ALLPRO Independent Magazine January/February 2023

January/February 2023

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A L L PRO TA L KS

RECR U IT IN G,

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

We discuss acquisitions, customer excellence, and paint connections with Scott Herling from Ring’s End

HIRI N G & R E TA IN IN G

Get to know TikTok star and NextGen retail member Katie Prus

An A L L PRO® Pu bl ic atio n

Building a winning team during a labor shortage

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AT THE MIKE | F U TU R E

@ ALLPR OCOR P

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

ike any new year, you reflect on the passing year and set goals and expectations for the upcoming year. This is typically an optimistic time. With this new year, there seems to be trepidations of what is to come, uncertainty with the economy, along with numerous forecasts for a downturn that is casting shade on what normally is an exciting time.

What navigating the past three years with all the historic and unique challenges should teach us, is that there are opportunities in every business climate. ALLPRO, being a group of entrepreneurs, is very much geared to take advantage and to continue to capitalize on whatever 2023 brings us.

Just look at how we navigated the past year and were able to aggressively gain market share as a result. This will not change in 2023.

PREPARING TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF A NEW YEAR ALLPRO has plans to continue to navigate and help our stakeholders compete by continuing to evolve and invest in a better group. Below are five investments to expect in 2023.

Shows:

We will continue to invest and evolve our shows to give the maximum benefit to all stakeholders. In our most recent show we added a NextGen component which was new, and we will look creatively at our upcoming shows to see if we can expand them in any way to increase the value. We expect our spring show to be very large given it is the first postpandemic domestic spring show with numerous members not having attended a spring show in more than three years.

We have enhanced the shows to include better entertainment, professional trainers, along with great properties. We look

forward to continuing that in 2023 and putting the focus on enhanced deals and promotions. It was extremely difficult to negotiate promotions when suppliers were on allocation, but now most suppliers are hungry for more business, and they will use promotional activity to win your business.

Distribution Centers:

We announced that we are expanding the West Coast Distribution Center by adding an additional 18,000 square feet, now totaling 33,000 square feet. This will give us the ability to purchase larger quantities of products at deeper discounts and pass along the savings. In addition, it will give us the ability to expand into new categories to make more products available, such as traffic paint, exterior stains, and more.

The distribution part of ALLPRO is

S P O T L I G H T:

(Continued on page 5) 6 MARKETPLACE PAINTS

18 ALLPRO TALKS

A collaborative & coaching-based approach to leadership has been the difference-maker for this store in South Carolina

Catching up with Scott Herling, ALLPRO’s new board member and director of paint operations & marketing for Ring’s End

10 DA KINE PAINTS

22 RECRUITING, HIRING & RETAINING

A business plan developed during college has blossomed into a successful store and the only Benjamin Moore independent retailer on Maui

34 SAN ANTONIO STOCKHOLDER SUCCESS A recap of the annual fall show

40 NETWORKING WITH NEXTGEN

42 FINAL COAT Bigger means better when it comes to ALLPRO’s West Coast Distribution Center

Get to know TikTok star & NextGen retail member Katie Prus

Steps for building a winning team during a labor shortage

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 3

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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 HILL COUNTRY PAINTS to the ALLPRO family of independent retailers!

Hill Country Paints has three locations in the Waco, TX, area!

Congratulations to the following members on their recent expansions:

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 1

CANPRO DECORATING PRODUCTS COOPERATIVE has added new member LES IDEES D'EPOXY INC. in SteMarie-Madeleine, Quebec; COLORIZE, INC. opened their fourth store, located in Troy, NY; HOME DÉCOR GROUP added four new locations – two are in Cambridge, MA, one is in Arlington, MA, and the last is in Somerville, MA; JOHN BOYLE DECORATING CENTERS added a new store in Old Saybrook, CT; RICCIARDI BROTHERS opened a new store in Butler, NJ; SPECTRUM PAINT opened three new stores, one in Shawnee, OK, one in Fuquay-Varina, NC, and the third in Wesley Chapel, FL; and SUNSET PAINTS opened their second store, located in Woodstock, GA.

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: Molly Bloom and Michael Beaudoin by Aubrey Taylor of Aubrey James Projects

(Continued from page 3)

continually expanding and becoming a more prominent part of the group.

Drop Ship Portal:

We are investing in a new Drop Ship Portal that will allow members to view products and pricing from various suppliers contained in our SAP system, and place orders directly with the supplier using the ALLPRO warehouse as the bill to. This will enhance our ability to make more products available to members at a very competitive deal and will replace the existing drop ship feature on the website.

Supplier Portal:

We are also developing a supplier portal that will allow our supplier partners to view invoicing received in the ALLPRO system. This will allow for more accurate billing by giving them access to view invoices, due dates, and totals. We will look to expand this by posting reports on this portal as well.

Internal Support:

We are adding internal resources to help develop our systems for future growth. We added a new business analyst position with the

responsibility of managing SAP and the Magento warehouse systems.

Both are the engines that run the group and are now being serviced by outside contractors. By investing in this position, we will better be able to farm data and utilize our investments to better serve the group.

Like any new year, we are excited for the opportunities that 2023 will deliver. Regardless of the challenges, we will continue to invest and evolve this group to better meet the needs of the stakeholders. I look forward to a great year!

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 5

Pictured (Left to Right): Yerbis Zuniga, Tom Uskup (owner), Karen Fralick, Chris Snyder, and Shannon Wolf

6

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

SPOTLIGHT | M ARKE T PL AC E PA IN TS

Images: Amanda Dyer Photography

marketplace paints he idea of opening Marketplace Paints was born when Tom Uskup’s wife, Anne—an interior designer— started working on a new project. “I didn’t know anything about painting other than that we needed paint,” Uskup laughs.

