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- [00:00]
A
Always wanted to own my own business, always. But I've, I was always secure with having a paycheck every week. That's the biggest, hardest thing to do is leave that security. When you have your own business, you don't have that anymore. And that's the scariest thing is like, how am I going to pay my bills? But then I just decided if you want success, sometimes you just got to take that leap of faith. Joe Imbrial is a visionary entrepreneur who transformed a boutique retail shop into a thriving multimillion dollar enterprise. As the proprietor of rig outfitters and home store and scrub outfitters, he created a one stop shop for oil and gas workers and their families, redefining convenience and community trust in his industry. Customer service is your number one thing that you always got to have to keep a business successful. And I've worked with so many companies where that's the case, they cut labor. Well, it's hard to build a business when you're doing that. It really is. And I just strive on great customer service at all times.
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B
What have been some of the lessons growing the store from a million to sell 6?
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A
I think, you know.
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B
It spans the globe like a super highest cold Internet Elvis Presley.
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A
Today Apple is going to reinvent the it's not over until I win the living your legacy podcast. For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan, open Chicago. Go with the lead you said is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.
- [01:44]
B
Hello and welcome back to another episode of legacy makers. Joining me today is Joe. Fascinating story. Decides to buy a business. And guess what? Covid hits right as he buys the business. But despite that, we have an epic story. How he took it from about a million to 6 million plus in sales, grew the company from 8 to 35 employees through a very scary time and through his own personal health scare. So pretty epic story today. Welcome to the show, buddy.
- [02:11]
A
Thank you.
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B
So let's talk about it. You know, you buy the business and then this Covid thing comes along and you're like, what the heck?
- [02:19]
A
What the heck is right? Oh my God. It's like, what are we going to do now? Then I have employees looking at me thinking, are we going to lose our jobs? And that was something that I could see the scare in their face, you know, and what I did is one, I promised them I wouldn't, I wouldn't lay anybody off because all their husbands and stuff were getting laid off. And I started thinking, okay, what now? What is it that people need right now that we could sell? And we already, we already sold some like disposable gowns and stuff, you know, PPEs. Yep. So. And I had one vendor that he had all that, the disposable gloves, the face mask. Then when I realized there's a market for it, people were coming in just for that. I said, okay. Now we started getting into designer face masks.
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B
Yeah, yeah.
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A
And started getting in the fancy face mask and stuff. And that year alone, we did like 150,000 just in designer face masks.
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B
Wow.
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A
I had hospitals from four hours away calling me up, placing orders with me because they couldn't find anything. Everybody was out of it. But luckily I had that one vendor.
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B
Yeah.
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A
That had everything that they wanted.
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B
Well, and just to point out for everyone listening, it's not like you were selling sandwiches and switch to face masks. Right. So just tell everyone what your company does in the store.
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A
Well, we cater mostly like the oil field workers, so we their safety needs. So any hard hats, safety glasses, fire retardant clothing, just things of that nature.
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B
So it's pretty synergistic to expand to the face mask side. But, but it's a great story because it's the pivot. Right. The entrepreneurial pivot story. Right.
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A
How are you going to hustle the money?
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B
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so what's also fascinating is I think with entrepreneurs is it's the mindset of this is going to either ruin me, but then actually if I'm like positive, I look at opportunities here, this can be the greatest thing for me. Right. And it seems you, you were able to pivot it into a great thing that catal catalyzed your growth. So, so what happens? Are you stelling, let's talk about the growth. So you take over the business. Covid hits you, you pivot to these face masks. Fast forward a few years. You've grown 35 staff, six, you know, six to six million in, in a pretty niche field. So. So what's that growth been like?
- [04:44]
A
Exciting? It really has because when I took over the business the first year, we cleaned up the store changed the names and we changed location. And that was huge for us when we changed locations because we went to a bigger store and basically a cleaner store and just kind of from there took off. We've grown 30% every year since.
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B
Wow.
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A
And when I took over the business too, I wanted to change what I called the culture. You know, what the culture was like when, when people walk into the store, how they felt when as a customer Walking in the store kind of wanted to change that. I wanted to have more of a fun atmosphere, you know, more of a welcoming vibe. When people come in, it can be.
