When Jody Zepnick, founder and CEO of Zepnick Solutions in Green Bay (www.zepnick.com), decided to start the business in 2000, he wanted to make it employee-centered.
“One of the challenges I faced was to focus on developing an environment where people would enjoy coming to work; to develop a structure where we would do what was right for employees and customers and not always worry about the bottom line,” Zepnick said.
That goal led to a company that now has 50 employees, offices in Green Bay and Cincinnati, and growth plans that include a third location in Denver and others after that. It also has a team of employees who enjoy working together to provide solutions for companies in the food, paper and consumer goods industries.
Zepnick’s desire to become an entrepreneur was bred in his childhood. His father owned a construction company, and he worked at it through high school and college where he obtained a degree in electrical engineering.
“Whenever other kids were doing fun things, we (he and his siblings) were working,” Zepnick said. “But I learned a strong work ethic from my dad. He taught us that no matter how difficult the job, once you are committed to it, you need to stick with it.”
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In addition, he watched the way his dad treated employees like family and always showed integrity. It was a model that he wanted to emulate, but it was years before he decided to take the leap.
“When I moved to Green Bay, I thought I’d work for a company for a few years, and then start a business,” he said. “But it was about 10 years before I started to feel like the time was right.”
He talked to his wife, Christine, about the risks of going all in, and she encouraged his efforts.
“She said, ‘It’s now or never.’ We had stuff we could lose, but we still had our family and everything that mattered to us,” Zepnick said. “We did not want to look back 20 years later and have regrets.”
Once the decision was made, Zepnick downloaded business plan software and got busy writing a plan. He talked to lenders and business leaders. He conducted extensive research on what it would take to succeed, and with a fellow employee committed to go with him, he launched Zepnick Solutions.
From his previous jobs, he knew how to structure the business, hire and pay employees, and get the business off the ground. The initial costs were low, but he was still concerned about being able to meet expenses; especially about being able to pay his first employee.
“I told him that I couldn’t guarantee a paycheck, but he said, ‘You’re not leaving me here alone,’ so he came with me,” Zepnick said. “I hit the ground hard and solid, and in one week, met with more than 40 businesses, and was able to give him a paycheck after six weeks.”
From that point, the business grew steadily. Employees were added, and at the end of the first year, Zepnick already had a dozen employees. All were being asked the same question as they joined the company, “How can I help you be successful? Because you will be the next generation of leadership in our organization.”
That led to a culture that continues. (The company is now employee-owned.) Employees are treated like family. There are about a dozen social events a year, employee turnover is low, and the sense of belonging to a team of problem solvers leads to job satisfaction. The company values are family, technical excellence, collaboration, accountability, and humility, Zepnick said
“We have a pretty flat organization,” he said. “Our team leaders are given a lot of autonomy. We focus on principles and executing on those parameters. We don’t micromanage in that respect. I am CEO and president, but could not even tell you how many projects we have because other people are taking them on.”
That has led to being able to offer expansive services by providing not only mechanical, electrical and process engineering, but also design, project management, equipment specification, integration, and more.
“We solve problems,” he added.
With those solutions comes success and the challenge of managing projects throughout the country and globally. He says it is exciting to be able to provide support around the world, but with the travel requirements, he does not want his employees to get burned out in the process.
It is extraordinary growth for a person who considers himself to be an introvert. But even though he enjoys spending time alone, he says there are three elements that have brought him to where he is today — a strong desire to help people and make sure they are treated properly, an ability to take risks, and a strong work ethic. His joy is found in seeing others succeed.
“The thing that excites me the most about the business is watching others in the organization be successful,” Zepnick said. “It is seeing my team sit down with a customer, brainstorm back and forth, and come up with something we never thought of before. It is making order out of chaos.”
Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.
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