October 22, 2024 • 29 mins
Celebrating 75 years of Wards Way, we take you on a journey through time, starting with childhood adventures by the train tracks and leading to the thriving family business we are today. Through personal tales, discover how "Wardy" became a part of our story and learn about the family dynamics that shape our company, including the challenges of carving out a unique identity within a family-run enterprise.
Our conversation then shifts to the fascinating evolution of technology and business practices. Reflecting on significant events like 9/11, we discuss how they revealed the technological shortcomings of their time, contrasting with today's digital age of instant access and efficiency. Despite embracing modern advancements, we emphasize the timeless importance of personal relationships and traditional values that have defined Wards Way's culture. These relationships, including those with our employees, stakeholders, and family members, are integral to our success. You'll hear anecdotes about the company's early challenges, memorable milestones,and the vibrant culture that balances modern efficiency with old-school charm.
Managing a successful family business comes with its complexities, and we explore the art of maintaining a balance between familial and professional roles. From the necessity of separating family time from business discussions to the challenges of switching off the business mindset during gatherings, our stories highlight the importance of open communication and strong family bonds. Join us as we celebrate our legacy while looking forward to Wards Way's future.
Wards Marine Electric
https://www.wardsmarine.com/
Wards Way YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@WardsWay75
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kristina Hebert (00:08):
Welcome to the Wardsway Podcast.
So we're coming up on our 75thanniversary.
(00:31):
Do you believe that this wasone of the offices over here?
Wardy Eshleman (00:35):
It's amazing.
I was explaining to him thatyou know I was so excited when
we built this building and hadnew offices.
Everything was big andimpressive.
Kristina Hebert (00:43):
Yeah, and the executive bathroom that's over
there that now doesn't even haveair conditioning and we're like
all offended how do you go intothat?
But you know I've had a reallyenjoyable time just getting to
talk to business leaders andsome of our neighbors and
obviously our dad.
Wardy Eshleman (01:01):
Absolutely.
Kristina Hebert (01:01):
And talking about the history and everything
that we've done, and so youknow, I wanted to introduce you
too.
So you go by Wardy, which Iknow you hate, but it's William
Ward Eshleman III, Correct, butyou do go by Wardy.
And how did that come about?
Wardy Eshleman (01:19):
Just when I was little, when Dad would yell Ward
or Wardy or somebody would yelland everybody would look or we
both look.
So it just became Ward.
He was easier to discern.
Kristina Hebert (01:27):
And I also feel like Christian Wardy kind of
rhymed so it was like you know,it couldn't be like.
They both had to be twosyllables.
Wardy Eshleman (01:35):
I tried to fight it years ago.
I tried to.
Ward or Ward three or Ward athird or something that just
didn't work.
And I said, you know I've beenworried for so long now.
Kristina Hebert (01:48):
It's good, I don't mind and I know that it
was probably one of those thingsI know for me.
For example, I went withChristina and so um, and I felt
like it was just my way of notbeing Christie the little kid
too you know, trying to grow outof.
so the other thing I wasthinking of so we've spent a lot
(02:13):
of time talking to industryleaders about some of the
upcoming impacts to the industry.
So you know legislative impacts, or one of them is the train
we've been talking about, thatyou know you have this railroad
bridge, that that you, obviously, with boating, have gotten
stuck out many times many timesand you know there's no moving
forward.
Um, but in in talking aboutthat, I kind of wanted to do a
throwback to us.
Do you remember playing out bythe train?
Wardy Eshleman (02:33):
I mean, neither one of us would ever let our
kids play out by the train, puta penny on the thing and watch
me get run over.
Yeah, wasn't that great.
Kristina Hebert (02:39):
I mean, I have to say it definitely was a time
in the late 70s, early 80s, andwe would put the coins out there
and watch and see what theylooked like, and then we would
try to throw, like, was it Cokecans or rocks?
I think the Coke cans didn'tmake it, but remember, we would
try to throw it to the otherside.
They didn't always make it.
Wardy Eshleman (02:58):
No, they didn't.
Kristina Hebert (02:59):
Sometimes they ricocheted back, but it's funny
because I don't know that Iwould let you know we both have
grown kids.
Wardy Eshleman (03:06):
No, we wouldn't be like, but it's a different
time, it is.
Kristina Hebert (03:09):
It is.
But you know we grew up and youstarted here younger than me,
yeah, so what year did you start?
Wardy Eshleman (03:16):
I was 91.
And then obviously we didsummers before that, but 91 was
full time.
Well, no, like you did summers.
Nobody offered me summers.
I only did one summer when Igot grounded Right.
Kristina Hebert (03:26):
Yeah, and I was in trouble and I had to do.
I didn't have to, but I diddata entry when we were going
computer systems.
Wardy Eshleman (03:34):
Oh gosh yeah.
Kristina Hebert (03:35):
And I think we were trying to get into MS-DOS
and we were loading all of ourdata into our first computer
system.
I'm going gonna say that waslike mid 80s, 84, 85, right, uh,
sometime like that.
And it's funny, you know, youthink about that now and, um,
ironically, you and I canimagine this.
(03:55):
So how many upgrades ofsoftware have we done since then
, since then, since then?
But the product descriptions Iremember could only be 16
characters.
So to this day, some of it'slike 16PK-50-14.
And it was like you had to know.
You know, that's actually cable.
It's still the same part,number and description.
(04:16):
It's funny though I still seesome of those like man.
Wardy Eshleman (04:19):
We've never Never changed it.
Well, we didn't have to.
Kristina Hebert (04:21):
Hey, I'm happy that we're not using those dot
matrix printers, and I remembernever changed it.
Wardy Eshleman (04:24):
Well, we didn't have to hey, I'm happy that
we're not using those dot matrixprinters and the.
Kristina Hebert (04:26):
I didn't remember that Boy, you know, and
now, now we have, you know wecan capture signatures and we
can people can pay in a portal.
Wardy Eshleman (04:32):
All right, god.
I remember flashback to the oldphones word catching push line
oh, line one, yeah, the you knowperson.
Kristina Hebert (04:37):
Line one.
Line two we sounded like a usedcar lot, I remember, but those
were all the ways business wasdone.
Wardy Eshleman (04:48):
Yeah, it was standard procedure back then.
Kristina Hebert (04:51):
On the other side.
To that, I feel like it was asimpler time, absolutely.
I've had the pleasure oftalking to other business
leaders that you know, at 5o'clock you could lock the door
and a fax might come or avoicemail might come in the
middle of the night, but youcould go about your life and
(05:16):
come in and open the door in themorning and address it then.
But you know, I think progresshas to happen, evolution has to
happen.
You and I have a little bit ofa different it's good we're a
yin and yang on that because Ithink sometimes you're like what
do you think about the new logo?
come on now I I like it do you,yeah, I was, you were like, I
was afraid.
I was like oh, I know, he's notgonna yeah, it's, I do like
this one.
Okay, good well, I rememberwhich one was it.
(05:37):
Um, it was one of theiterations and I remember you
were like why do we keepchanging it?
Wardy Eshleman (05:43):
right, I know.
Yeah, I still flash back to theoriginal one though the uh, the
sailboat and the powerboat.
Oh, I know the picture backthere in the old shop I know, I
actually think it's.
It's been a great upgrade.
Kristina Hebert (05:54):
Yeah, absolutely, I'd like to put
something like um, one of thethings we're talking about for
our 75th anniversary for um.
One of the events next year isI'd like to have a shirt with
all the logos on it and 75th, sowe'll have to try to have like
a commemorative T-shirt thatshows kind of all those all
those logos.
Yeah, so what?
What, in the amount of timethat you've been here, what?
