The final day of the convention has come and gone, and I'm left feeling tired, but inspired. A couple weeks before we were scheduled to leave, our general manager broke her foot while she was out walking. Usually that would see an end to any and all plans for flights or driving, let alone walking around a massive convention center! Lucky for us, our manager has a will of steel, because she came along anyway, crutches and all. Her dedication to our group of employees goes above and beyond a simple manager, and that can be said for every member of the managerial team. Each of them have different opinions on how to help the company run smoothly, and of course they don't always see eye to eye, but where they always come together is their passion for their customers, and their crew.
I was fortunate enough to see first hand how much time and energy the team put behind making sure their employees were cared for. There seems to be a rough dichotomy when it comes to how businesses big or small view their employees. Not all large corporations are soulless behemoths that eat up workers and spit out product, and not all small businesses are wholesome families who watch each others backs. On some level as a consumer we all understand and accept that reality, and we may never know the whole story behind our favorite pair of shoes or socks for that matter, but I can say with confidence that the members of the Sock City managerial staff truly want the best, and work for the best, for their employees. The title family wouldn't be out of place here at all.
As I followed our little team through the belly of the convention, I began to understand what it takes to drive an idea forward. Its not the innovation, ideas or materials that move the market along its ever changing trajectory. Its the people. The smiling face behind the counter, the quite droves of individuals behind the scenes who make it look easy, and never complain when a little extra push is needed. The determined "bosses" who wonder how and when it all became so big, and how, step by step, they pushed forward, and continue to push forward, always keeping an eye towards the destination.