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B
I mean, that sort of product and industry, it can be very boring. Right? Just.
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A
It can be. But we make it. We make it fun.
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B
Yeah, that's great.
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A
No, we really do. We make it fun. And the employees, like I said, they have to fit into that culture that I wanted.
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B
But.
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A
But my employees are incredible. I got 35 and they all got their different personalities, but they make it so fun. They really do.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And with the customers, when the customers see that we're having fun, they also join in on the fun. You know, whether it's making fun of each other or playing jokes, the customers are right there with us because we interact with the customers like that. It makes it fun. Yeah, it makes the days go by quicker, but it also builds that relationship with that customer and they'll come back keep.
- [06:12]
B
Yeah, I was gonna say that's how you really grow the brand. And the lifetime value is that. And even, you know, sometimes you can be more expensive. But if they love you and they.
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A
Want to do business, you're absolutely right. It's, it's if, if you gain that customer trust, they will never price shop you because they know they will always be taken care of no matter what. They don't look at price. Hey, I know if I go to that store, they're going to take care of me. If I got a return or something. And you know, if I got a problem with something that I bought, they'll take care of me. And that right there, nobody does. You know, they're old, you know, I need a receipt. I need this. You're not going to have that problem at my store. You know, even. Even if it means breaking even or even losing money, you're in a no win situation, trying to argue with that customer. Just take care of them no matter what. And that's what we do.
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B
Yeah, I love that. So what have been some of the lessons? Growing, you know, the store from a.
- [07:07]
A
Million to six, building relationships with your customers, getting to know them, you know, because I'm never behind my desk. I'm out there, you know, talking to customers, getting to know them, getting to know their family, their kids. And that, that's the most rewarding thing for me is building those relationships. You know, they'll come in, you know, they sometimes even their kids because I got a lot of play toys behind my desk. And you know, the kids always want to come in and see me. And a lot of times their parents go, my kids wanted to come up here just to say hi to you. That happens so much because I do. I like little remote control stuff. And, you know, the kids will come up and just coming up and giving me a hug. That means everything to me. And they, they said, oh, they wanted to come see Joe today, you know, and that, that means a lot to me. Even when they're selling candy bars, the first thing the kids do is, let's go see Joe. He'll buy it from us, you know, and one story in particular, A little girl in the princess outfit comes walking in. I'm working and I turn around, her mom's behind her. Her mom looks at me and she goes, there he is. I'm like, oh, and she's holding a box of candy. And they know I'm going to buy the whole box.
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B
Well, and I know this isn't a marketing tactic of yours, but. But I'm going to say there's no better marketing than you get in the kids to bring the parents or the dad or whoever to a hardware store. Right, A hardware store. Basically. Like, there's no, no other shop does that in America.
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A
Yeah, it's not like we sell toys.
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B
Yeah, yeah. That's what I mean.
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A
But I do, I absolutely, I enjoy that. I really do. You know, it's. To me, it's not marketing because I really enjoy the kids.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And that's, you know, I do sponsor a lot of the kids sports teams. I just absolutely love being able to do that.
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B
But what I imagine is like, you know, the, the dad or the mom, whoever needs, oh, I gotta run to the store today to grab some new supplies. Right. You're probably at the bottom of the list of the kid wanting to go to a typical, I gotta buy a new, you know, protective helmet for work on Monday. The kids, you know, probably bottom of the list of what a child wants to do on a Saturday lunch.
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A
No, you're right.
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B
But you made it, like now the kids asking to go.
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A
They do. I mean, you know, sometimes they'll come in, start jumping on the furniture, and if the parents don't say anything, I'm like, I'll look at, hey, you know, and the parents go, I told you. You know, but the parents don't get offended by it. Yeah, yeah. They really don't. And the kids listen to me, they're, oh, you know.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But like I said, when the kids come in, it brightens up my day. It really does.
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B
That's great. It's great how you've built that. And, you know, talk about the online side. So obviously you're doing well in person. That's going really well. Now you're branching out online. What's been working there, what's been tough there?
