Getting Personal With Sharon Lobel
- Published: March 31, 2006, By PFFC staff
Experience Speaks
How did you get into the converting business?
It was a few years after the Tylenol scare. I was working for someone else and never got what was promised. So I said, this is the right time to do this. There were so few people doing it then.
How would you describe your management style?
I have an open-door policy, literally. The big joke around here is that I should have numbers outside my office. People are always coming in, often with suggestions. Some say, ‘I work on the line all day, and this would be a better way of doing it.’ I never brush anyone off—I listen. Our people know they’re part of the company. When customers come to visit, everyone—workers on the line, our porter, everyone—is excited. When the customer leaves, they ask me, ‘Did they like us, was everything okay?’ When people feel part of the company, they do a good job.
| At a Glance |
|---|
| Seal-It Inc. 70 Schmitt Blvd. Farmingdale, NY 11735 |
| sealitinc.com |
| Founded in 1986 |
| 2 plants/250 employees |
| Specialties: Manufactures, converts, and prints heat-shrink films for shrink labels, tamper-evident shrink bands, and sleeves for multipacks. |
What are you most proud of in your business?
How much we have accomplished, the high quality of what we do, and our customer service, which is the best. We have only one hard and fast rule around here: You aren’t allowed to start a sentence with ‘no.’ There’s always a way to work things out. Even if we’re out of something, don’t say ‘no.’ Say, ‘maybe we can substitute. We can do something.’
What challenges have you faced running a woman-owned business?
I’ve never looked at it as a ‘woman-owned’ business. I’m just a person who had an idea, went into business, and did well with it. I’ve had my obstacles, like everyone, but I never thought it was because I was a woman. If it was, I was oblivious to it!
Is there anything in your background that made you that way?
I guess I have good self-esteem, and it takes a lot to insult me. You have to have a thick skin.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Follow your dream. People will be negative, but don’t listen. When I opened my first plant and told people I wanted to do my own printing and be self-sufficient, they said, ‘Don’t do it, you don’t know anything about printing.’ Or, ‘Just get a one-color press.’ I bought a six-color press, and I was very successful with it. You can’t be afraid of losing, of taking a risk. If you are, this isn’t for you.
