NFIB Pennsylvania Member Profile: Steve Rennekamp of Energy Swing Windows

Date: March 17, 2015

Name: Steve Rennekamp

Business: Energy Swing Windows

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Employees: 15

How did you become a small business owner and why?

I worked for Alcoa for 33 years in a corporate job, and most of the time it was related to building and construction. My first job at Alcoa was essentially in windows, so I’ve been in the window business for like 45 years. I had some ideas about a window design, so my son and I decided to start the business with the terms of offering the design and the way we do business, which is just as important as the design.

Can you tell me a little about how you run your company like a sports team?

Any business is only as good as the people, and when those people interact with customers, which all of our people do in one way or another, it’s important that we are all working together and delivering value to the customer. Because, you know, the perception of customers is based upon your interaction with people. And so, all your people need to be customer focused and everybody needs to understand what their responsibilities are and how to deliver those responsibilities to the customer. 

What are some of the challenges you are facing, and how are you dealing with them?

The weather is a tough one. We still put products in this time of year. We’re a little different. Most people in the window business, the people who sell them, will go out and buy them from another company – who many times is out of state – and then they subcontract the installation. We do the whole thing. We market. We sell. We make our own windows. Because we have total control, we can give a much better warranty than most people do. So, people are an important component all the way through our process. And you’re only as strong as your weakest link. Trying to find the right people is critical. Job training would help that, I think. 

Why did you join NFIB?

… When you’re a small business sometimes you seem like you’re an island to yourself. You can interact with people who may have totally different businesses, but a lot of issues have a lot of similarities. …When you’re dealing with another business owner who has 10, 20, even 50 people, a lot of those issues that we are facing, they are facing, and it’s just good to have discussion with people like that.

What do you like to do off the clock?

That’s a good question because I’m usually not off the clock. I do some consulting on the side also. When I have spare moments, I’m usually doing something with my grandkids. I have nine. 

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