ALLPRO Independent Magazine March/April 2023

March/April 2023

n ex tg en in Jers ey A L L PRO TA L KS

CYBER SE C U R IT Y

N E T WOR K IN G W IT H NE X TG E N

Discussing design trends with new Decorating Committee member Elizabeth Reda DeJager from Ring’s End

Important security practices and cyber protection for small businesses

Get to know hockey playing, camping adventurer, cold plunging, and NextGen retail member Brian Hubbard

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AT THE MIKE | S E RVIC E

@ ALLPR OCOR P

THE NEW REALITY IN BUSINESS

MI CHA EL B E AUDOIN Executive Vice President ALLPRO Corporation | 813.690.7985

ecently, my wife had a birthday.

Like the past seven birthdays since we have been living in Tampa, I booked a reservation at our favorite family restaurant. The food is slightly above average, and it is priced well above average, but it is always worth it because of the family feel, great service, and amazing view of Tampa Bay. It has been consistent every year that we have been going, with the exception of this year. From the second we pulled into the parking lot, we knew something was different - it was packed and we were forced to use a valet for an additional cost. The family feel was gone and in its place was frenzied chaos.

We were treated indifferently by the hostess and led to the worst table in what felt like the middle of a runway. There was absolutely nothing we could do to improve the situation because they just

didn’t care if we were happy; they were too busy, I was told.

This experience was great preparation for planning the 2023 Spring Show. It was with excitement that we began the process since it is really the first post-COVID-19 show that we have had since 2019. The expectations were high, especially with Styx as our marquee closing band. We did our due diligence by examining our room block, which was established back in 2019 when we booked the property.

We adjusted based on more recent trends. We also expected to partner with the hotel since we are a repeat customer (hosting several shows at this property) and based on 60 years working with hotels. What we encountered was something similar to my restaurant experience. We were told “no” at almost every request and reminded that rooms

are selling significantly higher outside our room block because the hotel is busy. Basic requests such as having a shot gun start at a pre-show golf event cost 50% more. When we protested and looked for another course, it was worse.

Trying to move room blocks from weekdays to Saturday (since we had over 150 additional reservations than any previous year) would be routine in any of the past 60 years we have been hosting shows. This time we were offered additional rooms at double the price and again told “no” on moving the room block.

In both instances, there was nothing we could do to improve the situation and my assumption is that this will be the new reality for some time. It is important to recognize this, change expectations, and plan differently. I understand that hotels and restaurants

S P O T L I G H T:

(Continued on page 5) 7 AAA PAINT & SUPPLY

18 ALLPRO TALKS

26 WASTE AWAY

The Blatnicks, a husband-wife duo, build a successful paint store from the bottom up

Discussing design trends with new Decorating Committee member Elizabeth Reda DeJager from Ring’s End

Identifying, understanding, and resolving eight wastes in your business

24 CYBERSECURITY

ALLPRO’s up-and-comers attend engaging presentations and connect with peers at NextGen “U”

10 FAIRFIELD PAINTS An art major follows his heart into the paint industry and turns it into a lifelong career

Important security practices and cyber protection for small and medium-sized businesses

38 NEXTGEN HEADS TO JERSEY

46 NETWORKING WITH NEXTGEN Get to know hockey playing, camping adventurer, cold plunging, and NextGen retail member Brian Hubbard

50 FINAL COAT Meet ALLPRO’s new business analyst Bradley Calkins

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 3

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INDEPENDENT | ON TH E B LO C K

Congratulations to the new additions to our ALLPRO family!

SHARE YOUR NEWS! If you are involved in a community event, special project, charity, or are celebrating a milestone, please share your news with Susie Fontana at susie.fontana@allprocorp.com

Welcome to our ALLPRO family! Please join us in welcoming ARMISTEAD PAINT & SUPPLY of Atlanta, GA, LUU COLOR CENTER of Rockville, MD, REPCOLITE PAINTS of Holland, MI, & WHITING'S WALLPAPER & PAINTS of Auburn, NY to the ALLPRO family of independent retailers!

Congratulations to the following members on their recent expansions:

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2

3D WALLAUER CORP. added a new store in Mamaroneck, NY; AUBUCHON HARDWARE added one location in Burtonsville, MD and four locations in Maine in Farmingdale, Madison, Skowhegan, and Winslow; CANPRO DECORATING PRODUCTS COOPERATIVE added new member PELLERIN PAINTING (1988) LTD. in North Bay, Ontario; CATALINA PAINTS added new stores in Ontario, CA and Calabasas, CA; FARRELL-CALHOUN will be opening a new store in Birmingham, AL; HOOVER PAINT added new stores in Clarksville and Pleasant View, TN; KOOPMAN LUMBER CO. added a new store in Uxbridge, MA; MONARCH PAINT STORES OF DC will be opening a new store in Alexandria, VA; RING’S END, INC. added five locations in Massachusetts in Boston, Newton, Newburyport, Waltham, & Woburn; four locations in Maine in Portland, Saco, South Portland, & Yarmouth; and two locations in New Hampshire in Hampton & Portsmouth; SPECTRUM PAINT CO. added three new stores, located in St. Petersburg, FL, Texarkana, TX, and Hampstead, NC; STANDARD PAINT & FLOORING added a new store in Ellensburg, WA; SUNSET PAINTS opened a new store in Duluth, GA; and TEXAS PAINT & WALLPAPER added a new store in McKinney, TX.

ALLPRO Leadership board president Mike Weber Executive Vice President Mike Beaudoin Vice President of Merchandising Scott Morath Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Garrett Marketing manager Susie Fontana

About ALLPRO Independent

How to Reach Us

We are a bimonthly publication dedicated to strengthening the ALLPRO community with relevant stories and news. Your suggestions, opinions, and feedback are encouraged.

Write to us at ALLPRO Corporation 4946 Joanne Kearney Blvd., Tampa, FL 33619 Or contact us at 813.628.4800 or by email at allpro@allprocorp.com All publishing services provided by Gallon Creative www.galloncreative.com

on the cover: Virginia Shropshire of Rose Talbert Paints and Elizabeth Reda Dejager of Ring's End at the NextGen Event in New Jersey by Aubrey Taylor of Aubrey James Projects.

