Dave Spence likes to live in what he calls a state of paranoia to help him avoid the stages of complacency and arrogance he’s seen competitors run into.
As president and CEO of Alpha Packaging, a bottle manufacturing company, that has meant maintaining momentum and sticking to the foundations of what is best for the company.
“The one thing I always say about our company is the only thing stopping us is us,” Spence says. “There’s nobody putting artificial roadblocks in front of us.”
And there’s been little stopping Alpha Packaging. The company grew revenue from $18 million in 2001 to $107 million in 2007, it’s Spence’s goal to reach $150 million without acquisitions in the next two years. The keys to growth, says Spence, have been choosing the right customers and employees and staying flexible in a changing marketplace.
Smart Business spoke with Spence about how to attract the right people to your company and how to identify your marketplace.
Know who you want to do business with and gain their trust. We’ve grown more organically, and that is developing relationships with customers and then expanding those relationships once we start.
I’m a believer that your best source of new business is going to be your new customers. Everybody is always looking for a sale they don’t have. But if you concentrate on your existing customers, it will grow quicker.
It’s a matter of trust. I think people like to do business with people that they generally like. They’re going to try to do business with people they’ve done business with in the past.
I think, good news or bad news, always be there. Be honest and be forthright; I swear that works. People want to know that you’re going to be around and you’re consistent.
