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- [00:00]
A
Certificate builder, crown jeweler Jim Gano.
- [00:06]
B
Thanks for having me. When you talk about awards, you know, sometimes people will compliment me, and I almost get embarrassed, you know, by the compliment. And I sit there and I'm like, you know, all I should say is thank you. But even that seems, you know, I don't want to call that awkward, but, you know, just. It doesn't seem like it's enough. And my thing is always been service to others, particularly those that don't have the same advantages that I do. That's why I bring in students into my business who are special needs to teach them job and life skills.
- [00:38]
A
That's amazing. How does one get an award that makes the award, like, what impresses you when it comes to celebrating you?
- [00:44]
B
My friend, I don't do what I do for awards. It's just more, you know, to leave that impression that somebody says I made a difference in their life. And that's all I really need.
- [00:55]
C
My name is Rudy Moore, host of Living the red life podcast, and I'm here to change the way you see your life in your earpiece every single week. If you're ready to start living the red life, ditch the blue pill. Take the red pill. Join me in wonderland and change your life.
- [01:09]
A
Welcome back to another amazing episode of the legacy makers podcast. For inside success. I am Ray Gutierrez. This is the red life edition. Joining me today is quite the trophy maker, I would say, certificate builder crown jeweler Jim Gano. Jim, how are you, Bubba?
- [01:30]
B
Very good, Ray. Thanks for having me.
- [01:31]
A
Right on, man. I left very little to the imagination. But how are you, Mr. Crown himself, sir?
- [01:37]
B
Well, I am not Mr. Crown. I'm just one of the many Crown trophy franchisees that are out there. And I opened my franchise about 16 years ago, never looked back. It's funny because a lot of my friends are all at retirement age and they're like, well, when are you going to retire? And I'm like, I'm having too much fun.
- [01:59]
A
Right on.
- [01:59]
B
So the fun part comes from when customers come into the store. They're not in a bad mood. They're there because they're celebrating something, whether it's a T ball team or, you know, corporate awards or something like that. So everybody's always in a good mood, and that's just infectious, you know, throughout the building.
- [02:17]
A
I was going to say there's this old Simpsons joke where it's congrats, Bart, or there's rats. Bart, do you ever sell trophies to celebrate something quote unquote, negative?
- [02:27]
B
Not so much negative. Maybe a Little risque. The big one lately is the fantasy football trophy, and everybody's in a fantasy football league. And some are just like the old man's fantasy football. Like, no big deal. Some of these team names, I'm like, I have a female engraver. I'm like, I'll engrave this one. You know, there's no way I'm letting you read this page. They get a little, they get a little out there sometimes with their team names, but, you know, so a lot of fun. And again, we're just celebrating success.
- [03:00]
A
Let's talk about the, the, the reward. Rewarding hard work. We live in a different culture where you get a certificate for, for, for. For participating. And that's, that's quite all right. But, you know, when it comes to red versus blue, you know, putting your full skill set versus someone else's skill set, you get something right. Talk about some of the things that you build and, and, and ascending clients, happiness. When they walk into, walk into your shop, what happens?
- [03:27]
B
Sure. One of the best examples of this is a program I came up with when I was a recruiter. And I was challenged by one of the senior leaders in this pharmaceutical company to create some program. What he wanted to do was stop people from leaving his company after two and a half years, which was the average tenure. So I came up with a program called Recognize, Reward, and Retain. And what that meant was so often when I talked to the candidates, they were telling me, I'm just a number. Nobody knows who I am. I do great work here, but nobody. I don't get rewarded for it. And so when I went back to that senior vp, I was like, your own staff don't know who you are. So what we have to do is go out and recognize their efforts. Whether it's like in pharma, getting a drug from phase one to phase two, bringing it to market, creating a blockbuster drug, recognize them along the way. And that comes in many forms. It could be a T shirt, it could be a certificate, could be a monetary award, could be a crystal award, could be a dinner with an award.
- [04:33]
A
Sure.
- [04:34]
B
Just create some kind of program that shows them you appreciate what they do. And when we started doing that, all of a sudden we noticed that two and a half years was becoming 3, 4, 8, and 5. And the best part was if we could get them up to that four and a half, five year, then they were getting close to being fully vested in their 401ks. They wanted to stay, and now they've been promoted along the way. So now they're invested and they stay with the company. So it really became a very successful way at minimal expense of extending the tenure with the employee.
- [05:08]
A
It's quite clever how that works, building that, that company culture and how so small little nuggets can go a long way. Is there a hierarchy of trophy? Like the more seniority do you get like a fancier trophy?
- [05:22]
B
It really, the way I start is we talk about budget and then usually if it's going to be a recreation baseball team, it's a small budget, you know, give me the smallest trophy you got. We only were able to collect $5 from the parents and that's fine. There's a level for that. Sure. As we get into the corporate awards, when we start talking about budget, I'm not asking because I want to spend all of their money. I'm just trying to create a program that's going to be a good representation of what they're trying to recognize. And so we created a program called the Good, Better and Best. And the good is going to be at one price level. The better is going to be at, you know, another one. And the best is, you know, some really beautiful pieces, but really expensive at the same time. And usually what we find is people will land on that better level, which is great. And sometimes they'll go to best and sometimes they just don't have the budget. They're still getting a great award at the good level. So, you know, it's again, we want to make, we want to create an awards program that they can be proud of.
