Erik Granroth spoke to our club at our July 26 meeting and gave his “reclassification talk”.  Since he says his first classification talk was given at the spur of the moment when a program didn't show up to a meeting, he shared his life and his spoke about his new business venture.

 

 

 

His parents split when he was 6 and he went to 11 different schools and changed schools 19 different times.  He feels he can adapt to any situation because he was always the “new” person.  Each of his parents has 7 brothers and sisters, dozens of close cousins.  He has an older brother and younger brother and sister.  

 

Erik was close to his father.  He was self-employed and taught Erik about working hard.  Erik has worked full-time since he was13 years old.  Every hourly job he had after that it never made sense for someone to tell him how much his time was worth.  Erik’s dad passed away five years ago.  He was 60 years old.  He worked until the end. 

 

Erik was 20 when his daughter Lauren was born.  She now works with Erik in the insurance industry.  Lauren is growing into an adult with characteristics Erik’s father instilled in him.  They are very close.

 

Erik started working in the restaurant industry, mowing lawns, paper routes, odd jobs, etc.  He hired his brother and his friends to go do odd jobs and Erik would pay them a cut.  Erik was the lead cook at an Outback Steakhouse 25 years ago.  He worked at Arnie’s in Mukilteo and Kentucky Fried Chicken to get corporate management training, food safety, and human resources skills.  He then went on to be a bar manager making really good money.  He was going to open two Quiznos but he saw a flaw in their business model.  He did not want to sacrifice family for work so he took a job in insurance.

 

To work in the insurance industry Erik needed a bachelor’s degree but got an exception.  He out performed the people that went to college.  Erik has always been business-minded. 

 

Erik enjoys Rotary and knew from the first meeting he was a Rotarian.  Part of growing his insurance business has been helping the community.  The giving has come full circle.  Do the right thing and the results will come.

 

Erik loves to fish and be on the water.  All his negative energy goes away when he is on or at the water.  He is more into salt water fishing now.  Erik’s dad was big into fishing.

 

Erik loves animals.  He had a farm with 30 animals.  He has a dog named Frank the Tank. 

 

After Erik’s dad passed he took a look at how he wants to spend his days.  Erik will be buying a boat with his girlfriend, Rose.  He will take it up the Northwest Passage and fish. His goal is to have a business that will allow him time on the water.

 

Erik this month has opened a Batteries+Bulbs ("B+B") franchise store at the location of the former Radio Shack just north of the Smokey Point Wallmart. He is looking at a couple of other possible locations for additional stores. 

 

He saw it in entrepreneur magazine so many years ago and thought it was a unique business model.  They have 700+ stores, open seven days a week.  The business model has adapted to change which interested Erik.  B+B does local delivery and service, retail and commercial sales.  B+B offers high quality products and warranties, better than competitors.  He doesn’t sell off-brand products.  B+B has contracts with large corporations.  They have specialty products they can special order.  You can order online, in store, or on their app.  B+B repairs cell phones and tablets, does key fob cutting and programming at lower cost than dealers.  B+B does recycling of bulbs and batteries.

 

Last Friday Erik had a special grand opening celebration with invitations to family and friends.  Congratulations Erik and good luck with your plans!