From Recovery to Success: Inspiring Journeys and Insider Tips for the Shed Business

How do you transform from a life overshadowed by addiction and incarceration into a successful and inspiring shed salesperson? Join us as we sit down with Susan the Shed Gal, Sam Byler the Shed King, and the incredible Rebecca Waite from Dutch Boy Barns, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Rebecca shares her deeply moving journey of recovery, celebrating six years of sobriety, and reflecting on the significance of personal redemption. We also explore the welcoming and deeply supportive nature of the shed community, spotlighting the invaluable contributions of industry members like Dylan Street and the unwavering belief in second chances.

Building and maintaining strong customer relationships is at the heart of any successful business, and in this episode, we uncover the strategies that set local shed businesses apart from big-box stores. From the nuances of providing exceptional customer service to the art of securing repeat business and referrals, we break down the essential elements of earning and keeping customer trust. Sam, Susan, and Rebecca also share their experiences overcoming the initial hurdles in the shed business, emphasizing how high standards and genuine sales efforts can lead to sustained success.

Personal touches can make all the difference in customer service, and we delve into the impact of old-school principles like handwritten thank you notes. Drawing from influential books such as "The Compound Effect" and "How to Win Friends and Influence People," we underline the power of authenticity in creating lasting impressions. Wrapping up our discussion, we offer insights into navigating the ever-changing shed market, the importance of adaptability, and why setting high goals can propel personal and professional growth. Whether you're in the shed business or simply seeking inspiration, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on resilience, community support, and genuine customer care.

For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.

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Transcript

Susan Frair: 0:08

Welcome back to another episode of the Shed Geek podcast. This is Susan the Shed Gal, and I have the honor of being with two mighty fine folks today Mr Sam Beler, who I refer to as the Shed King, and Rebecca Waite. Rebecca is with Dutch Boy Barns in South Carolina Spartanburg, .

Sam Byler: 0:31

Are you sure it's not Dutch Brother Coffee?

Susan Frair: 0:33

Well, that's what I almost said, so I had to look. So for some reason that Dutch Brother Coffee and Dutch Boy. I absolutely love the name. So we're just going to have a conversation today, rebecca.

Susan Frair: 0:45

Thank you, thank you for saying yes when when I asked if you'd be on my podcast, she didn't say what podcast or anything. I didn't even have a podcast when I asked you. That's pretty good, that's pretty good, so thank you. Thank you, sam, for being here. So tell me a little bit about I think you have a really cool backstory and you know we're friends on Facebook so I've seen some posts following your business page. Tell me about what got you into the shed industry.

Rebecca Waite: 1:17

So I'm a recovering addict with a background with felonies with a background with felonies, and when I got out of jail I spent 13 months in jail waiting to be sentenced on those felonies. And so when I got out I couldn't find a job and I was lucky enough to land across Dutch Boy Barns. One of their dealers were ready and willing to hire me, and that started my journey in the sales business.

Susan Frair: 1:50

I love that Good for you.

Sam Byler: 1:52

Yeah, and coming from someone who has known Dutch Boy pretty much all my life, as far as the owner it just fits, it doesn't even surprise me in the least, um, that someone like uh mel, which, by the way, thanks for being on here.

Sam Byler: 2:09

we have tried hard to get mel to come on a podcast we've tried to get drew to come on a podcast and I I love the whole team here. Um, I know I don't know you, but I know them all very well and utmost respect of the highest level in the shed industry for dutch boy, for mel and drew and digger and all those guys. Um, chris and we had them show up at the bash this year and they just they were a complete party. It was really good. Um, so that, yeah, it's, it's a good. I love it. It's a good story you how many years?

Rebecca Waite: 2:45

ago, was that? So I've been with Dutch Boy for five years. Five years, okay, I celebrate six years clean in August. I was arrested in 2018. Okay, congratulations.

Sam Byler: 2:59

That's awesome.

Susan Frair: 3:00

I'm really impressed. I'm really impressed. That is not easy.

Rebecca Waite: 3:05

No, I mean I have days that are harder than others.

Susan Frair: 3:08

Yes, and the fact that you are being open about this. This is what this podcast is about. We all have a story and you're telling your story and someone's going to hear it and have hope.

Sam Byler: 3:19

Yeah, and all the like Shannon and Dylan and all the geek guys. It just fits. It fits in perfect with like Shannon and Dylan and all the geek guys. It just fits. It fits in perfect with like. You know, you need to meet Dylan. Talk to Dylan. It's cool. I did prison ministry for 25 years. My heart's still there. Hopefully one day I get to go back to it. My wife makes the story. I mean I don't call it a joke because it's serious but she compares my shed hauling guys to my prison ministry. Now, because when I laid my prison ministry down, it's like I picked up the haulers and she says and we are, we're shed-a-haulics, that's what we call ourselves.

