Basement Systems chief goes beyond basics

Published by: Stamford Advocate (May 20, 2009)
By Rob Varnon
STAFF WRITER

FAIRFIELD -- Before the usual bromides about business ran off the crowd, speaker Larry Janesky enthralled an audience Wednesday describing how he built Basement Systems Inc. into a world leader.

Janesky, founder of the Seymour company, kicked off the 16th annual Business Showcase at Sacred Heart University with more than 75 people listening. He launched into his speech using the usual platitudes of corporate inspirational talks, including encouraging people to have a bold vision, love what they do and mind their choice of business direction.

"You can have a company that brings out the best in people, or you can have a company that brings out the worst in people or, somewhere in between," he said.

It was at that point that Janesky switched gears and grabbed his audiences attention.

"We are eight times the size of our nearest competitor," he said, explaining how he grew a niche business launched 22 years ago from waterproofing basements into one that fixes foundations, finishes basements and improves spaces below houses. The company has 155 employees, a global dealer network of 305 in six countries and recently expanded in Seymour by adding a new building.

Janesky said he redefined his business and didn't let his competition or perceptions about the industry limit what his company could become.

"You got to do something different," he said.

During his time running Basement Systems, he's also learned that speed is critical to
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success because innovation is quickly copied, which can limit the time you can hold on to a competitive advantage.

"If we have an idea in the morning, we can be prototyping by lunch," he said.

Janesky said his company has learned its main functions are marketing, service, research and development. He outsources manufacturing because there are companies that are hungry and able to do it, he said. He keeps the marketing side, and said the company's Web site is critical to that. "We have 17 people working on the Internet," he said.

The goal is to create a dynamic workplace, he said, and you do that by hiring the right people. He said you have to hire people from all backgrounds, including "wackos."

But he did recommend you look for one particular trait in all employees.

"Hire for attitude," he said.

Some of the mistakes companies are making today as they try to remain relevant is hanging on to old ways, Janesky said.

One old way he recommends dropping is a particular management philosophy. He said the old model of management was to correct employees' faults. The new one is to build their strengths.

For example, Janesky said he has an employee who is habitually late. Under the old model, he would keep harassing the worker about tardiness and try to fix him. But Janesky said the man's punctuality doesn't interfere with this work and it's not a battle worth fighting. Results count more with Janesky.

He said it's important to have fun at work. He lets his employees decorate their spaces instead of dictating what colors to paint their offices.

"We're not having enough fun," Harriette Trevino, co-owner of Bull's Head Printing in Monroe, said after listening to the speech. "We're working real hard, just not having enough fun."

She said Janesky's talk made sense and gave her ideas she plans to take back to work. "I loved it," she said.

Although Trevino liked the advice Janesky gave, Lorraine Bukowski, Aquarion Water Co.'s public relations manager, took two lessons away from the speech.

"I sat in the wrong place," Bukowski said, after the speech. Janesky kept using her as an example throughout his speech as if she were one of his workers.

Article originally published here: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/norwalkadvocate/business/ci_12415099
Press for: Basement Systems
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