He ventured to a store several miles away because his local paint store had recently closed, and Anne specifically wanted to use Benjamin Moore products for her project. “While I was there, I thought to myself, ‘Why don’t we have a paint store [in the area]?’”

Making the trip a few more times for additional products, Uskup saw his interest in the paint industry grow. “We already had an art-framing business and thought a paint business would be a nice add-on to that,” he says. And so, the Uskups ordered “everything you need to open a paint store” and determined the logistics of fitting it into the office space they had acquired.

“Shelving, the point-of-sale system, inventory—everything was a Herculean task.”

They soon found their footing and now, nearly eight years later, own three Marketplace Paints locations in Aiken, North Augusta, and Greenwood, South Carolina, even opening their second store in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their relationship with ALLPRO first came about a few years ago, with Uskup calling it a game-changer for his company.

“Most of my knowledge has accelerated in the last two-and-ahalf years, thanks to ALLPRO,” he says. “What I enjoy the most is all of the different members I’ve had the chance to meet over the years. Many of them have been in business a lot longer than me, and I’ve learned so much in the time that I’ve been doing this.” To that end, he also makes a point to stop in at retailers across the state and beyond to see how they’ve set up their spaces, and to discuss successes and challenges.

Benjamin Moore has also been integral to Marketplace Paints’ growth. “They’ve done well for us in terms of product availability,” says Uskup. “We started calling them, asking, ‘What do you have that you can ship today?’ and that was the difference for us in terms of getting what we wanted.”

Uskup also counts himself fortunate to have employed a solid team through the years. “As independent stores, we try to be a difference-maker. Everybody that we’ve been connected to has been a part of the family, and I’d go to bat for any of them.”

He says a collaborative, coaching-based approach to leadership has resonated well with his team. “We’ve made it more of a flat organizational structure than hierarchical. Everyone is working toward the same goal. I tell some of the younger staff, ‘You may not be here forever. If you want to stay at Marketplace, that’s

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 7

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

A: Night-owl wannabe. But in this business, I’m getting up earlier and earlier.

Q: W h en you ’ r e n ot at wor k, what can we fin d you d oin g?

A: Straightening up my golf shot or spending time up in the mountains, hiking and fishing. great—but from an advancement standpoint, if there are other opportunities with larger organizations, I’ll do what I can to help you out along the way.’”

As for the future, Uskup hopes to continue growing relationships with his existing customer base and become further entrenched in the community. “I’d like to grow to add one or two more locations.”

He offers this simple advice to anyone considering entering the industry: be passionate. “Any small business owner has the luxury of wearing so many hats—and there’s not one size or type of hat; you have to know how to do everything,” he says. “It’s rewarding and fun, but there are long hours and it can be a little lonely. That’s why I really enjoy ALLPRO—you can look into a fellow member’s eyes and know exactly what they’re thinking.”

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

Q : I f we came to your city, we shouldn’t leave without doing what?

A: In Aiken, you should definitely check out a horse event like polo or the steeplechase.

Q : What’s your favorite paint color and why?

A: Hale Navy. It’s a truthful, bold color—it’s very rich and makes an impact.

Q : C raziest paint spill you’ve had to clean up?

A: In the very beginning of opening up the store, we set up all of the shelving and were stacking quarts with our Benjamin Moore rep when all of a sudden, the shelf collapsed. We lost about 84 quarts!

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

SPOTLIGHT | DA K IN E PA IN TS

Images: Mariah Milan Photography

da kine paints ichelle Heller was enrolled at the University of Hawaii Maui College when she developed a business plan to open a paint store, the project eventually blossoming into a successful family-owned business on the island.

“I graduated in May 2015, and in September of that year, we signed the lease for a 5,000-square-foot building,” she laughs.

“I really hit the ground running.”

The “we” included her father Frank, a paint contractor for over 40 years, 15 years of which were spent on Maui. “He knew the Benjamin Moore brand very well and it wasn’t yet on the island, so we decided to bring it in. We really fell in love with it,” says Heller, who had already shadowed her father for years to learn the ins and outs of the paint industry.

And so, Da Kine Paints was born—now the only Benjamin Moore independent retailer on Maui.

A United States Navy veteran, Heller first joined ALLPRO as an associate member, later signing up for a full membership.

“ALLPRO has helped me streamline how I pay my vendors,” she says. “The savings and networking are also great; it’s very helpful to see others going through similar [challenges]. And, when you’re an ALLPRO member, vendors really roll out the red carpet for you—it’s a good feeling.”

The networking benefits were emphasized when Heller attended the recent ALLPRO show in San Antonio, Texas. “Being around other retailers was amazing,” she says, citing a session with the younger generation of paint retailers as a personal highlight. “The collectiveness of the group was the best. It was cool to see other people from all over the country sharing the same ideas I have.”

Benjamin Moore, too, has been supportive of Heller through her entrepreneurial journey. “They helped with opening the store and offered support by sending me to San Francisco to meet with other retailers. Any sort of knowledge that’s needed, they’re a phone call away.” Her team also continues to stay up-to-date on the latest product offerings through their rep and Benjamin Moore’s learning center.

Her efforts in business have not gone unnoticed. Heller recently received a Mayor’s Small Business Award in the ‘Exceptional Small Business of the Year’ category. Closely watching the company’s growth through the years, the bank that funded Da Kine Paints nominated Heller for the award after seeing what she did with the business.

