Is it business or Pleasure? How about Both?
Why does that matter to you? First, because when something works, it should be repeated. If you're not working with true partners, you're missing a huge opportunity. So, it's good to listen to Chad, who knows a little bit about it. And second, this conversation shares a light on what drives success for our clients here at Ashtonne Packaging
Here's a link to the podcast. Read on for more details about how this approach can benefit your operation.
When You Focus on the Person, the Work Gets Better
issue. You’re thinking ahead. You’re not trying to win a transaction. You’re trying to
make the relationship work long-term.
And when both sides are doing that, the work gets better.
Fewer Problems in the First Place
A lot of companies talk about relationships when something goes wrong. My guy fixed
this. They gave us a discount. They’re always there for me if something happens. And
that’s good.
But the bigger advantage is what doesn’t go wrong in the first place.
When there’s trust, people speak up earlier.
When there’s alignment, decisions don’t stall.
When both sides understand the bigger picture, fewer things slip through.
In packaging, that’s everything. Because once it’s in the box…it’s in the box!
Timelines move. Materials change. Demand shifts. If you’re working transactionally,
every one of those changes creates friction. You’re reacting, negotiating, adjusting on
the fly.
But in a strong partnership, many of those issues never fully develop.
They get caught early.
They get talked through.
They get solved before they turn into something bigger.
That’s how good relationships work.
Showing Up When Things Go Sideways
Of course, things will still happen. They always do.
Chad talked about potentially losing a large customer through no fault of our own—a
situation that could have created real instability. But instead of scrambling and trying to
figure out a way to “keep the business”, we doubled down on communication, focus,
and accountability. We focused on the relationship, and doing the right thing for people
that mattered.
He pointed out how easy it is to get stuck in your own view of the business. You want to
hit your numbers, control your costs, manage the deal. But you miss out when you can’t
see things from your customer’s point of view. That’s what matters. Chad reminds us
that “you’re in the forest… and all you see are all the trees around you.” There is a
bigger picture, and it revolves around your client's success.
Strong relationships with customers, partners, or advisors pull us out of “the forest”.
They give us perspective.
They keep us honest.
They understand our business.
They help us respond with intention instead of urgency.
Bottom line: Partnerships create the environment to help each other make better decisions, for the common good. Partnerships focus on good outcomes for each other.Win/Win…everytime.
Why This Makes the Work Better From the Start
Here’s something else people don’t always realize until later in a relationship:
Good partnerships make the work more enjoyable. That came through in the podcast conversation as well. Over time, the relationships Chad and our team have built don’t stay locked inside a defined scope. The conversations expand. The trust deepens. The
work becomes more collaborative. Friendships tend to sprout and grow. ,Business is no longer tied to a narrow agenda. There’s more at stake here. It becomes something more fluid, more open, more productive.
More personal.
We’re not just completing tasks.
We’re building something together.
That may not sound like how you’re used to seeing business done. And it’s not always going to be so relational. But doesn’t working together, for a common goal, with people you like and trust sound better than the alternative? We think it does.
CEO Chad Honaker on Relationships
Growth Requires It
As businesses grow, complexity increases. More volume. More variables. More
pressure.
That’s where transactional relationships start to break down.
Strong partnerships don’t. Just like friends, or family, sticking together makes a
difference. And getting through the good and the bad with people who have been with
you through the thick and the thin is a nice outcome for all of the work you’re putting into
it.
The Question Worth Asking
So, we haven’t talked a lot about packaging in this blog article. We haven’t discussed
packaging materials, cost initiatives, shipping improvements, logistics strategies,
unboxing or retail displays. At Ashtonne Packaging, we certainly do all of that with
expertise, gained over 18 years in the business.
There’s a time for questions about that. There’s also a time for questions like this:
• Are you aligned with your packaging partner on what success looks like?
• Are you communicating together, early enough to prevent problems?
• Are you working toward the same outcome with all of your partners, including
packaging?
If the answer is yes, then you have experienced what we are all about at Ashtonne Packaging and what our CEO, Chad Honaker shared in the podcast. Business moves more efficiently when we’re moving together.
If you’re not experiencing this smoother, more efficient growth based on true partenrships, then you might consider reaching out for a conversation about how we
might be able to work together.
In packaging, where everything is moving all the time, that’s a difference maker worth
finding.
Let's talk about how we can work together to keep your growth going. We're ready to help with some great ideas! Give us a call at 877-522-6937 or contact Ashtonne Packaging and let's figure this out together. We look forward to it!
