This issue's advice comes from Rusty Hanks at Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Kenworthy Hardwood Flooring:
John Prater at Prater's Inc./Prater's Athletic Flooring had the biggest impact on my career; I worked for John for about three years and decided to go for it on my own in the residential wood flooring business (17 years strong and counting). I apply what John taught me into my company every day, and we have had unbelievable success. He always stressed to me the importance of being on time and doing exactly what the contract called for and then some. John always taught me to leave the job site cleaner than you found it and to go the extra mile for the client, because in the long run it would pay off for the future of the company or my future in the business, even outside the company. He also taught me that quality is always more important than quantity and to never settle at being good at what you do, but to strive at being the best at what you do and you'll learn something new every day. I'm not yet the best, but I'm still striving to be, and I'm learning and teaching all my guys to be their best every day. Little does John Prater know it all started by him giving me a chance that had a huge impact on my career.