“It was related to what we did for our community. We had the opportunity to bring in 4,000 KN95 masks at the start of the pandemic, partnering with a pilot who brought them to the island from China,” she says. “It cost us $2.50 per mask and we sold them for five dollars—and all of our profits went back into the

Pictured (Left to Right): Orron, Andrew, Brooks, Michelle Heller (Owner)

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 11

community. For every mask sold, we donated extras to hospitals and first responders.”

In addition to her volunteer work as 2023 chairperson of the Construction Industry of Maui Advisory Board, she also makes it a priority to help groups who need paint products—like schools and Scout groups—by giving them the biggest possible discount or working with her Benjamin Moore rep to donate paint products, as well as the knowledge required to use them.

Indeed, her contributions to the local community and business savvy have helped Heller’s company reach new heights, with Da Kine Paints even hiring an extra employee during the pandemic to keep up with demand. “In our business, you must learn how to pivot. Business changes and the world changes, and if you don’t adapt, you’ll be left behind,” she says.

Despite her success, Heller remains modest, citing the support from family and her team as the driving force behind Da Kine Paints. “My father is a big part of the business and my own success,” she says. “It’s really a family business—my father, mother, and brother are all involved, and every employee has become part of the family, too.”

Q: e arly ri se r o r n i gh t owl? ​ A: Early riser.

Q: W h e n you ' re n o t a t wo r k, wh a t c a n we f i nd you doin g?

A: Playing with my four-year-old son.

Q: I f w e c am e t o y o u r c i t y, we s h o u ld n 't l e av e w i t h ou t d o i n g wh a t ? ​ A: Catch a sunset in Kihei—they’re one-of-a-kind.

Q: W h at' s your f a vo r i t e p a i n t c o lo r ? ​ A: Caliente—in my opinion, it’s the best red in the Benjamin Moore palette.

Q: C raz i e st p ain t s p i ll y o u 'v e h ad to c l e an u p ?

A: We shook conversion varnish and it exploded.

Now, we shake them in our agitator!

Since the writing of this article, Michelle’s Father, Frank Heller, sadly passed away. The ALLPRO family sends our sincerest condolences to Michelle, her family, and the rest of Da Kine Paints.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

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TALKS WITH SCOTT HERLING, Director of Paint Operations & Marketing, RING’S END

Scott Herling has been stocking shelves at Ring’s End

End. Now directing the company’s paint operations

since before he was old enough to drive. Following

and marketing, Herling is balancing his time leading

college, a crash course in media at one of New York

his sales and marketing teams with two new roles

City’s largest ad agencies added to Herling’s aptitude

– director on the ALLPRO board and dad to nine-

for what he’d need in his future role with Ring’s

month-old daughter Hazel.

ALLP R O I N DEPENDENT : w h at wa s yo u r f i r s t j o b ?

Scott He r l ing : My first job was stocking

shelves at Ring’s End in Darien after school during my freshman and sophomore years of high school.

AI : W h at i s you r b a c kgr o u n d a n d wh at led you to w h e re y o u a r e t o d a y ?

SH: Coming out of college, I moved to New York City to work in media and advertising at a large ad agency. I spent four years in media strategy before having a conversation with my grandfather and uncle as part of a larger job search. They both thought there was an opportunity back at Ring’s End that made sense working in the fast-growing paint business. I’m glad they did!

A I : T e l l m e abo u t y o u r po s i t i o n wi t h R in g' s end and w h at a d a y o n t h e jo b lo o ks lik e.

S H: Just like anyone else in this industry, no two days are the same.

As Director of Paint & Marketing at Ring’s End, I balance my time between working with our salespeople landing jobs and securing accounts, working with purchasing on refining our merchandising and product mix, working with our district managers on efficiency,

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

consistency, and excellence in customer service, and working with our marketing team on positioning our brand and our supplier partners in the market.

AI: What's your business philosophy?

S H: Our business is only as good as our people. We invest in good people first and can teach them the paint (or lumber) business.

AI: What is a car eer- r elat ed or s to re go al you ’ r e cu r r en t ly wor k in g t owar ds?

S H : We are currently working on integrating our recent acquisition of Johnson Paint into Ring’s End. I’m excited to see this deal come together!

AI: What h as b een you r pr ou d es t wo rkr elat ed momen t ?

S H : My proudest work-related moment was seeing an employee who came to us as part of a refugee program become a successful store manager. Okalaka is a fantastic person and has come a long way in his time with us!

AI : T e l l m e abou t R i n g's e n d 's h i s t o r y wit h AL L P RO. H ow h as t h e i n vo lv e m e n t i n t he gr ou p benef i te d th e b u s i n e s s ?

SH: We see a ton of value in ALLPRO. We were in Mid-South and are members of a lumber buying cooperative (LMC), so we understand what these groups bring. The access to suppliers, the availability of products, and the relationships and idea sharing at shows/meetings is what makes ALLPRO truly unique.

AI : W h at i s your f a vo r i t e A LLP R O p r o du ct ?

SH: My favorite ALLPRO brand product is probably tape. Not the sexiest item, but it’s nice to have a price point to go up against the big box/national chains with!

AI : H ow doe s Ri n g's E n d go b e y o n d c u st omer serv i c e to p rov i d e c u s t o m e r s wi t h a pos it ive experi e nc e ?

SH: We focus on what we call “customer excellence” at Ring’s End. Our focus is on providing a different level of service through investing in great people, education, and premium showroom environments. By doing this, we feel our people will always put the customer first.

AI : T e l l m e abou t y o u r d e c i s i o n t o jo in the AL L P RO b oar d a n d wh a t y o u h o p e to c ont ri but e and gle a n f r o m y o u r i n vo lvemen t.

