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Anniversary Memory: 2003 and 2018, the Common Thread of Hope

May 17, 2018
E.V. Thompson

In 2003, the country saw the developments and events that would define not only the year but the decade. We saw the development of the Department of Homeland Security and shared a collective exhale with the capture of Saddam Hussein. The completion of the Human Genome Project forever changed medicine and the implementation of the Do Not Call list gave us the sense that we still had a little control over our privacy. Closer to home, thousands of Harley motorcycle owners where rumbling into Milwaukee for the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. 

Though it might not have made national headlines, Lemberg celebrated an important milestone as well -- one that takes on new meaning this year as we celebrate once again. In 2003, Lemberg ushered in its 75th year in business and 10 years as an ESOP company. According to the Small Business Association, Lemberg is considered a small business, defined as having 500 or less employees. In 2003, small business optimism was on an upswing that would last a few years before bottoming out in 2009 with the recession. Lemberg survived, lay-off free. 

We are thankful for the loyalty of the customers who helped us celebrate our 75th. We know that's a loyalty we have to earn every day and being able to call on these same customers in our 90th year is a privilege. Below is a special message from 2003 that reminds us how important relationships -- and the people who build them -- really are. 

75-yr-signed-congrats

Beating the Odds

Obtaining longevity in business actually defeats the odds. According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses Research Foundation (www.nfib-sbet.org), 70% of businesses fail in the first 10 years. William Lemberg began his business in 1928, the year before the stock market crashed. He not only found a way to survive the next 10 years, his family was able to turn a healthy business over the the employees in 1992.  

And though Lemberg isn't technically family-owned, our ESOP status encompasses an entrepreneurial mindset that is very dependent on individual contributions at the smallest level. The NFIB offers these nine secrets to keeping a family business afloat still apply. 

  1. Have a strategy.
  2. Innovate.
  3. Earn the position.
  4. Communicate.
  5. Be transparent.
  6. Divide roles.
  7. Set boundaries.
  8. Look outside the family.
  9. Have perspective. 

We'd like to add one more ingredient to this secret sauce: Give the customer a quality experience. In fact, it's so important that we made it part of our mission. 

Thanks to all our customers who've been loyal throughout the years. Here's to 90 more years of partnership!