always welcome to come in. No meeting is too important that it can’t be interrupted. They always know to just walk in."
The company also encourages promotion from within, and has many employees that have 10-15 years of experience with the company, which is a rarity in today’s business world and even rarer in the world of industrial machining. The Doe family creates and maintains a great working environment and treats their employees as part of the family.
PRIOR AWARDS AND SIGNIFICANT HONORS
Awards listed here.