- [06:30]
A
I was just going to say that sounds very much like almost a front of house and back of house. SOP when someone selects essentially one of these categories, what goes into manufacturing? Is it the quality? Is it the time you take? Now just based on that category they.
- [06:44]
B
Chose, a lot of it is. Some of it is pre made. Like with crystal pieces, we get them blank and then we just have to engrave them. If we're building a trophy, it's going to come down to how crazy do they want to be. And if it's custom work, there's times when it's a combination of I'm working in my shop at the store and I'm working at my shop at home because I'm trying to create something that is unique. So it may be some element of woodworking, metal working or something to create this piece that's going to be stand out, you know, and that's going to be again that good representation. But with the crystal pieces, the innovations that are coming out lately, are just. They're mind blowing. We have pieces that will sit on a crystal base, and yet it could be a globe that actually spins. And every time I look at them, like, how the heck does that work?
- [07:38]
A
We're in the future. Marty McFly was right. When it comes to, like, staying clever and creative with your manufacturing and your awards, do you take, you know, 3D printing into consideration? You know, there's a cat in New York that is selling $10 ice cubes. Like, are you looking at really clever ways to. To create your product?
- [07:57]
B
We are. And. And that's in partnership with the industry as well. So the, the several manufacturers will ask us, what do we need? We just had our annual meeting last week, had dinner with several of the manufacturers, and they're like, what's next? Where do we go? What do we want to do? And I think one of the coolest products out there right now is what we call 3D subsurface. So in a crystal block, the image is etched inside in 3D. And these are very popular. You'll see them on cruise ships and you'll. And what's nice is, like, if you take a picture of a couple and then all of a sudden they're, you know, embedded into that glass. There's nothing that I have found that's. That's prettier right now and that you can do so much with. We do firefighter awards with the, with that technology we do in pharma. We do research awards, you know, as they get to that next level, you know, from phase one, phase two, phase three. And people just look at it like, how did you do that? And it's like, sometimes we didn't do it. But, you know, our. Our manufacturers partnered with us to get it done, and they have the equipment that can do it.
- [09:06]
A
How much of it your. Your processes are versus just filling up inventory, like, oh, this. This item is hot. Everyone likes to be buying this one award. Let's buy 20 of those.
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B
It's funny because people will walk into my warehouse and see all the shells. Wow, you have. You have so much stuff. And all I see are dollar signs. I know. Good for you. I don't want inventory like that, you know, because that just means that it's not moving.
- [09:28]
A
You're running a store, not a museum.
- [09:29]
B
Exactly. And, you know, so we keep on hand what we need. A lot of times we'll forecast, like with baseball, we'll say, well, we sold 6,000 figures last year, so we might minimize or reduce it down to 5,500. Bring it in, so we know we have it and then order extra if we need it. But. So it really comes down to logistics. But I really don't like having a lot of inventory because, like I said, it's just money sitting on the shelf.
- [09:58]
A
Right on. Well, let's talk about your background. Where. Where does Jim come from?
- [10:02]
B
I grew up in what was a small town called Bridgewater, New Jersey, which has over the past, you know, 65 years, has really grown up into a bigger town in central New Jersey, where I. My first house, three doors down for me, turned into a dirt road. Wow. There was no traffic lights in town, and now it'll take me a half an hour to go from one side of town to the other. Just kind of exploded in growth. But I was born there, raised there, and live there now. Wow. And it's really all I know. And it's. It's just. It's an hour from New York City. It's an hour from Philadelphia. It has the best pizza anywhere in the world, is in New Jersey.
- [10:42]
A
I'm stuck in Miami with this noise.
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B
But it's, you know, it's one of those places where it was a great place to grow up, and it's a great. It was a great place to raise our children, and now it's just a great place to live. It's the only place I know, and I really can't see, you know, going anywhere else.
- [10:59]
A
Have you always been this wholesome, Jim? Have you always. Has this energy always been inside you?
- [11:02]
B
Yep. Yeah. You know, it's a. I'm kind of a what you see is what you get guy. I'm very humble. It. It's. When you talk about awards, you know, sometimes people will compliment me, and I almost get embarrassed, you know, by the compliment, And. And I sit there and I'm like, you know, all I should say is thank you. But even that seems, you know, I don't call it awkward, but, you know, just. It doesn't seem like it's enough. And my thing is always been service to others, you know, so when I was young, I volunteered for Special Olympics because two. Two friends of ours from a family that we know and used to spend Christmases with were mentally handicapped, so volunteering for Special Olympics and things like that. Eventually, I became the chairman of that chapter of Special Olympics. And it was always in service to others, particularly those that don't have the same advantages that I do. That's why I bring in students into my business who are special needs to teach them job and life skills that's amazing. Good for you. I don't do it, you know, for the accolades or anything like that. I'm doing it just to get them, you know, a step closer. And we're. Some of these kids, you know, have never taken out the garbage, have never fed the dog. And so that's where the life skills come in.
