Small Giants
| Chapter One | Table of Contents |
Index

 

Alzner, Susan, 115
Anchor Brewing
     community connection, 50, 55, 67–68
     employee connection, 97–100, 112
     going public, rejection of, 4–5
     owner authority, 151–53
     passion of owner, 196–97
     small staff, benefits of, 97–100
     socially responsible activities, 67–68
     start-up, growth of, 1–5
     and succession plan, 163
Ansara, Jim, 35–36.
     See also Shawmut Design and Construction
Arnold, Joe, 118–20
Artists’ Frame Service
     community connection, 55–56
     employee connection, 132–34
     production, management of, 134–38
     start-up, growth of, 36, 42–45
     working environment, 198

Babinec, Krista, 24, 27, 30
Babinec, Martin, 24–30.
     See also TriNet, Inc.
Battle, Ren, 137
Bayless, Maggie, 107
Begley, Mary, 91
Beier, Thad, 141
Betancourt, Agripino, 137
Blue Smoke, 19, 22
     bonuses. See Employee rewards
Brodsky, Elaine, 16, 57, 75–78
Brodsky, Norm, 12–17, 56–57, 109,111–12, 121, 162–63.
     See also CitiStorage
Butler, Bill, 37–40, 109, 112–14.
     See also W. L. Butler Construction


Carlson, Bob, 59, 119–21, 175–81
Catlin, Robert, 40–41.
     See also Signature Mortgage Corp.
Chouinard, Malinda, 165
Chouinard, Yvon, 165
Chuba, Dan, 141–46.
     See also Hammerhead Productions
CitiStorage, 12–16
     community connection, 50, 56–57
     customer service, 75–79
     employee benefits, 76
     employee connection, 76–78, 111–12
     employee customer service training, 77–78
     employee prohibitions, 109
     employee rewards to employees, 111–12
     new clients, overcoming barriers to, 203–5
     passion of owner, 199
     socially responsible activities, 57
     start-up, growth of, 16–17
     succession plan, 162–63
Clif Bar
     community connection, 57–58
     events sponsored by, 74
     marketing strategy, 74–75
     partnership buy-out, 33
     sale of company, rejection of, 7–8, 33–34, 105–6
     socially responsible activities, 74–75
     start-up, growth of, 7–9
     succession planning, 163–66
Coamerica, 160–61
Collins, Jim, xviii, 105
community connection
     Anchor Brewing, 50, 55, 67–68
     Artists’ Frame Service, 55–56
     CitiStorage, 50, 56–57
     Clif Bar, 57–58
     ECCO, 50
     O. C. Tanner, 50
     Reel Precision Manufacturing, 50, 58–59
     Rhythm & Hues, 147
     Righteous Babe Records, 48–49, 51–54, 89, 210
customer connection
     CitiStorage, 75–79
     customer intimacy concept, 79–80, 110
     ECCO, 81–85
     enlightened hospitality concept, 72–74, 110
     Righteous Babe Records, 86–88
     Union Square Hospitality Group, 70–74, 110
     University National Bank & Trust Co., 155, 157–58
     Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB), 85

de Young, Lisa, 63–64
DiFranco, Ani, 46–49, 52–54, 87–91, 114–16.
     See also Righteous Babe Records
Dixon, Jamie, 141, 146.
     See also Hammerhead Productions
Donaldson, Eric, 179

ECCO
     community connection, 50
     customer intimacy, 81–85
     employee connection, 93–96
     employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), 80, 93, 110, 166–71
     leadership change, 81–83, 167–68
     start-up, growth, 80–85
Ehmke, Ron, 52–53, 87–88, 91
     11 Madison Park, 19, 22
Emberling, Amy, 108
employee benefits
     CitiStorage, 76
     Rhythm & Hues, 148–49
employee connection
     Anchor Brewing, 97–100
     Artists’ Frame Service, 132–34
     CitiStorage, 76–78, 111–12
     ECCO, 93–96
     O. C. Tanner Company, 103–5
     Rhythm & Hues, 148–50
     in small companies, 96–100
employee rewards
     Anchor Brewing, 112
     CitiStorage, 111–12
     W. L. Butler Construction, 112–14
employee stock ownership plan (ESOP),166–72
     ECCO, 80, 93, 166–71
     pros/cons of, 34, 166
     Reel Precision Manufacturing, 110, 123, 166, 171–72
     Section 1042 rollover, 168
entrepreneurs
     creativity of, 194–96, 202–6
     passion of, 196–99
Erickson, Gary, 7–9, 57–58, 105–6.
     See also Clif Bar
Erikson, Kit, 164–65
Esmond, Don, 49
estate taxes, and succession planning, 163–64
ethical dilemma
     Reel Precision Manufacturing, 118–21


