Wednesday Wonders #1

I decided to start a new feature on each of my blogs, called Wednesday Wonders, where I will write about someone who inspires me in some way. In this blog, I'll talk about various people I know and in the other one, I'll talk more about craft-related inspirations. It is funny, I decide to inaugurate this here in a week when I have hardly interacted with anyone outside my family and coworkers. That made it hard to pick. And no, I'll not cheat by writing about the dog. The Scrunchy photo is my nod to that questionable practice so many knitting (and I guess other) bloggers have of insisting on posting a photo of their beloved pet on every single entry. Even though that pet only can make so many cute faces and/or poses. Scrunchy is no different. Beccano takes dozens of photos of him, but he continues to look like a snaggle-toothed, bulgy-eyed pillow in all of them.

Anyway, since I did get out of the house to take Beccano to his guitar lesson yesterday, I decided that today's Wednesday Wonder will be…Dan of Danny Ray's Music, the store where we have purchased many of our guitars, and where Beccano takes his lessons. He started a new small business in a challenging time, which is something I wish I had the courage to do. And he manages to be a good salesman without being overly pushy. He really tries to sell his customers the right musical instrument for their needs, which is admirable--not trying to sell the most expensive guitar in the store to someone gullible enough to buy it, but who will never use the instrument to its fullest potential or appreciate its fine qualities. If I were a salesperson, that's how I'd like to be (and how I do try to be when I sell people yarn at the yarn shop out of the goodness of my heart). He treats all the customers with respect and seems to have good relationships with the vendors as well. None of that is easy, I am sure. I have been very pleased at how hard he has worked to get Tuba Boy's guitar delivered from the manufacturer--he has been so persistent about calling and checking on it, since it is now two weeks after it was originally scheduled to arrive. I figure it will get here eventually, but he is really trying to track it down.

Dan has hired some wonderful people to be his teachers, as well, which shows a good understanding of people, the qualities it takes to be a good instructor, and the value that music education has for both children and adults (plus the knowledge that it's hard to pass up buying stuff if you are IN the store every week). He seems to pay them fairly, but still the lessons make up a lot of the store's income. That is a good thing, when you know you are selling something VERY optional, like musical equipment. The staff and teachers combine their friendly attitudes and talents to keep the students coming back month after month. It's been nice meeting the other parents!

I was talking to Dan's assistant yesterday, and he said they did 35% better this holiday season than the last. For a relatively new business in a bad economic time, that is just wonderful. I hope this store is around a long time, because family-run businesses are rare nowadays, and I want to support them. I am very impressed with Dan as a person and a businessman. He has practically accomplished the impossible: created a thriving business(and accompanying community) in a suburb during bad times.

Tune in next week to see who the most inspiring person of my week has been!