Attention to Detail Pays Off
Dave Barhite
Co-Owner, Arvada Vacuum
www.arvadavacuum.com
TAB member since 2006
On working with Blair Koch: "With Blair, it's all about you. Her focus is on the success of your business," says Barhite. He appreciates Koch's integrity, her skill as a facilitator, her depth of business experience and knowledge, and the fact that she holds him accountable. "This woman wants you to succeed and she holds the pedal to the metal," says Barhite.
The client: Dave Barhite and his family bought Arvada Vacuum, a retail establishment that sells high-end home appliances, in 1992. The company has been in business since 1973. Barhite, his wife, Pat, and several of their grown children are involved in the business.
The business challenge: Barhite wanted to take Arvada Vacuum to the next level and felt he needed both support and new knowledge in order to achieve his long-term goals. "We needed more business savvy about how to find funding for the growth of the business and how to upgrade our systems to be able to grow," says Barhite.
On considering TAB: Barhite and his wife decided to go to an introductory TAB luncheon after receiving an invitation in the mail. When they got there, they liked what they heard and saw. "We had no real reservations once we listened to the presentation and to the people who were actually involved," says Barhite. He was especially drawn to the concepts presented about business growth, thinking "outside the box," and accountability. "As I understood it, it was like having your own board of directors," he says.
The TAB experience: Barhite says that when he first began the TAB process, he wondered whether he would be able to get answers from other people about his business and if he would have enough to contribute to others in the group. As it turned out, he had nothing to worry about on either point. "The synergy that happens in the meetings amazes me to this day," he says. "I'll go in with nothing particular on my mind and by the time the meeting is over I have pages of notes. I always glean something from what's going on with other people." And, Barhite has been pleased to find that, even though he is the only retail business owner in his group, he has plenty to offer in the way of ideas and feedback to his peers. "Everybody brings a lot to the table. The diversity [among the members] allows me to have a wide angle view instead of tunnel vision," says Barhite, adding that this helps him make better decisions about his business.
The results: Barhite says the single most important thing he has done in his business since joining TAB is that he now tracks sales data on a daily basis. This allows him to have a much better understanding of where his business is and where it's going. "If you're on the football field and there are no lines, you don't know where you're at and there is no goal," says Barhite. This attention to detail is paying off. "We're running a 39% increase in sales this year," says Barhite. This was accomplished without additional advertising. Instead, Barhite says, "we've changed what we expect out of the business." Barhite has his eye on an even larger goal for next year. He wants to increase sales by an additional 67% and is confident that he can do just that.
Barhite appreciates the fact that TAB focuses attention not only on business, but also on personal goals. "As a business owner, those two are closely related," he says. In Barhite's case, personal goals involve mapping out a plan to turn the business over to his children when he and his wife retire. "We're being taught the advantages of budgeting, not only at the store, but in our personal life. Instead of flailing at the end, we'll know how to step out . . . move into retirement and know the income that will be available," says Barhite.
