In this episode, Steve Larosiliere interviews Matthew Gutchess from Gutchess Lumber. They discuss the company's 120-year history, which began in 1904, and its evolution from building barns to manufacturing kiln-dried hardwood lumber. Gutchess Lumber now produces 100 million feet of lumber annually and employs 460 people across seven locations.

Gutchess emphasizes the importance of storytelling in educating consumers about the environmental benefits of hardwoods, such as carbon sequestration. He also highlights their ESOP model, which involves employees owning 30% of the business. The conversation concludes with advice on leveraging social media and content creation to enhance the company's brand and customer engagement.

Key Takeaways:

• Use storytelling to promote Gutchess Lumber and educate consumers.
• Create a media department or branded content like "Gutches TV."
• Write a book to document the company's history.
• Highlight hardwoods' environmental benefits to strengthen the brand.
• An ESOP model can boost employee investment and company culture.
• Leverage social media for increased brand awareness and engagement.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

04:15 The Evolution of Gutchess Lumber

09:32 The Importance of Storytelling in Business

14:08 Environmental Benefits of Hardwoods

18:45 The ESOP Model and Employee Ownership

22:17 Leveraging Social Media and Content Creation

26:50 Future Plans and Brand Building

29:03 Conclusion

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Connect with Matthew at:

https://www.instagram.com/gutchesslumbercoinc/