National Hardwood Magazine - October 2020

NAFF BULLETIN WHY

NAFF BULLETIN WHY YOU’RE THE HERO OF OUR STORY Customers don’t generally care about your story; they care about their own. That’s why you always make your customer the hero of your story. This is the secret every phenomenally successful business understands. Why? Since the dawn of time, countless stories have been written. Yet from Shakespeare to Spielberg, there are but 7 stories that have ruled the world and connected to our hearts and minds — 1) Overcoming the Monster; 2) Rags to Riches; 3) Transformation; 4) Journey and Return; 5) Quest; 6) Tragedy; and 7) Comedy. Story is atomic! And it’s the one thing that can hold a human being’s attention for hours (besides golf and fishing). The reason stories are so powerful is because they’re organized in such a way that people are compelled to listen. A CHARACTER who wants something encounters a PROBLEM before they can get it. At the peak of their de- spair, a GUIDE steps into their lives, gives them a PLAN, and CALLS THEM TO ACTION. This action helps them avoid FAIL- URE and ends in a SUCCESS. Like the story of Christian Ganahl. He was an Austrian shopkeeper who moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles, with his brother Frank. With building flourishing in Southern California, he saw a need to support local contractors. He started with little money, expertise or support. Guided by the American Dream, in 1884 he seized an opportunity and purchased a lumber company he named the C. Ganahl Lumber Company. A few years later, Christian made a daring move and opened another lumberyard in the area. This “branch theory” was a new business idea at the time. Fast forward through the devastation of the Great Depression, fires, and a world war and he never would have imagined that his little lumber business would grow into a ten location, multi-million Please turn to page 65 BY ALLISON DEFORD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NORTH AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION, COLLIERVILLE, TN 901-860-4131 adeford@northamericanforestfoundation.org 22 OCTOBER 2020 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

Now Offering Rift & Quartered White Oak! Cants being sawn into lumber at the resaw Since 1936 One of three band mills Dry Kilns Walnut Steamer Material Handling System Warehouses S382 Newman Planer Loading a Container for Export Annual Production 22,000,000 Board Feet sawing veneer and sawlogs APPALACHIAN SPECIES AVAILABLE IN 4/4 – 8/4 THICKNESS ASH • HICKORY • POPLAR • RED OAK • WHITE OAK • WALNUT 900,000’ Dry Kiln Capacity • Walnut Steamer • Ripped-to-Width • Planer bhughes@cardinfp.com • kgriffith@cardinfp.com ruthcardin@cardinfp.com • ghamaker@cardinfp.com (423) 837-4041 www.cardinfp.com “Bringing You the Best Mother Nature has to OCTOBER Offer 2020 n NATIONAL Around HARDWOOD the MAGAZINE Globe!” 23