Success Isn't For Sissies

About a Leading Storage Equipment and Handling Company If there was a secret for success in business, no one told Don Burski, president of Solve Needs International, when he began over 40 years ago

What he did have was an old-fashioned European work ethic with four grandparents from Poland. Besides perseverance and integrity, he also likes people, which he says is "a must in the business."

After a stint in Korea and getting a college degree, he became a leader in the storage equipment and handling business for a total of over 20,000 different customers, including the U.S Navy submarine service.

His current 8,000 customer base is a long way from his humble beginning, working out of his basement with five young kids and his secretary-wife using his high school typewriter. Don recalls that his first sales call resulted in a $500.00 sale. He also figured out how to effectively store over 16,000 different parts for ARTCO (Arctic Cat).

With a lot of hard work and a firm belief in customer service came a superior knowledge of storage equipment and a material handling products, including who and what his competitors were.

Along the way Don made some smart business moves, such as the purchase of 25 semi-truck loads of used storage racks from Ford Motor Company.

He also acquired and has a subsidiary, one of the world's largest storage equipment and material handling companies, ECOA (Equipment Company of America). One result of this acquisition was a $65,000 order from South America.

Another unusual offering and one that many customers really appreciate is Don's ability to produce and sell custom bin box sizes in orders as small as 500 pieces. Don's advice to other like-business owners is to have a good CPA firm that will allow you to compare gross profit with net profit.

A constant sales effort is also a must, as 20% of your customer base will be going out of business each year. The present location was acquired in 1985 and was an old, large, dilapidated machine shop. Over the years and many thousands of dollars later, the building has evolved into a state of the art warehouse and office building, better able to solve the customers' needs.

"Solve Needs International" is doing well with thousands of different storage equipment and material handling products from aluminum hand trucks to work benches and spare parts. The list is endless. If a product needs to be stored or moved "we have it as we handle over 750 different manufacturers products in our field."