(06:18):
What's changed that you neverthought, that you never thought
would happen, and it it's kindof a weird question.
Wardy Eshleman (06:24):
it is tough.
Yeah, um, just the sheer sizeand volume of us.
I've, I've, I've always knownwe'd grow, right, I'm just
amazed at how much we've grown,how much things have changed.
It's, it's, yeah, it's allinspiring, it's it's, you know,
amazing that amount of quantityand stuff we're into now, the
different venues we're into now,right, just in the size of
boats obviously is just you know, back then, while we're into
now, the different venues we'reinto now, right, just in the
(06:45):
size of boats obviously, is just, you know, back then, while
we're working on a 70 or 80footer, now it's 300 foot and
it's just.
It's amazing how the wholeindustry has grown and changed.
Kristina Hebert (06:54):
I agree.
And even just South Florida.
I mean when we were growing upas kids I was explaining to some
yesterday that you know, southFlorida was not like this in the
early 80s and stuff when wewere kids and 70s that it was a
little small town and two laneroads and no 595,.
(07:16):
No sawgrass, no, none of that.
And so it's.
So then, when you just look atthat and how much South Florida,
and the volume of people, andthen the infrastructure, I mean
it is incredible the amount ofmoney that marinas, that other
businesses have really gone, Ithink, as an industry really
stepped up to accommodate thisindustry.
(07:37):
So yeah, I mean it's been acollective.
We were talking about the boatshow too.
Boat show's coming up.
I know it's your favorite.
Wardy Eshleman (07:44):
Looking forward to it, but no, but I mean we do,
it is good.
Kristina Hebert (07:48):
It's a great event.
Well, we can say it now wewon't get in trouble.
But I remember us as kids goingto the boat show and all we'd
try to do is steal as much swagas we could from everybody's
booth and then compare.
So sorry about that, exhibitors, I always think about that,
(08:11):
that even when we put stuff out,it's like you know, some kids
probably gonna come collect allthis, um, but we use, and we
used to use those reagangenerator boxes.
Wardy Eshleman (08:16):
Remember the, the orange box?
Kristina Hebert (08:17):
oh gosh, yes yes, yeah, that they, they used
to give out and we would stuffthem.
So, uh, we, we both have grownup and our kids have kind of
grown up.
Your son, my nephew's workingfor the company, so we have
fourth generation.
But, I have to say I mean, youknow, we both grew up working
here and being a part of it andknowing everybody Some of our
(08:38):
employees now we've known forsince we were kids.
Wardy Eshleman (08:42):
Yeah, 40 years.
I know that's amazing.
Kristina Hebert (08:44):
It is, it is, it is.
I want to be talking to Julielater.
So we have three employees thatare getting ready to celebrate
40 years.
We have Jim Archer this year,julie and then Randy Randy's got
to be close yeah.
Yeah, so it's interesting.
So talk to me about Palm Beach.
Wardy Eshleman (09:02):
Palm Beach is good.
We're pretty busy up theredoing very well.
Kristina Hebert (09:05):
Riviera Beach, actually Riviera Beach be clear.
Wardy Eshleman (09:07):
Yeah, be clear.
Doing well.
We're staying busy up there.
Everything's real well Good,moving a lot of product, which
is absolutely good, what we need.
Kristina Hebert (09:15):
Yeah, boats are seeing to be coming back to
open.
It seems like it'll be rightafter Labor Day that they start
making their way back down here,depending on their workload, so
that's good to see Anythingthat worries you about the
future.
Wardy Eshleman (09:34):
No, I think we're in a good spot.
I think everything's rollingwell and I think the industry.
I think we're definitely poisedto keep doing well in the
industry.
I think the industry's good, Ithink everything should be well.
Kristina Hebert (09:45):
I know a lot of people have talked about AI.
Have any thoughts on AI?
Wardy Eshleman (09:49):
No, I haven't had any issues with it.
I haven't heard anybody havingany problems with it.
I'm curious to see how it allplays out.
Kristina Hebert (09:56):
I definitely think we have to, at some level,
embrace it.
I'm not necessarily a forefrontperson, but on the other hand I
think there's such a fine line.
You don't want to be behind it,you don't want to be the last
one to the party, but I think,keeping an eye on it and paying
attention and figuring outlittle by little how we can
(10:17):
utilize it will be important.
And then I think eventuallywe'll have this conversation in
a couple of years and go likehow do we ever live without it?
Which is amazing, you know.
I think eventually we'll havethis conversation in a couple of
years and go like how do weever live without it, right,
which is amazing.
You know, I think about it now.
For example, we were in thisoffice.
Unfortunately, one of my bigmemories was 9-11.
Right, and I remember likethere just really wasn't.
(10:38):
The Internet was such a staticRight, you know, news would pop
up and then you'd have to read16 paragraphs Walking over to
Gold Coast and trying to watchtheir TV, because they had a TV
over there.
We had a radio and I remember wetuned into channel 6, 87.7 and
to listen to it and I think, boy, how ridiculous is that now
(11:00):
with our iPhones and thecomputers and the 24-hour news.
But 9-11, which was still in2000s, so 2001, we were just
still kind of in the dark.
But yeah, I remember ourcustomers coming in and it's
kind of one of those moments.
Wardy Eshleman (11:14):
You remember where you were.
Dave Andex, I remember, came inand said the plane just hit the
building.
Kristina Hebert (11:19):
Right.
Wardy Eshleman (11:19):
That's kind of engraved in my memory forever.
Kristina Hebert (11:22):
I agree, and somebody thought it was.
It was you know, just a smallplane and it was an accident.
And then how quickly itunraveled.
But with technology we didn'thave what we have, and so now
what we have in our, our techsare have GPS vans and our, our
work tickets are digital and ourphones are VoIP and our we're
(11:45):
doing a podcast, for goodnesssake.
Wardy Eshleman (11:47):
I remember writing the old work orders, the
handwritten turn in your workorder.
Kristina Hebert (11:52):
Let's pretend we didn't get rid of that in
this, like only in the last fewyears.
But yeah, we had handwrittenwork orders or the fax machines
and the let's be honest, Iremember typewriters.
Wardy Eshleman (12:02):
Oh gosh, yeah, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (12:04):
I remember typewriters, so it's been
interesting as a business and II know that even in our, our
buildings and as we go throughthings, I would say a huge
technology jump in the last 20years we used to host everything
, everything and what we thoughtwas our state of the art server
oh yeah, with the tapes, oh oh,and our backup tapes and uh
(12:24):
yeah, now it's like who carriesa backup tape with you at night?
Wardy Eshleman (12:28):
you have the cloud the cloud takes care of
everything um interesting though.
Kristina Hebert (12:32):
You know, a lot of things have changed, but
absolutely one of the things Istill think is important and I
think you would agree on thistoo is personal relations.
I still believe and I know thatyou're great with that too
where pick up the phone and callsomebody, shake hands with
somebody.
If we have a customer that'sunhappy or somebody that needs
something, a nice phone call.
Wardy Eshleman (12:53):
Stay in front of it.
Kristina Hebert (12:54):
Please come, and you know come.
Let's come, sit down and have aconversation and let's talk
about it.
Sometimes we have to go oldschool words way.
We still do some old school andI like that.
Um, anything else you'd like to?
Wardy Eshleman (13:08):
no, I just uh think it's amazing.
You think granddad started thisback in 1950?
How?
Kristina Hebert (13:13):
and in the back of old frank and jimmy's yep,
we talked about it and uh, we'vebeen chasing each other as
neighbors since.
Wardy Eshleman (13:22):
Yeah, Since then yeah.
Kristina Hebert (13:23):
Yeah, since then it was there, then what?