Sam Byler: 3:59

And it is. It's a good thing, and to see that it's like that's the best of the best.

Susan Frair: 4:05

Absolutely. He mentioned Dylan. You're probably like who's Dylan? All right, dylan Street is with Shed Geek Marketing and his story is incredible about where he came from. And man Dylan I know you'll listen to this If I have the story wrong, I apologize Something to the effect of the longest police chase within the county that he lived in.

Sam Byler: 4:32

I don't know if that means he was bad at getting away or the cops were bad at catching him.

Susan Frair: 4:37

Well, either way, yeah, what I know of him is it is not what it used to be. You know he may struggle. I don't know the details of that. I think we all struggled in our own ways, right, and you alluded to that. Some days are harder or easier than others. But to where he was, to where he is today addiction is not who anybody is.

Susan Frair: 5:04

And so you know, this isn't an addiction podcast, but I just want to throw that out there because it's it's so important. And then you know, I just learned recently about sam doing the prison ministry and shannon, the shed geek, um, I think worked at a rehab center for a year.

Sam Byler: 5:21

Uh, it is very close to his heart and so, um, yeah, I should probably just pass the mic off to him, since he's hiding back here. What are we doing here? What are we doing here?

Susan Frair: 5:33

so let let me ask you this then, because that kind of leads me away from a question I was another question I was gonna ask. You came out of that and you had a daughter, correct? And so I have four children, four children. So I would imagine that part of your drive was to for your children, right? Definitely.

Rebecca Waite: 5:56

I had tried to get clean several times prior to being successful at, you know, becoming recovered. But I always done it for something or someone else and I had to learn that I had to be somewhat selfish for me so that it would work and I could be who they needed me to be.

Susan Frair: 6:19

Oh man.

Speaker 2: 6:21

You might want to just play that about three times.

Susan Frair: 6:23

I literally have goosebumps right now. Yep Incredible.

Sam Byler: 6:28

I've seen that so many times. It's you have to do it for yourself.

Rebecca Waite: 6:33

Yep, and I didn't quite understand the meaning of that at first.

Susan Frair: 6:37

Cause it's foreign.

Rebecca Waite: 6:38

Right.

Susan Frair: 6:38

Yeah. So then you're, you're looking for a job. The wonderful people at at Dutch boy Barnes allow you an opportunity which has been five years ago now. Yes, fantastic, it's a long time. What did that job opportunity and them saying we want you to be part of our team mean to you?

Rebecca Waite: 7:00

I really can't put it into words. I think it gave me a good kick in the behind to put my goals into running action. I already knew that I was going to accomplish them. I didn't know how.

Susan Frair: 7:15

Amazing, I'm not speechless very often. Yeah, I know In fact.

Sam Byler: 7:22

I don't think you are Ever.

Susan Frair: 7:27

Well, except for very few times, this happens to be one of them. I I'm just, in fact I don't think you are ever, ever well, except for very few times, this happens to be one of them. I'm just, I'm just amazed. And you've been here five years. I mean that that longevity of of that not only says a whole lot about you, it says a whole lot about the people that own the company and the lot that you work for. So tell me a little bit about what all you offer here in Spartanburg at your lot.

Rebecca Waite: 7:48

We offer metal portable storage buildings, wood storage portable and metal carports, garages, RV covers, barn dominiums.

Susan Frair: 8:00

Fantastic, Do you? You're on a great busy road. I saw you have a wonderful banner and shout out to having great signage out there by the road. That's I love that. Love seeing that. Where do most of your customers come from? Do they drive by? Are you where you find them?

Rebecca Waite: 8:18

we have a lot of repeat customers for this lot um, and I think a lot of it does come from the road um and you had said we were talking outside facebook.

Susan Frair: 8:29

Yeah, you had said when we were talking outside that a lot of repeat customers, and then right after that you said a lot of referrals yeah, I've had quite a few referrals in the last month and that what that tells me is you're doing something right. I've talked to dealers. I've never had a referral. I don't say, well, you're not doing something right. I've talked to dealers. I've never had a referral. I don't say, well, you're not doing something right, but it, but it's a, it's a cue You're. You're obviously doing something right, wouldn't you?

Sam Byler: 8:52

agree. Oh yeah, referrals were always a big thing for me. Um, if you're not, if you're not getting referrals, you need to back up and see what's going on. Because one of the one of the big things always said by selling local, being part of a local company instead of one of the big national ones is um, you can't, you can't beat like, you're not going to beat home depot with advertising. What you're going to beat them with is your local build, your locally serviced and you. Home depot does not have any of those three and that's where your referrals come from. You know, I can, we can go down to Home Depot right now and we can walk around sheds for an hour and nobody's going to come out and talk to us. You have to walk inside and then you might wait 15, 20, 30 minutes.