SH: When Mike approached me about joining the board, it was an easy decision to say yes. As part of the board, you are involved in conversations with some really smart, experienced people who you can learn a ton from. Being part of the board at such an interesting time in our industry is an added bonus. I hope I can add some value to the board as Ring’s End is a slightly different type of retailer from the companies other board members represent. We have a large lumber and building material business, so I may have some different experiences to share. Overall though, I hope to form some great relationships with other passionate retailers.

AI: What con n ect ion s or r elat ionships have you cr eat ed t hr ou gh t he pain t b usiness?

S H : You can form some incredible relationships through ALLPRO. Recently, we (my wife, our nine-month-old Hazel, and I) were traveling to Maine to see friends and stopped in Newburyport for the night. We spent the evening at a local bar with Jack and Susie Boland, who we met through the group, which was just fantastic. A few weeks after that, Anthony and Stephenie Ward (Farrell Calhoun) were traveling through Connecticut, and we took them to dinner on a Friday night. In true ALLPRO fashion, we managed to be the last ones there.

AI: H ow h as you r maj or pain t manufacturer s u ppor t ed you r b u s in es s an d contributed to you r s u cces s over t he year s ?

S H: Benjamin Moore has been a true partner to us. Their field team is very supportive of our sales effort and their leadership team is supportive of our vision.

AI: Wh at d o you like t o d o in you r free time? If you ’ r e n ot at wor k, wh er e wou ld we find yo u?

S H: Most of my free time I like to spend with Caitlin, my wife, and our daughter Hazel. Sometimes that aligns with my passion for fishing and being on the water.

AI: Wh at wou ld ot h er ALLPR O mem bers be s u r pr is ed t o lear n ab ou t you ?

S H: I think most ALLPRO members would be surprised to find out I’m a big music/live music fan. All kinds, but very into folk rock and bluegrass.

AI: Wh at is you r favor it e pain t colo r?

S H: Hale Navy or Hague Blue.

F ast as t F i v e :

T ALKS SK Base b all o r f o o t b a l l ?

N e tfli x or nov el s ?

Stay i n or g o o u t ?

non-fiction

s tay i n

Musi c or t a l k r a dio ?

Po ol or b ea c h ?

f o ot b a l l

music

b e ac h

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 19

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INDEPENDENT | ECON OM Y

Building a Winning Team during a Labor Shortage Looking for employees to keep your store running smoothly? If you are in need of applicants to fill roles, you’re not alone. Companies of every size and industry across North America are facing unprecedented challenges trying to find and replace workers and fill job openings. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the latest data shows more than 10 million job openings in the U.S. with only approximately six million unemployed workers. If your new year’s resolution is to find new employees and hire top talent, follow our steps for recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees and get on the fast track to filling your vacancies.

RECRUITING 1. WRITE AN EFFECTIVE JOB POST Hot headline: Attracting the best candidates begins with writing a job post that sells the position and your company.

First, draw attention with a short and snappy title. Just like a good headline, your job post should showcase the highlight reel of the job - everything that makes the position highly desirable.

ALLPRO MEMBER TIP: Avoid getting too creative with your job title, so that top candidates can easily find the position that fits.

Important information: While including the qualifications and requirements for the job are important, in a highly competitive job market, especially the one employers are experiencing post-COVID-19, it’s key to include all the pertinent information that is critical to job seekers. Consider specifying the salary range, benefits, vacation offerings, and describing the company’s goals and culture. Many prospective employees are also interested in growth opportunities and how they can develop their careers with your company.

ALLPRO MEMBER TIP: Advertise up with roles like “Assistant Manager Trainee” that will draw candidates interested in climbing the company ladder. rag a little: Don’t forget to include the things that make your company great and why applicants would want to work B for you. The independent paint channel has plenty to offer, so go ahead and boast about your business - everything from the atmosphere, the incentives, flexible work arrangements, and optimized onboarding process. Consider all prospective employees – everyone from seasoned sales staff looking for new opportunities to job hunters straight out of school and colleges. Set your company apart from the competition with a compelling job description and appeal to your ideal candidate.

ALLPRO MEMBER TIP: Still struggling with crafting a job ad that increases applicants?

Use a job description template and fill in all necessary information into the correct areas.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

DID YOU KNOW

?

Team member re ferrals increase retention rates.

2. POST YOUR JOB TO THE BEST PLACES Free job boards: A number of online job posting sites offer free posting services where you can post and promote your job openings. Job boards like Indeed and Monster get seen by plenty of job seekers and will provide you with top visibility and a large candidate pool.

Company website: Post job vacancies directly to your company website for people looking for new opportunities in the independent paint industry. Make sure that Google for Jobs picks up your job post and showcases it in the search engine’s results, boosting your chance to be seen.

Social media: Social media is for more than socializing, providing your company with a recruitment tool to fill those vacant roles. Job seekers are scrolling through social networks when searching and applying for jobs, so post your open positions to the top social sites for recruiting new candidates: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

These three platforms provide posting templates so you can attract your desired audience.

ALLPRO MEMBER TIP: Still struggling to fill full-time or part-time positions? Host a recruitment event at your store and promote your employer brand while making personal connections.

3. BUILD AN APPLICANT POOL Colleges and universities: Consider hiring a student or a graduate who is eager to learn and advance their career by connecting with colleges and universities in your area. Many post-secondary schools host regular events like career fairs and offer online job banks and student job boards to help with career employment.

Referrals from current staff: Your best recruiters might be right under your nose – already working for you! Talk with your existing employees about prospective candidates and colleagues from previous jobs or people they know through the industry who might be a perfect fit for your paint store. A finders bonus for help with these efforts would definitely sweeten the pot for staff members and entice them to bring you the best talent.