Wardy Eshleman (13:25):
five I don't remember the exact address Five,
10 or something over here wasbefore we moved in.
Kristina Hebert (13:30):
Mm-hmm.
Wardy Eshleman (13:30):
Gosh.
Yeah, what a big deal.
Kristina Hebert (13:33):
Okay, is that this was our fifth location.
Wardy Eshleman (13:36):
Was it that many ?
Kristina Hebert (13:37):
Yeah, Okay Well fourth and fifth, so fourth was
next store.
And then we built this, thiswas fifth, even though it's kind
of in the same spot.
Wardy Eshleman (13:44):
Right.
And then that Right and what abig deal building.
Kristina Hebert (13:47):
this was remember oh my goodness, we
doubled our size.
Wardy Eshleman (13:49):
We're going to be in here forever.
Kristina Hebert (13:50):
Yeah, doubled're full, we're full, and
then, uh, we could talk aboutit now with the city where we
had to pretend we were puttingin a second story while we were
building that building just toaccommodate, um, you know,
because we had so many people inhere, remember?
Wardy Eshleman (14:11):
we used to pull the van, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (14:13):
Yeah, but we also used to have Friday nights
at the, at the counter.
Wardy Eshleman (14:18):
That was a long time ago.
Kristina Hebert (14:20):
A long time a different time Different time.
Our technicians.
You know it's funny, you, you,it's.
It's not so much that we'recorporate America, by no stretch
.
Wardy Eshleman (14:29):
I think we're still very much a small business
but um.
Kristina Hebert (14:33):
So what we're talking about is for the, for
the listeners out there, likeabout how long ago was?
I mean at least 25, 30 yearsago.
The guys used to ourtechnicians at the end of the
week would bring in, or at theend of every day.
Wardy Eshleman (14:47):
It was the end of every day Pulling the vans.
Kristina Hebert (14:49):
They would bring in their vans, and they
drove their own cars home.
And so, on Fridays, though,what was it?
The new hire?
Wardy Eshleman (14:55):
The newest hire was had to buy beer
(15:19):
no-transcript.
Kristina Hebert (15:23):
So it just seemed like everybody lived
within a couple miles.
Wardy Eshleman (15:25):
It was a close and easy time, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (15:27):
Yeah, I remember the boat show we used
to be able to.
One of our booth locations wasright down from the Budweiser
Girls and I think it wasstrategically picked until I got
involved in the Fun Killer.
That's what my nickname is, bythe way, the company of the Fun
Killer that we moved to adifferent tent, but it's all.
Of these are great times, butit just goes to show you know we
(15:50):
too.
I think I was the 21st employee.
I remember that and I rememberalso the low man had to do the
coat machine money and clean thebathrooms and mow the lawn, our
little piece of lawn.
Wardy Eshleman (16:02):
I didn't have to mow the lawn.
You didn't get that.
I didn't get the lawn.
The new guys had to mow thelittle piece of lawn off.
Kristina Hebert (16:07):
That was my one girl credit but, I probably did
the bathrooms for somebody else, and then finally, jason got
hired right after me, which Iwas like, yes, and then he ended
up doing that, but he figuredout how to get the commissioner,
not commissioner, thecommissioned vending machine.
Wardy Eshleman (16:23):
So they, you know the contract and I was like
you know what, I give themcredit.
Kristina Hebert (16:25):
So, but yeah, that's, that's where we came
from, and it wasn't that longago, and so I think it's
important to to remember wherewe came from, but also continue
to evolving.
Like I always say, we're 75,but we're just getting started.
Wardy Eshleman (16:40):
Right, absolutely yeah.
I can remember back when Ifirst started here in the
summers.
You know you'd see dad, he'dpick up a broom and start going
to town and I remember thinking,wow, the boss is doing that,
that's a good sign.
You know, seeing him do thatand then you know that motivated
me to realize leadership.
All the guys see the boss doingthat.
Okay, if the boss is willing todo it then we need to do it for
(17:01):
sure.
And I remember, just yeah, whenbuilding this building was such
a big deal for him and granddad.
I remember it was so neat tosee how excited they were about
that.
Getting this build, getting adesign and and and made and
doubling our size there was justreally impressive.
Uh, and granddad, I remembergranddad would come in every day
.
I mean, it was, it was neat toalways have him here, just walk
in.
Or especially on a day liketoday, the rainy day, he'd walk
(17:22):
in and quack, quack day for theducks.
And building this otherbuilding was another giant great
thing for us.
You know Ward has talked aboutthat with our employees and
talking about that.
Kristina Hebert (17:46):
it wasn't just we needed a bigger building,
it's also kind of setting it andestablishing it for the future
in a place that we and he madethe comment that we would never
outgrow.
And now I am kind of like, well, and it's interesting, if we
want to talk about expansion,you know we've already built out
most of the building.
(18:07):
So where we had some mezzanines, we've added four or five
offices up there.
We've talked about adding amezzanine in our warehouse to
allocate for more space.
But you know, then I forgetwhere I was the other day and I
said, you know, maybe we need tobuild a third floor and on the
third floor would be the.
(18:28):
You know we could make it thenew and improved lunchroom.
I have votes to have a gym, butwe take kind of the lunchroom
that we have on the second floorand some of that and repurpose
it for office space and then youknow you have the third floor.
That could be that.
So I mean, that's that's alittle out there, but I think
(18:49):
building a third floor would bea heck of a lot easier than
trying to relocate.
But you know, as you moveforward and you know what was
important for was important for,I think, employees in the 90s
and 2000s and 2010s, what'simportant to kind of the next
(19:09):
generation of employees which,by the way, we're the old people
now.
Wardy Eshleman (19:10):
That is amazing to think that I know we are the
old people now.
Kristina Hebert (19:14):
And that what matters to them and what matters
moving forward and and um, kindof having a helping create
work-life balances, but buthaving a place that you can
accomplish more than justshowing up to work in your cubby
, leaving at three, 30 and andand doing the grind that, um, we
know our employees like to hangout together.
(19:35):
We have a couple of parties ayear and that's always a great
time, but but maybe you know,enhancing some of those elements
and also, I think, as video, asAI, as all of those things with
engineering and the structuresof these super yachts, we need
to have state-of-the-artconference rooms that we can
(19:55):
have Zoom meetings where you'renot I'm guilty of this too where
you see somebody's nose becausethey're too close, but it took
us a while to get like, okay,where, where?
Wardy Eshleman (20:04):
is the right spot for that zoom and we still
have.
Kristina Hebert (20:07):
I remember we were recently doing a training
for the, for our accountingsoftware, and I didn't I
realized it wasn't working oncertain people's desktops.
It was on their phones and Iwondered why.
I'm staring at their nose, likeeverybody's nose hairs in this,
like why are they so close?
And and I thought my goodness,here we are working on $150
million motor yachts and wecan't figure out our screen.
(20:29):
So I do think that, like justsome of those things are part of
having a small business that weneed to work on, but I see us
moving into that.
Um, I think the world's becomesmall.
You know, our guys are alwaystraveling.
You see that too a lot.
Wardy Eshleman (20:44):
There's so much business it's not really
competition where there's enoughbusiness to go around.
Granddad when he started wasmostly into just outside service
and our dad really pushed thestock and sales approach and
starting that very early in thebusiness I think really helped
us get the edge up where all thelocal people that, like I said,
(21:05):
they're not competition, butall the local people, most of
them, do buy from us because wehave the ability to have it here
in stock and sell it to them.
So it's made it, you know, easyfor them to get access to stuff
and yeah.
Kristina Hebert (21:17):
So you got all the kind genes, I didn't get the
kind genes.
So you got all the kind genes,I didn't get the kind genes.