(Continued from page 3)

suffered disproportionality throughout the pandemic but treating loyal customers in this fashion will create opportunities for other businesses.

For future hotel contracts, we will look at new properties and demand more flexibility. And future restaurant reservations will also be different, or we will cook at home.

Understanding this new reality will help change how we conduct business.

For members, booking flights early and monitoring for price adjustments will be just as important as using reliable airlines at higher prices. Treating your customers great regardless of the circumstances is important as is knowing that new customers walking

in may be fleeing bad experiences.

Registering early or on time helps as we will not have the flexibility we have had in past years. At ALLPRO, regardless of the circumstances, we will never change how we engage our stakeholders, however, will have to change how we work in order to deliver the best service.

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 5

Pictured: Andrew Blatnick and Jessica Blatnick

6

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

SPOTLIGHT | AAA PAI N T & S U P P LY

aaa paint & supply aint-related or not, Andrew (Andy) Blatnick knows the intense feeling of pride that washes over you when you accomplish a new project. Alongside his wife and fatherin-law, he built nearly his entire home with his own two hands. “I’ve always worked in lumber and building materials,” he says. “Even in high school, I helped build homes.”

He’s also no stranger to taking on a new challenge, which is exactly what he and his wife of 26 years, Jessica, did when they opened AAA Paint & Supply from the ground up in 2015. Seeing continued growth for the first few years of business, they decided to open a second store in February 2020 - one month before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the world and led to inventory shortages across the industry.

“It’s been an interesting ride,” he says of the two stores, both located in Tempe, Arizona. “It was a tough first year at the second store. But COVID has made us adjust some things we’ve done and we’ve become even more profitable as a result.”

Their physical locations have also helped set them apart from other paint stores in the area. The original store caters to contractors while the second, located in a busy plaza with more traffic, focuses on retail customers.

Images: Amanda Dyer Photography

While recruiting new employees has been one of the husbandwife duo’s biggest challenges in their expansion efforts, they’ve developed a strong company culture that includes an employee incentive program focused on sales goals, customer service, and overall good work. “It helps to keep people on the path of doing things correctly and also gives them a little something extra at the end of the month,” says Andy.

To ensure their team stays up-to-date on the latest products, the Blatnicks regularly bring in Benjamin Moore for training, just one of the ways the manufacturer has supported AAA Paint & Supply.

“They’ve also done a great job at supplying products, even when they were hard to get [during the pandemic],” says Andy.

They also rely on online training from the North American Hardware and Paint Association. “A lot of [the training] is on selling skills. Every single employee needs to treat the customers the same way, and sometimes it takes a lot of questions to find out what the customers actually want,” says Andy. “We pride ourselves on ensuring our customers find the right products.”

When it comes to learning, the importance of time and patience cannot be overstated, adds Jessica. “You’re not going to learn everything in a week or a month. It took me a good two years to understand the correct way to sell some of the products. I make

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 7

sure the team knows they’ll learn something new every day. And in this industry, you should want to!”

Joining ALLPRO in late 2020 proved to be a fantastic decision for the business. “The best thing is the purchasing power and recognition from sales reps,” says Andy. “I had been in the business for five years prior to joining ALLPRO and didn’t have a single sales rep come and call on me. When I joined, all of them came out of the woodwork, and most of them are local residents. It really made a difference in terms of being a player in the market.”

The ALLPRO show in the Bahamas marked the couple’s first work vacation, and first time away from the store, in almost seven years. They also attended the recent San Antonio show. “Both times we’ve been to shows, we’ve been able to talk to people in similar situations as us,” says Jessica. “We can pick their brains. Everybody is very open to helping out and giving advice.”

8

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

Q : Ear ly r is er or n ight owl? Early riser.

Q : When you ’ r e n ot at wor k, wh a t can we find you d oin g? Going to a lot of hockey games.

Q : If we came t o you r cit y, we s ho ul d no t leave wit h ou t d oin g wh at ? If you like sports, you can watch our teams. There are so many spots for hiking, golfing, and paddleboarding.

Q : What’ s you r f avor it e pain t co lo r and why?

Andy: Simply White (clean and on the warm side).

Jessica: It depends on what day it is. I like bright colors!

Q : Cr az ies t pain t s pill you ’ve h a d to cl ean u p? A V520 spill—it smells bad and takes a lot to clean it up!

Pictured: Phil Staley

10

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

SPOT LIGHT | FAI RFI E L D PA IN TS

Images: Mariah Milan Photography

fairfield paints hile pursuing an art degree at Ohio University, Phil Staley paid his way through school by working in paint stores — his formal introduction to the industry. “I loved it and stuck with it,” he says. So much so, in fact, that he decided to switch gears and head into a career in paint.

After spending several years working with a small independent paint company, he took on a new challenge in 2006: opening his own store. While there were a few bumps along the way - “I was not anticipating the crash in 2008,” he says - business at Fairfield Paints has since excelled.

Bringing on Benjamin Moore as the main paint manufacturer led to significant benefits for the company. “Through the past 34 years, I’ve dealt with a lot of paint manufacturers, but Benjamin Moore has always supported me 100 percent,” says Staley. “They truly want me to succeed.”

His affiliation with the manufacturer also manifested an unexpected perk. “It changed our customer base, and business has continued to grow ever since,” he says of his store, located in Lancaster, Ohio, about 25 minutes outside of Columbus.

“Over the years, I’ve developed a loyal clientele. People have followed me to the store, even when it’s out of the way for them. To this day, they call me, sometimes

daily, to talk about their families and what’s going on in their lives. It’s not always about business; it’s about relationships.”

Staley’s propensity for building relationships has kept loyal retail customers and painting contractors coming back, sometimes for decades. “Our customers are very loyal to us and they rely on us. We have files that go back 30 years [from the previous company] and customers still come in and ask for a pint to touch up a wall. We try to make sure that we keep all of those records.”

He also cites his team of three full-time employees as another contributor to the store’s success. “We’re a very close-knit group,” he says. “We create an open dialogue all the way around. If someone needs something, I expect them to come to me.”

