06/22/2004
In 1970, Dave Easton took a part-time job at Ace Hardware. He never imagined he would one day own the business, or that he eventually would pass the reins to the next generation.
Easton first took the job at Ace because the equipment manufacturer he worked for was having financial troubles. Two years later, he was working at the hardware store full-time. His path evolved from there.
"You stay in it because you think you can do a good job," he says. Easton wanted to be part of a successful business, provide for his family and contribute to the community. Being a business owner afforded that opportunity.
Today Ace employs roughly 20 employees and boasts a nice new facility, built three years ago with the encouragement of Easton's daughter and son-in-law, the next generation owners.
"We wouldn't have built the new building if the kids hadn't wanted it, and the community would have been worse off without it," Easton says, noting that he gets customers from other towns who travel to his store and rave about its amenities.
"The service business is tough. There are lots of people out there offering the same things you are," he continues. "You have to keep the customer in mind -- give your customers a broad product line to choose from and serve them with the right attitude."
Competition isn't the only challenge Easton must overcome, of course. Government regulation is a big one, which is why Easton joined NFIB.
Over the years, he has worked with three Oregon state directors, testified before the legislature, worked on the SAFE Trust PAC and served on the Leadership Council. This year marks his inaugural participation in the Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C.
Easton says NFIB's emphasis on polling members to determine its stance on the issues is perhaps its greatest strength. Not only does it give all members an easy avenue for making their voices heard, it lays a solid foundation for NFIB's conversations with lawmakers, arming the organization with feedback spawned from real-world experiences.
"Our ideas may not be popular with the current legislature, but we always give a fair appraisal," Easton notes.
Easton's top small-business issues are taxes, insurance and unemployment compensation. Small business has won some victories over the years, but it still faces plenty of battles, he says. He sees electing small-business supporters on state and national levels as a key component for long-term success.
