Navis Packing and Ship
Tenderly packing a disassembled $10,000 grandfather clock, covering a copy machine with plastic wrap and injection-molded foam, and shipping a bed frame from Vale, Colorado to Lake Tahoe, Nevada for Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band are all part of an average day for Jeff and Cynthia Pate.
At Navis Pack and Ship, the Pates specialize in packing and shipping awkward and expensive items that other major companies such as FedEx, UPS and Mail Boxes Etc. won't. In fact, Jeff said he's more than happy to ship standard parcels but prefers to stick with his "niche" customers. Those are people who ship fragile, large, awkward or valuable items all of which the Pates can insure up to $1 million.
Because the Pates are more than willing to be offered the opportunity to serve customers who are turned away by other shipping companies, this innovative business sets itself apart by welcoming "problem items" and insuring their safe delivery.
Some of their largest orders come from estate distribution. With this, the Pates help pack and ship large quantities of furniture and many priceless family heirlooms and antiques. Because of the exceptional packing techniques he uses, Jeff said he'd be comfortable knocking over a packed grandfather clock without the worry of it breaking.
But don't worry, he said he never knocks things over especially on purpose.
Right now, the Pates' employ seven people in the warehouse and often sub-contract moving companies to help facilitate different orders. Jeff also spends much of his time in the warehouse taking care of orders himself, while Cynthia does administrative duties in the front.
Due to their expertise in shipping and dedication to serving their clients in the best way possible, the Pate family has been able to double sales each year since they opened in September 2003. They now make almost $400,000 a year. Jeff and Cynthia have managed to do this without anyone working primarily on sales, though Jeff hopes to hire a part-time salesperson in order to grab customers who don't yet know about Navis' unique services.
Before they took on Navis, the Pales worked for Lockheed Martin in San Diego, Calif. where Jeff was chief of operations and Cynthia worked in marketing. There, Jeff oversaw the development of rockets and also played a part in the creation of the Cruise Missile. With this position and an industrial engineering and mathematics degree, he learned to pay special attention to detail and procedures that would help him eventually run his business with the same care and skill he brought to Lockheed Martin.
The couple used a company called FranChoice, which helped them choose a franchise opportunity that fit their qualifications and their interests. The Nevada Small Business Development Center also helped the Pates make their decision by getting them in contact with knowledgeable people that assisted them in making key business decisions.
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