Two weeks ago, Emily celebrated her five-year anniversary with the company. We’re blessed to have a staff of young, caring, and hard-working folks at Franklin Retirement. Emily has been a great addition to our company and continues to master more parts of our business.
As we were celebrating her anniversary, it dawned on me that I started my vending company 50 years ago this month, in April 1971. I thought about that for a moment and shook my head. FIFTY YEARS? How could that be?! I’m only 48. And then I remembered I am, in fact, 68.
You know you’re getting old when you start talking about things that happened 50 years ago like it was yesterday. Even worse when you go back 60 years. I was recently in an antique mall and found a pack of S&H Green Stamp books. My younger friend with me had no idea what green stamps were. I tried to explain.
Growing up, my mom was a Penn Fruit loyalist. We had the yellow stamps, the Top Value stamp books. Mom didn’t like the A&P. Ah, the old days. Regardless, I bought the stamp books.
Back to 50 years ago when I started Vend-Rite with ten vending machines operating out of the trunk of my 1970 Chevy Impala. It had a huge trunk! When we sold the business in 1997 after being in business for 26 years, we had a staff of 130, 50 trucks on the street, and exactly zero Impalas. It was a great run, but I knew I didn’t want to be in the business the rest of my life.
The next three years, I had to stay and work for the company that bought me out. Then I left. Soon thereafter we started FRS. All told, I’ve been in my own business 50 years this month, minus the three years of my punishment staying on with the new guys.
All this rambling is definitely Emily’s fault for passing her five-year anniversary. Again Emily, thanks for how well you take care of our clients.
Enjoy this spring weekend…
Peter