- [09:46]
A
Yeah, it's been a struggle getting. Getting our name out there for online sales, but that's kind of what I'm working on now is promoting our website so we can start selling more online that way. You know, some customers that are in the oil field that are working two hours away, they don't have to come into the store. They could just actually order it online and we'll ship it to them. Yeah. You know, and that's what we're trying to get more of. So they don't, you know, a lot of times when they. They work so far out in the field they can't make it into the store on time. And, you know, we try to tell them, hey, you don't have to worry about that. Just tell us where you're staying out, we'll ship it to you.
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B
What made you decide to buy the company?
- [10:22]
A
Always wanted to own my own business, always. But I was always secure with having a paycheck every week. That's the biggest, hardest thing to do is leave that security is knowing that you got a paycheck. When you have your own business, you don't have that anymore. And that's the scariest thing is like, how am I going to pay my bills? But then I just decided, if you want success, sometimes you just got to take that leap of faith.
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B
Was it scary with the moments you got worried or. It was, you know, sales were down.
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A
I was scared. I was really scared. Not only making that decision, decision. Then Covet hit. That's the scariest I've ever been.
- [11:00]
B
How long into it?
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A
Not even a month. When Covet hit, you know, he. The. The old. The person I bought the business from retired, like within a month. Covet hit.
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B
He was probably like, oh, thank God.
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A
Right. I mean, because, you know, we had state police going around shutting down stores.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You know, and they came into my store, and being that I'm essential with all the appliances and the clothing that I carry, I'm considered essential. They tried to shut me down. And I told them, I said, look, I said, I'm essential. And they had four guys in the store. I said, well, you got choices. I said, you can either take me to jail, write me a ticket, or get out of my store. You know, I said, Because I said, I'm not going to tell that single mother of three kids that she's out of a job. You can tell her that, but I'm not going to. He goes, well, that's not my job. I said, then you got two other choices, you know, and they left and luckily they just never came back.
- [11:57]
B
That's crazy, huh?
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A
It is. You know, I was. Because I told, you know, I had mostly single mothers that work for me. I promised them I would never lay them off during COVID and I kept my promise. And that's where, you know, I do have a lot of long term employees because I did keep my promise with them.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Then they never forgot that. Yeah.
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B
Yeah. And what's the long term vision?
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A
Oh, more stores. Okay, definitely more stores. Right now I'm working on a 40,000 square foot store. We're in 20,000 square feet right now. And I can't grow anymore unless I have a bigger store. So I just bought 4.3 acres in a prime location. And I'm working on, you know, building the 40,000 square foot store. But I'm also looking to go into other areas, you know, Carlsbad or who knows what other towns you know, I can go into.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But I know the way we have our layout of the store, it's going to be successful no matter where we go to. And it's not only, not only what we carry, but again, the culture. Because nobody has great customer service anymore. No matter what store you go into.
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B
Especially the bigger brands, that's what made them successful.
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A
Your Home Depots and stuff, nobody has that anymore.
- [13:07]
B
Well, I think Home Depot, like obviously I'm younger, but back in the day, from people I know, you know, you used to go in there and they'd know what they were talking about and they'd help you. Now, you know, I do a lot of my own renovation. You walk in now and I ask them a question, they're like, oh, I don't know. I'm like, isn't that your job?
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A
Oh, and when you do have a question, you gotta walk 20 miles.
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B
It's like playing hide and seek. The game. You gotta find the. Yeah.
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A
And in my story, I actually over schedule because I want my employees to be around that customer. Even if they have a question, they're right there. But they're very knowledgeable. They'll help them find their size. And if they got their arms full, hey, we'll set this up at the counter for you.
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B
Yeah, it's crazy.
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A
Nobody has that anymore.
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B
Crazy.
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A
I know when I go into a store I know how I feel when I have a question. I'm like, where is it?
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B
Yeah, Home Depot. I literally, I get there and I just ring my handyman now because I'm like, I ain't even going to try and ask the guys in this store.
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A
Because like I said, I think a lot of retailers went away from that.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But I think that's why we're so successful now, because we're getting back into it.
