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American Dream Series, Part 20: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes
One of the surest ways to success—and one of the cornerstones of my American Dream—has been encouraging those who work with me to thoroughly understand our customer’s point of view—to take a minute and walk in their shoes. In virtually … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream, Part 19: Value & Listen
Another lesson in the dogged pursuit of My American Dream has been learning to value, listen—really listen—to the opinions of those I’ve asked to accompany me on the journey. If I’ve asked somebody to have faith in my goals, then … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream, Part 18: The Double-Edged Sword
I’ve mentioned before that my Handyman Matters business started in the basement of the home my wife and I owned. This was, to say the least, an inauspicious beginning, but we made it work. Our “high tech” office furniture was … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream, Part 17: Giving Back to the Community that Supports You
One of the core values of my American Dream has been that The Handyman Matters Business isn’t just about making a better life for my family, my employees and myself; it’s about looking at the community in which we make … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream, Part 16: Never Get Too Big to Own Your Mistakes
I’ve talked a lot about developing my goals, honing my American Dream, establishing the values and the principles by which I want to conduct both my personal and my professional life. What I hadn’t considered was how easily it would … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream, Part 15: A Shared Sense of Purpose and Success
Handyman Matters is well into its second decade of existence, with franchise locations in thirty states and three countries. Sometimes it seems unbelievable to me that this all began with one office, situated in the basement of our home, with … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream: Part 14, Communication
Regular, consistent communication with our customers is an important cornerstone in how we conduct business, but it doesn’t stop there: Communication between us as co-workers is every bit as important. I learned early on that I didn’t want my craftsmen … Continue reading
The Story of our American Dream: Part 13, A New Kind of Craftsman
Every year at our annual Handyman Matters Convention since 2003, we have given out The John Knoke Trophy, or, as it is also known, The Top Customer Service Award. It is given to our franchise location that we feel has … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream – Part 12: Learning from Mistakes
Just because you’ve developed a strong business model and you have a clear vision of the goals you intend to achieve does not mean that your plans aren’t going to occasionally go astray. I had more than my share of … Continue reading
The Story of Our American Dream: Part 11
HANDYMAN MATTERS AND OUR CUSTOMERS MAKING THE JOURNEY TOGETHER It’s tough to shake people out of their long-held beliefs and experiences, even when those experiences haven’t been positive ones. Nearly everybody can easily recall a situation in which they engaged … Continue reading