Sam Byler: 9:40

You don't know how long you're going to wait until somebody that knows something about the sheds outside comes and takes care of you. If you're lucky, they still sell sheds like crazy. But but the fact that we can, we can beat them with the referrals, um, through the service we offer, through our personalities of ourselves or whatever. That's the biggest things you've got going for you. So, yeah, that's that's fantastic that now there is a second part to it. I think sometimes we fail to do, and that is we can go after referrals. But that's a complete different subject. Like you know, do you follow up with your customers? Are you happy? Do you have anybody who needs anything? I mean, you can get leads forever if you want to, if you just make a couple of phone calls Hard to do if your customers aren't happy.

Sam Byler: 10:27

I don't want to call them.

Rebecca Waite: 10:30

I don't want to talk to them and even your delivery guys help with that.

Sam Byler: 10:36

You can sell the perfect sale and have the perfect customer and you get a bad delivery and it's gone. It's easy to recover at the delivery too, but you know that that's the job in itself too. But so, yeah, I love hearing about referrals.

Susan Frair: 10:50

That's good yeah, I think that's really the biggest compliment a customer can give you, because they're putting their name on the line absolutely and they trust you.

Susan Frair: 11:00

I think oftentimes I never took it for granted when I got a referral and I think sometimes that you know we just expect it. Well, if we're not getting any, maybe we better look at our part and see, you know, well, maybe I should up my game so that I'm and I don't mean game as far as negative Maybe I need to provide a better service. So, if you're getting them, man, keep doing what you're doing. Yeah, so you've got a really big lot here and and I'm going to bring this up because it's all, it's all perception. There's no right wrong or I'm not critiquing you well, we pulled in. I'm like holy cow, look at all these buildings. And I heard you tied into what? Two acres or something here. It's big, it's a big lot. Three, oh, it's three acres, it's a big lot, it's it's three acres, it's a big lot, it's beautiful.

Susan Frair: 11:46

And I heard you say well, you know I need more inventory. I, you know I've got a bunch of empty spaces. Oh, I love the fact that you're. You have a company that supports you and gives you a ton of inventory and you have this great lot. It's. It's easier when you have the choices for customers right when they come in and it's, you know, just, it's a different beast out in Arizona and Washington State, and so I always had not a huge amount of inventory. I think, sam, when you were at my lot in Lake Stevens, washington, maybe 14, 16 buildings maybe, maybe in the size of a bowling alley, 14, 16 buildings maybe, Maybe in the size of a bowling alley.

Susan Frair: 12:26

Yeah, yeah, and you know, and I felt fortunate if I had that many. And I'm not saying you're not grateful for what you have, it's just man, three acres and what did you say? Right now you have 40, 45?

Rebecca Waite: 12:38

48 or 49. Yeah, oh nice, yeah, yeah.

Susan Frair: 12:42

It's amazing and you know she's got empty space and I don't like it and she doesn't like it.

Susan Frair: 12:47

She's got really high expectations because she wants to be able to serve her customers. And I'm man, hats off to you. That's. That's cool. When you first started and I mean, you weren't born knowing about sheds, right? No, sam was, but he's a unicorn. I, I didn't know anything about sheds. You know, when I was born, picked up another tag a unicorn and, um, what was the biggest challenge coming into this? Was it, um, you know, as far as business wise, was it just not not knowing, or?

Rebecca Waite: 13:25

I think for me it was separating the difference of the hustle to the sale oh, tell me about that.

Susan Frair: 13:34

That's good well.

Rebecca Waite: 13:35

I mean you, you do things that you're not supposed to do and then you go into the sales business and you try to bring that that hustle yes to the sales business and sometimes it works.

Susan Frair: 13:47

But not really. So what did you find?

Rebecca Waite: 13:51

you found, if you just I found that if I related to the customers on a personal level and had a conversation with them instead of just trying to sell them a product, it really worked, sending thank you notes as soon as they walk out my door, I handwrite a thank you note of something personal that we have talked about or discussed or that I know about them. In that thank you note Handwritten, hand signed, and then it goes in the mailbox and is sent to them and then, of course, like you know, he said, delivery, our guys are awesome, that's fantastic.

Susan Frair: 14:30

So then that you know, tops it off.

Rebecca Waite: 14:32

And I think that has really made a difference.

Susan Frair: 16:18

that's really interesting that you you mentioned the handwritten note.

Susan Frair: 16:21

And was that so a customer? They've written up a building with you and then they leave and you send them a thank you and something and something relatable. I think a lot of times people are like, well, I already made the sale, why would I, why would I take my time? You know I need to play solitaire on my phone. Why would I take the time to handwrite a thank you card and mail? It keep doing what you're doing, I, I I think it's great. It's so far and few between the little extras that we can do, um, and that most of us, including myself, don't do so, um, what a great. I'm just thinking if I was your customer and I left and then I get a handwritten card that tells me thank you.