(21:44):
So I would say that we do havecompetition, but it's all the
elements that our companyrepresents that makes us stand
out.
So I would say we havecompetition on technicians, but
we're also a supplier for them,so so it enables us to to work
together.
I would say we have competitionon um, people that sell parts,
but because we offer thetechnical expertise, so when
people come into our place, Iknow that um, you know, if you
know exactly what you're buyingand the part number and why it's
for, could you find it cheaperonline?
It's possible.
But if you want to come in andsay I'm doing a refit on this
(22:07):
boat, the boat is 10 years old.
This is the breaker, this isthe product.
Wardy Eshleman (22:12):
We will walk you through what are you using it
for?
Kristina Hebert (22:15):
Yeah, we will also make sure that perhaps the
one that you're bringing in isundersized, and make sure that
it's proper and that it's ratedproperly and that if, in fact,
you get into a challenge, we canschedule somebody for you.
But, I think it's not one thingwe do, it's all that we do.
And I would say we have nocompetition in the sense I will
(22:35):
agree with you that there isn'tanybody that does engraving,
engineering, sales and servicespecific to marine electric like
us.
There are people on certainelements of that, yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (22:50):
No one's shot the same way.
Kristina Hebert (22:52):
And I think that some of our departments you
know we see it right now Ourengineering department has grown
significantly and, as such,because we're able to offer
those services, it dovetailsinto part sales.
It dovetails into service,onboard service, and then also
service has turned intoengineering or service turns
into parts and sometimes theparts turns into.
(23:14):
So each of them can help eachelement of the company grow.
I would like to see us continueto grow, all elements of the
company.
Wardy Eshleman (23:23):
We'll probably get in trouble for this, but I
remember, gosh, we've been aboating family for forever and
when we first got, I think thefirst big boat was a 22 Cobia
and we had an old work van andhad just the two front seats.
So we'd tow, we'd hop, dadwould bring the van home.
Kristina Hebert (23:39):
Yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (23:40):
Plop two of the old fold-out.
What were they?
Canvas lawn chairs in thebackseat, and we'd sit in those
and tow them to the boat ramp.
Kristina Hebert (23:46):
Hey, but wait a minute.
There was a safety mechanism.
The spare tire was in thecenter and we would put one of
the posts of the chair in thespare tire to hold this down.
Wardy Eshleman (23:57):
Couldn't roll right.
Kristina Hebert (24:02):
But if it got hot we'd just open the door.
Yeah, we just drove down theroad in this big, huge wards van
.
They did get in an accident.
Remember that time.
They ran into the back ofsomebody.
We were in those yeah, we werein those launchers too.
It worked out, though we'refine.
Wardy Eshleman (24:12):
Everything's good.
Kristina Hebert (24:13):
Yeah, but again talk about a different time.
George, english park right,which is across from the
galleria mall, if anybody knowsthat.
And uh, yeah, we would get tothe boat ramp and I knew the
alarm clock was hearing yourflip-flops and I'd be like, oh
he's up, let's go.
And we would pack the coolersand get everything ready for a
(24:34):
day of boating and, um, we couldgo all the way up to spanish
river, yep and, and have apicnic and for anybody who knows
that that's quite far away now.
Can you go to Spanish River in aday?
Wardy Eshleman (24:46):
It'd be tough.
Now it's just the crowds.
Now it's so different and allthe idle speed.
You know, back then it wasn'tidle speed.
Yeah, there you could just gowherever you want, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (24:54):
So we did that a lot, I remember.
Wardy Eshleman (24:57):
And the Keys.
Kristina Hebert (25:02):
We did.
And the Keys, we did, the Keysevery summer, forever.
Oh gosh, yeah, from the timeour kids were way before from
the time we were little kids.
And then you know our kidswould go and we enjoyed fishing
and lobstering and the best partis you don't even like the
lobster.
Wardy Eshleman (25:17):
I don't like them.
I was good at it, but I don'tlike eating them.
Kristina Hebert (25:19):
You were good at catching them yeah, so it was
good.
Yeah, so it was good, yeah, um,but I feel like, from the time
one thing that you know, peopleask us what did?
What have we done?
A lot for fun.
I will say that, working atwards, we try to create a
culture of fun, that, um, wework in a tremendous industry
(25:40):
and we work with a lot of fun,great people, and it's never
hard to find a party in themarine industry.
There's always some sort ofnetworking event, Somebody's
having something.
But we also had to separate.
I remember the hardest part forme and maybe you didn't.
Do you remember the differencebetween our dad at home and dad
at work?
Wardy Eshleman (25:58):
Oh God, they're two very different people and I
was always like, oh, I'm introuble.
Yeah.
Kristina Hebert (26:02):
I'm in trouble.
I knew what it looked like tobe in trouble at home.
Wardy Eshleman (26:05):
Right.
Kristina Hebert (26:05):
But I was thinking man, I didn't do
anything here, why am I?
And he was so serious here andvery he would peer out over his
glasses and look at us.
I found myself doing the exactsame thing later, as my kids
came along.
It was work, mom versus homemom, Yep absolutely.
And you have to separate that.
(26:25):
In many ways we are obviouslyalways family, but I think you
have to separate that.
When you're at work you can'tjust play that card.
We're just the same aseverybody else, and I know for
me he said if you want me tofight your battles, then you're
never going to get respect.
So, go fight your own battles.
So it's interesting, you know,but we always had fun.
(26:50):
But I feel like we always had tokind of the expectations were
on us too, so I'll preface it.
So people often ask us what'sthe secret to a successful
family business?
What's?
Wardy Eshleman (27:00):
the secret to a successful family business
Keeping family, family andbusiness, keeping it apart, but
and knowing, at the end of theday, we are a family but we have
to get through it and work onthe business and keep.
Keep the business aspect Right.
Kristina Hebert (27:13):
Business and sometimes we have to make
decisions that not always do we?
Wardy Eshleman (27:16):
It's not going to be popular or easy.
Kristina Hebert (27:17):
It won't be popular, or even that all of us
may have a different perspectiveon.
But eventually, you know, Idon't think we've ever been in a
position where the majoritydidn't rule like that any of us
have ever gone rogue.
I think we all really, at theend, are coming.
Wardy Eshleman (27:32):
We want what's best for the greater good.
The goal yeah.
Kristina Hebert (27:35):
Yes, but I do think for us as a family.
Yes, you have to know,sometimes you have to turn it
off.
And sometimes you're alwaysfamily.
Listen, I'm still mean AuntChristy at work you know talking
about Chase, my nephew, andyour son who works there.
And you know, and it isdifferent because he does see me
(27:58):
in a different way- he's alwaysseen me at Christmas and out to
dinner and, like you, you'refun at home, we're fun down in
the Keys.
And then my kids actuallycalled me the Terminator when
they would come work for thesummers and stuff.
And it's just because they'renot used to seeing us in-.
Wardy Eshleman (28:13):
In a business role.
Kristina Hebert (28:14):
In a business role.
But I think that that'simportant and try to carry a
balance.
And I think what's harder forus and we still struggle to this
day is that when we go todinner as a family, we don't
talk about business.
We tend to just immediately gothere because it's something we
all have to come in.
Wardy Eshleman (28:33):
It's a huge part of life, obviously, yeah, it is
.
Kristina Hebert (28:35):
And we want to keep everybody because we are
all doing different things andour parents are semi-retired.
But so we'll get together andit's like well, did you hear?
Oh, look what I heard Did youknow that this happened and it's
more keeping everybody in theloop, but sometimes we've
allowed that to take over.
But I think it's just trying tofind a balance.
Yeah, that's what my advicewould be Keep a balance and
(29:00):
always remember your familyfirst.
The business stuff isdefinitely important, but keep
your family and work on that too, absolutely.
