Lynnpro - February 2021

Lynnpro - February 2021

Live Life

EVEN WHEN THE PIZZA IS FREE WHY I NEVER SKIMP ON THE CHEESE

Back when Cheri and I ran a pizza joint, we used to send out coupons for free pizza every once in a while. Most pizza places do this, and it’s no big deal. But one time, an employee pulled me aside when he was making a free pie and asked, “Jeff, should I go a little light on the cheese for this order? You know, save us some money since it’s free?” My answer was an immediate, “No!” I told the kid, “Not only do I not want you to skimp on the cheese, I want you to make that pizza the way I taught you, right up to my standards. And if I look it over later and I’m not happy, you’ll have to fix it.” That might sound kind of harsh — I know the kid felt bad — but I’d do the same thing today. If you can’t afford to make good on a special or a coupon, why even offer it? You’re just setting your company up to fail. I think that when you cut corners in business, you hurt yourself even more than your customers. If you give some people good treatment and not others, it always comes back to bite you. What if my employee had mixed up those orders and sent a crappy cheese pizza out to one of our best customers? You can bet that pie would have come right back to the kitchen and cost me a lot more than making it right the first time. Plus, I take pride in my work. I love the money, sure, but I also love what I do. There’s nothing like that feeling when an idea gets traction and business is going well, and I’m not going to break promises to my customers and risk having all of that crash down. When you have 4.8- or 4.9-star ratings online and people trust you, you don’t want to monkey that up. That’s why my motto is simple: Do things the right way, and you won’t have to question yourself. Back at the pizza place and today at Lynnpro, I expect my employees to do exceptional work every single time, whether the product is free or our biggest money-maker of the year. We don’t do perfection — we’re still humans— but we ALWAYS do exceptional work. If a customer isn’t happy with their order of T-shirts, backpacks, or blankets,

I’ll give them two options: We’ll redo it, or I’ll refund them completely. There’s no such thing as a “partial refund” here at Lynnpro. If you don’t like something, it’s on us, every time. So, why am I telling you this? Well, I want you to know that when you order from us, you’re ordering from people who care. I care. Cheri cares. Liz cares. Our whole team is in this thing to help YOU get the results you want. Succeeding at that is what feeds me as a person. It’s a huge part of my life and personality. I want to do right by my ethics, my employees, and my customers like you, so you’ll never get any BS at any step while working with us. It’s important to me that my workers understand that, too. Sometimes, I sit and drink my morning coffee by the punch-in clock at the office. When a new employee comes over to clock in, I’ll ask them, “Do you smell that?’

They’ll say, “No, smell what?”

And I’ll reply, “That’s opportunity! I want you to take a big whiff of it before you come in.”

That truly is how I feel. Business is an opportunity. Working for a great company is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to do some good in the world and help people out, whether that’s by providing hats for a charity race or printing sweatshirts that will keep a team of roofers warm through the winter.

So, tell me — how can I help you? If there’s a way, I’m in. Call my team today at 563-243-6459 with your idea.

–Jeff Saxby

“Back at the pizza place and today at Lynnpro, I expect my employees to do exceptional work every single time, whether the product is free or our biggest money-maker of the year.”

CALL 563-243-6459 • 1

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

SOME LYNNPRO CLIENTS HAVE 4 LEGS! HOW OUR MERCH HELPS THE PITTIE PROJECT SAVE PUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT:

Patty Claus discovered her love for pit bulls nine years ago when her son smuggled one into her house. “Tino” was just a tiny puppy, but despite his stature, he stole Patty’s whole heart. “He was really young, only 6 or 7 weeks old, and my son had bought him from a backyard breeder,” Patty remembers. “I started doing the research because I’d never owned a pit bull before.” She was expecting “horror stories’’ but, instead, discovered a misunderstood, mistreated breed. Before long, Patty turned her volunteer work with the Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown, New Jersey, into a full-time job as president of the nonprofit Pittie Project. “The majority of dogs in rescues and shelters are pit bull-type dogs, and it’s estimated that 600,000 of them are euthanized in the U.S. every year due to overbreeding, discrimination, and other reasons,” Patty explains. “At The Pittie Project, we offer preventative care like free spaying and neutering, vaccines, microchips, training, and other services.”

Today, Patty owns three bully breed mixes, including two rescues: 9-year-old Tino, 7-year-old Mary Jane, and 6-year-old Maris. In 2019, she and the rest of her team at The Pittie Project spayed and neutered 140 dogs and assisted a handful of others with emergency medical care and training. They helped 80 bully breed pups last year despite the pandemic, partnering with low-cost clinics all over the country. If you check out The Pittie Project’s website (ThePittie.com) or Facebook page (Facebook.com/pittieproject), you might see staff and supporters rocking pit bull-themed masks, beanies, water bottles, and shirts that read, “If you don’t like pit bulls, I don’t like you.” We’ve partnered with Patty to make that sassy fundraising merchandise since 2018.

“The majority of our income comes in from T-shirt sales, and Lynnpro makes it so easy. You can’t beat their prices, and their quality is the best,” Patty says.

Our team is full of dog lovers (you might remember Jeff’s pit bull, Macy, from our October edition), and we get a kick out of helping The Pittie Project raise money. If you know a pittie in need, they can help! Email Patty at [email protected] to get started.