Speaker 2: 17:02

I'm still trying to wrap my head around that.

Susan Frair: 17:04

With something that we talked about. Who else is going to do that? Right, keep doing it, because who else is going to do it?

Sam Byler: 17:12

Home Depot isn't going to send you a thank you card.

Susan Frair: 17:14

They might send you a statement for what you got on that credit card bill. Exactly, that's true, exactly, exactly, that's true, exactly.

Sam Byler: 17:19

I want to name this episode the hustle versus the thank you card. It's just like it's too good. There it is.

Sam Byler: 17:26

I knew what she was talking about when she said the hustle, and I love watching sales. So first of all, I'm a people watcher. Anybody that follows me on Facebook knows that people intrigue me to no end. I want to watch from a distance I don't want to get too close, you know, and I have ones that get close to me and end up like I yeah, there's a bunch of them. But I watch sales guys and it almost makes me sad to even see it in training today by. You know you pay big money to go to a training seminar and they teach you the hustle. Sorry, that's what I see. You know, when you see high-pressure sales guys, come on, teach these principals and their business principals. And you know you paid five grand to learn these principals, so they must have been really good. And they teach you the hustle of today. Um, and you send a thank you card and then you said you get referrals. I mean, come on, how hard is that to figure out?

Susan Frair: 18:34

Absolutely. It reminded me of when I bought a house. It's been about 12, 13 years ago, and maybe a week or two after the closing I get a box I don't know Big enough for a Mylar hot air balloon not a hot air balloon a. Mylar balloon to be in it blown up with a handwritten thank you card, and I'll never forget that. That's cool, it is cool.

Rebecca Waite: 19:01

It's awesome and I guarantee you if you bought another house, you'd go back to the same person, Absolutely.

Susan Frair: 19:07

You've got that right and I was like I open it up, the balloon comes out. I'm like what is going on here? That's pretty cool, yeah, but it was really cool and it works because it's different. The handwritten card is different.

Sam Byler: 19:24

It. It is not how most dealers. So can I ask you something? And you don't have to answer this. If you don't want to, you can say no, but how did you get from the hustle to the thank you note? Did you like read books, did you listen to audios? Or where did it come from? Uh-oh, she's digging for something.

Rebecca Waite: 19:44

Compound effect. Yeah, she has a book, wow.

Susan Frair: 19:46

That's good. Yeah, show that here by Darren Hardy.

Sam Byler: 19:54

So the little book that changed me years and years ago is the little book called how to Win Friends and Influence People. Yes, and this is a conversation that we've had riding around here recently about being an influencer. Today's society has made that a bad thing, and I'm like what have we gotten ourselves into that? An influencer is a bad thing Because influencer means nothing. It's not until you say what you're influencing as to whether it's good or bad. Zig Ziglar was a huge influencer in my life. He teaches old school principles and I guess I'm just old. I don't know what's going on with me.

Susan Frair: 20:35

You know, I'd appreciate you quit saying that, and the reason is because I'm older.

Sam Byler: 20:39

Well, I'm sorry but it's.

Rebecca Waite: 20:41

You know, I knew when you said it that something, there was something that there's switches, that would flip, and when those switches flip, that's when you get it and I try to think about how I would want to be treated as a customer when I walk on a sales lot to buy a car or you know, whatever the most successful dealers that I know personally have that same exact philosophy.

Susan Frair: 21:11

the dealers that I know that struggle do not believe that you've got it. You pegged it, um, and it's just. It seemed. It's not black and white, but it is black and white on a certain effect. So, but going back into that, so there had to be some trial and error and I suspect what happened is, when you saw that something worked, you kept doing it. What struggles were in between that hustle and learning how to treat people the way you want to be treated and not selling them on something but providing a solution for their issue? What happened in between there? Was there struggles or did it was just? You just knew overnight?

Rebecca Waite: 21:58

I mean, I read a lot of books like that. Brene Brown is another author. I read a lot of books like that. Brene Brown is another author I read a lot of. One of her books is about vulnerability. I cannot remember the title of it, but it's standing out in the crowd, you know, in the arena and being vulnerable. So I'm always willing to learn more and I feel like I'll never know enough.

Sam Byler: 22:30

I'm not touching that one because if I do, I won't quit preaching for 30 minutes.

Susan Frair: 22:34

So well, it's profound, because we should all stay humble enough to be that way, because I think the day that I think I know it all is my last day in this career, absolutely Yep, knowing enough to know you don't know everything and that there's always room to learn. And you know the thank you card. Every time I talk to someone on a zoom call or phone call or in person, I learn something too. You know you might call me and ask me for for advice and by the time we're done with that call you've. You've taught me something you taught me today. To get back to the basics of pick up the pen you know, write that envelope out.