Yeah, so podcast season one.
You excited about it.
Wardy Eshleman (29:12):
Absolutely.
This is interesting yeah.
Kristina Hebert (29:15):
I'm learning too.
I have a feeling we're going tolook back and yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (29:18):
Like you said so long ago, I would never
envisioned something like this,you know and then to move into
it now.
It's neat, it's, it's, it'sit's.
Kristina Hebert (29:24):
Yes, I agree.
Ok, so you're going to have tobe the moderator for one of
these seasons.
Wardy Eshleman (29:30):
I'll give you, I'll give you a heads up, ok,
all right.
Welcome to the Wardsway Podcast.
So we're coming up on our 75thanniversary.
(00:31):
Do you believe that this wasone of the offices over here?
Wardy Eshleman (00:35):
It's amazing.
I was explaining to him thatyou know I was so excited when
we built this building and hadnew offices.
Everything was big andimpressive.
Kristina Hebert (00:43):
Yeah, and the executive bathroom that's over
there that now doesn't even haveair conditioning and we're like
all offended how do you go intothat?
But you know I've had a reallyenjoyable time just getting to
talk to business leaders andsome of our neighbors and
obviously our dad.
Wardy Eshleman (01:01):
Absolutely.
Kristina Hebert (01:01):
And talking about the history and everything
that we've done, and so youknow, I wanted to introduce you
too.
So you go by Wardy, which Iknow you hate, but it's William
Ward Eshleman III, Correct, butyou do go by Wardy.
And how did that come about?
Wardy Eshleman (01:19):
Just when I was little, when Dad would yell Ward
or Wardy or somebody would yelland everybody would look or we
both look.
So it just became Ward.
He was easier to discern.
Kristina Hebert (01:27):
And I also feel like Christian Wardy kind of
rhymed so it was like you know,it couldn't be like.
They both had to be twosyllables.
Wardy Eshleman (01:35):
I tried to fight it years ago.
I tried to.
Ward or Ward three or Ward athird or something that just
didn't work.
And I said, you know I've beenworried for so long now.
Kristina Hebert (01:48):
It's good, I don't mind and I know that it
was probably one of those thingsI know for me.
For example, I went withChristina and so um, and I felt
like it was just my way of notbeing Christie the little kid
too you know, trying to grow outof.
so the other thing I wasthinking of so we've spent a lot
(02:13):
of time talking to industryleaders about some of the
upcoming impacts to the industry.
So you know legislative impacts, or one of them is the train
we've been talking about, thatyou know you have this railroad
bridge, that that you, obviously, with boating, have gotten
stuck out many times many timesand you know there's no moving
forward.
Um, but in in talking aboutthat, I kind of wanted to do a
throwback to us.
Do you remember playing out bythe train?
Wardy Eshleman (02:33):
I mean, neither one of us would ever let our
kids play out by the train, puta penny on the thing and watch
me get run over.
Yeah, wasn't that great.
Kristina Hebert (02:39):
I mean, I have to say it definitely was a time
in the late 70s, early 80s, andwe would put the coins out there
and watch and see what theylooked like, and then we would
try to throw, like, was it Cokecans or rocks?
I think the Coke cans didn'tmake it, but remember, we would
try to throw it to the otherside.
They didn't always make it.
Wardy Eshleman (02:58):
No, they didn't.
Kristina Hebert (02:59):
Sometimes they ricocheted back, but it's funny
because I don't know that Iwould let you know we both have
grown kids.
Wardy Eshleman (03:06):
No, we wouldn't be like, but it's a different
time, it is.
Kristina Hebert (03:09):
It is.
But you know we grew up and youstarted here younger than me,
yeah, so what year did you start?
Wardy Eshleman (03:16):
I was 91.
And then obviously we didsummers before that, but 91 was
full time.
Well, no, like you did summers.
Nobody offered me summers.
I only did one summer when Igot grounded Right.
Kristina Hebert (03:26):
Yeah, and I was in trouble and I had to do.
I didn't have to, but I diddata entry when we were going
computer systems.
Wardy Eshleman (03:34):
Oh gosh yeah.
Kristina Hebert (03:35):
And I think we were trying to get into MS-DOS
and we were loading all of ourdata into our first computer
system.
I'm going gonna say that waslike mid 80s, 84, 85, right, uh,
sometime like that.
And it's funny, you know, youthink about that now and, um,
ironically, you and I canimagine this.
(03:55):
So how many upgrades ofsoftware have we done since then
, since then, since then?
But the product descriptions Iremember could only be 16
characters.
So to this day, some of it'slike 16PK-50-14.
And it was like you had to know.
You know, that's actually cable.
It's still the same part,number and description.
(04:16):
It's funny though I still seesome of those like man.
Wardy Eshleman (04:19):
We've never Never changed it.
Well, we didn't have to.
Kristina Hebert (04:21):
Hey, I'm happy that we're not using those dot
matrix printers, and I remembernever changed it.
Wardy Eshleman (04:24):
Well, we didn't have to hey, I'm happy that
we're not using those dot matrixprinters and the.
Kristina Hebert (04:26):
I didn't remember that Boy, you know, and
now, now we have, you know wecan capture signatures and we
can people can pay in a portal.
Wardy Eshleman (04:32):
All right, god.
I remember flashback to the oldphones word catching push line
oh, line one, yeah, the you knowperson.
Kristina Hebert (04:37):
Line one.
Line two we sounded like a usedcar lot, I remember, but those
were all the ways business wasdone.
Wardy Eshleman (04:48):
Yeah, it was standard procedure back then.
Kristina Hebert (04:51):
On the other side.
To that, I feel like it was asimpler time, absolutely.
I've had the pleasure oftalking to other business
leaders that you know, at 5o'clock you could lock the door
and a fax might come or avoicemail might come in the
middle of the night, but youcould go about your life and
(05:16):
come in and open the door in themorning and address it then.
But you know, I think progresshas to happen, evolution has to
happen.
You and I have a little bit ofa different it's good we're a
yin and yang on that because Ithink sometimes you're like what
do you think about the new logo?
come on now I I like it do you,yeah, I was, you were like, I
was afraid.
I was like oh, I know, he's notgonna yeah, it's, I do like
this one.
Okay, good well, I rememberwhich one was it.
(05:37):
Um, it was one of theiterations and I remember you
were like why do we keepchanging it?
Wardy Eshleman (05:43):
right, I know.
Yeah, I still flash back to theoriginal one though the uh, the
sailboat and the powerboat.
Oh, I know the picture backthere in the old shop I know, I
actually think it's.
It's been a great upgrade.
Kristina Hebert (05:54):
Yeah, absolutely, I'd like to put
something like um, one of thethings we're talking about for
our 75th anniversary for um.
One of the events next year isI'd like to have a shirt with
all the logos on it and 75th, sowe'll have to try to have like
a commemorative T-shirt thatshows kind of all those all
those logos.
Yeah, so what?
What, in the amount of timethat you've been here, what?
(06:18):
What's changed that you neverthought, that you never thought
would happen, and it it's kindof a weird question.
Wardy Eshleman (06:24):
it is tough.
Yeah, um, just the sheer sizeand volume of us.
I've, I've, I've always knownwe'd grow, right, I'm just
amazed at how much we've grown,how much things have changed.
It's, it's, yeah, it's allinspiring, it's it's, you know,
amazing that amount of quantityand stuff we're into now, the
different venues we're into now,right, just in the size of
boats obviously is just you know, back then, while we're into
now, the different venues we'reinto now, right, just in the
(06:45):
size of boats obviously, is just, you know, back then, while
we're working on a 70 or 80footer, now it's 300 foot and
it's just.