To that end, comprehensive training has been a crucial step to ensure the team is well-versed in new products. “The vendors will come in and go over products with the employees so they know what the product is, what it’s supposed to do and how to sell it,” he says. “Attending shows and conferences is very important for me to find out about new products, too.”

A newer ALLPRO member, Staley says joining the group has been an eye-opening experience. “I’ve been in the paint business for 34 years and I couldn’t believe the

Pictured (L to R): Jason Roush and Phil Staley

Q:

w h at ’ s yo u r fav o r i t e pa i n t

c o lo r a n d w h y ?

CALIENTE. IT’S VIBRANT; IT JUST HITS YOU. different level of respect I get from vendors [as a member],” he says. “I have access to vendors that I never had access to before.

Some vendors wouldn’t even talk to me before but after I joined, they all called me immediately. It holds some clout.”

Staley attended ALLPRO’s 2022 fall show and is looking forward to the upcoming spring show, particularly the networking aspect. “It’s great being able to sit down with vendors and other dealers.

It doesn’t matter what size they are; everyone is very open to sharing advice.

There are no secrets.”

12

As Staley ponders a potential expansion to a new location, he offers this word of advice to aspiring paint entrepreneurs: “It’s not as easy as opening a door and thinking customers will come while you sit back. You need to be involved with your business daily.”

Q : E ar ly r is er or n igh t owl?

Early riser.

Q : Wh en you ’ r e n ot at wor k, wh a t can we fin d you d oin g?

Either working around the house or camping.

Q : I f we came t o you r cit y, we s hou ld n ot leave wit h ou t d o i n g wh at ? We have a very beautiful area just southeast of Hocking Hills that’s great for hiking, camping, and cave systems.

Q : C raz ies t pain t s pill you ’ve h a d t o clean u p? Forgetting to put a lid on a can of red and watching it pour over 30 gallons of paint.

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

Pictured: Bill Oppenheimer

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DAILY MIX | A LLP R O TA LKS

ALLPRO

TALKS

WITH ELIZABETH DEJAGER, Design & Decor Sales Manager, RING’S END

A lover of all things design, Elizabeth DeJager is

the ALLPRO Decorating Products Committee.

leading the design and decor sales at Ring’s End while

We caught up with the creative contributor to talk

also amping up the style in the store’s showroom.

all about trends for 2023, her history in the paint

In addition to lending her aesthetic and expertise to

business, and how the ALLPRO community is

the retailer, DeJager is the newest member to join

positively impacting her career.

ALLP R O INDE P E N D ENT :

w h at wa s yo u r f i r s t j o b ?

E LI ZAB E TH D E J AG E R :

I worked for a catering company at their storefront during the summer. I would take orders, scoop ice cream, and handle some of the ordering of product.

AI : W h at i s you r b a c kgr o u n d and w h at l e d y o u t o wh e r e you are today?

ED: I went to school for hospitality & management with a concentration in event management. I loved the planning aspect, but most importantly, I loved styling and pulling all design elements together. I loved the events world but was not sure it was fully for me. I knew I still wanted to work somewhere I could be creative and that’s when I came across the design and décor position at Ring’s End. AI : Te l l us ab ou t y o u r hi s t ory i n t h e p a i n t b u s i n e s s - w h at i nf l u e n c e d y o u t o wor k i n t h e p a i n t b u s i n e s s ?

18

E D : I have always loved designing things; whether it’s for a wedding, a house, or my outfit. Colors play a large role in achieving the right aesthetic. So, when I started on the sales floor as a color consultant, I dove headfirst into color and learning how pigments interact to create different colors.

A I : T ell me ab ou t you r po s i t ion wit h R in g’ s En d an d wh a t a d ay on t he j ob looks li k e for you .

E D : Every day is different; my day-to-day plan can change at any time. As the design & décor sales manager, I am here to support our design sales associates with all their orders, help solve any issues that may arise, and make sure that the sales associates receive the proper training that they need. Along with supporting the sales team, I continuously work to create a curated selection of vendors that we represent in our stores.

A I : What is a car eer- r elat ed o r s t or e goal you ’ r e c u r r en t ly wor kin g t owar d s ?

ED: We are currently working on integrating our recent acquisition of Johnson Paint into Ring’s End. I will be working closely with

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

the sales team to grow the design business in the new markets and support them where they need it.

AI: Wh at is you r favo rite ALLPR O b r an d ed pro duct?

ED : Currently we are working with the ALLPRO Decorating Products Committee on something that will be released at the spring show. It will be a great addition to everyone’s store!

AI: You ’ r e n ew t o the D ecor at in g Committee!

H ow is t h at goin g?

ED: Yes, I’m new and loving it. Sharon [McGuckin] and Shannon [Scarrella] have been great to work with; they both have a lot of knowledge in this industry.

As a committee we look at all design vendors, new and old, to see how they can better support all the members while implementing new vendors that will best help members grow their businesses.

AI: What d o you h ope to con t r ib u t e an d gl ean fro m you r r ole?

ED : I hope to educate some of the members

of the benefits of having design services in their store and help direct them to vendors they can get started with easily.

AI : How has your involvement in ALLPRO impacted your career?

ED: You get to meet so many people in the industry that are doing what you do every day. As I mentioned earlier, I met Sharon and Shannon who have both been people I can turn to for advice.

AI : W h at d e si g n , d e c o r, a n d c olo r t re nds ar e h o t f o r 2023 ?

ED: We are seeing bold colors along with warmer whites. The design world is trending more to modern elements with traditional styles giving people a transitional feel.

AI : W h at h as b e e n y o u r pr ou d e st work- r e la t e d mome nt?

ED: We recently renovated our Norwalk, CT showroom. The idea was to create a unique space for our customers to see large-scale

with my husband, Sean, and our dog, Boomer.

Any chance we get, we love to host family and friends at our home.

vignettes and full-size wallpaper and fabric samples. It took a lot of planning and pulling different vendors together. Seeing it all put together is exciting!

AI: Wh at wou ld other AL L PRO memb er s b e s u r prised to lear n ab ou t you ?

ED : I played lacrosse all four years at Endicott College.

A I : What d es ign , d ecor, an d c o lo r t r en d s ar e coolin g off t h i s year ?

E D : We are seeing people step away from cooler grey tones and into warmer tones.