- [14:06]
B
Yeah. The big companies that it's all P and L based. Right. It's like, you're right. How many, you know, how do we maximize profit? How can we cut, you know, business and success? Like, even what we do here as a company, we do so many things that a financial advisor or a CFO would tell you not to do. Custom this, custom this, and this gift box here. Thank you. Cards here. Like tons of things that, you know, costs us tens of thousands of dollars more every month, let alone year. Hundreds of thousands. But it's because we believe in that longevity.
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A
And then you got stockholders that want their money instantaneously.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And I just, I never believed it in that. What's the first thing they cut when, when the store's not making money? Labor. Because that's what affects the bottom line right away. Well, to me, that ruins a business faster than anything else. You cut labor. Well, what goes away? Your customer service. And I, I, I still believe customer service is your number one thing that you always got to have to keep a business successful.
- [15:03]
B
Love that. Yeah. Yeah.
- [15:04]
A
And, you know, and I've worked with so many companies where that, that's the case. They, they cut labor. Well, it's hard to build a business when you're doing that. It really is. And I just strive on great customer service at all times.
- [15:17]
B
Yep. So let's talk a little as we get towards the end today about legacy and impact and longevity. You know, I know you've faced your own health challenges and, you know, you're focused obviously on the expansion on the store side, but what else is like the longevity side, the legacy side, the long term side?
- [15:37]
A
Well, even after I'm, you know, kind of six feet under, I want my store to continue. And that's why I willed it to a person that's been with me the longest, because I know she's going to continue that, the store and what, what the store believes in, and continuing that model of great customer service and giving back to the community too, because I'm really big on that. You know, the more success I have, the more I give Back to the community. And that's, you know, something I, I very proud of, but something I believe in. You got to give back to the people that bless you for shopping at your store. My community blesses me by shopping at my store. So you got to give that back to them.
- [16:18]
B
And why'd you.
- [16:19]
A
What? What?
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B
You know, so let's go. Ten years from now, where do you see this business and the name and the brand?
- [16:24]
A
I'd like to have several stores.
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B
Okay.
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A
You know, 10 years from now, you know, several stores and, and just continue in the same culture. I know that's hard to do when you go expanding, but I'm going to do everything I can to keep it the way from day one.
- [16:39]
B
I. Yeah, I even saw this. It's funny because it is hard to do. And I think a lot of big brands, like we said, not only lose the customer service side, but they lose what makes them unique. You know, I actually saw a meme recently on Instagram for McDonald's and it was like McDonald's when we were a kid. It was all colorful, ball pits, games, fun. And they show it now and it's this like minimalist brown building, Right?
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A
Yeah.
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B
And I remember, you know, like back in the day, you'd go there because it was like a game center almost, Right?
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A
Yeah. Playgrounds and.
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B
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But now it's like so bleak and boring and.
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A
Well, that's. That's everything when you think about it, you know, that's what everything's gone to.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And I think, you know, going back to my store, this. Even though it's nothing new, having that atmosphere and that culture, it's new to the people that are used to blah.
- [17:31]
B
Well, you reminded me with the children games thing, because when I was a kid, you would go to normal stores and they'd have games for the kids, even the dentist and everything. Right. And I'd go to the hospital and you play PlayStation in there. And most of that's gone now. Right.
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A
Well, when you walk into my store, the first thing you have big old 85 inch TV with something playing on the TV with the couch, nice relaxed area. Even if the adults want to kind of sit down and relax and watch tv. It's the first thing. Oh, the.
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B
One of the.
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A
And I always have music playing. Always. It's what I call the theater effect.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You want to always have something going. The lights. Yeah. That, you know, the sound, the music. You always want to have that theater effect with people walking in. You don't want to walk in and Just all you hear is people's voices. You want to have that, that fun atmosphere. And that's the first thing when people, when my employees come in, they turn on the radio, you know, have good music going, turn on the TV for, you know, just that atmosphere of things going on.
- [18:31]
B
Love that. Love that. So, next question for you. You know, you've talked about the expansion side. What does a legacy mean to you?
- [18:38]
A
I love telling the younger generation what it takes to, to be successful. That. That's really big with me. And just trying to teach them what it takes, you know, and trying to steer them not to make the same stupid decisions I've made, you know, because I've made many of them and I tell them the things I'm telling you not to do, I've done.