It's amazing how the wholeindustry has grown and changed.
Kristina Hebert (06:54):
I agree.
And even just South Florida.
I mean when we were growing upas kids I was explaining to some
yesterday that you know, southFlorida was not like this in the
early 80s and stuff when wewere kids and 70s that it was a
little small town and two laneroads and no 595,.
(07:16):
No sawgrass, no, none of that.
And so it's.
So then, when you just look atthat and how much South Florida,
and the volume of people, andthen the infrastructure, I mean
it is incredible the amount ofmoney that marinas, that other
businesses have really gone, Ithink, as an industry really
stepped up to accommodate thisindustry.
(07:37):
So yeah, I mean it's been acollective.
We were talking about the boatshow too.
Boat show's coming up.
I know it's your favorite.
Wardy Eshleman (07:44):
Looking forward to it, but no, but I mean we do,
it is good.
Kristina Hebert (07:48):
It's a great event.
Well, we can say it now wewon't get in trouble.
But I remember us as kids goingto the boat show and all we'd
try to do is steal as much swagas we could from everybody's
booth and then compare.
So sorry about that, exhibitors, I always think about that,
(08:11):
that even when we put stuff out,it's like you know, some kids
probably gonna come collect allthis, um, but we use, and we
used to use those reagangenerator boxes.
Wardy Eshleman (08:16):
Remember the, the orange box?
Kristina Hebert (08:17):
oh gosh, yes yes, yeah, that they, they used
to give out and we would stuffthem.
So, uh, we, we both have grownup and our kids have kind of
grown up.
Your son, my nephew's workingfor the company, so we have
fourth generation.
But, I have to say I mean, youknow, we both grew up working
here and being a part of it andknowing everybody Some of our
(08:38):
employees now we've known forsince we were kids.
Wardy Eshleman (08:42):
Yeah, 40 years.
I know that's amazing.
Kristina Hebert (08:44):
It is, it is, it is.
I want to be talking to Julielater.
So we have three employees thatare getting ready to celebrate
40 years.
We have Jim Archer this year,julie and then Randy Randy's got
to be close yeah.
Yeah, so it's interesting.
So talk to me about Palm Beach.
Wardy Eshleman (09:02):
Palm Beach is good.
We're pretty busy up theredoing very well.
Kristina Hebert (09:05):
Riviera Beach, actually Riviera Beach be clear.
Wardy Eshleman (09:07):
Yeah, be clear.
Doing well.
We're staying busy up there.
Everything's real well Good,moving a lot of product, which
is absolutely good, what we need.
Kristina Hebert (09:15):
Yeah, boats are seeing to be coming back to
open.
It seems like it'll be rightafter Labor Day that they start
making their way back down here,depending on their workload, so
that's good to see Anythingthat worries you about the
future.
Wardy Eshleman (09:34):
No, I think we're in a good spot.
I think everything's rollingwell and I think the industry.
I think we're definitely poisedto keep doing well in the
industry.
I think the industry's good, Ithink everything should be well.
Kristina Hebert (09:45):
I know a lot of people have talked about AI.
Have any thoughts on AI?
Wardy Eshleman (09:49):
No, I haven't had any issues with it.
I haven't heard anybody havingany problems with it.
I'm curious to see how it allplays out.
Kristina Hebert (09:56):
I definitely think we have to, at some level,
embrace it.
I'm not necessarily a forefrontperson, but on the other hand I
think there's such a fine line.
You don't want to be behind it,you don't want to be the last
one to the party, but I think,keeping an eye on it and paying
attention and figuring outlittle by little how we can
(10:17):
utilize it will be important.
And then I think eventuallywe'll have this conversation in
a couple of years and go likehow do we ever live without it?
Which is amazing, you know.
I think eventually we'll havethis conversation in a couple of
years and go like how do weever live without it, right,
which is amazing.
You know, I think about it now.
For example, we were in thisoffice.
Unfortunately, one of my bigmemories was 9-11.
Right, and I remember likethere just really wasn't.
(10:38):
The Internet was such a staticRight, you know, news would pop
up and then you'd have to read16 paragraphs Walking over to
Gold Coast and trying to watchtheir TV, because they had a TV
over there.
We had a radio and I remember wetuned into channel 6, 87.7 and
to listen to it and I think, boy, how ridiculous is that now
(11:00):
with our iPhones and thecomputers and the 24-hour news.
But 9-11, which was still in2000s, so 2001, we were just
still kind of in the dark.
But yeah, I remember ourcustomers coming in and it's
kind of one of those moments.
Wardy Eshleman (11:14):
You remember where you were.
Dave Andex, I remember, came inand said the plane just hit the
building.
Kristina Hebert (11:19):
Right.
Wardy Eshleman (11:19):
That's kind of engraved in my memory forever.
Kristina Hebert (11:22):
I agree, and somebody thought it was.
It was you know, just a smallplane and it was an accident.
And then how quickly itunraveled.
But with technology we didn'thave what we have, and so now
what we have in our, our techsare have GPS vans and our, our
work tickets are digital and ourphones are VoIP and our we're
(11:45):
doing a podcast, for goodnesssake.
Wardy Eshleman (11:47):
I remember writing the old work orders, the
handwritten turn in your workorder.
Kristina Hebert (11:52):
Let's pretend we didn't get rid of that in
this, like only in the last fewyears.
But yeah, we had handwrittenwork orders or the fax machines
and the let's be honest, Iremember typewriters.
Wardy Eshleman (12:02):
Oh gosh, yeah, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (12:04):
I remember typewriters, so it's been
interesting as a business and II know that even in our, our
buildings and as we go throughthings, I would say a huge
technology jump in the last 20years we used to host everything
, everything and what we thoughtwas our state of the art server
oh yeah, with the tapes, oh oh,and our backup tapes and uh
(12:24):
yeah, now it's like who carriesa backup tape with you at night?
Wardy Eshleman (12:28):
you have the cloud the cloud takes care of
everything um interesting though.
Kristina Hebert (12:32):
You know, a lot of things have changed, but
absolutely one of the things Istill think is important and I
think you would agree on thistoo is personal relations.
I still believe and I know thatyou're great with that too
where pick up the phone and callsomebody, shake hands with
somebody.
If we have a customer that'sunhappy or somebody that needs
something, a nice phone call.
Wardy Eshleman (12:53):
Stay in front of it.
Kristina Hebert (12:54):
Please come, and you know come.
Let's come, sit down and have aconversation and let's talk
about it.
Sometimes we have to go oldschool words way.
We still do some old school andI like that.
Um, anything else you'd like to?
Wardy Eshleman (13:08):
no, I just uh think it's amazing.
You think granddad started thisback in 1950?
How?
Kristina Hebert (13:13):
and in the back of old frank and jimmy's yep,
we talked about it and uh, we'vebeen chasing each other as
neighbors since.
Wardy Eshleman (13:22):
Yeah, Since then yeah.
Kristina Hebert (13:23):
Yeah, since then it was there, then what?
Wardy Eshleman (13:25):
five I don't remember the exact address Five,
10 or something over here wasbefore we moved in.
Kristina Hebert (13:30):
Mm-hmm.
Wardy Eshleman (13:30):
Gosh.
Yeah, what a big deal.
Kristina Hebert (13:33):
Okay, is that this was our fifth location.
Wardy Eshleman (13:36):
Was it that many ?
Kristina Hebert (13:37):
Yeah, Okay Well fourth and fifth, so fourth was
next store.
And then we built this, thiswas fifth, even though it's kind
of in the same spot.
Wardy Eshleman (13:44):
Right.
And then that Right and what abig deal building.
Kristina Hebert (13:47):
this was remember oh my goodness, we
doubled our size.