Field, Drew, 4
Fisher, Scot, 46–49, 52–54, 87–91, 116.
     See also Righteous Babe Records
Fleming, Jim, 54, 90
Food Gatherers, 63–64
Forbe, George, 169
Friedman, Milton, 66–67


Giblin, Sean, 115
Gilchrist, Andrew, 208
Giordano, Virginia, 90
Glen, Roy, 82
Goldhirsh, Bernard A., 191–95
Goltz Group, growth of, 36
Goltz, Jay, 41–45, 55–56, 115, 131–38.
     See also Artists’ Frame Service; Goltz
Group
Good to Great (Collins), xviii, 105–6
Gramercy Tavern, 18, 73
Greder, Darcy, 89, 91
Greenleaf, Robert K., 130–31, 174
Grubs, Jim, 177, 180
Grunert, Brian, 51, 53, 88


Hammerhead Productions
     large project issues, 143–46
     number of staff, 141
     physical space, 142–43
     start-up, growth of, 140–43
Hawken, Paul, 154–55
Howard, Michelle, 93–96, 100
Hughes, John, 147–51.
     See also Rhythm & Hughes


Inc., start-up, growth, 192–95
IPOs, negative aspects, 4


Johnson, Lee, 124, 172, 174.
     See also Reel Precision Manufacturing
Jorgensen, Kaye, 104


Karatz, Phil, 116
Koch, Michael, 88–89


leadership
     Anchor Brewing, perception of, 151–53
     change of. See Succession planning
     servant leadership, 130
     shared leadership, 125, 172–81
LFS Touring, 114–16
Lightfoot, Patty, 111–12
Lulic, Margaret, 176


McCann, Dan, 94
     management issues, Zingerman’s
     Community of Businesses (ZCoB), 106–8
Mansfield, Todd, 84–85
Marie, Rebecca, 141
Maytag, Fritz, 1–5, 31, 55, 66–68, 97–100, 112, 112, 151–53.
     See also Anchor Brewing
Merrick, Dale, 123–25, 127, 172.
     See also Reel Precision Manufacturing
Meyer, Danny, 17–23
     five-minute rule, 18–19, 20
     on soul of business, xxvii–xviii
     standards for businesses, 17, 34
     See also Union Square Hospitality Group
Mittelstand, 214
Modern, The. See Museum of Modern Art
mojo, and small business, xxviii, 34, 66, 75, 79
Murdock, Kent, 181–89.
     See also O. C. Tanner Company
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA),
     The Modern, 20–21

New Hope Contracting, 213–14
Non-Profit Enterprise at Work, 65


O. C. Tanner Company
     community connection, 50
     company makeover, 182–89
     employee connection, 103–5
     family-owned stock, 32
     one-hundred-year trust, 104
     start-up, growth, 101–3
O’Loughlin, Sheryl, 165
organizational chart, Reel Precision Manufacturing, 122–23
Ostler, Don, 102, 182, 185
ownership, transfer of.
     See Succession planning


Parker, George G., 158
Perfect Courier, 12–13
Peters, Tom, 72, 154–55
Peterson, Carl, 80
Peterson, Ed, 80
Peterson, Gary, 183
Power, Peter, 213–14
professionalism, basis of, 86


Raso, Shauna, 104–5
Reel Precision Manufacturing
     Christian beliefs, influence of, 125–31, 173
     community connection, 50, 58–59
     Declaration of Belief, 129
     Direction Statement, 127–29
     employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), 110, 123, 166, 171–72
     ethical dilemma, 118–21
     family-owned stock, 32, 123
     organizational chart, 122–23
     quality-control program, 127
     and servant leadership, 130
     shared leadership, 125, 172–81
     socially responsible activities, 58–59
     start-up, growth of, 123–26
Rhythm & Hues, 146–51
     community connection, 147
     employee benefits, 148–49
     employee connection, 148–50
     as money loser, 147–48, 150–51
Righteous Babe Records
     art/business balance, 206–11
     collegiality, 114–16
     community connection, 48–49, 51–54, 89, 210
     customer connection, 86–88
     growth strategy, 36, 87
     LFS Touring, 114–16
     loyalties, examples of, 88–90
     marketing method, 87–88
     salaried tour group, 116–17
     start-up, 47–49
     and succession, 189–90
     supplier relationships, 89, 91
Robert K. Greenleaf Center, 130
Rosenberg, Michael, 91


