Olberding Brand Family

Unlocking the Potential of Smiles: The Universal Language of Connection Smiles effortlessly transcend the barriers of culture, language, and social status. They form a universal language, communicating warmth, friendliness, and an eagerness to connect with others. Across backgrounds and spoken languages, a smile conveys camaraderie and acceptance, fostering meaningful interactions and a sense of belonging. The simple act of smiling sets off a chain reaction of positive emotions, benefiting everyone. When we smile, our brains release endorphins, those delightful neurotransmitters that promote feelings of happiness and well-being. This not only uplifts our mood but also reduces stress, enhancing our overall emotional state. A shared smile effortlessly creates a positive and inviting atmosphere, capable of brightening someone's day with a gesture of kindness. Moreover, smiling is intricately linked to emotional well-being, serving as a potent tool to uplift our spirits, especially during challenging times. It redirects our focus to positivity, enabling us to nurture resilience and adopt a more optimistic outlook. By smiling, we gracefully navigate through difficulties, fortified by a sense of inner strength and positivity. The benefits of smiling extend beyond emotional well-being to encompass our physical health. Research suggests that smiling can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, and bolster our immune system. It induces relaxation, diminishes perception of pain, and contributes to overall cardiovascular health. Smiling regularly becomes a vital component of holistic well-being, promoting a healthier and happier lifestyle. A smile initiates a ripple effect, spreading joy and positivity to those around us. It prompts reciprocal smiles, igniting a chain reaction of happiness. This simple act of kindness has the remarkable ability to brighten someone's day, uplifting spirits and fostering positive energy. A single smile holds the power to make the world a kinder and more compassionate place. Cultivating smiling as a habit not only enhances our own well-being but also spreads joy to those we encounter. Begin each day with a smile, extend warm greetings to others, and seek reasons to smile throughout the day. By embracing the inherent power of our smiles, we become catalysts for joy, kindness, and positivity. Let your smile emanate from within, illuminating a future brimming with compassion and brightness for all.

HOW WE INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE FOR FUTURE GROWTH In an industry where mergers and acquisitions are commonplace, we made the decision long ago to remain a family-owned business. By choosing to grow organically, we have been able to maintain the culture that has helped us succeed throughout our history. As we’ve grown, that’s meant investing time and resources to support our team members and to encourage their growth to ensure we have the talented professionals our business needs to expand. When it comes to hiring and promoting, my philosophy is: “Get the right people on the bus, in the right seat.” Which is often, of course, easier said than done. So how do we know who will be a good fit? We have made a long-term commitment to leadership training to identify and develop those individuals internally who we believe can help us grow. We have a dedicated head of training who guides an ongoing leadership development program. Individuals from within the organization (we call them our ‘internal clients’) who seek to develop their leadership skills are invited to apply and, every year, 30 people are selected to go through this intensive, year-long program of classroom instruction and personal mentoring. In addition, another leader on our team focuses solely on the client experience for both our internal and external clients. We are dedicated to maintaining a creative atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to provide input on ways to enhance the environment to feel appreciated, engaged, empowered, and professionally fulfilled. Finding the right person from inside our organization isn’t always possible though. This is especially true when making a step-change with our technical scope and creative capabilities, which are essential to continual growth in an industry driven by innovation. Rather than promoting achievers out of jobs they excel at into jobs that aren’t necessarily a good fit (which isn’t healthy for them or their careers), our two-prong approach to sustaining growth also includes searching outside our organization to find the people with new skills we need to help our clients (and ourselves) succeed and grow. When people ask what business achievement I’m most proud of, I always say it's especially rewarding to drive into our parking lot and see all the cars. I’m proud that for more than 100 years we’ve been able to create good jobs and that we continue to provide our people with the opportunity to grow. By remaining privately held, we can focus on what’s best for our clients—both external and internal—unlike our publicly held competitors, where layoffs are baked into meeting revenue targets. At Olberding Brand Family, we’re in it for multigenerational growth and long-term success.

A little Friday inspiration: The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both. – Lawrence Pearsall Jacks