- [19:01]
B
Yeah, yeah, we. We all have. Right.
- [19:02]
A
You know, you don't want to do that. So if you want to have what I have at an earlier age, listen to me, you know, and, you know, I was just telling them the other session, I have this really nice car, but the kids always, you know, God, how'd you get that? How'd you get that brand new vet? And I tell them how I, how I do it, but when they ask that, it leaves it open for conversation. This is what it takes. If you want this, this is what it is.
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B
Most of them won't put in the work. Right. They want the car. They don't want the thing that comes.
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A
You're right, they do. But the ones that ask questions, I'll spend all day.
- [19:34]
B
Yeah, yeah.
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A
You know, and the ones that work for me right now, I mean, I got so many kids that I know are going to have a great future.
- [19:41]
B
Yeah, well, you know, look, the culture is a. You know, people will only stay in it so long if they enjoy it. Right. Like, even we have a. We have a very unique culture, too. And I, I like to pride myself on. It's not for everyone, you know, I don't want it to be for everyone. It's. It's like the people that like it fit and well, but then for some people that they don't like it and it sounds the same for you, you know.
- [20:04]
A
Oh, yeah, we are. It's fun.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Every day it's. It's something different.
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B
Do you have some people that don't fit in with it and then.
- [20:11]
A
Yeah, just some people that just don't and don't understand it, you know?
- [20:14]
B
Yeah.
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A
Have fun at work.
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B
They think you guys are crazy, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [20:19]
A
Some of them just can't just get their hands so well.
- [20:23]
B
Some people just want to sit and be bored all day. Miserable, I think.
- [20:27]
A
Yeah, I'm just dull. It's like, you can't be, you can't do that. I mean, it's, it's, it's quite entertaining being in our store. Every day, it's something different. It really is. I mean, the employees just, they have fun. And the amount of jokes they play on me, my gosh. Yeah.
- [20:43]
B
I'm the opposite. I'm the one playing the joke.
- [20:45]
A
Oh, no, I, I get, I also play them, but I got mostly women that work in my immediate area. And yeah, when they play jokes, like on some of the male people, they try to get me involved in it. The guys, I'm like, you're on your own, buddy. Yeah, I don't go against the women.
- [21:02]
B
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, last question for you. Someone's watching. They want to check out the store, at least online on socials. Where do they, where do they find you?
- [21:12]
A
You can find us at Rigoutfitters.com or Rig Outfitters in home store on Facebook.
- [21:17]
B
Love it. And what else are they going to get from your full episode when they watch it?
- [21:22]
A
Hopefully they understand that they can go to our website and get a lot of little nifty gift ideas, things like that. But anybody locally come into my store, you know, they're gonna have a good time.
- [21:33]
B
Nice. And what about your TV episode? Lessons, advice, your story? What. What else will they get from that?
- [21:39]
A
I just want the younger generation to know that, you know, it takes hard work. It really does. You don't have to be really smart. Just dedicate yourself and be hard working at all times, no matter what you do. Just always be hard working. And integrity is a word I use all the time. I think both of always doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking. And that is huge with me. And that means even if you're walking around, you see trash on the ground, pick it up even, you know, you don't do that because you think somebody's watching. You do it because it's the right thing to do.
- [22:13]
B
Yeah. I think they're both so key. And, and sadly, I think this is a very lost art these days. Hard work's gone out. Integrity. And integrity, you know, integrity is like.
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A
I, I, I live my life by that because it's like, no matter what, you just do it because it's the right thing to do.
- [22:30]
B
Yeah. Love that. Love that. Well, that's a wrap, guys. Another episode done and dusted. Go check out the amazing store, the amazing business and go have a glimpse of this awesome fun culture. Check out the episode and if you.
- [22:44]
A
Do follow us on Facebook. You're going to see a lot of the fun things we do on Facebook. Trust me, some of the games we do, you'll laugh your head off if we go back to some of the things we've done.
- [22:54]
B
Good. Love it. Well go check that out and obviously check out the full episode to hear all of his amazing story and personal side as well and lessons. Keep building a legacy and I'll see you guys soon.