Saginaw, Paul, 9–12, 41, 60–66.
     See also Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB)
Schmitt, Carl, 154–62.
     See also University National Bank & Trust Co.
Schrems, Steve, 115–16
Selima Inc.
     as small business, 139–40, 202
     start-up, growth of, 139–40
     and succession, 189–90
     selling company. See Succession planning
Shake Shack, 19, 22
Shawmut Design and Construction,
     growth of, 35–36
Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, 65
Signature Mortgage Corp., growth of, 40–41
Singmaster, Carl, 91
Skinner, Todd, 186
Sky Courier, 13–14
small businesses
     and community. See Community connection
     as creative enterprise, 194–96, 202–6
     customer service. See Customer connection
     employees. See Employee connection
     employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), 166–72
     and mojo, xxviii, 34, 66, 75, 79
     passion of owners, 196–99
     small giants, characteristics of, xx–xxiii
     succession planning, 161–81
     supplier relations, 85, 89, 91
social responsibility
     Anchor Brewing, 67–68
     CitiStorage, 57
     Clif Bar, 74–75
     Milton Friedman on, 66–67
     Reel Precision Manufacturing, 58–59
     Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB), 63–66
spirituality,
     and Reel Precision Manufacturing, 125–31, 173
Stavola, Selima, 139–40
     on joy of working, 197–98
     See also Selima Inc.
stock offerings
     direct public offering, 4
     employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), 34, 80
     family ownership of stock, 32–33, 110
     IPOs, 4
     and loss of independence, 28, 30, 32, 33–34
     shareholder value issue, xvii
Strom, Jon, 119–21
succession planning, 161–81
     Clif Bar, 163–66
     ECCO, 81–83, 167–68
     employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), 166–72
     and estate taxes, 163–64
     family businesses, survival rates, 164
     O. C. Tanner Company, 104
     one-hundred-year trust, 104
     owner concessions, 161–62
     Reel Precision Manufacturing, 172–81
     and uniqueness of founders, 189–90
     University National Bank & Trust Co., 160–62
supplier relations
     Righteous Babe Records, 89, 91
     Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB), 85


Tabla, 19, 70–71
Tanner, Grace, 103
Tanner, Obert, 100–105, 181–82, 188
     philanthropy of, 102–3
     See also O. C. Tanner Company
Tanne, Susan, 91
Theory X and Theory Y, 135
Thomas, Lisa, 7–8, 33, 35
Thompson, Chris, 81, 168–71.
     See also ECCO
Thompson, Jim, 35, 80–83, 167–70.
     See also ECCO
Treacy, Michael, 79, 82
TriNet, Inc., 25–30
     capital acquisition method, 28–29
     start-up, growth of, 25–30


Union Square Café, 17–18, 20, 73
Union Square Hospitality Group
     community connection, 50
     customer service, 70–74, 100
     employee rotation, 22
     as family-owned business, 32
     growth proposals, rejection of, 18–19, 50
     growth strategy of, 19–22, 36
     restaurants of, 17–22
University National Bank & Trust Co.
     customer connection, 155, 157–58
     growth, controlling, 156–59
     innovative management, 154–56
     sale of, 160–62
     start-up, growth, 156–60


value disciplines, 79, 82


Wahlstedt, Bob, 124, 127, 129, 172, 174, 179.
     See also Reel Precision Manufacturing
Washtenaw Housing Alliance, 65
Weinzweig, Ari, 9–12, 41, 50–51, 59–66, 106–8.
     See also Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB)
Whole Foods Market, 51, 56
Wiersema, Fred, 79, 82
Wikstrom, Steve, 121, 127, 172–81.
     See also Reel Precision Manufacturing
Wild Swan Theater, 65
Willey, T. Joe, 27
W. L. Butler Construction
     Butler University, 113–14
     family-connected employees, 109
     rewards to employees, 112–14
     start-up, growth of, 37–40


York, Frank, 38


Zeimen, Dale, 132–34
Zimmer, Ed, 35, 81–82, 93, 167–71
Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB)
     community connection, 50–51, 60–66, 68–69, 85–86
     customer connection, 85
     exit strategy, 162
     growth strategy, 11–12, 36, 41
     internal ownership of, 33, 34
     learning environment, 60–61
     management problems, dealing with, 106–8
     passion of owners, 198–99
     socially responsible activities, 63–66
     supplier relationships, 85
     Zingerman’s Deli, 9–12, 33, 50, 60–66
     Zingerman’s Roadhouse, 33, 34
     ZingTrain, 106–8

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