Strategies, tenacity, NEFBA spell success for Florida Custom Marble.
The characteristics of a Southern country gentleman and a driven businessman appear to be polar opposites. But, then you meet a man like Harlan Bost, you see the best of both.
Bost, president and co-owner along with his wife Patty of Florida Custom Marble, was born and raised in Shelby, N.C., and perhaps that’s where he cultivated the relaxed, genteel manner that seems to come so naturally.
“I didn’t have plans to move away, but when I met Patty and we got married, she made it pretty clear we would be moving to Jacksonville,” he said. “We moved here, and I got a job selling lumber. Did that for about 10 years, and when I had the chance to buy this company, I thought I had learned enough about business to have all the answers. It didn’t take long for me to realize I didn’t.”
When Harlan and Patty bought the company in 1997, it had seen better days.
“I guess you could say it was a tired business when I bought it,” he said. “It was on a downhill run. Marble was the only product, but we started to expand our product line and brought in granite, quartz, Corian and other materials to reach a wider market. And, we put a renewed emphasis on the custom side of our business.”
Florida Custom Marble earned a strong reputation among production builders in the area. Before long, Harlan was doing all he could do to keep up with the orders as the industry was in a meteoric rise.
“We got clobbered along with everyone else in 2007,” Harlan said. “At first, I thought we could just ride it out. I didn’t think it would last more than about six months. I expected to run through the ditch with my team.”
Harlan recalls that Dennis Ginder, NEFBA’s 2013 president, approached him at the spring NEFBA Trade Show in 2006 asked him what he was doing to get ready for the slowdown.
“I had never been busier and I thought Dennis must be mistaken,” Harlan said. “But I went back to the office and looked at the order file. It was shrinking but we were still busy because of the backlog.”
June 2006 was a record year for the company, and some of his employees were urging him to order new equipment. But Harlan thought perhaps it was time to diversify rather than make any major purchases.
“We branched out into remodeling and commercial work,” he said. “And, we unlocked the showroom for retail customers. The challenge when working with production builders is to be super-efficient and fast-paced. On the custom side, the challenge is in the details. No two jobs are alike.”
“Being on the finishing side, we were affected later than those on the front end,” Harlan said. “We’ve seen signs of recovery come and go over the past six years, but I believe the industry is stronger and if we have learned anything, it’s the need to keep a close eye on the market and not repeat the mistakes of the past.”
It was commitment, determination and vision that enabled Florida Custom Marble to survive and emerge strong.
The strategy has worked for Florida Custom Marble. Now six years after the slowdown (not the six months he first thought,) Harlan is cautiously optimistic.
“Being on the finishing side, we were affected later than those on the front end,” Harlan said. “We’ve seen signs of recovery come and go over the past six years, but I believe the industry is stronger and if we have learned anything, it’s the need to keep a close eye on the market and not repeat the mistakes of the past.”
It was commitment, determination and vision that enabled Florida Custom Marble to survive and emerge strong.
“We manufacture and install. That’s unusual in this industry,” Harlan said. “And, to be successful, you have to be very good at both. The challenge is to do a job quickly with all the attention to detail that a custom job demands.”
Harlan also credits NEFBA for its role in surviving the downturn.
“NEFBA is a great association,” he said. “It is looking out for everyone in the homebuilding industry, and its influence reaches from local government to Tallahassee and even to the national level. I’m not sure all our members truly appreciate how much our association does for us. Everyone benefits from membership to the extent they become involved.”
Harlan practices that philosophy himself. He has served on the NEFBA board and was recently elected to the Builders Care board. He belongs to the Remodelers Council and supports each of the county councils. He volunteers as a Parade of Homes driver and supports many of the fundraising and social events.
“Being a member is more than paying your dues,” he said. “It’s a commitment of time and resources if you want to receive maximum benefit.”
Harlan’s wife Patty works part time as an accountant for the company. Harlan, a graduate of North Carolina State University, and Patty have three daughters who have graduated or are currently enrolled at the University of Florida, following in their mother’s footsteps: Madeline is now attending the Southern School of Optometry in Memphis, Elaina is a UF senior and Katharine is a UF sophomore.
Harlan doesn’t seem overly concerned that he is seriously outnumbered in a household of four females and all of them Gators. In fact, it’s a source of pride.
“Harlan is an excellent role model for surviving and thriving,” said NEFBA Executive Director Daniel Davis. “Harlan has a quiet strength and determination we all respect and admire. He and many other NEFBA members are to be applauded for their perseverance and flexibility. Harlan and those like him are the backbone of the industry and the association.”