Temps, vets, and marginalized groups: Agencies offering temporary workers can provide your business with new hires who may just become your next star employee. Recruitment agencies have relationships with both short- and long-term candidates, so you can hire a new employee on a temporary basis and see how they perform before they become a permanent part of the team.

Creating job opportunities for marginalized groups – veterans, cultural minorities, or felons may also fill your vacancies and result in higher retention rates. Agencies such as Orion Talent recruit candidates at all levels and areas, including the military, matching veterans and ready-now workers with employers. The benefits of workplace diversity position your company as an inclusive employer and improves your bottom line.

ALLPRO MEMBER TIP: Read Gina Schaefer’s Recovery Hardware: A Nuts and Bolts Story about Building a Business, Restoring a Community, and Renovating Lives.

Schaefer opened her first hardware store near an addiction services program. What began as an effort to help her community recover evolved into a safe space for countless people in recovery to rebuild their lives.

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 23

Paint Shop Poaching Katie Prus and her team at Abbotsford Paint & Decorating are all too aware of the labor shortage, struggling to find enough staff to cover full time hours. Her outside sales rep came up with a brilliant idea – handing out business cards to possible candidates whenever they experience exceptional customer service or meet top talent.

“He was going to Starbucks and this girl had given him excellent service and he gave her his card and said, ‘I was so impressed with

your customer service today. If you’re ever looking to make a career change, please call me.’ The card had his cell phone number and our logo and website on it,” Prus explains. “And now I’ve been doing that ever since.”

The newest iteration of the card includes a QR code that takes prospective employees to a document with a few basic hiring questions, as well as company perks and incentives.

Hiring If you’ve ever sat sweating through a 60-minute job interview, you know how stressful it can be. But being on the other side of the table is also tough, despite if you’re the one asking or answering the questions. With companies everywhere going the extra mile to hire employees, we’ve compiled some helpful hints to stay cool during the Q&A and get the most out of your hiring process.

Consider an open or group interview: Invite job applicants to your store for an open interview, or an event where candidates meet with hiring personnel without having an appointment. With this walk-in format, employers do interviews as applicants arrive and are able to

Screen resumes: Sort resumes into three piles - yes, maybe, and no thank you - based on education, experience, and other information included on their resume. Look to match the job’s requirements with a candidate’s qualifications based on their application. It probably wouldn’t hurt to do some additional digging by reviewing your top candidate’s online LinkedIn profile, Googling the prospective employee, and reviewing their online and social media activity.

Follow up after the interview: If you have additional questions or want to know where candidates stand on skills, conflicts, and the things that are most important to them, like benefits, flex time, and corporate culture, don’t hesitate to reach out to them following the interview.

Call ahead of the interview: Conduct a pre-screen phone call and have an informal conversation with the candidate in order to save yourself time in the interview process. Ask the applicant a series of questions to find out if they have the qualifications and personality needed prior to conducting a more extensive in-person interview.

Check references: If a resume looks too good to be true, check the references and ensure that you really do have the best candidate for the job. According to Indeed, it is estimated that 40% of people lie on their resumes, specifically when it comes to education and previous salary. Do your due diligence and verify the candidate’s credentials and statements made in their interview.

If the references don’t include past employers, reach out to find out about their experience with the applicant.

Create a consistent hiring process: The more uniform you can be when moving applicants through the hiring process, the more confident you will be when selecting and making a decision.

In order to be accurate, evaluate all candidates with the same criteria and ask the same questions.

Prepare for the interview: Just like your candidate, ensure you are ready and prepared for the recruitment process. Not only do you need to have your questions and targets in place, but you’ll want to choose a varied group of interviewers for the panel interview, including someone who will be working alongside the applicant. Having multiple people in the interview will provide you with different perspectives, remove biases, and reinforce which candidate will be the best fit for the position.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

make job offers and hiring decisions on the fly.

Improve employer branding: It’s not just about picking the right candidate – the applicant also needs to choose to work for your company.

With companies everywhere going the extra mile to hire and retain employees, what can you do to make your store and company an employer of choice?

Due to the competitive job market, it’s never been more important what others think of your store. To improve your company’s reputation, offer a nurturing, caring, productive, and high performing culture and start sparking buzz around your business. Before you know it, you’ll be attracting A+ applicants.

Make the offer: Present your top candidate with a written job offer that includes their wage and other compensation, the probationary period, benefits, vacation, work hours, and the position title and duties involved. Your offer should also include details on how they will be reviewed, who they report to, and any information on amending and terminating the employment.

Offer incentives: With the competition offering all the basics (benefits, maternity leave, etc.), brainstorm what your store can do to entice prospective employees and be innovative with compensation. Providing self-improvement options like gym memberships or a self-betterment fund to go towards books or hobbies, you show that you care for your employees’ well-being more than just your bottom line. Additional perks like covering the costs of cell phones, TV streaming services, free lunches, social events, shared season tickets, and a student loan burden relief will incentivize applicants to consider signing on with your store.

Hiring Toolkit The NHPA offers a Hiring Toolkit that contains a variety of best practices, tools, and guides for helping you find quality employees for your business. Download it at:

yournhpa.org/tools-and-guides/human-resources/

retaining You’ve worked hard to build a strong staff but with intense competition for skilled and capable talent, upping your retention game and reducing employee turnover is of utmost importance.

How can you retain your valuable team members and continue to build your company’s best interest during the current labor shortage? Employees stay in certain workplaces for way more than just the job - they’re looking for a healthy work culture, supportive and flexible schedules, and recognition that they’re valued and doing a good job. Follow these actionable strategies and keep your star staff members working for you.

