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KEYSTROKE MONTHLY THE
JUNE 2019 Loading Barrels and Selling Vacuums
What I Learned From My Summer Jobs
T he high school and college years are a formative time in every young person’s life. Many students have just graduated from high school and college, ready to pursue a higher education or join the workforce. Others might just be starting another summer before returning to school in the fall, but even they have the next couple of months to work, save money, and create new experiences. The summer before I left for college, I worked at an oil refinery. I grew up in a town where many of the residents were employed by the refinery — including my father, who was the manager. The refinery employed the children of its employees for the summer to help them save for college. I only lived one block away, so I walked to and from work, and home for lunch most days, too. It was great.
Since I had to afford room and board that summer, I also picked up a second job selling vacuum-sweepers. I made as much doing that as I did working eight hours a day at the refinery, and it might have been the genesis of my interest in marketing. Eventually, I ended up with a minor, and later a master’s degree, in marketing. Summer jobs are a great opportunity to find out what you like to do and what you don’t like to do. I found out I liked sales and marketing and didn’t like loading barrels of oil onto trucks in the Tulsa summer heat. Summer jobs are also good to build connections, which is something I wish I would have done better. One of the guys I worked with at the refinery in Tulsa ended up becoming the mayor of Tulsa later in life. I hope through all my experiences, I can point others in the direction they need to go. If you know a student who has joined the workforce, either temporarily or officially, encourage them to find a job they love doing and people who will help them reach their goals. -Doug Barnes
“Summer jobs are a great opportunity to find out what you like to do and what you don’t like to do. I found out I liked sales and marketing and didn’t like loading barrels of oil onto trucks in the Tulsa summer heat.”
After my first year of college, I came home expecting to do the same summer job. I didn’t know the refinery had changed its policy regarding the children of management. Since I was the son of the manager, I would have to work at a different refinery. So that summer, I moved to work at a refinery in Tulsa. I had to pay room and board while getting paid the same wage to load 55-gallon barrels of oil onto trucks in a warehouse with no air conditioning. All in all, it was a tough summer job. As bad as it was, however, that summer had its silver linings. I always knew I wanted to go to college and play basketball, and I took college for granted. Even though I never doubted I would continue going to college, working at the oil refinery in Tulsa made me realize why education was important: It would keep me from having to do a job like that ever again!
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FAST FACTS ABOUT HICCUPS
What Causes Them and Which Remedies Actually Work?
Everyone knows the feeling of impending dread that arises when a hiccup first escapes your throat. While hiccups usually go away on their own within a few minutes, they can interfere with eating and talking in a frustrating way. As a result, many people have come up with creative tricks to get rid of them. With common solutions like having a friend scare you or eating a heaping spoonful of sugar, how can you tell which of these remedies actually works? Hiccups occur when your diaphragm — a thin muscle in your chest that assists with breathing — spasms involuntarily, causing you to suddenly inhale. When this happens, your vocal cords snap shut, resulting in the hiccup’s distinctive guttural sound. While many household remedies are supported by centuries of anecdotal evidence, only a handful of studies have evaluated their effectiveness. Here are three natural
methods backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
EATING AND DRINKING Some remedies include ingesting strange products through even stranger means, but only a few food- or drink-based remedies are actually touted by experts. While your favorite uncle might argue that a tablespoon of mustard, honey, or peanut butter does the trick, the CDC suggests that you gargle with iced water, suck on a thin slice of lemon, or drink an entire glass of warm water very slowly without breathing. Similar to the pressure point remedies, these methods are thought to relax your diaphragmatic nerves. While everyone seems to have a tried-and- true method they swear by, the next time you’re plagued with the hiccups, perhaps you should consider one of the CDC’s official solutions.
BREATHING While there are countless remedies that involve holding your breath, only one is encouraged by the CDC. Place a paper bag over your nose and mouth and breathe in and out deeply and slowly. This increases the carbon dioxide levels in your blood, which is thought to calm nerves and relax the diaphragm. PRESSURE POINTS Applying pressure to certain points on your body may relax your diaphragm or stimulate your vagus and phrenic nerves. The CDC recommends gently pulling your tongue forward once or twice to stimulate the nerves and muscles in your throat. If that doesn’t help, you can try plugging both your nostrils and ears while simultaneously drinking a glass of water.
HELPING THEIR EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY, AND PLANET
Rather Than Their Bottom Line
people healthier is a noble goal by itself, but that’s not all the company hopes to accomplish. Their focus on doing things the right way extends to every aspect of their business. Chobani champions inclusion and diversity, going so far as to make resettled refugees 30% of their workforce. Ulukaya also created the Tent Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping corporate leaders develop programs to help refugees. Another way Chobani is helping others is through their in-house incubator, through which the company provides funding to food companies that want to create healthier food options. What Ulukaya did for his employees in 2016 was possibly most impressive, however. That April, he divested 10% of the company to his staff, providing them with hundreds of millions in shares. Environmentally conscious, healthy choices are important to today’s consumers. Companies like Patagonia, REI, and Chobani are trailblazers when it comes to honoring the ethical values of their customers. In turn, those customers become raving brand advocates. Knowing this, how can you give back and differentiate yourself from your competitors?