Designs we see being phased out are those cool contemporary and modern aesthetics.

A I : H ow h as you r maj or p a i n t man u fact u r er s u p por t ed you r b u s in es s an d c o n t r ib u t ed t o you r s u cces s ov e r t h e year s ?

E D : Benjamin Moore and Ring’s End have a great partnership. Their sales team is very supportive and always available to help us service our customers.

AI: Wh at is you r favo rite pain t color ?

ED : Quiet Moments or Grey Wisp.

F ast F ive :

A I : I f you ’ r e n ot at wor k, wh e re wou ld we fin d you ?

E D : Most of my free time I love to spend

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INDEPENDENT | CYB ER S E C UR I T Y

Cybersecurity:

Is Your Business Under Attack? hen staff at West Side Decorating Center started getting phishing emails that threatened the company’s cybersecurity, Manager Maverick Spoke knew that something needed to be done. Having taken some classes in college and brothers who are in the IT field, Spoke had enough knowledge to put a plan in place and set up defenses to protect the independent paint retailer from future cyberattacks.

“We personally haven’t been attacked or dealt with a very serious situation,” Spoke says, “but we’ve had quite a bit of phishing emails that are more targeted.”

The spear phishing emails (targeted emails from what appear to be trusted sources) were delivered to West Side employees and appeared to be from colleagues asking for documents. “They try to make it look like it’s actually coming from the owner or me or someone else that works there,” explains Spoke “So, it’s a little bit more intense than your standard spam emails.”

Spoke says that once someone responds to the email, the email address is vulnerable to attack. “And a lot of times, that’s how they start these attacks on businesses — they find weak points and then they exploit them.”

According to Bruce Waite from Clear Concepts Business Solutions, the threats to small and medium-sized businesses in terms of phishing, malware (keyloggers and bank info-stealers), ransomware, and viruses have grown exponentially over the last several years.

Another concern is for accounts that lack multi-factor authentication (MFA), or an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a 24

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

resource such as an application, online account, or a VPN. Threat actors can quickly take over accounts with weak passwords or stolen credentials if MFA is not in place. A compromised account can trick internal users or contacts into transferring funds into a threat actorcontrolled bank account.

“There is no 100 percent guarantee of being immune to these attacks,” Waite says. “But by implementing common security practices, you will have a much more secure network and dramatically improve your ability to recover if you do become a victim of an attack.”

In West Side’s case, Spoke has moved the store’s system to a more robust antivirus software that is on every computer in the store, including the server and color computer. “It’s actively learning,” Spoke says. “If you click on something and it knows that it’s a registered threat, it shuts down the network connectivity on that computer to keep that threat from spreading to the rest of your network and infecting all of your computers.”

And while West Side has some of the technology in place to protect themselves from cyberattacks, there are still many more defenses that they are implementing, including educating staff.

“We’re teaching employees how to spot attacks, and when they think something might be off or not real to tell someone - the owner, manager, or someone on staff that deals with the technology,” explains Spoke.

No single safeguard will protect retailers and small and mediumsized companies from an attack. However, Waite says companies can significantly reduce their risks by implementing various layers of security provided by different applications and hardware.

Common Security Practices Nino Vales, Senior Cybersecurity Consultant for Clear Concepts Business Solutions breaks down 10 important security practices for best cyber protection.

1

E nab l e m u lt i - f a c t o r au th e nti c a t i o n ( M F A ) Some platforms now allow you to enable two-factor authentication to keep your accounts more secure. It helps verify that it’s actually you who is accessing your account and protects your account if your password is stolen or exposed to the public. Stolen accounts can be used for fraud, unauthorized file access, bank transfers, or malware distribution.

2

Employe e aw aren e s s The employees are the first line of defense against cyberattacks. A trained employee can identify the red flags in a phishing email or a fake website.

3

P rac t i c e t h e r u le o f l e ast pr i v i le ge Ensure that employees only have access to files and folders that their job requires (i.e. can your sales staff see the HR files?). Accounts with administrator rights should only be used when needed.

4

E nd poi n t d e t e c t i o n and res po n s e ( E D R) Recommended to be added along with traditional antivirus solutions, an EDR monitors suspicious activities that could lead to a malware infection. Early detection can help prevent malware from spreading across the network.

5

8

R eliab le backup s olu t ion Always have a regular backup of important files and critical systems. A common practice is the 3-2-1 backup rule (3 backup copies, 2 different storage media, 1 offsite copy).

Test the validity of backups by reviewing logs and performing test restores.

E m a i l s ecu r it y Filter malicious emails before they arrive in inboxes. Advanced email security policies can detect and block email impersonation attacks, malicious attachments, and web links in an email.

6

Web filt er in g s ervice A web filtering service can proactively stop and block workstations from accessing malicious domains in order to protect against potential threats and enforce corporate policy.

7

S y s t em pat ch man agemen t Patches are updates in your system that address specific vulnerabilies, holes, or weaknesses in the security of a software or operating system. Review and upgrade obsolete systems in the network. Perform a vulnerability assessment regularly to identify systems that lack patches and the exposure of your network.

9

N et wor k s egmen tatio n and per imet er s ecu r ity A business of any size should have a commercial-grade firewall with advanced security features such as intrusion prevention (IPS), anti-malware, and web content filtering. Segment the network by ensuring guest devices cannot access the corporate network.

10 S ecu r e r emot e access Remote employees should use a client VPN when accessing network resources from outside the office. If files are hosted in the cloud, ensure accounts are protected with MFA and only grant access to users that meet security requirements.

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 25

Is your network as secure as it could be?

If you know that you have implemented each of the common security practices and are keeping them current, you are ahead of the pack. If words like systems, safeguards, and cybersecurity overwhelm you, you’re not alone. For those of us who aren’t super tech-savvy or have a full plate running a paint store, hand this important task off to an expert or qualified technology provider and ensure your business is protected from cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity 101 Cyberattacks are more common now than ever before.

Keep your computer secure by following a few simple security tips.

Avoid opening suspicious emails: If it looks suspicious, it probably is. Think before you click.

Share files securely: If you’re sharing confidential files or information, use a secure file-sharing solution such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive for Business rather than via email.

Choose unique passwords: With so many online accounts, it can be tricky to keep all your passwords straight. But it’s worth using a different and creative password for every online account.

Disable Bluetooth: Did you know that your devices can be hacked when you’re connected to Bluetooth? To risk your private information from being stolen, turn Bluetooth off when you aren’t using it.

Be social media savvy: The information you post to your Facebook or Instagram feed could be used to steal your identity or access your online accounts. Up the privacy controls on your social media accounts and limit the personal content you share.

Install an antivirus software: Keep your computer system safe from viruses with antivirus software from a trusted company. Not confident doing this yourself?

Hire a computer services company to help.

Communicate the risks: Tell your IT person about any viruses, emails, or suspicious activity any time you see something.

sound the alarm!

• 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses.

Remove adware: Maintain your privacy by banishing adware from your computer.

Adware collects content about you so that you are fed more targeted ads.

Back up your work: Copy that important document onto another separate location or save it to an external hard drive or cloud-based service.

• 60% of small businesses that are victims of a cyberattack go out of business within six months.

• Cybercrime costs small and medium businesses more than $2.2 million a year.

• There was a 424% increase in new small business cyber breaches last year.* *Source: Fundera

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WASTE AWAY Identifying, understanding, & resolving waste in your business

As an independent paint retailer, it’s important to keep an eye on the potential waste in your operations. And we don’t mean the trash overflowing in the bin or the leftover pizza in the break room. We mean wasted time, effort, and resources — anything that doesn’t add value for your customers. Is your stock room full of expired products? Are your employees not meeting their sales quotas or are their strengths being underused? By understanding, identifying, and reducing waste, you can have a positive impact on your business by cutting costs, shortening lead times, and increasing customer satisfaction.

ne effective way to identify waste is to conduct a Gemba walk. This involves walking through your store or office to observe work processes and identify areas of inefficiency. Pioneered by Toyota Motor Corporation, the Gemba walk is a proven method of discovering waste and implementing improvements.

So, put on your walking shoes, grab a notepad and pen (or any digital recording device at your fingertips), and make your way around the store, compiling instances of waste. Then create an action plan to improve and resolve the areas that may be breaking your bottom line.

1. Inventory HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: In the products piling up or depleting in your stockroom and on your store shelves.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: Excess inventory can lead to increased storage costs and the risk of expiry. Products collecting dust hurt your cash flow, as the money you’ve spent to acquire them hasn’t turned into revenue. But on the other end, you can’t sell what you don’t have. As one of the highest expenditures in retail, having the right products on hand at the right time will put money in your pocket when you need it most.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: Adjust your inventory as needed - selling infrequently purchased products at discounted rates and spending more on items that are more popularly purchased. Not only will you have more space for the

32

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

products that garner top dollar, but you’ll also have less funds tied up in slow-moving products and less losses due to expired inventory. Consider investing in an inventory management system or buying tool. Many programs will help you with overbuying or underspending, taking care of inventory orders and giving you a better understanding of your cash positions.

ALLPRO MEMBER SUGGESTION: “Set up max-min inventory systems and use historical trends when purchasing inventory to make sure you are only carrying the necessary inventory at the time.”

- Sean Paul, Dugan’s Paint and Flooring Centers

2. Waiting HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: In delays from suppliers, waiting customers, or employees waiting to use a machine or to be given instructions.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: If wait times in your store are unusually long, you run the risk of losing customers, or a sale. Lower productivity of employees will also decrease profits, as that time could be spent completing other important tasks.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: Consider how you can correct your capacity planning and what needs to be done to cut the customer wait time.

Improve onboarding, training, and communication with your staff to ensure that all members are working at peak production.

ALLPRO MEMBER SUGGESTION: “One of the biggest areas of focus and value is having our employees trained on the products we carry, color matching, tips and application advice, and problem solving. We conduct in-person training, live virtual training, and have an extensive array of computer-based video training.” - Chris Carbone, Spectrum Paint

3. Inefficient Operations HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: In outdated processes and unnecessary tasks within your store.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: A lack of standardized processes (for things like purchasing, invoicing, branding, labeling) could lead to confusion and errors, causing delays and additional costs.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: Streamline processes and establish effective systems and standards. Simplify important tasks, eliminate unnecessary work, and invest in automation. Anything from data entry to inventory management, accounting, payroll, and administrative duties can be moved to a more automated process, freeing your people to contribute to the store in more meaningful ways.

ALLPRO MEMBER SUGGESTION: “[We want] to start utilizing more of the software we have invested in for our company. We are just scratching the surface of what these platforms can do for us, and we are not making full use of the features and functions that are already available.

We want to start unlocking more of the power in our POS to make better inventory and overall management decisions and improve accuracy.”

Above: Da Kine Paints enhances the precision and efficiency of the movement of goods with the use of a forklift. Small equipment can replace the manual force of many and result in increased productivity and the ability to accept larger freight deliveries which has the potential to cut costs.

4. Motion HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: With employees moving paint cans and products to different locations within the store, walking around excessively to complete a task, or searching for tools or information.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: Unnecessary movement of employees leads to prolonged lead times, increased errors, lost time due to accidents, and decreased production standards.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: No one wants to waste their time walking around to complete their duties (unless, of course, they’re trying to reach a step goal). Reduce motion in your store or office operations by designing your workspace with logical and streamlined layouts.

Organizing your store and the supplies into different departments will help you optimize your speed and improve your productivity.

- Kelly Scott, Barrydowne Paint

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 33

5. Transport HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: In excessive movement of paint, materials, products, or information from vendors and suppliers to retail stores, crisscrossing paths from one retail location to another, or scattered or unnecessary deliveries to customers.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: Longer lead times and increased transportation and delivery costs.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: Consolidate orders and use the most efficient methods of transport. And consider reconfiguring your workspaces or warehouses to reduce shipping and optimize flow.

6. Poor Quality or Defects HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: With customer complaints, returned products, and rework due to poor quality, defects, or inadequate or incorrect service.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: Not only do you risk losing valuable customers, but poor products hurt your business’s brand as well as your bottom line. The additional time to process returns will also cost you, since time is money.

