OPPORTUNITIES

WALLY LYNCH

Paid Associates

PO. Box 741623 Dallas, Tx.75243

I t VOt think rour l9x- \r,rs triruI ntiltrc. tr-\ tltr\ one.

,.\ banking executive and it storage and transf-er operator teanred up in carll' l r)86 to purchuse .rnd run a luntber r ardh.rrdriarc store. l'heir takeorer \\as contplcted rn .\ugust ot'l98O Thc- rolunle at rhrrt rintc $us nonrrnallr S-i.0()().(l()0. Thc split *as 8() conlractor and l() consu nler.

Thc tacilitr *.rs loc.tted ()n the nlairt dr.rg in the dorrntorrn area of l large suburb of a nr.1or sou!h*estern citl I:rerlthrng north of its loc.rtion rrus bedroont corlmunities. not .r lumber lard or .t hitrd*are store eristed in thc northcrn hrll' ot' their trlding .rre.i

(iirc-n this. it *as their beliel'th.rt jonrething h.rd to br'donc'.ibout th.tt l{) consunrer sharc. Rcnor ation of thcrr l().(){l() squ.rre 1'oot hard$are store \\as complL'tcd .rnd then S100.000 *rs I.untl,cJ rnlo .rJ\ crtr\tng beginning .rt lbout the tinte the pricc of oil di.'d

Ilr \1.rrch l9S- ther re.rlized th.rt. despite .rll eflbrts. consunler s.tles rr r'rr' .lust holdrng thcir o\\ n .rnd contractor s.tles rrere otT br sonte -15 I his tr.rn:l.rted lntn .L S | .rrr ril.rrr)r t loss in (onlt.rCtor rolunre liom Jull through [jc'bru.trr' .\lthough ther intntcdiatelr rhrl'ted their.rttcntion to thc contr.ictor. br June their contrJctor sales r oluntr' loss h,td blossonred lo S I jtl(l.t)r )r ) []ur t'ronr \l.rrch through \lar thet h.id inlplenrcnted r turn-.r-round that took hold in June irnd rr-r-'ouped ell thc s.rlcs thc'r h.td lost lront Jull l98t' through \l.n (Sl. jt)tt.tlt tttt Br \orc-nrber the contr.rctor s.rlcs r ear * ound up l - .rhe.rd. I nlike nrost ol'rou. th!-se t\\o gu\s *cre ncithc'r accontpiishc'd nterchanls nor kno* leclgeable lumhernten .rnd thcr rr cre lircecl * ith nt.ltor le.tgue stzc prob,lcms in both llclds Ther crcdrt thcir unstrd.lnl pr'rlornl.rnec to iour 'rillnn{ tne\ looK lrnurth. lirc\ nul togcther.r.onlnensation .rnd s.rles aid pack.rge lhe\ thought *ould generltc good sized e.rrning: for both thc- conlp(tn\ .ind the emplorecs .\s of this *riting. the entire ntetr()politan.ireir continue\ to be r-cononricalll deprcs5ed. but !he contplnr ts nraking nronc'r .tnd e\pact\ .i btg I ear tn 1 q88 \ ou l.rgure it The onlt thrng 'tpprrL'nt here is th'rt it's anl'tzlng \\ h'lt c'ln tre cione $hL'n \ou don't kno$ it c.rn-t be done

['irst. thcl rr'duccd st.ill'. Thc\ \icnt from .lS cnrplol ees to lQ Sccond. the\ \\cnt to tit!-ir r!'nt.tining contr.lctor custontcrs lnd asked *hat ther uould likc ro h.rre in rhe $.rr olsalcs representall\cs.

Third. ther hired thc'se sales pcople fronr conlplnl.-5 riith \\hich th!-\ \\errconrpeting.

Lcs! 1ou srill think th.rt therc nligilt not be anr business in l our lrc.r. trr this ercrcise. ( )n ,r litrge scrlc l()cJl .ireJ nlJp. drarr three circles .rround r our loc.ititln One represent.tlire of a lr) nlilc- r.rdius. .r second. l ltl mile r.tdius .ind ', ,51tr'i. '1 -ll) nrile r.rdius. \crt. nt.ikc.r lrst ol'the cities * rthin all thrc'e circles.

\1.tjor ntetro .rrc.r li:ts likc thrs tiill vie ld I ()(l to I :0 e lt\ n.rnres. The r s-llo* pitges \\ ill tell t ou ho\\ nliin\ contr.tclors. remodelers and conlnlercial establishments there are in your area. Finallr'. make a list of the ones you aren't selling.