Being Your Own Captain

"They decided where to go with the flip of a coin."

• Alan Cohen
  

Being Your Own Captain

Alan and I were in his airplane hangar so we could talk, but as soon as I walked into the building I was struck by the sight of a boat under construction. It seemed to me to be a sort of a magnet drawing me in. Perhaps it was because I was expecting to see an airplane. Perhaps it was because I was surprised to see a large boat being constructed in the middle of the desert! My friend Alan is full of surprises so I love to talk with him. Today was no exception to what I have begun to call "Alan's Rule of Being a Captain." He seems to be able to succeed when and where others have not. And, I think that it's because he came from a family who taught him the right skills and provided him with a great vision of life.

His family immigrated to the United States from Russia in the early 1920s. His grandfather and his brother came to Los Angeles and began to work for a furniture manufacturer there. They worked hard and became very skilled in the art of furniture making. But, when the great depression hit they soon found themselves without work.

"The two brothers sat down together to analyze their situation. They knew how to build furniture, and that people would always need furniture, so their solution was to look at a map of the United States, mark where the furniture manufacturers were and then move to a place where there was little or no competition." Alan once told me.

When the map was completed they could see that there was opportunity in Dallas, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah. "Since they had never been to either city they decided where to go with the flip of a coin." Alan said. Then, the two families got into one car and drove to Salt Lake City.

When they arrived they went to a local furniture store called "SouthEast Furniture" and met with the owner. They told him that they could build furniture to order and since they were in town they could deliver it quickly and without as much shipping cost. The store owner was interested and wanted to work with them.

The Cohen brothers then said, "We'd love to work for you, but there's only one problem. We don't have any money to start!" As it turned out, it wasn't a problem since the first furniture order from SouthEast Furniture was paid for in advance! The rest is history.

The Cohen family furniture business in now operating in its fourth generation and is one of the last local manufacturers in the region. And, while the business environment continues to change they continue to change. Still, the one thing that hasn't changed is the initial premise of the business. They continue to offer a product that is locally built for local businesses and people. And, at a time when economic conditions are very similar to those that existed during the great depression, when the business was founded, they are still flourishing.

Perhaps that's why I'm drawn to this story like a magnet. I didn't expect to find a business founded by Russian Immigrants in the middle of the desert and I didn't expect its location to be determined by the flip of a coin! While most don't think businesses can thrive in the economic conditions of today the Cohen family business is floating along in profitability.

Alan's new adventure is still under construction his airplane hangar; floating on jacks, getting ready for its maiden voyage. I just hope to be there when Alan flips a coin to decide whether he should launch it on the Great Salt Lake or Bear Lake. After all, both are fine places to begin a new adventure and neither lake has a locally made, hand built boat constructed in an airplane hangar so they're places of great opportunity. The boat simply needs a worthy, experienced captain to guide her.

You are the captain guiding your own boat. Just look for opportunity where others don't see it, work hard, work smart and you too can build an amazing life.