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FEATURE
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Rising Stars
A
t age 18, Dan Webb started working
as receptionist at his family’s supplier
company, answering phones and filing
paperwork. That was just the first step. By the
time he moved into his current position he had
worked in every department and subsequently
learned the company from the inside out.
Now, at 31 and the company president, he’s
working to continue shaping the company his
father built and creating a legacy his two children
will want to become part of one day. He says he
was born into the business and is lucky that he
loves it. Webb most enjoys the sales aspect and
engaging with customers, but he’s naturally an
introvert. “I used to stay far away from sales but
the more you do it, the more fun it becomes, and
now I thrive on it,” he says.
The most difficult challenge he’s had to
overcome at Webb Company is that of driving
continued growth during economic downturns,
combined with online direct sellers and
customers going direct. Even so, Webb Company
has grown nearly 300 percent in the past four
years. What the challenge has taught him is to
stay focused. “You can’t please everyone and
not everyone’s business model is a fit for your
business to equal a profitable venture,” he
explains. “Stay focused on your path and target
the customers that you enjoy working with.”
For other young business owners, he offers
this advice: “The only thing you can control
is yourself,” he says. “Don’t chase money
and don’t chase people. When you focus on
yourself, these things chase you.”
To relax, he gets away with his daughter,
Hayden and son, Roman, and also plays golf
and runs. “Running is a great tool I use to free
my mind and reenergize as well,” he says.
Nominator Patty Batalden, who recently
retired as sales and marketing manager for the
Webb Company, is impressed with Webb for a
number of reasons, starting with the fact that
he’s an amazing listener. “He never responds
until the person is done speaking. He cares
about what the distributor, employee or fellow
supplier is saying—and when he responds, his
answer is well thought out.”
Batalden worked for the Eagan, Minnesota,
supplier for 10 years, the past six under Dan’s
leadership, and calls him one of the nicest
people she’s ever met. She shares these
examples: “He treats everyone equally and
values all the relationships he forges. When he
meets a distributor at a show, gives them his
card and says call me anytime, he means it.
When he says his door is always open, that is
true too. On a personal note, the fact that he is
much younger than me, doesn’t affect me at
all as I have learned so much from him. To be
able to work for a person who talks the talk and
walks the walk is a great thing.”
She also describes Webb as someone who
is truly dialed in to what is happening within
the industry and what the trends are, and he’s
glad to share the information with employees so
they can answer customer questions. He’s also
recently brought in several new product lines,
including a line of lip balm manufactured on-site.
“Our industry is lucky to have such a rising
star looking after it,” adds Batalden. “When Dan
and I are out on the road together, I am often
asked if he’s my son. I thank them and tell them
he is not but I consider it a compliment as he is
such a great man.”
HIS INSPIRATION
His father, Alan, and his two
children. “My father built
the Webb Company from
our basement. I’ve watched
it grow from nothing to
massive and back to almost
nothing again. I’ve learned
a lot from him and I strive
every day to continue
growing the company bigger
and better than before—not
to show him up, but to
show him off. I wouldn’t be
here without him and I also
wouldn’t be here without
my children. I want them to
grow up seeing what hard
work looks like. I don’t think
I’d be as driven as I am
without them. They are such
a driving force for me and
the best things in my life.”
THE INDUSTRY
IN FIVE YEARS
He sees more
consolidations, buyouts
and mergers. “All of it,
and a lot of it. I see a lot
more suppliers working
together than ever before as
well. This can be scary for
companies that are unsure
of their future, but Webb
has no doubt they are here
to stay and grow. The future
is quite exciting.”
ON HIS TO-DO LIST NOW
Work on implementing new
cloud-based ERP/CRM
system, hire additional sales
staff, increase support staff
to handle the growth.
Dan Webb, CAS
PRESIDENT |
Webb Company
2016
28
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SEPTEMBER 2016
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