2 • LYNNPRO.COM

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

WOULDYOUTROT FOR MENTALHEALTH?

LYNNPRO PRODUCTS SUPPORT A LIFE-CHANGING TEXAS NONPROFIT

From four Community Healthcore (CH) offices spread across Texas, 450 people provide mental health services to a vast chunk of the state. CH offers a 24-hour crisis line, substance abuse services, help for people with developmental disabilities, “dayhab” programs, and more. It’s an impressive list, and it takes an inspiring crew to make it happen. “I’ve spent 16 years with the company, and one of my coworkers has been here 31 years. Another has stayed over 30 years,” says Jeanell Cannon, a regional administrator for CH who oversees 3 of the 9 counties it serves. “To work in the mental health field, you have to have a servant’s heart, a caring heart, and all of our staff do.” Last year, more than 16,000 patients walked through the doors at CH looking for help. The company is a nonprofit that relies on grants and fundraisers to fulfill its mission. One of those fundraisers is an annual Turkey Trot, which Lynnpro has helped outfit for two years! “2020 was our seventh year, and with the situation last year, we were so afraid we would have to cancel it, but fortunately, we were able to hold a virtual race,” Jeanell says.

She put an order in for race T-shirts and participation medals from Lynnpro and crossed her fingers they would arrive on time, despite the pandemic mail delays.

“It was amazing that I got the boxes within seven days!” Jeanell says. “That was huge ... I don’t know what Liz [her Lynnpro sales rep] did, but she did it!”

The 2020 Turkey Trot was smaller than in year’s past, with about 60 runners and an equal number of nonparticipant donors. Still, for a virtual race, it was a smashing success. “This is only the second year I’ve used Lynnpro, but I don’t have any intention of changing anything in the future because I’ve always been so satisfied with the quality of the T-shirts and the quality of the artwork, too,” Jeanell says. “It’s also a pleasant surprise that there’s a little extra in the box! The first year, Lynnpro threw in a water bottle, and this year we got extra stickers.” Jeanell and her team do life-saving work, and we’re happy to help in any way we can! To learn more about Community Healthcore and how to use their services, volunteer, or donate, visit CommunityHealthcore.com.

Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins

Word Search

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day-themed muffin with your Valentine or treat yourself!

INGREDIENTS

Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed • 3/4 cup natural creamy almond butter (can substitute creamy peanut butter) • 2 large eggs • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey) • 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup oat flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup strawberry fruit spread, divided (we recommend Bonne Maman INTENSE)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 3. In a large bowl, mix bananas, almond butter, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. 4. Stir in oat flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth. 5. Evenly divide batter into liners. Add 1 tsp strawberry fruit spread to the top of each muffin.

GROUNDHOG HEART LINCOLN MLK JR PENNSYLVANIA

AQUARIUS BLACK HISTORY CANDY CUPID

PHIL PRESIDENTS DAY VALENTINE WINTER

6. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the spread into the batter. 7. Bake for 22–27 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 8. Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool and enjoy!

CALL 563-243-6459 • 3

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

1625 13TH AVENUE SOUTH CLINTON, IA 52732

PHONE: 563-243-6459 LYNNPRO.COM

inside this issue

1

Why Jeff Never Cuts Corners — Even on Free Pizza

2

Meet Our 4-Legged Clients at The Pittie Project

3

The Turkey Trot That Almost Wasn’t

Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins

4

A Month of Love and Support

Every Valentine’s Day, people want to find the best ways to show their partner or even a close friend how much they care. It is easy to get sucked into thinking you have to give them the most expensive or elaborate present you can find, but sometimes, the most meaningful gifts are the simplest. Here are four easy ways to show your loved ones how much you care this February.

have a wonderful day!” or “You matter!” can make all the difference. Waking up to a loving note from someone they care about could mean the world to them and shift their entire mood for the day.

A DAILY JOURNAL ENTRY

February and March are usually when New Year’s resolutions begin to falter. To encourage yourself and your loved one, consider starting a daily journal. Leave a journal where you both have access to it and write positive messages inside for the other person. This acknowledgment of hard work is exactly what you both need to continue pursuing your goals this year.

A TEXT A DAY

4 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR LOVED ONES THIS VALENTINE’S DAY SHARE THE LOVE THIS MONTH

Knowing someone has your back throughout the year, no matter how difficult things can get, is a great source of support and love. In addition to the usual communication you share with your loved one, add in a supportive text each day, whether it’s simply letting them know you’re thinking of them or wishing them luck on a presentation or interview. The best part about these texts is that they can be sent year-round.

RANDOM GIFTS

You don’t have to wait for a birthday, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day to give your loved one a gift. Buying small gifts lets your friend or spouse know you’ve been thinking about them. Whether it’s a treat they enjoy, a book, or even a small gift card, these thoughtful gestures are sure to make them smile.

A MORNING MESSAGE BOARD

Whiteboards are fun to draw on and make great calendars, but they can also be used to share heartfelt messages with your roommates or spouse. Writing positive messages like, “I hope you

4 • LYNNPRO.COM

Published by Newsletter Pro • www.NewsletterPro.com