HOW TO RESOLVE IT: Reduce this waste by identifying which vendor or brands are being brought back, talk to your suppliers to improve the quality of your orders, and implement a quality control process that ensures your team is trained in selling familiar and proven products.

ALLPRO retailer, Loconsolo Paints, restocsks the sundries shelves to keep familar products front and ready, easy to add to a customer basket on their way to the check-out.

ALLPRO MEMBER SUGGESTION: “We will commonly work with our vendors or other dealers on items that look like they may become obsolete or not sellable in our market. If we can identify the trend fast enough, we can often times offload the product at cost and replace with product that will have a better turnover.”

- Sean Paul, Dugan’s Paint and Flooring Centers

7. Mismatched Employees HOW YOU’LL SEE IT: You or some of your employees are overworked, wearing several hats, or straight-up doing it all. Meanwhile, other staff are underutilized or assigned to tasks that don’t match their skillset.

HOW IT’LL IMPACT YOU: Some staff will experience burnout while others will lose interest if they don’t have an opportunity to meet their potential.

This results in poor performance, loss of engagement, reduced morale, and lost profit opportunities.

HOW YOU CAN RESOLVE IT: Review your employees’ skills, passions, and assigned responsibilities, and put people in places where they can use their strengths to make the most difference. Put new, inexperienced staff beside seasoned pros during busy times so one can learn from the other.

34

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

Keeping an eye on waste in your operations is crucial for the success of your business.

By identifying the different forms of waste, you can make the necessary changes to improve efficiency and boost customer satisfaction.

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HEADS TO NEW JERSEY More than 75 of the independent paint retail industry’s up-and-comers descended on the Benjamin Moore headquarters in Montvale, New Jersey from January 23-25 for ALLPRO’s NextGen “U”. Hosted by ALLPRO and Benjamin Moore, the event introduced attendees to a variety of topics, including energizing your team, marketing, EDI, and discovering self-awareness. ALLPRO’s next generation arrived primed and ready to absorb engaging presentations, connect with peers, and have a whole lot of fun.

Presentation: Five Tips to Energize Your Team & Maximize Productivity The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s Kim Peffley, director of organizational development & consulting, was first on the day’s agenda with a practical presentation on Five Tips to Energize Your Team & Maximize Productivity. Peffley kicked off her presentation by explaining how the employee/employer paradigm has shifted over the last two years.

“Today’s employees are looking for companies that offer flexibility, understand the new employee/employer dynamic, offer growth, and appreciation beyond a paycheck,” Peffley detailed. “Employees want to know that their work matters and that they are appreciated.

Employees are looking for a purpose in their work and want to ensure they have opportunities to grow and develop.”

To be today’s employers of choice, Peffley challenged the group to recognize employee needs, rethink the working relationship, embrace flexibility, and learn to adjust and adapt. While Peffley’s presentation was packed with valuable tips, two top takeaways she encouraged attendees to go home with were to detect their employee engagement and improve their overall communication.

“One of the most important first steps is determining your employee engagement on a scale from engaged to disengaged,” explained Peffley. “Knowing what issues need to be addressed is essential so you can tackle them head-on. Each category in the employee engagement scale faces challenges but

improving engagement will go far in enhancing your overall culture. Focusing on engagement will also improve retention, increase productivity, lower absenteeism, enhance the customer’s experience, and drive sales.”

Peffley added that focusing on communication also helps to energize a team and, in turn, a business. “The next step is improving your overall company communication,” Peffley emphasized.

“Test your current communication paths and determine if your message reaches every employee. Find solutions to improve your reach and find new approaches to connect to your team. Don’t hesitate to ask your team what is working and isn’t working regarding communication and ask them for additional ideas.”

Energized businesses are focused on the future. They have engaged employees with a clear direction on where the company is going and their role in reaching the goal.

Energized businesses have strong communication, and the teams work together to ensure their customer experience is top-notch, helping them to achieve their goals of driving sales and building the business.

- Kim Peffley, NHPA

Presentation: Moderated Panel Discussion MODERATOR: Mike Beaudoin, Executive Vice President, ALLPRO Corporation

PANEL: Ash Ebo (Clement’s Paint), Sean Paul (Dugan’s Paint & Flooring Centers), Patrick Smith (Regal Paint Centers), David Steuerman (PACOA) Attendees were elated to hear from four of ALLPRO’s NextGen Committee members on a variety of topics during a panel discussion moderated by ALLPRO’s Mike Beaudoin.

Following the event, David Steuerman and Ash Ebbo let us in on a few of their memorable moments and key takeaways from the jam-packed couple of days.

“The highlight for me was networking with the other professional next generation talents that were in attendance,” Steuerman said. “It was amazing to talk about best practices and enjoy listening to how others across North America conduct business and handle specific situations. I look forward to continuing to learn from my peers and finding creative and strategic ways to grow our business.”

Ebbo agreed. “I would say my highlight was having the opportunity to spend time with my peers from ALLPRO. The big events are great, but it is nice to have time with smaller groups of people who are in such a similar situation to mine. I feel like every time we do this, we form stronger connections with people who sometimes have answers we can’t seem to find anywhere else.”

40

Ebbo was a big fan of Kim Peffley’s presentation, most notably, the information on employee retention. A couple of the things that Steuerman was surprised to learn were from the same session as well as the presentation on Discovering Self-Awareness.

“The self-awareness portion was so insightful,” Steuerman explained.

“I have used those learnings in my personal as well as my professional life.”

TOPIC: EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) for ordering

Presentation: Benjamin Moore Value Proposition & Future Initiatives

1. POs can be submitted/processed 24/7

Benjamin Moore’s brightest were on hand to educate attendees on the value of Benjamin Moore, including the company’s Retailer Business Consulting, EDI for Ordering, the upcoming marketing campaign, and software updates to COLORx. We caught up with the experts to learn more about these services and the projects coming down the pipe.

2. Automatic processing based on PO submitted

In 2022, approximately 100 ALLPRO stores/store groups used EDI to submit POs to Benjamin Moore. Patricia Altomare, customer experience operations manager for Benjamin Moore, was on hand to present the benefits of EDI for ALLPRO members and how they can learn more.

“The retailer does not have to wait for the Contact Center to open.”