Survey your staff: Staff retention starts with knowing why employees are either leaving or staying at your store in the first place. Survey your employees on their work environment – things they like and appreciate, and how it could be better. Share survey results with the complete team and discuss how you will take action to improve the workplace and the experience.

Jump on board with onboarding: The first 90 days of employment are central to engaging a new employee, with the first 30 the

most vulnerable to losing a new hire. An onboarding program will provide both the employer and employee with a smooth and positive first few days on the job, helping you to complete paperwork, make introductions, effectively train, and reaffirm your store and company brand. According to a LinkedIn workplace report, with a good onboarding program, 69% of employees will stay at a company for at least three years.

LLPRO MEMBER TIP: Put together a procedure and A training manual to make the onboarding process smooth and successful.

Invest in personal development: Providing your staff with learning and professional growth opportunities is not only good for company culture, it’s good for business. According to Deloitte, organizations with a strong learning culture are 92% likely to develop innovative products and processes, are 52% more productive, 17% more profitable than the competition, and retention rates are also 30-50% higher. Prioritize your people by giving them education and learning opportunities that matter to them in their specific roles. Does your

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 25

in-house interior decorator need new inspiration? Is your sales staff using tactics that feel stale? Engage with your employees and encourage their career development with off-site, online, or in-class courses. Just make sure you provide them with the time to commit to their professional development. Opportunities to attend training and conferences allow them to further develop their skills, which will not only make them feel valued, but provide you with more engaged and efficient employees.

Opportunity for advancement: Don’t forget that more education and better performance should also come with an opportunity for advancement in terms of recognition, responsibility, or role.

Ask your employees what they want to do and where they want to be in five years and how you can help them get there. By providing them with a promotion, room for growth, and new roles to move into, they’ll be more apt to flourish.

Creative compensation: Compensation packages are more than just salary or wages; they are the measuring stick your staff uses to measure the value of the work they do and what they bring to the company. So, if you want to keep your stellar staff working for you, make sure you not only pay your people well, but that you provide a competitive compensation and benefits package that meets their particular needs – employee assistance programs, leaves of absence, and work flexibility.

Improve your leadership: If your top talent has a high rate of turnover, it’s time to look inward and assess your leadership.

Employees are looking to follow a leader and not a boss.

Sharpen your own skills and ensure you’re communicating clearly, contributing to the open and transparent culture of the workplace, and educating yourself on your multigenerational workplace. What is important to your Gen Z staff may be completely different than the things your Boomers need from you. These groups have different motivations, wants, and needs, so you’ll have to change your coaching and communication to support and inspire them properly.

Have fun: Any other store can raise the stakes when it comes to compensation or match or exceed what you’re paying your employees. It’s the non-monetary strategies that staff are prioritizing. Create a fun and positive culture with family events like picnics, take-and-bake dinners for staff to bring home after a long day, and staff appreciation days with morale-boosting activities. In a recent job site poll with 150 million companies, Indeed determined one common characteristic between the 50 top-rated workplaces: an enjoyable work environment.

According to Indeed, a positive work environment leads to more engaged workers, and more engaged workers create a 20% increase in productivity and are 90% more likely to stay with their current companies.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

“Today’s employees are looking for companies that offer flexibility, understand the new employee/employer dynamic, offer growth and offer appreciation beyond a paycheck.”

Kim Peffley, director of organizational development & consulting for NHPA

JUST ASK ALLPRO Need help? Hey, we get it – we all get stuck and need advice from time to time! Consider turning to one of the options below.

ALLPRO MESSAGE B OARD Jump on the forum and receive an answer to your question or advice from an experienced ALLPRO member in a few clicks of a button.

CONNEC T W I T H A COLLEAGUE Call on a fellow ALLPRO member or set a date and time to chat with a mentor or previous paint store owner on a regular basis.

ASK ALLPRO Your ALLPRO reps are ready and available to help!

While they might not have every answer, they’ll put you in touch with someone who does.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

Members basked in San Antonio’s rich atmosphere of music, heritage, and art while taking in the ALLPRO Stockholder Meeting, complete with dynamic breakout sessions and a full show floor pproximately 700 ALLPRO members donned their cowboy boots and braved the southern heat for the Fall Stockholder Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Held at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter from October 2729, the annual fall show combined opportunities for face-to-face interaction and networking with plenty of show perks, including a jam-packed exhibitor floor, engaging breakout sessions, and showonly specials.

In addition to the long list of activities, workshops, and meet and greet events planned for members, the show also offered an opportunity to explore San Antonio’s rich cultural scene and deep history. Guests infused themselves in the spirit and heritage of the city with a pub crawl and a tour of The Alamo, the worldrenowned structure which was the site of a pivotal movement in the Texas Revolution.

ALLPRO’s executive vice president, Mike Beaudoin welcomed members at the General Session, eager to give every guest a verbal pat on the back for their contribution to the growth of the group and the rise of the independent channel. According to Beaudoin, ALLPRO purchases are up from approximately $957 million in 2019 to $1.5 billion this year - a $600 million increase.

“That’s the independent channel!” Beaudoin expressed. “We’ve added retail locations, we’ve grown, your businesses have grown and it’s a testament to you. It’s a testament to our entrepreneur owners.”

The ALLPRO brand has also grown, despite pandemic challenges, with numbers increasing from $26 million to $39 million since 2019. “I can’t emphasize enough - build your ALLPRO brand,” he added. “It’s owned by this room. I’m happy to see those numbers because many of you are.”

Beaudoin continued to address the group’s growth, touching on ALLPRO warehouses, which saw a jump in business from $13 million to $28 million in the same timeframe. “Where this has become super valuable is when we had to compete for product,” Beaudoin explained. “We had the ability to use the buying power in this room and compete with any other channel.”

