Making a Switch for Success

Initially, the stone exposure came from his father and a couple of uncles who were building mausoleums and installing building facades. However, during that time, his mother and his sister each owned an International House of Pancakes (IHOP) restaurant, and he attributes his early years spent there to a sound grounding in management.

Although he enjoyed the stone business, he adds that, “I got out of the granite business in the ‘80s because we weren’t that busy, and we had to keep traveling to stay busy with the mausoleums.”

Click photo to enlargeThen, about 15 years ago, one of the uncles changed focus, starting a company geared to fabricating and installing countertops. Evans went to work for him.

“I really liked what I was doing,” he says. “Every job was different, every kitchen was different, and every material was different. I ran the saw and learned how to template, and I did installs.”

Over time, the shop became quite an operation, employing both Evans and his father. However, about six years ago, Evans left that security for a new challenge in Washington, Mo.; a friend was opening a new shop and needed help.

“He was really struggling and he asked me if I’d come and help him get going,” he says. “I spent about five years helping him build a great business and a great shop.”

When Evans heard Coovert was looking to hire help for the fabrication shop, he initially had no interest for himself. However, one of his sons was between jobs, and he suggested the young man interview with Absolute.

“Once Josh talked to Sander, they started talking about me,” the elder Evans relates. “Josh called me where I was working and said that Sander wanted to talk to me.”

The two men set up their own meeting, and Coovert told Evans he was looking for a shop manager. Evans says he was up-front about what he was looking for, too. He told Coovert his ultimate goal was to own his own shop, something he could pass down to his own sons.

He agreed to work as Coovert’s shop manager. Evans says some of that had to do with his wife’s desire to move back to St. Louis to be closer to family members.

And, after a year working as the shop manager for Absolute, Evans got his wish to own a shop.

“Sander was still having issues and he wanted to get out of the fabrication end of the business,” Evans says. “He said, ‘Why wait to get into your own family business? We’ve got an awesome crew downstairs and I’m going to be shutting down one way or another.’ With that being said, I talked to an attorney and a CPA; they helped guide me to some things I needed to know, and we took off from there.”

Coovert explains that what he did was close Absolute in order to start a sales company. Evans then leased the stone-fabrication assets and opened JRS llc, doing business as Absolute Tile and Stone. A separate company started a tile operation under the same ground rules.

And, Coovert is now spending his days working as an independent contractor selling for both Evans and the tile operation.

“It works out for everyone,” Coovert says. “JR gets to do what he does best – which is fabrication – and build his own business at the same time. And, I get to do what I do best, which is sell, sell, sell. We’re more successful together but apart than we ever were as one company.”

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Of course, Evans is still facing the task of making the fabrication shop profitable, but he’s confident he has the background to make it happen. If nothing else, he says he’s probably able to put a sharper pencil to the shop’s numbers because he’s so experienced in the fabrication and installation process.