4 out of 4 stars
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What can you learn from a furniture salesman? Surprisingly, a lot. I was drawn to this book because of where I live, and I have seen commercials for Schneiderman's from time to time. I find it fun to read about businesses close to home so that the next time I am in the market for a particular product I know the philosophy of the company. In his book Call of the Couch, author Larry Schneiderman presents readers with a wealth of knowledge about what he has not only learned in his career but also as a husband, father, son and brother.
The story of how his family began their business originates in small town Elmer, Minnesota where a horrific event left a general store up for sale. Upon buying it, Max and Edna Schneiderman had a lot of work on their hands along with the care and raising of six children. All eight family members lived directly above the business in a cramped apartment space that only had one bathroom. Each person was expected to fulfill a role in either running the household or helping manage the store. While in its humble beginnings, his parents worked seven days a week from 8 am to 10 pm. Because the building was so old when purchased there was no running water, but as time went on and more money became available, changes took place for the better, and soon, what was once a grocery and hardware store became solely devoted to selling furniture, and young Larry at the age of fifteen found his true calling.
The author's dad had a certain way of conducting a successful enterprise, including no advertising, no commission sales, and no bartering over a price or special deals. It is no surprise that conflict arose when Larry took over the company as an adult and made some tweaks to the long-standing rules that had been in place while his father was at the helm. This meant having to endure silent treatments of vast proportions and taking risks by going against what had always been done. Through all of the trials of learning and finding out what works best, Schneiderman's various locations remain in business to this day after 70 years.
The best part of this book for me was when the author described situations where he had customers who had paid for their items on credit. Back during this time, there wasn't a bank involved, so if someone defaulted on a bill due, that meant the store was losing out on the money. The author found himself more than a few times on the doorstep of a payment dodger and would have to retrieve furniture and take it back to the store. One would expect to find this part of the book filled with angst, but this is where I laughed the most at how he described these situations.
In addition to humor, there are sentimental pieces included such as family photos, and the use of entries from his mother's journal to detail historical facts which makes it all the more special. This is where readers will find a son's honor running deep to the name on the business and the two people who labored to make it happen. Throughout the book, you can feel his sincere gratitude for the groundwork that was done before he became the owner.
This book is short, but it is brimming with wisdom from a man who took over a family trade and had to walk a tightrope of dealing with employees, customers, vendors, financial issues and a whole host of other responsibilities. As I was reading of all of his obligations, I was reminded of a circus act where a guy spins a plate on a pole and then runs to start another plate rotating. Just as that one gets going, he has to run back to keep the first one spinning and then he starts another one. His job is to keep all the plates turning so that none of them fall and break. While that may sound exhausting to most of us, the author's love for what he has accomplished makes it seem like a blessing instead of a burden. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in retail business whether alongside family or otherwise. If you enjoy reading about history and success, then this also would appeal greatly. I would not generalize this as a memoir because it is packed with a wide range of topics including family illness, raising children as well as how to give the best customer service. After reading this section, I won't be slinking into a store and avoiding sales consultants. My eyes have been opened to what I should expect from a good quality business.
I found the writing to be near perfect, but I did note places where compound sentences were missing the proper punctuation. Had I not been looking for them, I would have breezed right by them. For its outstanding lessons on business, life and relationships, I am giving this book a 4 out of 4 stars. I only have one suggestion. My copy is hardcover, and I would like to see this in a downloadable format so that many more readers would be apt to buy it without having to wait for delivery in the mail.
In conclusion, I will leave you with one of Larry's most valuable lessons when it comes to buying good furniture: "A wildly low price isn't always what it appears. Consider the apt maxim: When you buy quality you only cry once."
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Call of the Couch
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I love the humor infused throughout. Thanks so much.
when I get a little money I buy books; and if I have any left l buy food and clothes
