Joel Carmany

Published: March 01, 2008

• President of Consolidated Label Co.

• Management Style | Collaborative

• Recommending | Personal Power by Anthony Robbins

• How did you get into the converting business? I purchased a six-person company.

• What is the biggest threat to the converting industry right now? Lack of growth and the resulting price erosion in the market.

• How do you retain good employees? The key is to treat your employees like family and always try to enrich their lives. We recruit nationwide for employees to find the best. Our approach has been to find raw talent and train for life.

• How do you handle a difficult customer? Make sure we have the right customer service person handling the account and handle with kid gloves.

• What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy the people and the ability to move quickly on a decision and make things happen.

• What do you enjoy least? All the details that revolve around different aspects of managing people's personal problems. The disappointment of seeing a talented person not succeed because they make a few bad decisions that lead them down the wrong road.

• What keeps you up at night with regard to your business? Where to make the right investments for the future.

• What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started out? I would have started my own business right out of college, because it all comes down to common sense and good judgment and usually you either have these traits or you don't.

• What's the biggest mistake you made, and how did you fix it? There have been a few people along the way that I shouldn't have hired or that I didn't move on quickly enough. It comes back to the old proverb to hire slow and fire fast.

• What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this business? First of all, go for it. Second, be patient and look at a five-year time horizon to be really financially successful.

• What is the best advice you ever got? You never learn anything when you are talking.

• What is the worst advice you ever got? Don't get into your own business. It's too risky. I didn't listen anyway.

• What are you most proud of in your business? I am proud of the success we have had in the marketplace, but I'm even prouder of my son and daughter who work in the business and the success they have achieved.

• Any outside interests? I enjoy playing golf. It is very humbling and shows the power of patience and continuous improvement.

Consolidated Label Co.

• 925 Florida Central Pkwy., Longwood, FL 32750
• www.consolidatedlabel.com
• Founded 1984; 1 plant; 145 employees
• Specialty | Custom-printed labels

What's the best advice you ever got? Share your perspective. Write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..