Sam Byler: 23:23

Um, it's amazing, it's amazing so I think, I think it's even she knows that before she even meets that customer and it changes the whole interview of the sale. Yeah, because she knows she's going to do that at the end. I always say customers buy from people they trust and you've set the bar. When they walk in, you're already telling them thank you, and I don't know of a better way to earn trust than to have that attitude going into a sale. It's the whole attitude of gratitude that we used to talk about a lot. It's the whole attitude of gratitude that we used to talk about a lot. You'll move 10 times more things on less effort with the attitude of gratitude than you ever will.

Sam Byler: 24:15

Oh absolutely On the hustle side, absolutely.

Susan Frair: 24:18

How old are your kids?

Rebecca Waite: 24:20

18, 16, 14, and 6.

Susan Frair: 24:23

Wow Boys girls.

Rebecca Waite: 24:26

One boy and three girls.

Susan Frair: 24:27

Well, that's what I have, that's what I have One boy and three girls. Yeah, I can relate.

Sam Byler: 24:32

Yeah. So you said something before we got on air that I want to touch on a little bit more. You don't just sell here, I picked up on, you do a lot more than uh. So I know I know the owner of your of dutch boy personally, mel weaver, great dude. Um mel and I have bumped heads on numerous occasions. If anybody that knows mel or me says so for the record. All my close friends and I we bump heads a lot. That's the way. My close friends are the ones that can't take the bumping. They find their way out. So Mel and I have had some bumping of heads. But if I need an answer and I want an honest answer he's the first guy I call Drew. Who's your boss, I guess?

Speaker 2: 25:17

more or less.

Sam Byler: 25:18

I know him well, not as good, but I've known him for 35 years, so that counts for something. Wow, he was a little kid.

Susan Frair: 25:27

Before I was born.

Sam Byler: 25:28

Yeah, sure. So I know your team, who you're working with. What are you doing?

Rebecca Waite: 25:38

You sell sheds, but I gather there's a whole lot more goes on, if it needs to be done more goes on if it needs to be done and they know it needs to be done and won't it done? They called me.

Susan Frair: 25:46

That's awesome that in and of itself is a compliment do you have a title for? That, or is it just?

Rebecca Waite: 25:51

literally I guess I could give it a self-given title queen of everything that's great.

Susan Frair: 25:58

I love that well, and I you know that drew and jeremy were in here before we started this podcast and and I, uh, you know, I said I something to the effect of you know you doing a lot of stuff and I I got the impression total respect from their side to you like, yeah, she gets stuff taken care of. That's cool, you know. And five years I mean that there's something to be said for that you're, most people aren't going to stick around you know a place for five years. If they don't, if they don't find their place and and feel valued, um, yeah, and so that's that's amazing, very amazing. Where do you see this going? Where do you see? Do you guys plan on bringing on more products? Do you have an emphasis on? You know what's your ratio of how many? You know the metal buildings and I don't mean the metal-sided buildings, the stick-built ones, but like the steel buildings that you offer versus the stick-built sheds. What's kind of your sales ratio on those?

Rebecca Waite: 27:05

um with the carports and stuff the last two years. I'd say they really haven't been that much okay at all.

Susan Frair: 27:14

So the big emphasis is on the stick belt sheds and yeah, and you do, I know you put. You have a great business page. You've had some super fun giveaways I've seen.

Rebecca Waite: 27:24

Hey, thanks for the idea.

Susan Frair: 27:25

I actually won one of her giveaways and it was not rigged.

Sam Byler: 27:31

I saw it spinning there was like seven Susans in the thing, no there was not so funny, Sam. It was kind of funny, though, because she said now you're going to have to come to South Carolina, and I was like, uh, yeah, well, I already knew that.

Susan Frair: 27:45

Yeah, so my response was great I'll be there next week, but I really was coming here next week and here I am, so that was super fun. You've gotten some really good traction on your Facebook giveaways and you and I had spoken and you know we're kind of picking each other's brains of different things to do. What you're doing is working on the giveaways, are you? What do you? What are you giving away on these giveaways? Are you giving? Okay, so are they $500 gift cards?

Rebecca Waite: 28:15

or no. Uh, we started with 50, uh once a week, and then now we're doing 40 okay once a week super and we talked about that.

Susan Frair: 28:25

The the interesting part is and and mine are normally 25 ones there's no right or wrong, but you're going to get the same bang for your buck. As far as building credibility and we have a lot of dealers that listen to this the facebook page yeah, you, you might sell some sheds off there, for sure, but over time, but it's really for credibility. And if you look at any business's page, let's say, for example, they have 67 followers or likes and they've been around. It doesn't really matter if they've been around for two months or five years. It doesn't show a lot of credibility and they might be the best dealer out there, right, but you've got some great traction. What advice on those giveaways, what advice would you give people that are listening? If they're thinking about, they need one to get their likes or followers up on their Facebook page?

