Welcome to the WealthBuilders Podcast with Karen Conrad Metcalfe and Darrell Slusser discussing how to grow a business from scratch with the right priorities.
Entrepreneur business owner Darrell Slusser shares his remarkable journey of building a successful RV dealership through faith, hard work, and godly principles. He became the top dealer in his state by prioritizing employee care, maintaining a strong spiritual foundation, and staying committed to excellence. Find out how trusting God and maintaining financial discipline will help your business survive even in tough times.
Tune in to learn the importance of stewardship, servant leadership, and a strong relationship with God.
Click the player below to watch this episode, or listen on your preferred podcast platform!
More Resources:
FREE Download – The Journey of Trust
http://wealthbuilders.org/journey_trust
Real Estate Bootcamp
https://www.wealthbuilders.org/rebootcamp/
WealthBuilders Real Estate Workshop: Possess Your Promise
Episode Show Notes
Trusting God in Business: Practical Faith in the Marketplace
Journey from Scratch in the RV Business
- Darrell and his older brother started an RV business with a lot of hard work and surrounding themselves with good people.
- Faith in God and the wisdom received through prayer made all the difference.
- They built a culture in the dealership, including daily prayer sessions to seek unity and direction.
- Within three years, they became the number one dealer in the state, despite initial challenges and some skepticism.
- Hard work, planning, and making the right decisions helped them to achieve success.
- Prioritize from the beginning a healthy work and family life balance. Being the best parent and spouse must take priority over the business
Customer Service and Employee Management
- Treat all customers equally, even when faced with a demanding customer.
- Respect everyone and maintain a positive work environment.
- Employee growth needs to be a goal.
- Train managers as servant leaders.
- Start the day with prayer to seek wisdom and unity among employees.
Practical Knowledge and Spiritual Guidance
- Practical knowledge of your industry is needed to run a successful business.
- Hands-on experience working in every department of the business is recommended.
- Experience in every department helps leadership empathize with employees.
- Learn from experienced businessmen and trust God.
Top Contributors to Success
- A good product lineup.
- Maintaining a neat and orderly dealership.
- Recognizing the importance of small details.
- Good marketing (selling the experience of camping rather than just the camper).
- Budgeting and stewardship.
- Making adjustments as you go.
- Rewarding employees through incentives.
Surviving Financial Challenges
- Building cash reserves and being frugal, even when in a position to spend more.
- He shares the experience of facing increased principal payments during the 2008 financial crisis and the strategy of buying dealerships at auctions to stay afloat.
- Trust God and have a plan to navigate difficult times.
- Be proactive, seek ideas, and make necessary adjustments.
- Have peace and trust God’s faithfulness during struggles.
Real Estate Investments
- Darrell’s high energy drives him to invest in real estate.
- He strives to do things right.
- Endeavor to be a good steward of your time and resources.