I approached an old man one day before I decided to start my business. He said that the world was constantly changing with technology and the business environment was changing just as fast. But, he stressed one factor alone will always make a difference in the success of any business. He explained that clients like to do business with people they personally know, people they personally like and definitely with people they have met. He stressed the importance of a face with a name. He said there is only one method in his opinion to ensure that this important facet of business takes place.

It is a simple road map to business success and the old man was right. He told me the simple recipe to business success is:

I built my business, my company's marketing strategy, my company's growth, my company's success and my company's strong reputation around this old man's philosophy. In fact, in every office in my building you will see a sign on the wall (Meet People-Meet People-Meet People) that designates the SACS Consulting Business philosophy which is the key to my company and personal success.

In 1991 I was forced to retire after 14 years on the Akron, Ohio Police Department. My career ending injuries at age 34 caused me to re-examine my entire future and the future of my family. I was awarded a small disability payment, but not nearly enough to support a wife, three children, normal monthly bills and a secured retirement.

I decided to build a diversified consulting business from the ground up. I had no formal business education or corporate experience. I did have one thing and that was an attitude and desire to succeed with no thought of not achieving that goal! Many of the things I did building my business were from trial and error experience, guidance from others and studying others who were successful in the business community. I set goals for myself that others thought I had no chance of acheiving. I never forgot what the old man had said and I planted his message in my mind. I worked towards his message every day that I have been in business. I decided that every day possible I would meet people, meet people meet people!

I knew that many factors would determine my success and the level of my success. I then decided to have one main goal that would inspire me beyond anyone's wildest dreams, even mine. The single large goal I established for myself was to be a Million Dollar Company within five years. My first year in 1991 I grossed under $50,000. By 1995 I reached my Million Dollar Goal. SACS Consulting had reached another level beyond my wildest dreams; an 8,000 square foot corporate facility with 150 full-time and part-time employees.

Is "Bigger Always Better"? Once I achieved my Million Dollar Goal I had to examine this current situation. The need for a much larger cash flow, payroll concerns, my time constraints, and several other concerns sent me back to the drawing and review board concerning my business. I needed to review all aspects and all divisions of my business. This is not unusual, but normal sound business practice if you want to survive in the ever changing business community.

The changes I needed to make at the end of my five year review were major. I would never have dreamed a few years earlier that I would be making these changes in order to grow and survive in the business world.

I discovered that I needed to sell a profitable division of SACS because of the strain it placed on my cash flow. Additionally, when I accounted for all the time, personnel issues, overhead, etc. that was indirectly related to this division I discovered that it truly was not a profitable division. Lastly, this division absorbed too much of my time and was an anchor to the growth of my other divisions. I also realized that my current building of 8,000 square feet was too large. I was renting out part of the building and playing landlord and Mr. Maintenance. This also took away from my focus and the company focus. Lastly, I had to make a few needed personnel changes and get the right TEAM working together.

I did not hesitate to make the changes. I sold my 8,000 square foot building and moved into a 2,000 square foot facility capable of achieving the same results. I sold my Uniform Security Division and I made the needed personnel changes. I structured my new personnel's income with a combination of base pay, percentages and bonuses. I employed only personnel who liked, wanted and was confident with this type of income based pay. The positive results of these changes were very dramatic on the future growth of my company!