Rebecca Waite: 29:14

Definitely use small businesses in your area that have a large following. Love that and make it simple.

Susan Frair: 29:27

Make it simple. I agree, make it simple, or or or make it. Well, you and I kind of did an experiment where we were asking for the same thing, right, and it seemed a little bit harder on one page, and the other page said this is so easy. A little bit harder on one page, and the other page said this is so easy. There's little little, these little keys that work, you know, make it seem like it's simple, even if you're asking them to do three different things, right? And then I know from watching you, your your giveaways. You're responding.

Susan Frair: 29:57

When someone enters your giveaway. They may, maybe they have to tag. You know, like your page or follow it. Tag a friend and comment what their favorite flower is, or whatever it is. I see you responding. Have you seen an increase on people that enter the giveaways when you're responding to them?

Susan Frair: 31:45

yeah, from the first giveaway to now, yes, but the last few it's been about the same okay yeah, and it's always about tweaking and modifying, and when you figure out something that works, do more of it right, which goes back to the hustle, and you found a way to make it work and you keep doing it and then you keep learning. I mean, that's like you want to come work for me, you want to move to arizona, and you know. You know that that's that's what I look for. The best employees, the best team members are the ones that want to keep learning and and they're teachable. You know, I know you have a bunch of stuff to ask yeah, I want all the dirt on mill.

Sam Byler: 32:32

That's what I'm after, because I need, I need well that'll wrap up this week's episode of the shed geek podcast.

Susan Frair: 32:38

Thank you for listening. We're not wrapping it up yet.

Sam Byler: 32:42

No, it's um, yeah, it's, it's the the whole thing of being able to, so on that. You don know this, but we did an episode yesterday with a gentleman from Anderson down there and I asked him you know what? What's the state of the industry and what makes it work so good? And he came back to the fact that it is still the American dream. You can take somebody and this is literally what he said yesterday you can take somebody unemployed and make to where they can make a living for their family.

Sam Byler: 33:14

And then you just pop right out of nowhere, so it's like it just goes along with what Richard was saying about. It's exactly what it is. You can come in from not knowing anything about sheds. You can learn what SmartSide is. You can learn what T111 is. You know what, what it is, you can. You can come in from not knowing anything about sheds. You can learn what smart side is. You can learn what T one 11 is. You know what a stud is. You know what you know and you'd be like five years ago what you know, you wouldn't know any of that. And it's if you're teachable. It is so easy to learn and it's the humbleness in knowing that you can always learn. More is your biggest strength. How do you? Where do you dig from other than your kids and family? I get that, but I guess what I'm asking is how do you continue to grow that? How do you see yourself?

Rebecca Waite: 34:07

I still have goals on the chart that need checked off.

Sam Byler: 34:10

Yeah, there you go, that's you got it. Whenever you get to one, you set a new one. Yeah, that's what I find. You have goals, set them high enough to where sometimes you don't get there, but then the next time you get there, and then you always have to keep setting more and more absolutely.

Susan Frair: 34:35

I, yeah, I'm, I'm literally just so impressed by you. It um, everyone has their struggles. We know that.

Sam Byler: 34:47

You know, there's no perfect person yeah, she was gonna say she struggles every day. I'm like well, I don't know anybody that doesn't.

Susan Frair: 34:54

Yeah, um I have a lot of friends in recovery and, um, man, I have the utmost respect and I think when we get caught up in an issue or we have a problem, or someone attacks us, whatever it is, we think that that problem is our identity and it's not you. Being an addict is not who you are, it's just, it's amazing. I utmost respect and I'm not even going to get into the politics of how hard it is for people who want a second chance. Thank goodness for this industry. Thank goodness for this industry. Thank goodness for this industry. It's not, and we're not the only one. But that goes back to what richard was saying yesterday about you know where are you going to go and make a good income and you know, um, yeah, that's funny that we just did that yesterday and then here we are today it's, it's almost like it's meant to be it just follows right up with it.

Sam Byler: 35:50

Yeah, it's like, yeah, what you're saying actually is true. You know this industry it gets. It has ups and downs, ebbs and flows. Um, we go through times where it's really tough. I know a lot of guys that were in the industry before 2008. That 2008 just about put them in. In 2008 I was building houses um I had 13 houses going um, the average shed back then probably cost 23 2500 bucks. My average house was 250 000 to 350 000.

Sam Byler: 36:24

We had a couple of them going that were over a million oh ouch doc basically said you're gonna kill yourself if you don't do something different. And it. It took me a little while, but I found myself. So I grew up in sheds. I've been around sheds all my life, but I found myself back in my trucking curve, back in my trucking gear, so to speak, and then all of a Shed just showed up out of the blue and I literally started a Shed company in the worst time possible and did it. So then everything goes great and it builds and builds and we're trucking along and then 2020 comes along. And if you've been in five years you were in before that and then you've seen how easy it was then Talk me through a little bit your experience of how you came in before that, what that did and how you see it. Is it going back to where we were before? Are we still wide open? What?

