At Powertex, we let our ethos guide us, but it didn’t magically imprint these values on us. This organization came together based on these ideas, but they’ve been in us all along. I personally have been enjoying the game since I was a kid.

Growing up I played softball – the strategy, the teamwork, and the competition was something that resonated in my soul. But somewhere along the way, I started to let statistics and Ws distract me from what was most important.

Each year, I would participate in tryouts to join a tournament league. This was always a weekend-long event where you were required to catch fly balls, hit fastball pitches, and field ground balls, all while having your performance scrutinized by the coaches. It was nerve-wracking, and as I said, I started to worry more than I should’ve about the numbers.

One of the years, I completely flopped. I was dropping fly balls, striking out, and fumbling grounders. I was convinced that I hadn’t made the cut. When the results were posted, my fear became reality—I was right.

When I didn’t see my name on the roster, I remember feeling embarrassed, upset, and like a failure! My dad, seeing how upset I was, reassured me that “everything happens for a reason” and was annoyingly positive that I was going to have more fun in the recreation league than I’d ever had before playing in the tournament league. In the tradition of children everywhere, I was certain my dad didn’t know anything, and was positive this year was going to be the worst!

As you’ve probably already guessed, my dad was right (don’t let him know I admitted that he’d never let me forget it). That year of softball was an absolute blast! I can easily say it was the most fun year of my softball career! Our team wasn’t the best, we lost more games than we won, but it didn’t matter. Every one of my team members had a positive attitude, gave their best, and encouraged each other. We celebrated the small victories – the successful bunts, stolen bases, and the final outs. That year, I realized life isn’t just about putting points on the board or optimizing one’s stats, even though both can be fun; it’s about enjoying the game!

That year of softball taught me skills and values that I’ve carried with me into my career today. That celebrating the wins (no matter how small), showing appreciation to your team, and most importantly enjoying the game are what matter the most!
A business can’t just be a financial vehicle. It can’t just be a punched timecard or filed report. We spend far too much time at work for that. Businesses should stand for something; they should be a community where people can grow and thrive. Our ethos at Powertex is helping us do just that—and it’s helping each of us enjoy the game.