In addition to welcoming new members to the group, Beaudoin took some time to recognize and bid Josh Johnson farewell after six years on the ALLPRO board and the past year as president.

Hirshfield’s Mike Weber succeeds Johnson as president and also thanked him for his time of service.

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 35

“He’s been an inspiration to me in this process,” Weber shared.

Informative breakout sessions throughout the show provided ALLPRO members with hot topics relevant to their businesses, and strategies to overcome challenges and excel in the upcoming year.

“One thing I learned in my seven years in this role is that each of your businesses is unique and what you’re looking for out of the show is different from each other depending on what’s going on in your business,” Beaudoin said. “And you deserve the best trainers that we can find.”

Dan Tratensek, chief operating officer of the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA), engaged listeners with a session on Maintaining a Legacy Business.

During his presentation, Tratensek covered independent insights members can think about, tough questions to answer when 36

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

considering the future, and practical steps to get there. Tratensek’s informative presentation was geared for all business owners, covering all aspects of planning and maintaining a legacy business, including succession planning, meeting with key advisors, financial responsibilities and valuation, business relationships, and roles for the future.

Joe Szvetitz’s presentation on Loss Prevention & Your Bottom Line was a keen reminder of how important it is to protect your business and store from shortage – anything from employee theft, administrative error, vendor fraud, or product damage. With more than 45 years in retail loss prevention and investigation experience in everything from simple thefts to major embezzlements, Szvetitz is an expert when it comes to educating members on shoplifting, organized retail crime, associate dishonesty, and employee safety.

Szvetitz started with the basics (criminal background checks, burglary alarms, camera systems, etc.) before moving on to how small instances of loss over time can negatively impact a store’s bottom line.

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 37

She didn’t qualify for the Olympic Games, (she literally tripped on a stick during the event), so she went back to university and learned the art of letting go. To further separate herself from the sport - and the snow - Bloom headed to Los Angeles, California, and before long, was serving drinks at her employer’s poker game with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Affleck.

Bloom, though initially naive, was a quick study and was soon wondering how she could confer value in a room full of high stakes and prominent people. She wanted players to feel seen, heard, and remembered.

“I started to cultivate real, authentic relationships with these people,” Bloom explained. “And I also realized that I didn’t want to just serve drinks in this room. I wanted to start my own games.” And that’s what she did. She upped her game to make the customer experience unlike any other.

“The details matter,” Bloom revealed.

“Constant state of growth matters. If you’re constantly improving, you are going somewhere. If you are staying still, you are stuck and you are going backwards.”

For six years, Bloom’s game was the hottest ticket in town. But everything changed when a player took her game out from under her. In response, Bloom moved to New York City and became the biggest game runner in the Big Apple.

peaker, entrepreneur, and author of the 2014 memoir, Molly’s Game, Molly Bloom had attendees hanging on her every word with her story of overcoming adversity during the show’s keynote address. Bloom’s first tale of suffering came when she was only 12 years old. A mogul skier, Bloom was diagnosed with juvenile scoliosis and told that her spine was curved at 63 degrees.

“At 12 years old, my whole life changed,” Bloom detailed, adding that she would need major surgery.

While her doctor told her to find a new hobby, Bloom wouldn’t hear of it. After

38

taking time off to recover, she got back on the mountain and worked hard for the next eight years. “You can’t control what happens, but you can control how you respond to it,” Bloom said. “So, I put myself in the driver’s seat.”

At 19 she made the U.S. ski team, at 20 Bloom was ranked third in North America, and at 21 she made it all the way to the Olympic qualifiers. “I stood on top of that mountain thinking, this is the moment of my life,” she said. “And it was not lost on me that all those years ago, if I would have just stayed in the passenger seat… I would have missed out on that.”

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

But Bloom admits that something changed, and she got greedy, making decisions that weren’t part of her core values, and before she knew it, things were going downhill. A run in with the Italian mob foreshadowed the eventual blow up of her business. After having every penny seized by the FBI, Bloom moved in with her mother and grandmother in the mountains of Colorado.

“I was raised that when you fall, you get back up,” Bloom said, adding that while she took full responsibility for her actions, she also had to learn how to forgive herself and move on. In the end, it wasn’t an Oscarnominated movie or a best-selling book that restored Bloom, but a return to her values, to the things that matter.

STATS SINCE 2019 •

Gr o u p pu r c h a se s a r e up t o $1 . 5 b i l l i on f r om $957 m illion .

•

ALL PR O b r a nd e d p r oduct i n cr ea s ed f r om $ 2 6 m illion to $39 m illion .

•

W ar e ho u se d i st r i b ut i on b us i n es s i s up f r om $13 m illion to $ 28 m illion .

NEW ADDITIONS

The ALLPRO family has welcomed several new members recently. We were happy to give them an official, in-person shout out at our Stockholder Meeting in San Antonio and personally welcome them to the group. If you haven’t had a chance to say hello and introduce yourself to the following new members, please give a warm greeting to…

Kim Peffley, above, director of organizational development & consulting for NHPA, held an inspiring breakout session featuring Five Tips to Energize Your Team and Maximize Productivity. During her presentation, Peffley not only looked at how the employee/ employer paradigm has shifted over the last two years, but she provided actionable tips to motivate and empower employees and improve productivity. Conscious of the changing labor market landscape, Peffley was clear that quality employees are key to running a successful operation.

