Page 78 - February2019

wholesale market
A Letter To Myself
BY JOHN VENA
Dear John Vena (age 36):
I have been following your career for some time now,
and there are a few things I want to tell you. Congratula- tions on nally quitting cigarettes. Regarding your cus- tomers and suppliers — go see them more often. Take more time for your children and your wife. Not too much more, but some. Get a truck on the road. And nally, dream a little bigger, plan a little farther out.
Sincerely,
John Vena (age 66)
P.S. Say thank you – a lot.
GO MORE: Make more regular visits to customers, potential cus- tomers and suppliers. During my time as a salesman, I often stopped in to see our retail customers. I visited customers that were near- by in Center City, South Philadelphia, and our
roadside market customers in New Jersey. I had
good relationships with them and enjoyed vis-
iting them. Unfortunately, I didn’t take enough
time to see customers that represented new
opportunities or that were inconveniently far
away. The business would have bene ted from
the new ideas, relationships and intelligence
generated by such visits.
In the late 1980s, I began to travel to our
overseas suppliers in Holland, Belgium and Is-
rael. I didn’t think I could spend too much time
away from the business, so I convinced myself
those visits were my “vacations.” My wife of-
ten accompanied me when our kids were old
enough to be left with a sitter, so that reinforced
my thinking. However, I didn’t vary the destina-
tions much and tended to visit the same suppli-
ers. I should have spent time in the production areas in the Domin- ican Republic, Central America, Texas and California. Visiting elds, greenhouses and packing facilities is the best way to understand an item and the dif culties faced by the producer. It enhances your relationship with the grower and his team and allows you to provide rst-hand product knowledge and good stories for your customers.
DELIVER MORE: When I started in the industry, most of our cus- tomers picked up their own product or arranged third-party trucks. We did not have a truck of our own and relied on the customers to manage that service. Many small chains and independent supermar- kets in those days did not have distribution centers, and store door delivery was common. A few “gypsy” truckers dominated that seg- ment of the business. However, most failed to update equipment or provide any services other than delivery. I often spotted their trucks broken down on the streets around the Market or under the scrutiny
78 / FEBRUARY 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Those trucks pro- vided a steady income in nes to the state and were instrumental in shaping my own negative attitude about operating a truck of my own.
As those delivery service providers were forced out or left the in- dustry, the door was opened for well-run companies to provide not only produce but delivery as well. We had made a conscious deci- sion, based on our assessment of what we were capable of doing, not to have our own trucks. It made sense based on our product line at the time, since most of our products were low-volume specialty items. But we waited too long to change our minds about trucking. Five years ago, we identi ed delivery as a key to our future. We should have made this commitment 25 years ago. The percentage of custom- ers requiring delivery grows every year, and we are late to the table.
PLAY MORE: My parents had a second home in a beach town, and that provided some opportunities to get away with my family. I did a fair job of allocating time to attend my chil- dren’s school plays, sports and extra-curricular activities. And yes, I coached little kid soccer and baseball. Of course, that meant that any free time I found was spent in the overly structured system of youth sports. However, I never had a hobby in those days. Perhaps I should have tak- en up golf. I have often regretted that I did not. I feel like I missed the chance to bond with friends and, certainly, I missed the chance to deepen relationships with customers and suppliers. I would not have been a great golfer, but I hear it
is a lovely way to spend the afternoon.
DREAM MORE: Most importantly, dream bigger. Plan further ahead and take the com- pany deeper. Very often, we are consumed by the everyday demands of the business. As so many business authors and pundits say, “Work on the business, not in the business.” I doubt that 36-year-old me would have listened. At that time, I was having a good time buy- ing and selling fresh produce. We had a small team and we worked hard, but we were on a mission to sell the produce. I took some risks with technology and product lines, but those decisions were care- fully considered and not really that risky. I satis ed the needs of the company at that time, but I should have been looking more at future
needs and possibilities.
ONE MORE THING: Be sure to say thank you to those that men-
tor and advise you. The business would not be here today without them. pb
John Vena is the owner of John Vena Inc., a family-owned-and-operated produce business located in the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. Founded in 1919, the company is a fourth-generation family business bear- ing the name of John Vena’s grandfather.
But we waited too long to change our minds about trucking. Five years ago, we identi ed delivery as a key to our future. We should have made this commitment 25 years ago.