- [12:21]
A
Very cool.
- [12:22]
B
And on the job skills, it's really about getting them what I call tools in the toolbox. If I can teach you how to pull inventory, how to assemble a trophy, how to use your hands at the next job, maybe some of those skills will transfer over.
- [12:37]
A
Absolutely. It's almost like running a. It's like a chef in their kitchens. You can learn at least your knives and cutting. You can at least cut the vegetables and the potatoes, and you can be part of the. The production line or your finger, unless if you're into kind of appetite. So what are we going to learn about you and your Legacy Makers episode?
- [12:55]
B
Well, I hope that when people watch this, that what they'll walk away with is that, you know, just be nice, you know, and you get so much more. I. I had an admin years and years ago who used to use the phrase, you collect more bees with honey than you do with vinegar. And I've always kind of been that way, but we never really had a title for it. And it's just, you're going to learn about my business. You're going to learn about the workplace readiness program where I bring the special needs students in. You're going to learn about my cancer journey, which happened about four years ago, and it was not looking good, you know, at the time of diagnosis. But I fought like hell and. And, you know, here I am today in remission, which is great, and thankful to the doctors and the nurses that. That brought me there and to my. To my family and, you know, so it's like you're just going to get a better picture of, you know, who I am and what I do and. And how I do it and. And that motivation to always. I think I mentioned it in the interview. You know, my father used to have a saying. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best. And I'm always in everything I do, personal relationships, professional relationships, the work we do, the products we create. I'm always trying to get to that best level.
- [14:17]
A
Awesome. Jim, I got to ask, do you got your book handy?
- [14:20]
B
I do.
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A
Oh, let's. Let's plug your book, bubba.
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B
Okay.
- [14:22]
A
Oh, man, it's. Grab it with your toes. I love Using all the appendages.
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B
Here. Here's the reason.
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A
Here we go, my friend.
- [14:28]
B
So make sure you put it at that camera right there with the cancer. The way it presented was I started out with two compression fractures in my spine. So two broken vertebrae. I was walking around with a broken back. Two became five, and I went from six foot tall to five foot nine. So if you think of a building collapsing during demolition, that was happening to my spine.
- [14:52]
A
Oh, gosh.
- [14:53]
B
So my flexibility suffered a lot. So this is my book. It's called I'm Not Done Yet. It's available on Amazon.com and it recounts my story of and what I tried to do. I was actually surprised because it recently won the International Impact Book Award for inspirational biography. And when they called and said, you've won, I said, great. And they said, for inspirational biography, I go, it's not a biography. And I said, this is more kind of a roadmap for people on how to navigate your journey. And they go, read it again. So I read again. All right. It's a little bit. But it was more. Here's what happened to me. Here's how I handled it. Here's how I think you should handle it. And so many people have written me to say that they've read it, they've been inspired by it. It's offered them hope, it's offered them motivation to continue. And as anybody will tell you, cancer is not the easiest thing in the world to fight. And there are obviously different levels of it. But knowing that I'm out there and the book is out there, giving people hope, inspiration, motivation, nothing more rewarding than that.
- [16:05]
A
Jim, I really appreciate your time and energy. You definitely deserve the crown you wear, my friend.
- [16:10]
B
Thank you very much.
- [16:11]
A
I gotta ask, what award? How does one get an award that makes the award, like, what impresses you when it comes to celebrating you, my friend?
- [16:20]
B
Well, it really comes down to, is it a good representation of what you do? It doesn't have to be the most expensive. It doesn't have to be the tallest. It just.
- [16:30]
A
But what about for you, sir?
- [16:31]
B
What about for me?
- [16:32]
A
How do we celebrate you, sir?
- [16:34]
B
Just say hello. You know, I'm more, you know, if. If people will. I was the kid, you know, in high school, always bullied, stuff like that. And I tell any kid who's going through that now, I always tell them, at some point, you're going to graduate high school and it's over. You know, it goes away. You're going to go to college, you're going to meet new people and that all stops. And that's when I kind of came out of my shell. And, and that's why I think when we talk about, you know, how I interact with people, I think it's because of the lessons I learned early on. I would never want to be. I didn't want to be treated like that, and I certainly wouldn't want to be the guy treating somebody like that. And again, I don't do what I do for awards. It's just more, you know, to leave that impression that somebody says I made a difference in their life and that's all I really need.
- [17:25]
A
Jim, Spoken like a true keen. Where can people find you? What's your dot com? Social media?
- [17:29]
B
Sure. My website is www.Jimgan J I M G A N O. They can reach me on Facebook, LinkedIn.
- [17:39]
A
All of the above.
- [17:40]
B
We're on all of them and it's either going to be under my name or under Crown trophy of Flemington. And they're all linked together and you know, by all means, if they have any questions or want to talk further, reach out.
- [17:51]
A
Right on. Jim. Thank you so much for your time and energy, my friend. Let the crown speak for another episode of the Legacy Makers podcast. Red Life Edition Insight Success. I am Ray Gutierrez.