Culture is king at Grooms Office Environments, and it drives every aspect of the 39-year-old company. Owners Jonathan and Audrey Garard believe employees are key to their success and instilling the Grooms Office culture in all 19 directly impacts quality of work.
Financial performance
On the back of 61 percent revenue growth in 2014, Grooms grew by nearly 12 percent last year tallying it’s third consecutive profitable year.
Profit is only part of the equation. The Garards say the Grooms strategy also is part hard work and part timing.
“Our growth from last to this year is above average,” Jonathan says. “That comes from recognizing the needs in our own market and making sure we can be the answer.”
Fewer local options could lead customers to search outside the Springfield market, but Jonathan isn’t worried.
“We are proud to be a 100 percent locally owned and started company,” he says. “If we have the capability to be just as good as, if not better than, why take it outside the market?”
Innovation
In an industry where most companies use a third-party installation service, Grooms is different.
At no point does the company hand off a project – they see it through from the initial phone call to the final installation.
“We have no red tape and we can make decisions freely,” Audrey says. “Tomorrow is going to be different than today and the ability to make changes quickly allows us to do projects we never would have done. For us, being innovative is being creative and helping our clients solve their problems.”
Community involvement
The Garards live by the phrase, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
“We know we have been blessed, now what we do with it is just as important,” Jonathan says. “We want our entire office to share that mentality and culture.”
The company made a commitment to support each employee and the foundations or charities they support, coming along at critical times.
For example, during the recent Community Foundation of the Ozarks Give Ozarks campaign, Grooms issued employees “Grooms Bucks” to be donated to the charities of their choice.
The company supports groups such as Child Advocacy Center, Great Circle and Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks and recently took part in the CoxHealth diaper drive.
Founder Olin Grooms retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. and owner Jonathan continues that military tradition, currently serving in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Plaza Shopping Center gained an arcade with the March 1 opening of The Flying Lap LLC; the repurposing of space operated by Burrell Behavioral Health resulted in the March 18 opening of the company’s second autism center; and a group of downtown business owners teamed up to reopen J.O.B. Public House.