“This eliminates any keying errors when POs are manually entered.”

3. Faster processing times “This means faster receipt of Order Acknowledgements.”

4. More timely access to stock outage info “Finding out early if there are any items/ quantities out of stock allows the retailer to better plan with their end customers.”

Excited About EDI? To learn more, find basic EDI guidelines, or access a form to request additional information, head to the Benjamin Moore Retailer Gateway under Programs > Retail Systems & Equipment > Electronic Data Interchange. Or, for more information, reach out to Benjamin Moore’s Retail Systems & Operations Services at rsos@benjaminmoore.com or speak with your point-of-sale vendor.

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

5. More efficient use of POS systems “Many retailers are creating their POs in their POS system, printing them and then faxing or emailing them to the vendor. EDI cuts out those additional, manual steps.”

6. Improvement of order management & inventory processes “Use EDI not only to submit POs but to reduce/eliminate the re-work of adding incoming inventory to the POS.” “For multiple-outlet retailers, this can also help improve visibility to incoming inventory across all stores.”

COMING SOON TOPIC: 2023 Marketing Initiatives

DID YOU KNOW? Benjamin Moore Offers Business Consulting Services The paint manufacturer’s Retailer Business Consulting (RBC) group will help you through your business or finance issues. Looking for ways to improve the performance of your business or identify the root cause of a particular issue? Perhaps you’re wanting to implement new processes, add equipment, or expand your services. RBC can aid you in reaching your specific objectives with the following services and resources.

Business Refinement Specific Problem Identification and Resolution Business Restructuring Acquisition and Growth Business Planning Succession Planning Training Services POS Systems - CBC Decor Staffing Input

Plan a Brighter Future for Your Business Contact Benjamin Moore’s Manager of Business Consulting, Rob Seiss at 201-949-6378 or rob.seiss@benjaminmoore.com

During the same session, Benjamin Moore marketing representatives revealed the campaigns planned to build awareness of Benjamin Moore and drive sales, even giving attendees a sneak peek at the upcoming Shop Local campaign.

We followed up with Yvonne Humphreys, Director of Brand Marketing for Benjamin Moore, to find out how the company’s communications seek to connect with a wide variety of audiences, including contractors, consumers, architects, designers, and other professionals. “In 2023, our marketing efforts will span across channels and messages,” explains Humphreys. “This year, we are focused on driving home two critical messages – 1) that taking our renowned colors and matching them in another brand’s paint does not give you true Benjamin Moore color, and 2) that Benjamin Moore paint is only sold in independently owned and operated retailers (not in big box locations), because they have the passion and years of expertise that customers need to help guide their selections.”

To reinforce this messaging, the paint manufacturer is rolling out the red carpet for their Shop Local campaign. “With this campaign, we seek to resolve any confusion about where Benjamin Moore paint is sold,” Humphreys says. “We choose to sell our paint at independent retailers in the neighborhood, because we know their paint expertise and local knowledge is unmatched.”

The campaign will focus on a short message that is direct and easily understood and will be represented through a range of designs that will be seen in inspirational imagery, through influencers, on social media, on digital banners, on high impact out-of-home advertising, and at industry events: Benjamin Moore paint is only sold at locally owned stores.

Benjamin Moore is hoping to launch COLORx 7 in the U.S. in late 2023 and early 2024 in Canada. “The initial launch will feature just some of the aforementioned features, while the foundation is built to provide the balance of the planned capabilities in the future,” Williams says.

TOPIC: COLORx Updates COLORx (currently version 6), the software that Benjamin Moore provides for color matching, tinting, and dispensing Benjamin Moore products (paint and coatings) is getting a makeover!

According to Stephen Williams, vice president of digital products for Benjamin Moore, “modernizing COLORx is a key part of [Benjamin Moore’s] overall Digital Transformation and a key to providing a better experience for retailers and their customers that buy Benjamin Moore products.”

During his presentation, Williams shared great insights on the software and planned new features, which are part of a multi-year modernization journey. While not all of them will be available in the initial release of COLORx 7, the foundation is being laid to provide these capabilities in the future:

1. Modern User Interface 2. Cloud Connected with Resilient Offline Mode

3. Automatic Updates (Software & Prescriptions)

4. Consolidated Customer Data (for MORs) 5. Enhanced Color Matching and Tinting 6. POS System Integration 7. Customer Notifications during Tinting

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 41

DID YOU KNOW? Self-awareness is the ability to see yourself clearly & objectively.

PRESENTATION: Discovering Self-Awareness Benjamin Moore’s Katie Day, director of transformation & development, and Todd Bulgrin, manager, field training implementation, led the group through a reflection activity and discussed how self-awareness affects all aspects of our relationships and can also impact our business.

“It’s all about opening up and looking at yourself,” Bulgrin explained. “The way you look at yourself - an open, honest, interpretation, and awareness of who and what you are and how you impact people around you. What does the smile on your face do to the folks in the room? What does the frown or the slouch do to people in the room?”

“It’s understanding what makes you tick and understanding what ticks you off,” Day added.

In a business environment, self-awareness is considered a sales capability. “So much of the research that we explored talks about selfawareness being something that really impacts the role of a leader. It buys trust,” said Day, adding that positive results of self-awareness include stronger relationships, effective leadership, better communication, and higher confidence and integrity.

Reflection Activity 1. H ow are those around you impacted when you are at your best?

2. What about when you have a bad day?

42

March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

EVENT: AXE THROWING Following the full day of sessions, NextGen members let off some steam with axe throwing at Stumpy’s Hatchet House. The team building activity generated lots of excitement with participants ringing the bell for a bullseye throw, facing off in intense games of mile-high Jenga, and playing a giant tabletop game of curling - a hit with the Canadians!

EVENT: TOUR OF BENJAMIN MOORE FACILITY IN FLANDERS, NEW JERSEY Attendees were treated to a tour of the Benjamin Moore test farm facility in Flanders, New Jersey before boarding the bus for the airport. During the outing, members went behind the scenes to see where the Benjamin Moore magic happens, including what goes into creating, maintaining, and producing the Benjamin Moore portfolio and library of colors.

