learn > Interview with Nick Mair, Chief Operations Officer

Interview with Nick Mair, Chief Operations Officer

HOUSTON – February 20th, 2019

To start off, we would like to thank everyone who has been directly or indirectly involved in the success of our company. 2019 marks the 21-year anniversary of what, for us, has been, and still is, an awesome rollercoaster of fun, challenges, and unforgettable experiences.

What was it like when you first got started in this business?

Gee, that was a long time ago now. My career began with a similar type company to Eutex in Aberdeen, Scotland – my hometown. I desperately wanted a job change and looking for a career. I was late for my interview as my car broke down the day before and I took the bus! When I arrived at the company, I was given into trouble for being late by the 2 ladies in reception. I was young, scared and thought they weren’t even going to let me through for the interview. I started in the warehouse – sweeping the floors, then became cable cutter, document controller, material controller, QA Manager and finally Inside Sales. I then moved to a sister company office in Houston, TX that was struggling. They were looking for a team to turn the business around I was picked as one of the team. There has been a lot of changes since then in the industry, however, fundamentally, for me, I still believe it’s customer service that is the focus of growing a company such as ours.What were some significant challenges you’ve had to overcome and how did you get past them?

After I changed companies to EUTEX, one of the challenges at the beginning is that we were new and small and we didn’t have the staff in different departments. By that, I mean, I had to quote client inquiries in the morning, process orders after that. In the afternoon, I went into the warehouse, pulled, cut, packed and shipped the goods out. Then back into the office to process more inquiries/orders for the next day. It was a significant challenge and sometimes not being able to get everything out on time was something I struggled with. I ended up working long hours, and weekends were just another work day, however, you get past this phase as you grow the company and get more staff. I had to work closely with some staff to help one of our divisions get over some hurdles. It was a challenge as we are a global company with various locations. Staying focused, stay on course and keep your head down. Never falter.Is there any event that has drastically affected you in your journey, something that has had a big impact in your business life?

Competition in our game can be fierce. Sometimes, things are out-with your control, however, in my position, the fundamental thing is to protect the company, the staff and the brand when something goes amiss. It had a big impact on me personally and made me look at things differently for sure.How do you see the progress of your company so far? Are you amazed, overwhelmed, did you think you would get this far? What are your future plans? What do you hope to achieve and how fast do you hope to achieve it?

Amazed wouldn’t be a word I’d use. I’d use “proud” The company has, like all businesses that sustain through the downturns, gone through good time and tough times. With the dedication and passion that is in this organisation, honestly, I have never once questioned how far we will come and how far we will get. This year, 21 years – our strategy and planned activities will help us step the next level.Who would you like to thank for your successful business?

First, our staff, the dream-team. Without the team, we would not be able to service the clients, and anyone who knows me well can testify that customer care is of the utmost importance to me. I thank our clients for their belief in us and our manufacturing support and vendors who work diligently with us to service the markets.Are there any valuable lessons learned that you could share?

Yes, communication is the most important and difficult part of any company and I have learned how hard it can be to get everyone on the same page. I went to a course at Harvard on Leadership to help me learn how to manage that.

If anyone wants to know how your Amygdala and Neocortex work, let me know ????Working in a fast paced, assertive environment is hard ?

Sure it is….. but you’ll never get anywhere sitting on the sofa !