Aligned for Excellence: How Motivational Supports StoreBound’s Vision
Introduction: The Origins of StoreBound and Motivational
In 2010, Evan and Rachel Dash set out to build their own kitchenware brand: StoreBound. StoreBound is a family-run business dedicated to creating innovative products that simplify life. While they were confident in their vision, they knew many elements would contribute to their longevity and growth. When it came time to select a third-party logistics partner, Evan Dash knew it was an important decision.
Evan did his due diligence in his search for a logistics provider. He evaluated multiple 3PLs weighing factors like cost, capabilities, expertise, and customer service. In the end, Evan made the choice he knew he would probably make all along. Dash had previously worked with a company that partnered with Motivational Fulfillment and Logistics Services. Even back then, Dash was struck by Motivational’s exceptional service, proactive manner, and personal approach to doing business. More importantly, he appreciated how significantly Motivational’s company values aligned with StoreBound’s.
Choosing Motivational was not the cheapest option – but he knew it was the best one.
Evan Dash explains:
“We didn’t decide based on price but rather on expertise and capabilities. Most importantly, we chose them because we admired their people. They were just like us, committed and caring professionals who solved problems instead of running away.”
Motivational’s family-owned roots and shared values of integrity, innovation, and exceeding customer expectations – sealed the deal. StoreBound was off to the races with Motivational supporting them as a true partner.
Challenge #1: Vendor Compliance – Navigating Complexity with Ease
As StoreBound grew, big new wins meant big new responsibilities. A defining moment came when StoreBound landed a significant order with Sam’s Club.
After tons of hard work, including ten trips to Bentonville to pitch products, Dash achieved a huge win: a large order from Sam’s Club.
Evan and Rachel were thrilled about this, but when Sam’s sent over their Routing Guide and Standards Manual, Evan and Rachel began to panic. Evan described the situation:
“We opened two PDFs, each hundreds of pages in length. We struggled to absorb them...” Evan recalled in his book A Dash of Good. “What kinds of pallets did we need to use? We couldn’t make heads or tails of how to build the pallet to the specs they wanted. Did the maximum height of the pallet include the actual pallet? Could our boxes extend a couple of inches over the edge of the pallet? What was the maximum height per pallet?”
Frustrated and unsure of how to proceed, they reached out to one of their contacts at Motivational, Cheryl Nataren. They explained their anxiety and the fact they were overwhelmed, and Cheryl’s response put them at ease.
Cheryl at Motivational explained, “We ship to Sam’s all the time. We know their standards and requirements, and we handle it with precision and care, so our customers don’t have to worry about these kinds of details.”
Thanks to Motivational’s expertise, StoreBound met Sam’s Club’s rigorous requirements without a hitch, allowing Evan and Rachel to spend their energy on their core business.
Today, Motivational ships Dash products to 70+ retailer accounts!
Challenges:
- Complicated routing guides and vendor requirements
Solutions provided by Motivational:
- Expert retail fulfillment services
- Vendor compliance experience
- Exceptional customer service
- Robust warehouse technology
Challenge #2: Resilience Among the Uncertainty of a Global Pandemic
When the pandemic struck in 2020, StoreBound faced a new set of challenges. Like many businesses, they worried about how to keep operations running amid lockdowns and widespread uncertainty.
Evan Dash distinctly remembers the phone call he made to Motivational’s CEO, Tony Altman in the earliest days of the pandemic. Thankfully, Motivational’s proactive contingency planning provided stability during this turbulent time.
With rigorous safety protocols, including temperature screenings, social distancing, and strategic shift staggering, Motivational was able to maintain operations uninterrupted by COVID-19 threats, all while also ensuring the health and safety of their team. Transparent communication kept StoreBound informed, and Motivational’s ability to stay operational without missing a single business day demonstrated their resilience to their partners.
Challenges:
- Facing the uncertainty of the global pandemic
- Potential shutdowns
- Supply chain disruptions
Solutions provided by Motivational:
- Contingency planning
- Transparent communication
- Employee advocacy
- Robust warehouse technology
Conclusion: Shared Values, Shared Success
For more than a decade, the partnership between StoreBound and Motivational has been defined by mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to excellence. Motivational’s operational expertise and personalized support have empowered StoreBound to scale their business by letting Motivational take care of fulfillment so that Evan and Rachel Dash could focus on their strengths.
Evan illustrates this in his book, A Dash of Good:
“With the right partners, we could devote all of our efforts to what we were good at – sales and marketing, which were critical to our success.”
Today, StoreBound’s innovative products can be found in households across the country, a testament to their hard work and the strength of their partnerships. Through every challenge, from navigating complex retailer requirements to weathering the pandemic, Motivational has been by their side, helping them grow and thrive.