Wardy Eshleman (13:49):
We're going to be in here forever.
Kristina Hebert (13:50):
Yeah, doubled're full, we're full, and
then, uh, we could talk aboutit now with the city where we
had to pretend we were puttingin a second story while we were
building that building just toaccommodate, um, you know,
because we had so many people inhere, remember?
Wardy Eshleman (14:11):
we used to pull the van, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (14:13):
Yeah, but we also used to have Friday nights
at the, at the counter.
Wardy Eshleman (14:18):
That was a long time ago.
Kristina Hebert (14:20):
A long time a different time Different time.
Our technicians.
You know it's funny, you, you,it's.
It's not so much that we'recorporate America, by no stretch
.
Wardy Eshleman (14:29):
I think we're still very much a small business
but um.
Kristina Hebert (14:33):
So what we're talking about is for the, for
the listeners out there, likeabout how long ago was?
I mean at least 25, 30 yearsago.
The guys used to ourtechnicians at the end of the
week would bring in, or at theend of every day.
Wardy Eshleman (14:47):
It was the end of every day Pulling the vans.
Kristina Hebert (14:49):
They would bring in their vans, and they
drove their own cars home.
And so, on Fridays, though,what was it?
The new hire?
Wardy Eshleman (14:55):
The newest hire was had to buy beer
(15:19):
no-transcript.
Kristina Hebert (15:23):
So it just seemed like everybody lived
within a couple miles.
Wardy Eshleman (15:25):
It was a close and easy time, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (15:27):
Yeah, I remember the boat show we used
to be able to.
One of our booth locations wasright down from the Budweiser
Girls and I think it wasstrategically picked until I got
involved in the Fun Killer.
That's what my nickname is, bythe way, the company of the Fun
Killer that we moved to adifferent tent, but it's all.
Of these are great times, butit just goes to show you know we
(15:50):
too.
I think I was the 21st employee.
I remember that and I rememberalso the low man had to do the
coat machine money and clean thebathrooms and mow the lawn, our
little piece of lawn.
Wardy Eshleman (16:02):
I didn't have to mow the lawn.
You didn't get that.
I didn't get the lawn.
The new guys had to mow thelittle piece of lawn off.
Kristina Hebert (16:07):
That was my one girl credit but, I probably did
the bathrooms for somebody else, and then finally, jason got
hired right after me, which Iwas like, yes, and then he ended
up doing that, but he figuredout how to get the commissioner,
not commissioner, thecommissioned vending machine.
Wardy Eshleman (16:23):
So they, you know the contract and I was like
you know what, I give themcredit.
Kristina Hebert (16:25):
So, but yeah, that's, that's where we came
from, and it wasn't that longago, and so I think it's
important to to remember wherewe came from, but also continue
to evolving.
Like I always say, we're 75,but we're just getting started.
Wardy Eshleman (16:40):
Right, absolutely yeah.
I can remember back when Ifirst started here in the
summers.
You know you'd see dad, he'dpick up a broom and start going
to town and I remember thinking,wow, the boss is doing that,
that's a good sign.
You know, seeing him do thatand then you know that motivated
me to realize leadership.
All the guys see the boss doingthat.
Okay, if the boss is willing todo it then we need to do it for
(17:01):
sure.
And I remember, just yeah, whenbuilding this building was such
a big deal for him and granddad.
I remember it was so neat tosee how excited they were about
that.
Getting this build, getting adesign and and and made and
doubling our size there was justreally impressive.
Uh, and granddad, I remembergranddad would come in every day
.
I mean, it was, it was neat toalways have him here, just walk
in.
Or especially on a day liketoday, the rainy day, he'd walk
(17:22):
in and quack, quack day for theducks.
And building this otherbuilding was another giant great
thing for us.
You know Ward has talked aboutthat with our employees and
talking about that.
Kristina Hebert (17:46):
it wasn't just we needed a bigger building,
it's also kind of setting it andestablishing it for the future
in a place that we and he madethe comment that we would never
outgrow.
And now I am kind of like, well, and it's interesting, if we
want to talk about expansion,you know we've already built out
most of the building.
(18:07):
So where we had some mezzanines, we've added four or five
offices up there.
We've talked about adding amezzanine in our warehouse to
allocate for more space.
But you know, then I forgetwhere I was the other day and I
said, you know, maybe we need tobuild a third floor and on the
third floor would be the.
(18:28):
You know we could make it thenew and improved lunchroom.
I have votes to have a gym, butwe take kind of the lunchroom
that we have on the second floorand some of that and repurpose
it for office space and then youknow you have the third floor.
That could be that.
So I mean, that's that's alittle out there, but I think
(18:49):
building a third floor would bea heck of a lot easier than
trying to relocate.
But you know, as you moveforward and you know what was
important for was important for,I think, employees in the 90s
and 2000s and 2010s, what'simportant to kind of the next
(19:09):
generation of employees which,by the way, we're the old people
now.
Wardy Eshleman (19:10):
That is amazing to think that I know we are the
old people now.
Kristina Hebert (19:14):
And that what matters to them and what matters
moving forward and and um, kindof having a helping create
work-life balances, but buthaving a place that you can
accomplish more than justshowing up to work in your cubby
, leaving at three, 30 and andand doing the grind that, um, we
know our employees like to hangout together.
(19:35):
We have a couple of parties ayear and that's always a great
time, but but maybe you know,enhancing some of those elements
and also, I think, as video, asAI, as all of those things with
engineering and the structuresof these super yachts, we need
to have state-of-the-artconference rooms that we can
(19:55):
have Zoom meetings where you'renot I'm guilty of this too where
you see somebody's nose becausethey're too close, but it took
us a while to get like, okay,where, where?
Wardy Eshleman (20:04):
is the right spot for that zoom and we still
have.
Kristina Hebert (20:07):
I remember we were recently doing a training
for the, for our accountingsoftware, and I didn't I
realized it wasn't working oncertain people's desktops.
It was on their phones and Iwondered why.
I'm staring at their nose, likeeverybody's nose hairs in this,
like why are they so close?
And and I thought my goodness,here we are working on $150
million motor yachts and wecan't figure out our screen.
(20:29):
So I do think that, like justsome of those things are part of
having a small business that weneed to work on, but I see us
moving into that.
Um, I think the world's becomesmall.
You know, our guys are alwaystraveling.
You see that too a lot.
Wardy Eshleman (20:44):
There's so much business it's not really
competition where there's enoughbusiness to go around.
Granddad when he started wasmostly into just outside service
and our dad really pushed thestock and sales approach and
starting that very early in thebusiness I think really helped
us get the edge up where all thelocal people that, like I said,
(21:05):
they're not competition, butall the local people, most of
them, do buy from us because wehave the ability to have it here
in stock and sell it to them.
So it's made it, you know, easyfor them to get access to stuff
and yeah.
Kristina Hebert (21:17):
So you got all the kind genes, I didn't get the
kind genes.
So you got all the kind genes,I didn't get the kind genes.
(21:44):
So I would say that we do havecompetition, but it's all the
elements that our companyrepresents that makes us stand
out.
So I would say we havecompetition on technicians, but
we're also a supplier for them,so so it enables us to to work
together.
I would say we have competitionon um, people that sell parts,
but because we offer thetechnical expertise, so when
people come into our place, Iknow that um, you know, if you
know exactly what you're buyingand the part number and why it's
for, could you find it cheaperonline?
It's possible.
But if you want to come in andsay I'm doing a refit on this
(22:07):
boat, the boat is 10 years old.
This is the breaker, this isthe product.
Wardy Eshleman (22:12):
We will walk you through what are you using it
for?
