“You don’t simply set up a store and wait for people to come to you,” he said. “You’ve got to know about trucking materials. Those are things you don’t think about in the hardware business.”
Obermeier forecasts another 30% increase in sales in 2016, after which he thinks his growth will level out some. That leveling comes at a time when the business ownership officially transitions from his father to him. Even though he’ll be taking on ownership, Obermeier is grateful to continue working alongside his father.
There isn’t a day that goes by that he misses the corporate job or the salary that came with it, Obermeier said. Real growth, both professionally and personally, has all happened in his hometown lumberyard and hardware store.
| ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR 2016 – SALES UNDER $10 MILLION LBM Resources Obermeier Hardware & RentalHeadquarters: Rockport, Indiana |
