Key Question:
A: If you don't have any money, you'll have to start small and plan to work long hours.
Q: How did Albert get started in business?
A: First of all, Albert's father was a doorman in a downtown office building in Dallas. He would tell Albert that he needed to be a businessman, even though Albert never saw or knew a business man because he grew up in government housing. Just having the seed planted by his father got him thinking that he could be a businessman. He went to college on a football scholarship then upon graduation opened On Target. He borrowed some money from family and friends but the only thing he could think to start was office supplies because it didn't take a large amount of cash to begin.
When the business was slow to take off, Albert got a night job at Texas Utilities. He wanted to work in the information systems department to learn about technology, so, for ten years he worked his own business from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, then went to his job from 5 PM - 2 AM. The money earned from his job funded his business. If you are willing to work hard, long hours like Albert did, you can build a business.
Think about it
Are you willing to work very long hours? Are you willing to use your paycheck to fund your startup?
Clip from: On Target Supplies & Logistics
Dallas: This is the story of Albert Black and his company, On Target Supplies & Logistics. It is also about miracles where people are transformed; they learn about financial statements, become economically independent of debt, start serious savings, capture the power of principal-and-interest, and discover their deep-seated talents and gifts. That's enough, but there's more.
You'll hear some of the most innovative human resource strategies from one of the most articulate people we know. And, you won't believe his results! This hard-nosed, well-grounded visionary lives, breathes, and acts on his two most basic faith statements, then asks for 100% and gives 125%.
Albert is a servant to his church and faith, his family, his employees, his community and his country.
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On Target Supplies & Logisitcs
Albert Black, CEO
1133 South Madison
Dallas, TX 75208
214-941-4885
Visit our web site: http://otsl.com
Office: 214-941-4885
Business Classification:
Distribution, office supplies
Year Founded: 1988
Be Willing To Start Small
HATTIE: Hi, I'm HATTIE Bryant. Today's program it is an example of the innovative human resource strategies that are deployed by the great small business owners in every community in this county. None of us are big enough to hire an expert human resource person so we have to do it ourselves.
The great business owners understand that people can't be shoved into cubicles and forgotten about. People's lives can't be cut into work and personal sections with the owner ignoring the personal part. In our hundreds of in-depth case studies, we have come to know business owners who see their role, not as a CEO but as a coach, mentor, teacher, parent and guide to the people they employ.
Want to grow your business? Learn now from a genius. A man who truly understands how to bring out the best in the people who join him on his path.
HATTIE (Voiceover): Albert Black is a self-proclaimed capitalist. The baby of seven children, Albert grew up in government-subsidized housing. He started his first business when he was just eight years old, and today, he's making his dreams come true.
ALBERT BLACK: Well, you know, for me, the roots of capitalism took place right here in Frasier Courts. I remember going up to the office and renting a push mower and knocking on doors--knocking on doors and cutting yards for 50 cents. The things that I do today my father talked about when I was just eight years old. My father worked at a hotel, and he was the gentleman that used to help people. He was the doorman. And being the doorman, he really came to know some of Dallas' business leaders. And he would come home--and later on in life, when he wasn't doing that job anymore, he would talk to me about being a businessman and being a business leader.
HATTIE: (Voiceover) Albert founded On Target Supplies and Logistics in 1982 and he now employs 114 people generating $10.2 million in sales. The company supplies its customers with copy and computer paper and is now selling virtual warehousing services. His customer list includes the Who's Who of Dallas: EDS, Texas Instruments, Southwestern Bell, Texas Utilities, American Airlines and Verizon.
HATTIE: How did you get your first customer?
ALBERT: I think we roamed--obviously, we roamed the streets of Dallas looking for customers under highways, rocks, byways, anywhere we could find them. The reason I went into business is the same reason I'm in business today. We wanted to create jobs and to hire people. We think that's God's work, and that's what we wanted to be involved in. We also wanted to improve the infrastructure of inner cities in communities that we were doing business in. We pay people well.
ALBERT: The average income of On Target people--now understand we're in the warehousing and distribution business. And the average income is $29,800. So we have actually come into a neighborhood and taken tax users and make them tax producers. You know, that's--that's the idea. This was an abandoned building in the ghetto that looked much like the building across there. And we--we took a crack center and made it a commerce center. I told you I was corny, and I am.
HATTIE: Hey, it works. It rhymes. I remember it.
ALBERT: It works for me.
HATTIE (Voiceover): Albert started On Target soon after college graduation, but poor cash flow forced both him and his wife, Gwyneith, to get jobs to support the business.
ALBERT: I had to get a second job. I worked at night, but I had a goal. Not only would I earn income, but I would pick up a skill set, a management ability, a competency that I could bring into my company and make it work. Texas Utilities permitted me to work in their computer operations. I managed information systems. I managed technology development. I managed customer satisfaction on a technology piece.
HATTIE: This was at night?
ALBERT: This was at night. It was from 5:00 every night until 1:00 in the morning.
HATTIE: So you were here...
ALBERT: And I still had to be at work at 7:00 in the morning.
HATTIE: You were here at 7 to 5 then went to your job to get some dollars--some cash flow. How many months or years did you do that?
ALBERT: Ten years.
HATTIE: Do you all hear this? I mean, can you understand this? Oh, my gosh.
