Finding Neverland

Don’t let your business mature too quickly, says Steve Napieralski, president at OZ Lifting.

If you want your business to fly, be like Peter Pan. Never Grow Up.

I don’t believe my company will ever truly become an adult. In fact, I sprinkle it with fairy dust every morning to make sure that it doesn’t.

There is something to be said for always keeping a goal just out of arm’s reach and, if the supposed utopia is to become fully grown, mature, and eventually withered, I’m not sure I want it anyway.

When J. M. Barrie created his fictional character, he was onto something. Although, in real life, my firm is preparing to turn 20 years old, it doesn’t feel like that. Nor do I want any of my 25 full-time staff reporting for duty thinking they are working for an organisation that is complete.

‘Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?’

Noah’s arc

There have been many moments lately where I’ve pondered the meaning of life and business, having become a grandfather for the first time. My eldest daughter, Emma, recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, called Noah. My wife, Jane, and I have delighted in the family expanding into another generation. My other daughter, Lizzy, is settling into Auntie duties and we’ve loved spending time together with the new arrival naturally centre of attention.

Unfortunately, no amount of pixie dust in the world will stop Noah growing up way too quickly but, while we can slow the lifecycle of a business, there are many synergies that do exist between family and the corporate world. Happily married to Jane for 36 great years, the two facets of my life have dovetailed now for nearly four decades.

We have strived to be the best parents we can be. Providing for our children has been our top priority and working hard has been central to that objective. I could chart the journey from when I started in the lifting industry in 1988, working for a manufacturer of equipment, but opening my first business in 1995 was really when I began to explore Neverland.

Prior to launching my current company, I was nine years into my rep business, uneasy about the 30-day contracts I had with each of the companies I represented. I knew I had strong relationships with all the distributors that I called on, so I thought, why not leverage them? I was fortunate to meet two Australians that were looking for a U.S. exclusive distributor of their hoist equipment.

Since then, I’ve grown as a person and leader. As a father, I’ve been there to help my children through life, allowing them to make mistakes and learn from them. I’ve taught them to treat people with respect and encouraged them to be the very best that they can be. Now, as a grandfather, I believe my role will be to continue to support and help the whole family.

As a company owner, these tasks have been mirrored. I remember getting my first big customer; it was like watching Emma and Lizzy walking for the first time. I sat in the company’s huge auditorium waiting to learn if they were going to promote my product. When they came in and said they were committing to me, it was a feeling that I will never forget. I knew with their support I was going to make it. I wasn’t naive; as with my daughters, I knew the company had a long journey ahead. But it gave me the confidence that I had products that would interest the industrial community.

Youthful exuberance

It’s in these magical moments — they feel like chapters of fiction — that you should live as a business owner and make sure that a corporation never truly grows out of them. It’s not about stunting growth; quite the opposite. It’s a belief in the ability to fly, empowered by constant learning. I think of my company as entering its teenage years, and I don’t want it to grow through them anywhere near as quickly as Emma and Lizzy did.

Consider the frequency with which a young person falls and makes mistakes. Each and every one of these moments is a learning opportunity. Adults, by contrast, develop a mentality whereby they think they know everything and when things go wrong it’s someone else’s fault or they have been the victim of circumstance. Very few adults — at least sober ones — believe they can fly and, as J. M. Barrie wrote, ‘The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.’

Youthfulness has a certain immunity about it too. Old, rugged companies are susceptible to cyclical downturns and market trends. They get over excited by favourable climes and pessimistic when there’s a bump in the road. Smart business leaders, meanwhile, recognise that one must not get too high when times are good, and not too low when they are not. Take the positives where they exist but always look at the glass half full when the pressure is on; what can you learn from the experience?

It’s a sad reality of life that society tends to convince us that the younger we are, the more enjoyment we are allowed to have. I wholeheartedly reject that, but I do subscribe to the idea that fun and happiness help families and businesses to thrive. I’m a positive person and want to be around positive people. Good business leaders are demanding of their individuals and team functions but allow time to enjoy each other’s company and the wider process.

We sponsor a number of young people — the youngest is just 10 years old — who race stock cars. I might not know my ‘B-mods’ as well as the enthusiasts I’ve met recently, but that’s not the point. We put on a racing night a few weeks ago and everyone is still buzzing. We hold regular social events, sometimes grilling out, and other times getting food in. Regardless, it’s about creating a young, fun, energised community for everyone to call their second family. Here, they can fly.

It’s why I continue to scoff at the idea of selling up. Haven’t you noticed; I’m having way too much fun for that? We have a growing distributor network across North America and are preparing to move for a fourth time into a 40,000 square-foot facility. It sits on five acres so there is plenty of scope to expand it even further. Little Noah might even work there one day.

Adulthood is a long way off.

Think a happy thought.

‘Second star to the right and straight on ’til morning.’