Owners Corner: A 1st Quarter Newsletter Excerpt

1/12/2021 (Permalink)

2020 was a year filled with challenges- no question about it. Scanning 2020’s Wikipedia page, which displays each event itemized by both month and day for your convenience, you can take a stroll down memory lane. Even logging into your social media platform of choice, you’ll find memes, vents or rants from friends, videos, and advertisements at your fingertips that make you contemplate whether we’ll ever find the light at the end of the 2020 tunnel.

This year, that sentiment seeped into holiday cards that we received from family and friends. The cards were adorned with everything from notes recapping the year to comical, staged photos and clever taglines. But that all came to a halt on January 2nd, 2020, the day that I opened my last card of the holiday season. 

What I discovered printed on the back were words that caught me off guard. As I was trudging into 2021, I was extremely thankful to read words so powerful that they inspired a change in my perspective:

“And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

 ~Excerpt from Desiderata by Max Ehrmann

From the curveballs that 2020 threw our way, Jim and I gained valuable lessons concerning the most essential elements of our lives:

1. Family: It’s hard to keep up with how quickly our kids are growing. However, this year gave us the opportunity to increase the amount of time that we spent with them. Rather than racing our kids to the next sporting event in our separate cars, we were able to slow down and enjoy more time together. When it came time for dinner, we all sat down at the SAME time and at the SAME table. These family dinners became a time for deep conversations with our kids and a time to observe their developing personalities. Void of the distractions that we’d become used to in our everyday lives prior to the pandemic, we were even able to watch as our 12-year-old grew 6 more inches! Despite 2020’s many trials and tribulations, the opportunity for us to be present and make so many family memories was truly a blessing and something that won’t end with 2020.
2. SERVPRO: The lesson of humility is one that is ongoing, but it took center stage in 2020. We can strategize and plan all we want, but in the grand scheme of things, there will always be circumstances that are out of our power:

• 1^St Quarter 2020: Our business went through a drastic change geographically in October 2019. That winter unfortunately happened to be the warmest winter recorded over the last 125 years. Business screeched to a halt, triggering distress and serious conversations about layoffs. In every sense of the phrase, this situation felt like a punch to the gut. Ultimately, it did do some good, as was a reminder that the world doesn’t revolve around us and our plans. Instead, our plans are always at the mercy of the rest of the world. This was the first, but certainly not the last, instance in which we had to “pivot” this year.
• 2^nd Quarter 2020: Where do I begin? 2nd Quarter saw COVID-19, anxiety, shutdowns, and fear. It also saw our business and team become “essential”. We found our fundamental service lines flipping from restoration to viral pathogen cleaning as we did our duty to “flatten the curve”. Working to keep businesses open, we strived to hinder the economic impacts of extended shutdowns, in order to preserve the peace of mind of our community members. This was an unforgettable period of time for us as entrepreneurs. While we had our fair share of fear as a result of so much uncertainty, the pride that we experienced, knowing that our team was working together, adapting to unfamiliar situations, and demonstrating our synergy, overpowered that fear. Our team truly embodied our tagline, “Here to Help”.
• 3^rd Quarter 2020: The 2020 hurricane season began normally with Arthur, but ended in record-breaking territory with Iota. Travelling across the country, making stops in Florida, Alabama, Delaware, Philadelphia, and Louisiana, our team got back to basics during 3rd Quarter, as we combatted Hurricanes Isaias, Laura, and Sally. Our latest “Job of the Quarter” blog tells the story of one of our favorite hurricane jobs of the season. Our “One Team” mentality was on display with this project, as well as the strength of both our SERVPRO franchise system and our team. Once again, we learned another lesson in humility this quarter. The old proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”, best articulates our takeaway.
• 4^th Quarter 2020: I heard the lyrics of Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again” repeating in my head. The temperatures this winter were completely different than those of winter 2019. This winter’s frigid temperatures have also not been tremendously helpful in the curbing of COVID-19. Late October saw a dramatic increase in cases, which caused an increase in the number of COVID-19 cleanings for our team and this quarter, the number of COVID-19 cleanings that we completed surpassed 400. With the virus’ resurgence, our top priority shifted back to doing all we could to help our communities. After a plethora of experience with COVID-19 cleanings in the spring, we were relieved that we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we only had to harness our experience, refine our process, and provide the best quality services for our community.

While the negative aspects of 2020 may stick with us, it is important to recognize that a lot of good came out of this year’s challenges. Celebrate the good because life is too short to dwell on the disappointments.

I think back to the final sentences on that last holiday card I read in 2020, “…it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” Could there have been more appropriate words to close out the year? As I fold up these sentences and tuck them into my pocket, I know that I am going to take them to heart in 2021. My wish is that you will, too.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Trish and Jim Wall