Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Ryan.
Hi Jon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Well, depending on how far back you turn, the “way back machine,” I started out in elementary school, cleaning the bathrooms, emptying trash cans, and vacuuming the office after school at my family’s business – Genz-Ryan. Moving a decade or two further into the future, I’ve been an owner of the company since 1997, initially with three older brothers as business partners. Over a 20-year period my brothers left the company, we also, unfortunately, lost a brother in 2009 to ALS, who was about my age when he received the diagnosis.
In 2005 we moved from our original location in Rosemount to our current location in Burnsville. That move was tough, as both the company and our family had deep roots in Rosemount. Our father Jack installed the plumbing in our original building, and the 2nd floor of that building was our parents’ first home after they were married. A few of my brothers even spent the first few years of their lives in that apartment. Our grandmother was in the first graduating class of Rosemount High School, mom was the Homecoming Queen, and all six brothers graduated from Rosemount High School (one of our brothers was even Homecoming King). Despite the emotional ties, Burnsville has been a great home to Genz-Ryan and we really feel part of the community.
I’ve been the sole owner since 2017, and since then as an owner and company, we’ve been working on our vision for the next 20 years+, and then solidifying the best team possible around that vision.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
No business has had a smooth road over the past 20-25 years. At the time of the great recession, we were about 90% new home construction…in housing, we had a depression, and that one really was a struggle. About the time, we were dealing with the housing market, our family lost our brother to ALS. Since 2009, we’ve been working to diversify our company so that we would be better equipped to weather the ups and downs of the normal business cycle. Coming out of recession, we expanded into multiple areas as part of our diversification strategy. Some of those attempts were very closely related to our core business of heating, air conditioning and plumbing. Other attempts were a little more of a reach and ended up being very expensive lessons for us. The best you can do is to focus on maximizing what’s right in front of you. We, or more directly I, learned the hard lesson of there is such a thing of being too diversified.
As an owner and leader, I have also learned about my own limitations, both in terms of strengths and capabilities. More than anything, I feel that the real loss has been in terms of lost time and opportunities…where would we be now as a company if I had learned early on the lessons of a focused vision that keeps us centered around our core business and played to my strengths? I recognize that there were some valuable lessons that I learned, but it sure would be nice to be able to have some more time and have a re-do on at least one of those “wrong” decisions.
It goes without saying that COVID was an absolute struggle, but there were also some great things that came out of dealing with COVID. This is really when we learned about the importance of focus. There were so many limitations in the supply chains, and in managing shortages of team members (either due to illness, or social distancing). We also learned about the value of having some of our staff members work remotely, and about how to better leverage technology to accomplish our work.
As you know, we’re big fans of Genz-Ryan. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Four words: “I Love Those Guys”… absolutely corny, but 100% true. Our staff, from the first contact with a CSR, through the dispatch and operations staff, to the technicians, installers, and our comfort advisors – they all have a focus on what’s best for the customer.
We hire based on culture first. Technical knowledge is the last quality we evaluate during the hiring process. We have a “one trip” mentality in our company, which means that we strive to get things done right the first time. One trip is not just a commitment to quality for our customers, it’s a commitment to quality for our internal customers, too – making sure that every step in the process is done right along the way. Our business is a “garbage in, garbage out” industry. It’s a system, and when you have one bad input in the process, it degrades the quality of work through the rest of the process. If the end result isn’t compromised, it’s because someone on down the chain from the mistake did more than what was expected of them to correct the issue. Over 70% of our business every year comes from repeat customers. We see these results because we place a high value on the experience of our customers.
What I’m most proud of is our commitment to our community and the valued customers that invite us in their homes. Our GenzGives charitable initiatives have become part of our culture and our identity. As I’m writing this, we’ve just closed out our 4th annual Classroom Cash Contest, which has donated almost $100,000 to Twin Cities area educators since inception, giving them much-needed support for their classrooms. In 2021 we worked with the Best Christmas Ever Organization, supporting five area families in need. Five teams of Genz-Ryan staff each went out and shopped for these families, we hosted a wrapping party for the teams, and then those teams delivered the gifts to these families. We’ve also supported Jack’s Basket since its first year of existence to help deliver their message about celebrating babies born with down syndrome.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I would say that running a small business is like sailing a small boat on the open seas: You’re going to encounter rough seas and storms, so you need to be prepared. You’ll be able to see many of the storms coming your way if you’re looking forward. In business, you shouldn’t just think about this year. Think about two to three years from now, and even further if you can. When I say think ahead, don’t just think about your ambitions. Think about the challenges and obstacles, about the “what ifs,” and then plot a course for success.
One of my favorite quotes is from Maria V. Snyder: “There’s always another storm. It’s the way the world works. Snowstorms, rainstorms, windstorms, sandstorms, and firestorms. Some are fierce, and others are small. You have to deal with each one separately, but you need to keep an eye on what’s brewing for tomorrow.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.genzryan.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genzryanmn
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genzryan
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/GenzRyan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeqQW76Hp-ZyAp8d_9ohOow
Image Credits
Genz-Ryan