Kristina Hebert (22:15):
Yeah, we will also make sure that perhaps the
one that you're bringing in isundersized, and make sure that
it's proper and that it's ratedproperly and that if, in fact,
you get into a challenge, we canschedule somebody for you.
But, I think it's not one thingwe do, it's all that we do.
And I would say we have nocompetition in the sense I will
(22:35):
agree with you that there isn'tanybody that does engraving,
engineering, sales and servicespecific to marine electric like
us.
There are people on certainelements of that, yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (22:50):
No one's shot the same way.
Kristina Hebert (22:52):
And I think that some of our departments you
know we see it right now Ourengineering department has grown
significantly and, as such,because we're able to offer
those services, it dovetailsinto part sales.
It dovetails into service,onboard service, and then also
service has turned intoengineering or service turns
into parts and sometimes theparts turns into.
(23:14):
So each of them can help eachelement of the company grow.
I would like to see us continueto grow, all elements of the
company.
Wardy Eshleman (23:23):
We'll probably get in trouble for this, but I
remember, gosh, we've been aboating family for forever and
when we first got, I think thefirst big boat was a 22 Cobia
and we had an old work van andhad just the two front seats.
So we'd tow, we'd hop, dadwould bring the van home.
Kristina Hebert (23:39):
Yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (23:40):
Plop two of the old fold-out.
What were they?
Canvas lawn chairs in thebackseat, and we'd sit in those
and tow them to the boat ramp.
Kristina Hebert (23:46):
Hey, but wait a minute.
There was a safety mechanism.
The spare tire was in thecenter and we would put one of
the posts of the chair in thespare tire to hold this down.
Wardy Eshleman (23:57):
Couldn't roll right.
Kristina Hebert (24:02):
But if it got hot we'd just open the door.
Yeah, we just drove down theroad in this big, huge wards van
.
They did get in an accident.
Remember that time.
They ran into the back ofsomebody.
We were in those yeah, we werein those launchers too.
It worked out, though we'refine.
Wardy Eshleman (24:12):
Everything's good.
Kristina Hebert (24:13):
Yeah, but again talk about a different time.
George, english park right,which is across from the
galleria mall, if anybody knowsthat.
And uh, yeah, we would get tothe boat ramp and I knew the
alarm clock was hearing yourflip-flops and I'd be like, oh
he's up, let's go.
And we would pack the coolersand get everything ready for a
(24:34):
day of boating and, um, we couldgo all the way up to spanish
river, yep and, and have apicnic and for anybody who knows
that that's quite far away now.
Can you go to Spanish River in aday?
Wardy Eshleman (24:46):
It'd be tough.
Now it's just the crowds.
Now it's so different and allthe idle speed.
You know, back then it wasn'tidle speed.
Yeah, there you could just gowherever you want, yeah.
Kristina Hebert (24:54):
So we did that a lot, I remember.
Wardy Eshleman (24:57):
And the Keys.
Kristina Hebert (25:02):
We did.
And the Keys, we did, the Keysevery summer, forever.
Oh gosh, yeah, from the timeour kids were way before from
the time we were little kids.
And then you know our kidswould go and we enjoyed fishing
and lobstering and the best partis you don't even like the
lobster.
Wardy Eshleman (25:17):
I don't like them.
I was good at it, but I don'tlike eating them.
Kristina Hebert (25:19):
You were good at catching them yeah, so it was
good.
Yeah, so it was good, yeah, um,but I feel like, from the time
one thing that you know, peopleask us what did?
What have we done?
A lot for fun.
I will say that, working atwards, we try to create a
culture of fun, that, um, wework in a tremendous industry
(25:40):
and we work with a lot of fun,great people, and it's never
hard to find a party in themarine industry.
There's always some sort ofnetworking event, Somebody's
having something.
But we also had to separate.
I remember the hardest part forme and maybe you didn't.
Do you remember the differencebetween our dad at home and dad
at work?
Wardy Eshleman (25:58):
Oh God, they're two very different people and I
was always like, oh, I'm introuble.
Yeah.
Kristina Hebert (26:02):
I'm in trouble.
I knew what it looked like tobe in trouble at home.
Wardy Eshleman (26:05):
Right.
Kristina Hebert (26:05):
But I was thinking man, I didn't do
anything here, why am I?
And he was so serious here andvery he would peer out over his
glasses and look at us.
I found myself doing the exactsame thing later, as my kids
came along.
It was work, mom versus homemom, Yep absolutely.
And you have to separate that.
(26:25):
In many ways we are obviouslyalways family, but I think you
have to separate that.
When you're at work you can'tjust play that card.
We're just the same aseverybody else, and I know for
me he said if you want me tofight your battles, then you're
never going to get respect.
So, go fight your own battles.
So it's interesting, you know,but we always had fun.
(26:50):
But I feel like we always had tokind of the expectations were
on us too, so I'll preface it.
So people often ask us what'sthe secret to a successful
family business?
What's?
Wardy Eshleman (27:00):
the secret to a successful family business
Keeping family, family andbusiness, keeping it apart, but
and knowing, at the end of theday, we are a family but we have
to get through it and work onthe business and keep.
Keep the business aspect Right.
Kristina Hebert (27:13):
Business and sometimes we have to make
decisions that not always do we?
Wardy Eshleman (27:16):
It's not going to be popular or easy.
Kristina Hebert (27:17):
It won't be popular, or even that all of us
may have a different perspectiveon.
But eventually, you know, Idon't think we've ever been in a
position where the majoritydidn't rule like that any of us
have ever gone rogue.
I think we all really, at theend, are coming.
Wardy Eshleman (27:32):
We want what's best for the greater good.
The goal yeah.
Kristina Hebert (27:35):
Yes, but I do think for us as a family.
Yes, you have to know,sometimes you have to turn it
off.
And sometimes you're alwaysfamily.
Listen, I'm still mean AuntChristy at work you know talking
about Chase, my nephew, andyour son who works there.
And you know, and it isdifferent because he does see me
(27:58):
in a different way- he's alwaysseen me at Christmas and out to
dinner and, like you, you'refun at home, we're fun down in
the Keys.
And then my kids actuallycalled me the Terminator when
they would come work for thesummers and stuff.
And it's just because they'renot used to seeing us in-.
Wardy Eshleman (28:13):
In a business role.
Kristina Hebert (28:14):
In a business role.
But I think that that'simportant and try to carry a
balance.
And I think what's harder forus and we still struggle to this
day is that when we go todinner as a family, we don't
talk about business.
We tend to just immediately gothere because it's something we
all have to come in.
Wardy Eshleman (28:33):
It's a huge part of life, obviously, yeah, it is
.
Kristina Hebert (28:35):
And we want to keep everybody because we are
all doing different things andour parents are semi-retired.
But so we'll get together andit's like well, did you hear?
Oh, look what I heard Did youknow that this happened and it's
more keeping everybody in theloop, but sometimes we've
allowed that to take over.
But I think it's just trying tofind a balance.
Yeah, that's what my advicewould be Keep a balance and
(29:00):
always remember your familyfirst.
The business stuff isdefinitely important, but keep
your family and work on that too, absolutely.
Yeah, so podcast season one.
You excited about it.
Wardy Eshleman (29:12):
Absolutely.
This is interesting yeah.
Kristina Hebert (29:15):
I'm learning too.
I have a feeling we're going tolook back and yeah.
Wardy Eshleman (29:18):
Like you said so long ago, I would never
envisioned something like this,you know and then to move into
it now.
It's neat, it's, it's, it'sit's.
Kristina Hebert (29:24):
Yes, I agree.
Ok, so you're going to have tobe the moderator for one of
these seasons.
Wardy Eshleman (29:30):
I'll give you, I'll give you a heads up, ok,
all right.
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