Surviving and thriving for 100 years

By Lisa Maddux

It’s a milestone that seems custom-made for nostalgia in the form of sepia-toned photographs, old ledger books and family anecdotes.

Being in business for 100 years — when it seems so many operations open and close within a calendar year — is no small feat.

But even with a century of history to draw upon, longtime Capital Region businesses say a key part of staying successful is looking ahead.

“You don’t want to be following people around. You want to be there before them,” said Sid Cook, owner of Carr Valley Cheese in LaValle. Cook’s family began making cheese in Wisconsin in 1883 and the current business began with the LaValle plant in 1902.

“It’s been an interesting journey,” said Cook, a fourth-generation cheesemaker.

Trying to anticipate the future — both the problems and the possibilities — is something Cook said has helped his cheese company survive for so long.

Cook believes Carr Valley is well-positioned to weather the current economic downturn because it didn’t catch them by surprise. Difficult times are to be expected, he said, noting that when he bought the business from his father in 1976, times were tough because more cheese was being made in California and specialty cheeses were not very common.

“You want to be in a niche market before everyone else — then take it to the mainstream,” Cook said.

“We have a pretty good idea of the new thing,” he said, declining to share “new thing.” “It’s really all about positioning and being in the right place at the right time.”

In the time that Cook has owned the company, Carr Valley has developed its own brand of cheese while continuing to produce for private labels and create a variety of new cheeses.

“There’s a lot of opportunity out there — it’s just knowing where those opportunities are and taking advantage of it.”

Joan F. Gillman, director of special industry programs for the UW-Madison School of Business, said hitting the 100-year mark does not automatically give a business competitive standing.

“It’s not necessarily an advantage or a disadvantage, but it is a cause for celebration,” she said.

However, having survived tough times — such as the Great Depression and various recessions — may help longtime businesses survive if they use the knowledge to their advantage.

“They have a very different view of survival,” Gillman said, adding that, “Some businesses are really good at passing on the lessons learned and some aren’t.”

Gillman — who is the former director of the Small Business Development Center, where she remains a counselor — noted that the business landscape has changed drastically in 100 years.

“The competition is now global,” she said. “I have so much information about the product or service today ... and I can have everything delivered to my door.”

“Is it harder to do business today? Absolutely.”

In century-old businesses, from cheese making to banking, the philosophy of looking forward appears constant.

State Bank of Cross Plains celebrated 100 years last year. The company has offices in Cross Plains, Madison, Middleton, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Waunakee and Verona — the latter of which was the Independent Bank of Verona for more than 100 years until the two merged in 2006.

Bank vice president for sales and marketing Dawn Ferguson said the century milestone was significant for the bank, and that history is something in which they take great pride. But similar to Carr Valley Cheese, she stressed the importance of looking to the future.

How has the bank managed to stay in business for 100 years? “You have to stay current,” Ferguson said, and that means keeping up with new technology and making sure employees properly trained in that technology. Bank officials are not satisfied to keep things the way they are if there’s a chance to do something better, she said.

Case in point: The business will launch a mobile banking effort early next year in a push to be at the forefront of consumer technology. While State Bank of Cross Plains is not the first to try mobile banking, Ferguson said the practice still is relatively new.

“We’re going to be ahead of the game,” she said, noting that customers have not been asking for the service yet. But, like ATMs and online banking, she said technology continues to drive the industry and those who are successful in it.

Gillman said modern times and expectations require this type of advanced thinking from successful businesses, whether they are well established or newcomers.

“Now, it’s newer is better,” she said. “People are starting businesses today. They’re starting newer, better, faster.”

In a time when a consumer can stand in a store and use a phone to check the sales or prices in another store, it’s easy to see how competition has risen through the roof.

“The complexity of doing business has increased,” she said.

In a service-oriented business of another kind, Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services in Watertown has spent 105 years with one unwavering focus.

“We’ve had one mission. The organization has not deviated from that one bit,” said Bethesda President and CEO John E. Bauer.

Front and center on the organization’s Web site is its mission: “To enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through services that share the good news of Jesus Christ.”

Bauer said keeping focused on that mission is part of what has led to the group’s longevity, but that doesn’t mean things haven’t changed.

For instance, the organization primarily serves adults today, where its population used to be mostly children. At one point in its history, about 700 clients lived at the Watertown facility. These days, only about 120 live there, but more than 2,000 people are served in a variety of other settings.

“It’s not only been adaptable, but in many ways has been on the leading edge,” Bauer said of Bethesda’s efforts to help its target population. “The landscape continues to change.”

Bauer said Bethesda often looks for new opportunities to expand its work but never deviates from its core mission.

He also credited many of the group’s leaders over the years along with the governing boards that allowed the proper work to be done. Bauer has been in his position since last year.

Bauer noted — as did Cook and Ferguson — the importance of dedicated, knowledgeable workers. With about 3,000 employees, Bethesda has quite a workforce to keep energized.

“Absolutely everything we do has to be first rate because our clients deserve it,” Bauer said, explaining the dedication of the employees and what he said is a fairly low industry turnover rate (28 percent as opposed to the standard of 45 percent).

That personal connection is one that also drives Casey McGann and his employees at McGann Furniture in Baraboo.

“I think it’s important when your name is on the building,” said McGann, who in 1983 became the fourth generation in his family to own the downtown Baraboo fixture, which began in 1903.

McGann’s pride in what he does extends to his staff, where he also points to a very low turnover rate. “I have got quality, quality people working for me,” he said, noting that one of those people is his wife, Jane, who specializes in interior design and buying. “This business wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my wife.”

As a retail business owner, he likes to promote the kind of shopping experience he himself expects — knowledgeable sales people, quality products and a relaxed selling atmosphere. McGann knows that if he offers the best, people will respond.

“You get what you pay for — my grandfather told me that 50 years ago,” he said, speaking of former owner Jack McGann.

Working from one store in downtown Baraboo, McGann said he probably knows 75 percent to 80 percent of the city’s residents. Madison is second to the local market in terms of customers, he said. And again, it’s often customer service that McGann believes will give him an edge over competitors.

“The loyalty thing is not what it used to be, but it helps,” McGann said. “You’ve got to think that people care about you.”

Even in something that could seem as impersonal as banking, Ferguson said the personal interaction is a key part of State Bank of Cross Plain’s success.

“It’s not easy,” she said. “We’re very proud of being 100 years old.”

Sid Cook of Carr Valley echoed the importance of passion and dedication in a longtime business, coupled with ability and desire. Just because a business has been in the family for generations successfully doesn’t mean it will automatically continue, he said. n
 

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