The recession has been tough on everyone. I continually hear from our distributors that while this has been a trying time it’s also been one marked with invaluable lessons. A distributor in Texas recently told me that while business is down and the market pressure is up, he is glad because has learned more about his business in nine months than in nine years.

I’ve been thinking the same way.

I’ve had the opportunity to talk with more customers this year than ever before, and I’ve learned more about both your businesses, and ours. You’ve taught me that the most important thing for Earnest
to do is to be a Partner, to be more than just price and delivery and to add more value to what we do. In fact the catalyst behind our offer to ship you the exact quantity you need (“less is more”) came from
a customer who said that was the value she needed to find in a true partner relationship. When she needs eleven pieces, we ship her eleven pieces. When the market improves and she needs eleven
thousand…we’re ready.

Your business drives what we do and we are eager to partner with you to deliver exactly what you need. If you just need price and delivery, we can do that. When you need more from a partner, when you need your logo on the boxes, an exact quantity in each one, and a guy dressed in a gorilla suit to deliver it, we’ll make it happen.

You’ve helped us build a business that we are proud to call Earnest. I firmly believe the last eighteen months are so have provided tough lessons that will ultimately make each of us stronger. Things will turn around and together, as partners, we can take what we’ve learned and we can grow together, succeed together and win together.

Kirk Zehnder
President
kpz@earnestmachine.com