Tips from the trenches: Advice for small business success In this business Q&A, Chris Johnson of Piper Fire Protection shares lessons learned while growing his company.
You can learn a lot working at a grocery store as a kid. Like how to treat customers. That lesson stuck with Chris Johnson, President of Piper Fire Protection, guiding him to grow his family’s business in Central Florida.
When Chris began working for his dad twenty years ago, there were three people in the company; his father Terry, Chris, and a part-time technician. Chris’ bedroom served as the office and to supplement his income he delivered pizzas at night.
Today, Piper Fire Protection has 155 employees and provides inspection services, fire detection, alarm, and suppression systems. Recently they achieved a new milestone when they moved to a new 50,000 square foot headquarters building in the heart of Pinellas County, Florida.
I interviewed Chris and asked him to share his journey to success as a small business owner.
Ron Stein is President of FastPath Marketing (www.marketing-strategies-guide.com). He works with small business owners, helping them to energize their marketing and sell more of their products and services. Ron has developed his own highly successful 7-step approach to winning new customers as a result of his experience as a small business owner, corporate CEO, marketing and business development executive, salesman, and mentor at two nationally recognized business accelerators. Ron offers one-on-one and small group mentoring, conducts seminars, and consults. He can be reached at 727-398-1855 or Ron@FastPathMarketing.com.