1. AUDIT YOUR COMPETITION, YOUR NEEDS, AND YOUR IMAGE 2. FOCUS ON COMMUNICATION 3. UNDERSTAND YOUR NUMBERS, GOALS, AND HOW TO REACH THEM

DA KINE PAINTS, Kahului, HI

PINTURAS REM DE MEXICALI, Méxicali, BC

FAIRFIELD PAINT, Lancaster, OH

PINTURA PAINT STORE, San Antonio, TX

NAL’S PAINT CENTER, Worcester, MA

PRESERVE PAINTS, Vestavia Hills, AL

4. INVEST IN YOUR TEAM

PAINT GARDEN, Riverside, CA

WEST SIDE DECORATING CENTER, Saginaw, MI

THE PAINT PLACE, Bahamas

HILL COUNTRY PAINTS, College Station, TX

5. ALWAYS BE RECRUITING! ALWAYS BE RETAINING!

PAINT OUTLETS, Rochester Hills, MI January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT | 39

INDEPENDENT | N EX TG EN With 285,000 TikTok followers watching Katie Prus, aka @PaintGirlKate mix paint, the second-generation paint retailer from Abbotsford, British Columbia, is a perfect fit for ALLPRO’s NextGen group. As manager at Abbotsford Paint & Decorating, Prus also has plenty of experience with customer service and store expansion and is eager to share her stories with other like-minded ALLPRO up and comers.

Here are five other things you might not know about our NextGen retail member from the Great White North.

1. She got an early start in the paint biz Prus made her first $100 bill working for her father at the age of 12. “We had a grand opening and my dad wanted me to make sure that everything was clean,” Prus says, explaining that her first foray in the industry fueled her entrepreneurial spirit. Before long, Prus was renting out her VHS movies to her dad for the store’s kid zone. “I’d make sure that they were rewinded and then I’d bring them home and sub in new movies.”

2. Customer service comes

Networking with

easily to Prus “I actually got my first job as a waitress at a locally owned Greek restaurant,” Prus says, adding that the experience provided her with customer service skills that were a cut above the rest. “The owner really cared that people liked the food. He showed me how to make sure customers were happy…that was a really good learning curve.”

But Prus knew she didn’t want to stay a server forever, so following a trip to Thailand, she decided to join the family business. “I did not want to work for [my dad] for the longest time,” she reveals. “I was in Thailand, and I realized I had no money. I was Skyping with my parents and my dad was like, ‘Well, why don’t you try coming to work for me?’ And so I did and it was a pretty good gig.”

3. She’s a color connoisseur

Get to know former child entrepreneur, TikTok star, and NextGen retail member, Katie Prus

40

While Prus’ day job includes everything from cleaning the bathrooms to dealing with customer service complaints, she’s most passionate about mixing paint color. “I love the color aspects of the job here - making paint and making orders,” Prus says.

Prus’ prowess when it comes to paint colors can be seen trending on TikTok. As @ PaintGirlKate, the color connoisseur has 286.7K followers watching her short-form videos.

January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

4. She’s building the business “We had thought about selling the store for a very long time,” Prus shares. “And then I realized the more stores you have, the easier it is to sell sometimes. We’re just trying to build an empire.”

In addition to purchasing two stores in a nearby town, Prus has been developing a 1,500page procedure manual that, if they sell, they can hand over so the new owners can run the store with a smooth transition. “I’m always telling other retailers to make a procedure manual because it comes in so handy even if I’m not here - the book has every answer. You just have to teach the staff to look at it.”

5. She’s a homebody and a foodie If she isn’t mixing colors or creating content, she’s chilling at home. “I’m honestly watching Netflix and Disney+,” Prus details. “I’m either on my couch with my dog or we’re going out to Vancouver and going to really nice restaurants.

So, we don’t leave for weeks at a time, or we splurge and go out for a $500 meal.”

FAST FIVE AI: What is the last book you read?

Where the Crawdads Sing and The Glass House.

AI: What kind of music do you play in the store? Oh, this one’s super controversial because most of our staff don’t like it. But study after study shows that jazz music keeps people in the store and makes them purchase more. So, we play elevator music.

AI: What is your favorite paint color?

Pink is in every square inch of my house. My favorite pink is Peach Cloud by Benjamin Moore.

AI: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Everything in moderation.

AI: What might other NextGen members be surprised to learn about you? I’ve been to 18 different countries. And I’m a Disney freak.

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ALLPRO West Coast Distribution Center Stats

Bigger Means Better y mid-January, ALLPRO members who buy out of the ALLPRO West Coast Distribution Center in Portland, Oregon, will have reason to celebrate. The group is increasing the warehouse’s size and ability to house merchandise ALLPRO purchases directly from manufacturers, as well as ALLPRO branded products.

“You guys have done amazing - you kill it,” Mike Beaudoin, ALLPRO executive vice president said when addressing west coast attendees at the recent fall show in San Antonio, Texas. “Because of that, we decided to double the space [of the West Coast Distribution Center]. We signed a lease with the adjoining building and it’s going to be 33,000 square feet, which will give us the opportunity to stock traffic paint, exterior stain, and a whole host of items that could be meaningful for you.”

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The expansion follows a series of ALLPRO distribution center developments, including opening a new centrally located distribution center in Kansas City, Missouri, and doubling the size of the Northeast DC Distribution Center.

“We basically moved into an entirely new building about 47,000 square feet, so it’s a very large warehouse that came in really handy when you needed things like traffic paint, or items that we just couldn’t get anymore,” Beaudoin explained. “We certainly had the space for that.”

ALLPRO’s four distribution centers are situated all over the country. The warehouse in the Boston area supplies the northeastern quadrant, another in Florida serves the southeast, the location in Kansas City serves members in the central region, and the facility in Portland, Oregon, which will soon double in size, delivers to stores on the west coast down to the borders of Arizona and New Mexico.

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January/February 2023 | ALLPRO INDEPENDENT

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