Experience Speaks: Daniel Weber

Published: March 01, 2009

• President/Owner of WebCut Converting Inc.
• Management style | Avoid micromanaging to allow for creativity
• Hobbies | Golfing, hiking, and bow hunting

• What is the key to retaining good employees?

  Everyone wants to contribute and make a difference. It is amazing what your employees can do once you trust them and let go. Additionally, identify tangible things about work ethics and reward your employees appropriately for their efforts.

• What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?

  The amount of time and money it takes to start a business. I developed a pretty sound business plan and thought it would take one to two years before we turned profitable. Well, it was year three before I could take a salary. However, I wouldn't change this for anything. I'm thankful that my family had the confiidence and patience to make this work.

• What are the key qualities to becoming a successful leader?

  Have a good vision, understand the steps required to achieve your vision, then understand your shortcomings and hire the appropriate employees to fill those voids.

• What advice would you give to someone just starting out?

  Write a good business plan; understand both the market and the finance required to make your business a success. Have confidence in your plan and work the plan.

• How do you grow a business in a bad economy?

  Find different markets and expand your capabilities. WebCut is looking at adding clean room lamination to our current clean room slitting operations. Invest where it makes sense.

• How did you get into the converting business?

  After leaving Tapemark as operational manager, I conducted a market analysis and found a need for a local contract slitter. My business plan focused on label stock. I anticipated it would be a cornerstone. However, it became apparent early on that industrial, digital printing, and medical markets are where we would grow.

• What do you least enjoy about your job?

  Doing the administrative tasks. Securing the best medical and insurance plan for your employees is always a challenge. As an owner, decisions surrounding your employees' annual benefits become difficult because you are always seeking what is most affordable for the company without being a financial strain to your employees.

• How do you handle a difficult customer?

  Listen. Find out what the customer needs are, then deliver. If you can't meet their requirements, make suggestions. Sometimes providing an alternative source to get the job done brings business back your way in the future.

• What is the biggest threat to our industry right now?

  We are living in a flat world; the globalization of the economy and shipping product off shore has a large effect on our industry. Businesses need to find ways to keep product development and new technologies in the US.

• Who is your personal hero?

  My father (who was married at 19 with $17.30 in the bank) became a very successful businessman. He taught me the importance of confidence, focus, and balance.

• What is your biggest mistake, and how did you fix it?

  Purchasing a piece of equipment for a product that never developed. I fell in love with the product and didn't conduct due diligence of the business. After three years, we found some business to run on the machine.

About WebCut Converting Inc.

• 1279 Trapp Rd., Eagan, MN 55121 | 651-994-7084

• www.webcutconverting.com

• Founded 1999, 1 plant, 22 employees

• Specialty | Contract slitting, pressure-sensitive lamination, and sheeting