Rebecca Waite: 37:21

um. So we had a wide open phase when, uh, in 2020, I couldn't keep buildings on the lot.

Sam Byler: 37:30

Oh yeah.

Rebecca Waite: 37:32

And then you know prices of lumber and everything jumped up. So then there was, you know, a slack state of sales. But I mean this month I did over $100,000 in sales at this lot.

Sam Byler: 37:45

This month.

Susan Frair: 37:47

That's awesome. Yeah, that was my follow-up question, like where are you at right now? You know, that's awesome, yeah, that was my follow-up question Like where are you at right now?

Speaker 2: 37:52

you know, Right, yeah.

Sam Byler: 37:54

So I get this. I'm a glutton for punishment and I run a bunch of Facebook pages, which is just a disaster. Like you shouldn't even do that. And I got guys that come on there all the time. They're like, well, there's local guys here that are like you know, oh, we guys that come on there all the time. They're like, well, there's local guys here that are like you know, oh, we've saturated the market. You know we're, we're headed for disaster. You know we have the e yours and, of course, tigger bounces around doesn't care. Um, I love hearing that, because it it's not so, we just have to get back to work. You know, there for a while, all you had to do was park your car out front and let you know there's a living body here Right, and it kind of goes back to what we said before.

Rebecca Waite: 38:35

What are you doing? That needs to change.

Sam Byler: 38:38

Yeah, I love that. And she also said she had a bunch of referrals this month.

Susan Frair: 38:43

Yeah, absolutely, and we know that there's things going on with the economy economy and there was a bunch of money pumped into the economy during COVID and people had money to spend. I get that, but sales are cyclical and you know there were the ebb and flow over time, and so it sounds like you're doing something really well to kind of manage that.

Susan Frair: 39:05

Yeah, you know, anybody who thinks that you know know what happened during covid is going to happen forever. That's just not the way it works right and I hope we'd never go back and experience that again. I hope it stays more level. But but it's working for you. Uh, we passed a lot of shed lots on our travels here from pickens today. Um, you know, I've only been in town a few days, but there are a lot of shed lots here.

Susan Frair: 39:34

I hear the same comments here as I hear in arizona uh, oh, it's going back to the, it's saturated. It doesn't have anything to do with that. In arizona there's uh, we, we joke that um, there's more shed dealers within 15, 20 miles of Paducah, kentucky, than the entire state well, not state Arizona, but the county Maricopa County. Now you have to understand. There's almost 5 million people in Maricopa County, in fact, 100,000 more people in our county than the entire state of Kentucky. So you have very few shed lots out here and all these people and all these shedlots and they're still selling. It's not about that, it's about they don't know you're here, you're doing something to get people here besides referrals, and so maybe it's the name, maybe it's a great location, but whatever you're doing, keep doing it.

Sam Byler: 40:31

It's kind of a sign that you can't just depend on one thing. Um, very true, couple years ago the the rage was. You know you can do it all online and I've got some friends that are huge, huge, successful and don't have a lot period um. I hauled into florida back in 2017 and 2018. I was hauling sheds into florida and they were selling a million dollars a month off of lots that never had inventory.

Susan Frair: 40:53

Wow, goals, goals.

Sam Byler: 40:55

No, here's my point. What if they'd have had inventory? Right? I've said this for years I would never build a house with just a hammer. I have to have a tape, I have to have a square, I have to have a saw. Have to have a square, I have to have a saw. There's all these other tools. Why would you not use all the tools available to you? Do you find yourself doing that like you get locked in on one and you're kind of like I'm gonna slack off on this one a little bit, or is it pretty easy to stay focused on? Hey, this is what I do. I'm to stick with this.

Rebecca Waite: 41:28

I listen to see what they're looking for, so then I know what I need to hone in on. Yeah.

Susan Frair: 41:37

Very good. Yeah that's very good.

Sam Byler: 41:40

What about you? Did you find yourself doing that when you were doing it?

Susan Frair: 41:43

Oh, absolutely Like what works.

Sam Byler: 41:44

You just kind of roll it out and all of a sudden it's like uh-oh, I should have done something along the way with it.

Susan Frair: 41:50

I would see, and it was a pattern from day one and you'd think I'd learned my lesson. I'm so, so quick. You know I have to do it over and over and over again when I I would do all this, and I'm talking about when I say facebook posts yes, I post on my business page, but I do free. You know marketplace groups and I was the queen of being in marketplace groups. You know hundreds of them. I would market, market, market, post, post, post, post, post, and the phone would bring and the people would come in and the sales would go up and susan would quit doing as much, and it was but it was up and down and up and down and every.

