Summary
This transcript is from the "Up in Your Family Business" podcast hosted by Todd Rimer, featuring Jeff Boone as the guest. Jeff is the co-owner of Cowpoke's Work in Western (with locations in Anderson and Cloverdale, Indiana) and Jeff Boone Auction and Realty in Markleville, alongside his wife Lynette. Their children and son-in-law are also active in the family businesses.
Todd notes that Jeff was actually his first podcast guest about 14 months prior, though technical issues prevented the audio from being recorded properly during that initial interview. In this follow-up conversation, they focus on how values shape family businesses, particularly examining Jeff's core values and how they influence his business operations and family dynamics.
Jeff shares that his grandfather, Mort McShirley, played a critical role in shaping his values. After Jeff's father left when he was around 10, his grandfather became a significant influence. Jeff would spend time with his grandfather after school, learning from him through experiences rather than formal lessons. His grandfather demonstrated values like honesty, integrity, gratitude, and faith through actions such as giving extra money back to farmers when he made more profit than expected on cattle sales.
Jeff describes his grandfather as having a very strict, zero-tolerance approach to faith and values, while Jeff himself has adopted a more grace-oriented approach with his own children. He emphasizes that while maintaining core values is essential, it's also important to acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes and to show grace when people fall short.
In discussing how values transfer to business operations, Jeff explains that both his auction business and retail store operate with the same core principles of honesty, integrity, and faith. He stresses the importance of communication within the team, having regular meetings, and creating a positive culture where people enjoy coming to work. Jeff believes that when employees are treated well and share the same "moral compass," they naturally provide excellent customer service.
Todd and Jeff discuss how they navigated challenging economic periods like 2008 and 2020. Jeff shares advice from a mentor who told him "you cannot retract your way to success," which inspired him to push forward rather than cutting back during difficult times. Both Todd and Jeff maintained their commitment to their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, refusing to lay off staff despite financial pressures.
When asked about the one uncompromising value he holds, Jeff identifies integrity as the most important, describing it as encompassing many other values and being the quality he most wants his children to carry forward.
The conversation concludes with Todd sharing information about Jeff's businesses and their online presence across various platforms, including websites, social media, and even TripAdvisor, where Cowpoke's Work in Western is listed as a destination.
Chapters
Introduction to Jeff Boone and His Family Businesses 00:00:04
Todd Reimer introduces the podcast and welcomes Jeff Boone, co-owner of Cowpoke's Work in Western and Jeff Boone Auction and Realty. Todd mentions that Jeff was actually his first podcast guest about 14 months prior, though technical issues prevented the audio from being recorded properly. Jeff's family is actively involved in the businesses, including his wife Lynette, daughter, son, and son-in-law. Todd recalls how Jeff previously shared that despite his busy schedule, his family has dinner together almost every night, a practice they still maintain today.
The Origin of Jeff's Core Values 00:08:12
Jeff discusses how his grandfather, Mort McShirley, played a critical role in shaping his values after his father left when he was around 10. Rather than formal lessons, Jeff learned through experiences with his grandfather, such as farming, moving livestock, and traveling to buy equipment. His grandfather demonstrated values like honesty, integrity, gratitude, and faith through actions such as giving extra money back to farmers when he made more profit than expected. Jeff describes his grandfather as a faithful man who lived his life trying to honor his relationship with God, though he was very strict in his approach to faith.
Faith as a Guiding Value 00:14:01
Jeff identifies faith as the strongest of his core values, explaining that he's become more vocal about his faith over the years. He describes how starting the day with prayer and putting God at the center of his life helps him manage stress and anxiety by allowing him to focus on what he can control while trusting God with the outcomes. Jeff believes that when you "put it in His feet and let Him handle it, everything else takes care of itself," providing an inner peace that helps in both personal and business situations.
Passing Values to the Next Generation 00:16:52
Jeff explains how his approach to passing down values differs from his grandfather's strict style. While his grandfather had "almost zero tolerance for anything that wasn't of God," Jeff tries to balance strong values with grace, acknowledging that everyone makes mistakes. He's encouraged by how his children, son-in-law, and future daughter-in-law have embraced faith-based values, noting they're active in their church, spend time in Bible study, and serve others. Jeff observes that many young people today are more faith-driven than parents might expect.
Values in Business Operations 00:26:22
Jeff describes how his values are reflected in his businesses. He explains that both companies share the same "moral compass" with employees who align with their personal goals and ambitions. Jeff emphasizes creating a fun, positive culture where people enjoy coming to work, believing that happy employees naturally provide excellent customer service. He stresses the importance of communication, including regular meetings and a group text called "number one auction family" that helps the team stay connected throughout the day.
Navigating Economic Challenges 00:45:35
Jeff shares how his values helped during difficult economic times like 2008 and 2020. He recalls advice from Ed French who told him "you cannot retract your way to success," which inspired him to push forward rather than cutting back during the 2008 recession. Instead of reducing staff or advertising, they "dug their heels in" and pushed harder to gain market share. Jeff admits that in earlier challenges, he tried to handle everything himself rather than relying on his faith, but he's learned that prayer and trusting God with outcomes works better than trying to solve everything alone.
The Importance of Integrity as an Uncompromising Value 01:09:39
When asked about his one uncompromising value, Jeff identifies integrity as most important, describing it as encompassing many other values and being the quality he most wants his children to carry forward. Todd reflects that while faith is foundational, integrity ensures that all other values are lived out consistently. Jeff agrees, emphasizing the importance of "always having that level of integrity no matter what" and trying to "make the right choice all the time."
Business Information and Conclusion 01:12:01
Todd shares information about Jeff's businesses, including their websites (cowpokesonline.com and jeffbooneauctions.com) and social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok. He notes that Cowpoke's Work in Western is even listed on TripAdvisor as a destination, sharing an anecdote about a friend whose favorite part of visiting Anderson was shopping at the store. Todd thanks Jeff for returning to the podcast and praises him for exemplifying the values of integrity and faith in both his personal life and business operations.
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