Going to Germany in July was one of the best experiences I've ever had in my life. I was part of the Lägler Fly and Sand trip to Frauenzimmern, Germany-the home of Lägler sanders. We had two days of sightseeing and two days of amazing training on sanding procedures and machine maintenance. I loved visiting with the people of the country and I really respect the character of the Germans; they have a friendly attitude in combination with a passion for producing quality.
Going to Germany in July was one of the best experiences I've ever had in my life. I was part of the Lägler Fly and Sand trip to Frauenzimmern, Germany-the home of Lägler sanders. We had two days of sightseeing and two days of amazing training on sanding procedures and machine maintenance. I loved visiting with the people of the country and I really respect the character of the Germans; they have a friendly attitude in combination with a passion for producing quality.
The contractors I met on the trip were absolutely so diverse and genuine that it was uncanny. We had pretty much every region of the U.S. represented on the trip, and I can tell you that I learned a lot about the business of floors around the country. At first, the trip started off in a way that seemed like people were going to form into exclusive little cliques, but in the end we all grew stronger as a group and had a perfect dynamic in my eyes, especially because Ellis Felter was part of the trip. He was the real glue of the group because he always had some funny perspective on life.
Floor guys are an interesting bunch sometimes because we have strong opinions on how to do things. The people in our group all have their own methods, but what I found so unique was that everyone was interested in learning from each other. Talk to most other guys at a distributor barbecue and you'll usually end up in a verbal pissing match, but this group wasn't like that. We all really shared one common bond of being passionate about a perfect floor and still being relaxed enough to have fun on the trip.
Okay, so a lot of guys must want to know about the partying and the beer in Germany. I'm not going to give up all of my stories unless you come to convention and we talk in person, but I'll tell you that the food was more interesting to me than the beer. I love food and I can tell you that Karl Lägler knows how to feed his guests quite well. I found that I really liked schnitzel (and my friend Ken Pawlik who goes by Ram Schnitzel now) and I also like the bread in Germany. I also liked the fact that I could buy pretty much anything I need at the local gas station, from beer, to great espresso, to racing fuel.
Life takes so many unexpected turns and most are for the best if you keep an open mind. I had no plans to go to Germany this summer until I got an e-mail within five weeks of the trip. It took a lot to get my passport renewed, including a day trip to Seattle, but I made it happen for this opportunity. Now that I'm back the next few weeks are going to be crazy dealing with the final push before summer ends. I'm sure I'll be achy, irritable, and tired, but the thing that will keep me happy and seeking quality is when I think about all of my friends in the business. When it's 7 p.m. and I finish my final coat covered in dust, I'll be thinking about Ken Pawlik and his Chinese tattoo while I listen to Rammstein.
Thanks to all my friends in the industry. You make me want to be a better contractor and better person because of our time together. Let's connect soon.