Since their inception in 2005, Chobani has challenged the status quo set by their mega brand competitors, refusing to sacrifice healthier, more natural products for a profit. As evidenced in their mission statement, Chobani is committed to helping their employees, community, and planet. Their success shows that these commitments, rather than one to a bottom line, is the best way to build a thriving business. Chobani isn’t afraid to take on their competitors for their less-than-natural products. In a 2016 ad campaign, they blasted established players like Dannon and Yoplait for using chemical additives in their products. The message was clear: Chobani wouldn’t sacrifice a healthier product for a cheaper one. Their competitors weren’t too happy about the campaign, but Chobani didn’t care. Their CEO, Hamdi Ulukaya, has stated the company will never be sold to a larger food company. Recently, Chobani introduced new product lines that embody their healthy, natural approach. They have A Hint of Flavor yogurt options that use less sugar, and Savor, a sour cream designed to be an alternative, the same way the yogurt is. Making
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BITING OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW
3 Crazy Cases of Employee Theft
When employees steal from the businesses that hire them, it is hardly a laughing matter. That being said, some cases of in-house theft and fraud are so outrageous that we can’t help but chuckle a little. Here are a few cases where employees went to outrageous lengths, or maybe just bit off more than they could chew, when stealing from their employers. THE WORLD’S LONGEST CASE OF JURY DUTY Joseph Winstead appeared to be partaking in a public service that most Americans disdain — jury duty. He was absent from his job as a postal worker in Washington DC for 144 days, claiming to be a part of an extended federal trial. In reality, Winstead had been excused before the deliberations began, but he fabricated court documents to continue getting a paycheck while he took an extremely long vacation. The postal service paid him $40,000 during that time, and he might never have gotten caught — if he didn’t try the same stunt three years later. A LOVE OF NUMBERS When an employee, or former employee, steals items from a workplace, you would expect them to take the PCs, laptops, or other expensive electronics. This was not the case for one Directory Plus employee, who hoarded over 100,000 phone books in three storage units over the course of four years.
recipe title worth of quarters, dimes, and nickels by hiding them in his bag. Talk about literally nickel-and-diming your way through a theft! Forty-two percent of occupational theft and fraud cases were perpetrated by employees in 2014, and many of those cases occur because of keys that w re never returned during personnel changes. Let Pop-A-Lock rekey your business, so you can prevent any case of employee theft. And while just one of these books may not be worth much, all together this employee’s stash was worth over $500,000. PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR Similarly, you would never expect an intentional thief to hoard pocket change, but David Hamilton, a former Calgary Transit employee, did just that. Over the course of seven years, Hamilton stole $375,000
TAKE A BREAK
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT On Paula and Richard
Paula and Richard Arensman are both instrumental members of Pop- A-Lock, working together as the management team at the Louisville office. Between the two of them, they have over three decades of experience and have taken on nearly every position available at Pop-A-Lock in that time. Their vast experience makes them one of the best management teams in the Pop- A-Lock system.
Richard was first promoted after only six months working as a car door unlocking technician, which is evidence of both his and Paula’s work ethic. They’re quick to take the lead, and they run a tight ship in Louisville. Without their leadership, Pop- A-Lock Louisville would no doubt look much different. Richard is an avid gun and movie collector, and Paula loves swimming. They both love spending time with family and friends, especially their 4-year-old grandson, Keegan, who, along with his father, lives with them.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY SUMMER JOBS PAGE 1 HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THE HICCUPS? THE CHOBANI SUCCESS STORY PAGE 2 3 CRAZY CASES OF EMPLOYEE THEFT EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT PAGE 3 A FEW DADS WHO WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY PAGE 4
HEROIC DADS WHO DIDN’T BACK DOWN Being a Parent Isn’t Always a Walk in the Park
Kids often look up to their father as one of their greatest heroes. There are the long drives to sports tournaments, the late-night movies, and the sweets when Mom isn’t looking. We probably all have some reason to look up to our dad as one of our biggest influences. It’s Father’s Day this month, a special time of year when we take a moment to think about the sacrifices the father figures in our lives have made for us. Most dads are pretty great, but some go above and beyond the fatherly call of duty. Let’s take a look at some heroic dads who risked everything to keep their families safe. BRAD LEWIS: OVER THE LEDGE Life can change in a split second, and how you choose to react in a moment of peril can define your legacy forever. Few people know this as well as Brad Lewis. When Brad and his young son, Oscar, were deeply entrenched in an intense Nerf battle, he surely didn’t think the situation would turn as dangerous as it did. When a few darts missed his father and landed on the balcony, Oscar ran after them but soon found himself teetering on the balcony’s ledge, 12 feet above the ground. Thinking fast, Brad grabbed his son just before he fell over, both taking the plunge while Brad protected his son with his own body.
Just as he’d intended, Brad absorbed most of the blow. While Oscar sustained serious wounds, his father’s injuries were more severe. Brad was left fighting for his life in the ICU, with severe fractures to his skull and vertebrae. Thankfully, Brad is expected to make a full recovery and has made serious strides since the accident. He and his son will live to play another day. GREG ALEXANDER: COULDN’T BEAR TO SEE HIS SON HURT While camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in June 2015, Greg Alexander awoke to the sound of a nightmare. The screams of his son intermingled with the roars of an unknown assailant, beckoning Greg to his son’s tent. There, he found his son Gabriel being attacked by a bear. The bear had his son by the head and was dragging him away. Greg jumped on the bear’s back, desperately trying to take attention away from Gabriel. Amazingly, it worked, and in the end, the bear ran away. Gabriel was left with serious cuts to his head, but thanks to his dad’s heroism, the two were able to walk away from that campsite and back to their lives together. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to take a leap of faith or fight a bear to be a hero in your family’s eyes. Just be yourself, show some support, and do the best you can. Happy Father’s Day, everybody.
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