For some odd reason I ended up in Orlando the week of the NBA finals. And for some other odd reason I’m staying in a hotel where the new associates of the Truly Nolen pest control company are being trained. The story I’ve been told by one of Truly’s 30+ year veteran employees is that 81-year old Mr. Truly’s father started the company in Miami in 1938. Young Truly wasn’t really interested in the glamour-less business,though. But as luck would have it, he found himself on the way to Tucson, Arizona when his car broke down. Short of cash, he bartered his knowledge of how to rid the mechanic’s shop of some pesty vermin for the car repair. Convinced of the value of his service, Truly took over the business. The part of the story I really like happened several years later. Like many businesses, suppliers’ terms and conditions make a bit impact on margin. Growth came to Truly Nolen when he convinced a local supplier to accept advanced payment in exchange for privileged prices and deliveries. These two business people made an agreement and Mr. Truly kept his commitment. The happy ending to the story is supplier and customer became business partners - they outperformed the competition and managed to build a national company which is thriving even in today’s economy. Build a partnership on common sense and mutual benefit - and a relationship on character and accountability - and thrive! For more on the business check them out at www.trulynolen.com.