Twenty-eight. This is the twenty-eighth Holiday card we have sent out. For twenty-eight years we have gathered the company together (in the beginning—all 3 employees) and posed for a photo. It’s amazing to look back at our growth over the years. To look at this group of men and women that are honest, hard-working, loyal, and trustworthy people, is truly humbling. We have grown from a company that could produce 2 porches in 1 year, to a company that can produce 36 porches in 1 year, and ship out over 550 orders of products across the U.S.
We could not be where we are now without our incredible team, and our customers– YOU!
Every year before the Holiday photo, we gather in the showroom for a company meeting. For those on different teams, and those in the office vs. the shop vs. out in the field, this is one of those rare moments where we are all together. The entire office smells like coffee and breakfast, and there are some low chuckles, slaps on the back, and the occasional razzing. You know, the kind that can only come from someone who spends 8 plus hours a day with you, or has been coming to these meetings with you for years and years. We get to chat and catch up, and really be reminded that we are one team–a united front. We sit down and go over the triumphs and the hardships of the year, and discuss future plans and goals for the company. And then (with a little bribery–I mean encouragement–from the owner) we each stand and say a few words about something or someone that deserves acknowledgement. This year we wanted to share with you some of the highlights (you might recognize a few of these names if you’ve worked with us before!):
-Thanks to Nancy for running an ever-evolving company. Kudos to Audrey for working with many different subs to get the work done. That was difficult for us last year, but it’s gotten much better this year. We are improving all the time!
-Thanks to Audrey for guidance as a newcomer to the company. Proud that many of the employees are veterans.
-Thanks to Ken for jumping in and helping with some of the extremely hard tasks.
-Thanks to Braylon and Jared for always bringing laughter to the job site.
-Thanks to Jared for bringing positivity , and Kim for always running errands (that no one wants to do) to keep the job running smoothly.
-Proud of everyone for embracing new technology and always coming up with new, innovative methods.
-Thanks to the shop for being flexible, and able to make miracles happen when emergencies arise.
-Shout out to Rachael & Jason for their customer service, and the way they talk to customers on the phone.
-Shout out to Nancy & Keith for their customer service during sales calls, and being attentive to their needs.
-Thanks for making his job easy. He feels like everything is dealt with, and he just has to come to work and get straight to it. This is the most efficient company he’s worked for.
-Thanks to Wade & Erin for taking the time to familiarize him with the Porch Co way of building.
-Thanks to everyone for being safe and not having any on the job accidents!
-Every time she needs someone, some is there. She never needs to go far to find help.
-Kudos to Carolyn, Ken & Dakota for making her job simpler. Proud that she can push responsibility down!
-Thanks to his team for coming together and really rising to the occasion on all of the maintenance work. Everyone always has a positive attitude.
Aside from the free breakfast and coffee, I always look forward to these company meetings. Sometimes, admittedly, we get stuck in our little bubbles of working at our desks, or with our specific teams out in the field, or with our right-hand man in the shop. In these moments we get to step back and really look at the work that we have accomplished as a company. It takes every person, every position, to keep this wheel in motion, and it’s a moment to be proud.
We hope this Holiday season you get to do just that! Step outside of your day to day grind, spend time with your loved ones, be proud of all you have accomplished (and let’s be honest–survived) this year, and be grateful for every person that has filled a necessary role in your life.
With love,
The Porch Company Team