DID YOU KNOW? There are eight research and development laboratories at the 80,000-square-foot facility in Flanders, New Jersey. Each lab focuses on a different area of expertise, from evaluating color standards to enhancing high-performance coatings designed for industrial facilities.

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Reduced Prep and Cleanup Up to 2X Tip Life

Part # 25T804

PATENTED

PATENTED

Part # LP517

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RAC X™ LP SwitchTip™

RAC X™ WR LP™ SwitchTip™

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390 PC Cordless

FinishPro GX 19 Cordless

PATENT PENDING

PATENT PENDING

Airless Paint Sprayer

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*Restrictions apply. Contact your Graco Account Manager or reference the 2023 Graco Spring Show Promo & Graco Bucks running rules for more details. ©2023 Graco Inc. 3J0452A 1/23 Printed in U.S.A. Product covered by issued and pending patents, see graco.com/patents. DEWALT ® and the DEWALT Logo are trademarks of

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DEWALT Industrial Tool Co. and are used under license. With respect to 20V MAX, maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 20 volts. Nominal voltage is 18.

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Networking with

Get to know gourmand, hockey playing, camping adventurer, cold plunging, and NextGen retail member Brian Hubbard As a third-generation paint retailer hailing from the laid-back beaches of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Brian Hubbard’s day is anything but mellow. The company supervisor, buyer and inventory manager for Hubbard Paint & Wallpaper splits his time between three stores before going home to cook a mouthwatering meal, play hockey, and take a cool dip in the waters off the coast.

Here are four things you might not know about our NextGen retail member from the Cape.

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March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

1. Before mixing paint, he washed dishes Though most of Hubbard’s working history is in the paint business, with his grandparents Fred and Jeannine Hubbard founding the family business in 1951, the third-generation paint retailer earned his first spending money in the restaurant industry.

“I washed dishes and prep cooked at a friend’s family restaurant,” Hubbard says. “I was too young to legally work, so they paid me under the table.”

After college, he returned home to work alongside his family at Hubbard Paint & Wallpaper, which was experiencing phenomenal growth in Cape Cod. “I had a great network of friends and family that were here.” ​ 2. He’s a multi-tasker As buyer and inventory manager for three stores, Hubbard’s day can consist of anything from managing 20+ employees, to working in the human resources department, to making deliveries.

“Daily, I will work the counter at our busiest store for the morning rush and then I will spend some time on office work (ordering, pricing, call backs, etc.),” Hubbard details. “A few days a week, I visit my two branch stores and spend time with those employers and customers.”

Though the variety in his role is something that he appreciates, the connections he’s made in the industry are his favorite part about the paint business. “The people, interactions with my employees and customers make me look forward to coming in every day.”

3. He thinks big picture As an avid NextGen retail member, Hubbard welcomes the opportunity to build connections with like-minded individuals in his line of work.

“ALLPRO provides a great network of people and has helped me meet friends and maintain relationships with people in this industry,” Hubbard notes.

“It can be very difficult to find others who understand the business we are in and the unique challenges a lot of us at ALLPRO face.”

One of the goals that Hubbard is currently working towards is creating more everyday autonomy within his stores and with his employees, allowing him to focus on the larger picture and further grow his business. “The NextGen group can be very beneficial to some of us who are looking for a younger perspective in an industry that leans to the other side of the age spectrum.”

4. He’s half home chef, half adventure seeker When he’s not working the counter, ordering inventory, or managing his stores, Hubbard can be found chopping, mixing, or frying in front of a hot stove.

“I spend a lot of time cooking and thoroughly love the time spent creating a great meal,” he says, adding that he’s equally as active, playing hockey, playing hockey (the Hubbard Paint Hockey team has won three out of the last five men’s league championships), exercising, and doing regular cold plunges in the ocean off of Cape Cod. An adventurous spirit, Hubbard has camped in the jungles of Vietnam, Indonesia, and many other places.

“I travel as much as I can but there are many more places I would like to experience.”

FAST FIVE What has been your proudest work-related moment?

Definitely some key hires I’ve made that have provided some of the greatest colleagues in my life.

What is the last book you read?

The Best of A. A. Gill & Olympia Provisions: Cured Meats and Tales from an American Charcuterie What kind of music do you like to play in the store?

Playlists will vary but today we were listening to Charlie Crockett, Ye, and The 1975. We stream a lot of movies and TV shows in lieu of music.

What is your favorite paint color?

The color Maine by C2.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

There’s two: “Be at your best when your best is needed.” & “Always add value to everything you do at your job. If you walk by a piece of trash or a spill, stop and clean it up. If it’s slow, pick up a broom.”

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Where the Crawdads Sing and The Glass House.

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FOUR FUN FACTS ABOUT BRADLEY He likes to hit the slopes: If he wasn’t working as a business analyst, Calkins would be a ski instructor.

He’s at home in South America: “I lived in Brazil for two years. I always found the Portuguese language to be beautiful.”

Bradley Calkins joins the ALLPRO family as New Business Analyst LLPRO’s newest team member, Bradley Calkins, is bringing his penchant for problem solving to the group. The new business analyst, who joined ALLPRO as a staff member on January 9, interprets business input and output and develops solutions to enhance business.

“I generally work in the SAP (System Analysis Program Development) environment as my job centers around this software,” Calkins says. “I will gather data from SAP as it integrates all systems across the ALLPRO buying group. Once I have gathered the data, it’s my job to interpret this data. I also assist in the maintenance of ALLPRO’s daily business processes that interface with SAP.” Before getting into software, Calkins graduated with an economics degree from the University of San Francisco and moved abroad to teach English and explore the next step in his career.

“After [I returned from abroad], I went back to school for software development,” explains Calkins. “I most recently worked in mobile app development for iOS.” Join us in welcoming Bradley Calkins to the ALLPRO family!

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March/April 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

He has plenty of hobbies: “I enjoy exercising, reading, and cooking.”

He’s a big fan of yellow: If he were a color, he would be Sun Porch.

A FEW OF HIS FAVORITES FAVORITE BOOK? Kafka on the Shore FAVORITE MUSICAL GROUP? Pink Floyd FAVORITE MOVIE? Tarantino FAVORITE FOOD? Carbonara FAVORITE THING ABOUT FLORIDA? The weather

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