American Solutions for Business has always been a family-oriented company with many family teams consisting of parents, children, spouses and siblings. We celebrate every sales team because we know the strength that comes with these dynamics. Families work as a unit and share valuable knowledge to take care of our customers.
Bruce and Scott Zweber are a father/son team out of Burnsville, Minnesota. Bruce has been with American for 24 years and encouraged Scott to join him 4 years ago. Since joining forces, they’ve grown stronger, smarter and more successful together!
Why you love working with your family:
Bruce: It is a wonderful vehicle to transition the business as I get closer to retirement. It also allows me to phase out of the business at a timetable that suits my wife, Pat, and my needs. Scott & Camille can take on more of the burdens at a pace that fits his needs and lifestyle. It is also fun watching your kids prosper.
Scott: We have a constant support system. After 3 years, we have totally integrated our accounts and it really allows for the two of us to take vacation time without having to constantly be checking in with our client base. The ability to bounce ideas off of each other is great too.
What are some challenges (and how have you overcome them)?
Bruce: There is the father/son relationship that is different than a normal business relationship. It is a process to get to the point where I look at Scott as a business partner from 8:00 to 5:00 on weekdays and a son the other times. This job is the all-encompassing type, which makes it a bit more difficult to shut off business and turn on family.
Scott: We don’t always agree on methods of interacting with clients. Discussing how we should approach each client relationship and keeping an open line of communication is key. We ran into a few issues with this in the first year working together, but have developed a great rapport since.
What is your fondest memory working with your family?
Bruce: Sharing successes is great. It is also gratifying to have Scott come up with ideas that are better than what I’ve been doing for the past 24 years. His systems approach to selling is an absolute must in today’s business environment.
Scott: During my first large client meeting, Bruce came along. We discussed our ACES eCommerce programs and everything was going well. Then, the Vice President of Marketing joined the meeting, and started asking in-depth questions regarding print services. Bruce took over and ended up talking about ‘Old School’ print processes. The two of them really hit it off and they are still an account today!
Why should others consider working with their family?
Bruce: The ability to transition the business allows the fruits of your labors to be passed on to the next generation. It is also a great lifestyle, being your own boss and having that be passed down to your kids.
Scott: We enjoy working with each other at ASB. The best part about working with family is that we communicate on a daily basis. In my previous profession in accounting, it took a lot of effort to work and spend time with my family and friends. It has been a fantastic experience to learn from my father and we get to speak every day.
We’re proud to maintain a company culture that cultivates success and collaboration to support our sales associates and customers. To learn more about American Solutions for Business, visit our website or contact a sales associate near you!
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