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Anonymous Distributor Image above ©istockphoto.com/The-Tor. Success always starts with failure. H usqvarna’s Orangeburg, S.C., manu- facturing plant contains more than 1 million square feet of production and distribution space, producing consis- tently high-quality units and parts. This plant typically produces riding lawn trac- tors, tillers and snow throwers primarily for the North American market. But when Husqvarna’s Beatrice, Neb., factory was closed and its production as- similated into the Orangeburg plant, along with introducing an ambitious number of new product launches, production prob- lems (“an increase in material complexity,” Husqvarna stated) resulted in lower pro- duction, fewer shipments and higher costs. Even you and I can figure out that a result like that translates into unhappy retailers, distributors and dealers. Knowing the quality of current Husq- varna leadership corporately and at their production facilities, their customers un- derstood that it would just be a matter of time before changes in production processes would pay off with reduced labor costs and on-time delivery. And it has. There is finally “light at the end of the tunnel.” While sales have been affected and cus- tomers upset, improvements and invest- ments in processes and facilities will result in a stronger and brighter future for Husq- varna and its customers. And that’s good for all of its customers and our industry. The Southern Baptists recently held their annual convention in Phoenix, Ariz., where they passed a resolution affirming the literal existence of “Hell.” I hope that knowledge doesn’t upset your day! Per- haps you still have time to “change your ways.” A lot of people in the OPE business are already thinking this particular busi- ness year has a head start on the journey there, if you catch my “drift.” In Tim Harford’s new book Adapt, he argues that success always starts with fail- ure. That is an interesting concept. We all know about Johannes Gutenburg, his moveable-type printing press and Gutenburg Bibles. But did you know the Bible bankrupted him? Gutenburg was a genius, but not much of a businessman. He borrowed money to print the Bible, the most popular book of all time. He ran into debt. He got into an argument with his business partner. The lender sued. His printing presses were confiscated. Who was successful with Gutenburg’s revolutionary printing press? Other printers were, but not Gutenburg. The printing business was revo- lutionized by his printing press. Yet Guten- burg became a bankrupt businessman. There was another business created by Frank Woolworth, a sort of retail Guten- burg. Woolworth had a retail innovation. His retail empire of Woolworth stores be- came one of the largest retailers in the world. By 1997, Woolworth’s was closing its Innovation replaces old ideas with new ideas. The old way of doing things gets wiped out. And that’s how success builds on failure. 8 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com last U.S. store. But his ideas became the basis for chains like Wal-Mart and other big-box stores. Innovation replaces old ideas with new ideas. The old way of doing things gets wiped out. And that’s how suc- cess builds on failure. It’s a selection strongly in favor of the ideas that are working. “You have to get rid of these old ideas and old firms and replace them with something better,” Harford says. “Other- wise, you don’t get economic growth.” Do you believe that the foundation of great success can begin with someone else’s failure? The following service flow chart has been around for some time, but I always chuckle when I see it. You will too. John Quincy Adams said, “If your ac- tions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” That statement is definitely eas- ier to say than to do. But think of the posi- tive impact you could have if you could inspire others to that extent. You would never be forgotten. Contact the Anonymous Distributor at anonymous.distributor@gmail.com or read his blog at www.anonymousdistributor.blog spot.com. OPE Thought-provoking comments, a little satire and wit, and sometimes a challenge or two from an anonymous distributor