In business, the best companies often become great by learning from other companies. It’s not crime to steal inspiration on how to run your organization from business leaders and companies that have been successful. For some, that might be the likes of GE’s Jack Welch or Apple under the direction of Steve Jobs; for others, it might be fellow GAWDA distributors and suppliers who serve as inspiration.
When I talked with Norco CEO Jim Kissler recently, he talked about how the Boise, Idaho-based distributor has gained inspiration from other companies within and outside of the industry. “When we were planning one of our fill locations, we traveled to the industry to learn as much as we could,” he says. In turn, Kissler has welcomed industry members to learn from Norco. “It’s the smartest and brightest operators who come here. They put their egos aside and learn by networking within the industry,” he adds.
Outside of the industry, Norco drew inspiration from Shopko and a local hospital for the design of its central warehouse. The results are a one-of-a-kind warehouse that you won’t find anywhere else in the gases and welding industry…at least not yet—maybe this will serve as inspiration for another company. You can get a look inside Norco’s central warehouse in the latest GAWDA Member Profile and in the video below.
Interestingly, Kissler himself was named a “CEO of Influence” by the Idaho Business Review last year. Even the great ones learn from somewhere, and perhaps the ability to give credit where credit is due is part of being great.
Who or what inspires your company? What successful businesses have served as a model for your processes? Share by leaving a comment or send me a message on Twitter to @GasWeldEdge.
Take a look behind the scenes of Norco’s amazing warehouse: