It feels like only yesterday that we threw open the doors to Progress Fire Co. and crossed everything that the risk would pay off and it would be a success.
Fast forward seven years, and here we are, celebrating an incredible milestone.
I’ll be honest. I generally don’t make a big deal about these kinds of anniversaries. As a small business owner, I can easily get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to stop to celebrate the smaller victories, but this one is worthy of reflection.
The last seven years have been a rollercoaster, with as many learning opportunities as triumphs. So, what have I learned since starting Progress Fire Co. with my business partner, Greg?
If you asked my wife about my time management skills, she’d probably say I’m a work in progress, but I get better every day. Being disciplined is so important in small business. You need to set boundaries and stick to them, or you’ll be working 14-hour days, seven days a week. I’ve been there.
Personally, I have always given back to my local community. It’s a part of who I am. As a small business owner, I have also learned about the importance of corporate philanthropy, about helping those in need. We are in an enviable position. We should give generously and support our community. Progress Fire Co. will be doing a lot more of this in the future.
No matter what business you’re in, without a strong, talented, passionate, loyal, hardworking team, you have nothing. We are very blessed at Progress Fire Co., and Greg and I understand we are here, today, celebrating seven years because of our people. Special thanks to Bennett, Andy, Nick, Gavin, Liam, Blake, Caleb, Tom, and Kelsea. We really do appreciate you all.
“Respect is earned, honesty is appreciated, trust is gained, and loyalty is returned.” What a great quote! Over the last seven years, I have learned to appreciate the power of loyalty, with our staff and our clients. Some of our clients have been with us since day one, and we are just as loyal to them as they are to us. Loyalty is the basis of any trusted relationship.
One word: Covid. We didn’t just survive, we thrived, as I explored in my recent blog. How? Because we focused on being agile, and we came through stronger for the experience, as a business, a team, and as individuals.
I’ll admit that this is a recent lesson I’ve learned. I’m not so good at taking the time to stop and celebrate our wins and achievements. But it’s important, not just as the owner of the business, but for the team as a whole. So, one of my commitments to the Progress Fire Co. family (and yes, it’s here in writing so you can hold me to it) is to become better at this. Watch this space.
t sounds cliché, but I really do love what I do. I get up every day and look forward to what’s ahead. Have the last seven years been easy? No. But have they been worth it? Absolutely. And now I get to focus on doing what we do better, being innovative, providing even more value. That’s exciting to me!
To our families, clients, and team members (aka our work family)– thank you for your support over the last seven years. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Happy 7th birthday, Progress Fire Co.
By Dean Weston I’ve talked a lot about Progress Fire Co.’s new company values of late – agility, professionalism, gratitude, integrity, quality, collaboration, and reliability. These values represent who we are and what we stand for. They are at the heart of every decision the company makes and help to drive all choices made in […]
We recently created a new strategic plan for Progress Fire Co., and as part of this process, we reviewed and updated our vision statement.
I’ve always been a values-driven human. I believe that values are part of the moral code that guides our actions and defines who we are. They are what we consider important, the things that matter to our well-being and happiness.