Susan Frair: 42:26

it's not like I didn't know, it's not like I didn't really want to keep doing the marketing, but you only have so many hours in the day, right, and so I would see it and, and you know, the last year or so I stayed more consistent and the ebb and flows were way less. One of the other things that I've heard I don't know if you've ever heard this. I heard this in insurance years ago. I was in insurance for 23 years and a sales manager, oh, december is always the worst month. Every insurance agent, december is the worst month, without exception. Guess what month was the best month I had every year? December, december. It was December. You prepared for it.

Rebecca Waite: 43:08

I prepared for it December December.

Susan Frair: 43:09

It was December. You prepared for it, I prepared for it, yeah, that's the key. And so, and it was I'm very driven for contests and that sort of thing and so it was. You know, it was year end and what I learned was, you know, the person who told me that had never actually sold an insurance policy, but somewhere along the line, the person that trained him, who had never sold an insurance policy. We believe the things that people tell us, don't we? As kids, that sort of thing. Hey, welcome back. We actually, we literally are back. We just took a break here with Rebecca. She had a customer that came in and I understand you wrote up a building while we were here, yeah, yeah. And you also said when did you say that you first, that this customer first came in November of 2023, last year, November of 2023. So five months ago, six months ago. That's awesome.

Sam Byler: 44:07

Tenacity.

Susan Frair: 44:08

Yeah that leads to. Sometimes it's a process, right? Yeah, absolutely, absolutely so, sam. What other questions do you have before we wrap this up?

Sam Byler: 44:19

Well, she's not going to give me any dirt on mail. I figured that out. She just looks at me and says uh-uh, not going to happen. I like my job.

Rebecca Waite: 44:24

I don't have any to give.

Sam Byler: 44:27

I have some, but I don't want to give you any ammo either.

Susan Frair: 44:31

You can leave that for Fun.

Sam Byler: 44:34

Friday yeah, fun Friday, there we go.

Susan Frair: 44:36

Your interview with Mel.

Sam Byler: 44:37

Yeah, I just want to say that it's been a pleasure meeting you and being here. I love your story. I hope we get to keep following it. I think I follow you on Facebook because somehow I got drug into that competition thing anyway the giveaway, but it is. I stopped by this lot years ago and I guess you said you started here in what like November.

Rebecca Waite: 45:06

Well, I was at a lot in Roebuck.

Sam Byler: 45:08

Yeah, and then you came here because, yeah, the last time I was here I got stuck here for a while talking to an older gentleman.

Sam Byler: 45:15

We had a great time, yeah, and he had an old vehicle sitting out under the carport. I don't remember what it was, but it was cool and there's a good atmosphere here. And I always say that's another thing. You know, we talk about that sometimes we don't on air about how you have to have a good atmosphere, and I can feel it here when I come in. So keep doing what you're doing. It's good, I love it.

Susan Frair: 45:38

Yeah, I think we could have probably done, you know, an entire podcast just on recovery, and you know that'd be helpful too, and completely aside from the industry. But again, I said it a little bit ago, I'm gonna say it again I'm very impressed, I'm so, I'm so proud of you thank you it's good and thank you for sharing, because there's someone listening that's going to get a piece of that information it's and it's really going to help them. That that's incredible. That's, you know, that keeps you in recovery to helping other people, I'll bet.

Sam Byler: 46:09

This is a great example of what Shannon always talks about. Everyone has a story.

Susan Frair: 46:14

Oh, boy, do we yeah everyone.

Sam Byler: 46:16

There's always. You know I listen to, so I don't listen to them every week. I listen to them when I travel. A lot of times I'm so busy at home and I'm so ADD squirrel, squirrel here and there that I would literally be hitting rewind all the time if I tried to listen to them when I'm doing my normal stuff. So I tend to binge listen when I do my trips and stuff and I got a big trip coming up in a couple weeks so I'll catch back up again, but a lot of times, you know, I'll listen to a whole episode and there's, there's always two or three little things that pop out at me and and that's what sticks with me, and your hustle versus thank you is what's going to stick with me.

Speaker 2: 46:55

Me too it's great, I love it.

Sam Byler: 46:57

Yes, keep doing what you're doing.

Susan Frair: 47:03

Before we go, Rebecca, do you have any questions for us or anything that you'd like to say to those that might be watching or listening?

Rebecca Waite: 47:10

Never give up, keep pushing.

Susan Frair: 47:12

Simple as that Yep Never give up, keep pushing and you keep failing forward.

Sam Byler: 47:19

I shared that yesterday a little bit. But that's when you fail, it's just falling forward and you're going up another step. Keep doing it.

Susan Frair: 47:26

Absolutely. I'd like to thank everybody for listening, or those of you watching of this week's episode of the shed geek podcast with uh. Thank you, Sam for being on here today as well, and this is Susan the shed gal. Uh, again, thanks for listening or watching, and we'll see you soon.