Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Ed Burak, president of Hudson Awning and Sign Co. Inc.

Published On: January 1, 1970

What is your industry prediction?

On the commercial landscape, new construction is incorporating automatic shading systems and window systems instead of awnings; I think that’s where our thrust is going to have to be.

What is your business philosophy?

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t—you’re right. The frame of mind you have when you approach a problem or potential customer is what dictates the outcome.

What is your important lesson learned?

It is your employees who are the most important aspect of a business. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.

What is your business challenge?

Teaching your sales staff not to sell to price. You can’t win when you sell to price, but you can win when you sell to a story, to a process, and to having the customer invested in you and knowing what the process is.

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn.