Smart Business Magazine, October 2015

46 Smart Business Akron Canton October 2015 CASCADE CAPITAL CORPORATION 2015BUSINESSGROWTHAWARDS SERVICE HIGHEST SALES GROWTH EMERGING GREAT WORK EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 888 478 9675 www greatwork cc T ia Ramlow had not faced many significant challenges through the first 15 years of Great Work Employment Services But when the global recession hit in 2008 her business slipped into a chasm that was so deep at times it was paralyzing As an employment agency Ramlows industry was one of the first affected by the recession and the recovery didnt really begin until 2011 Flexible staffing was the first to go when the economy began its downward spiral and as the recession deepened companies had internal layoffs that often went three rounds deep When inventory was finally depleted and companies had to turn the machines back on they called back internal employees first It wasnt until then that the employment industry began to show signs of life again Hard decisions had to be made during these times but Ramlow the companys president worked strategically to limit the impact on staff and field employees Retirement accounts were changed from a 401 k with high administration costs to a simple IRA retirement program Ramlow increased employer contributions when most companies suspended theirs and maintained health insurance even though premiums were increasing Great Work invested in management training and business practices to be prepared to succeed when the economy began to bounce back As a result the company has expanded organically the past four years It has a strong internal management team a new office and an 83 percent growth rate in sales over the past five years SERVICE HIGHEST SALES GROWTH ESTABLISHED LEPPO GROUP INC 330 633 3999 www leppos com No time to panic Tia Ramlow helped Great Work emerge from the recession as a stronger business L eppo Group Inc is a different company today than it was just a few years ago This evolution is a key reason why the business has been able to grow sales by 142 percent since 2010 Instead of ownership making all the decisions on strategy and execution this family business now has a leadership team of two family members and four non family members that set the strategic direction A business operations team of about 10 members none of whom are family lead the teams that ultimately implement the strategies and run the stores Day to day operations for the main operating company are handled by non family members including the president and two vice presidents Family members still play a role in setting strategy but a smooth transition has been made to have non family members running the business every day Trust is a critical piece in sustaining this type of culture says William Glenn Leppo the equipment providers CEO Leppo trusts co workers to get their work done in accordance with the foundational values that the company was built upon He expects decisions to be made with the best interests of the customer co workers vendors and owners in mind Sustainability is another philosophy Leppo lives by This includes stability for employees people development and an effort to make transitions smooth when they become necessary The result is a company that continues to grow and reward employees for their contribution to the organizations success Empowered to lead William Glenn Leppo has led a leadership transformation at Leppo Group