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Bio:
1980, a time of burgeoning optimism, John Cole saw the opportunity to start a family-owned fiberglass distribution business in Austin. During the boom years Austin continued to grow and competition crept into the market and the neighborhood. To add to their stress, the economic boom ended with the crash of 1987. To survive the double-edge sword of increased competition for fewer clients, the Coles looked for opportunities to diversify the customer base while growing other segments of the business. They discovered that by expanding the wiping rags division of the company, manufacturing rags from discarded garments and household linens, they could expand into a broader range of markets.
As a result of the new direction for the company, a name change was in order. John Cole Chemical Corp was renamed JOSCO Products in 1989, as an acronym of John S Cole. The reputation for high quality wipers grew, customers began to request specialized ?lint-free? wipers for use in high tech cleanrooms. Realizing the potential of the high tech market, JOSCO Products formed a third division for servicing the cleanroom and electronic companies.
Over the years, the wiping rags and the cleanroom supplies have eclipsed the fiberglass raw material distribution business of its early days.
Company president Colleen Ogno, daughter of John Cole, remarks that since taking the helm in 2000, they have continued to review opportunities to diversify to meet the demands of the market.
Community involvement:
Colleen joined the Women's Art Guild to support the Austin Museum of Art. She enjoys being part of the community effort to raise money for such a wonderful institution. She has worn many hats in her service to the Alliance before accepting the position of Co-Chair 2006-2007.
In the past, she was an active member of Austin Junior Forum. In 1996, she served as Teddy Bear Picnic Chair.
She balances her demanding professional life with her community volunteerism by drawing learning experiences from one and applying it to the other.
Person most admired:
Audrey Hepburn exuded poise and elegance both on and off camera. She left a legacy of timeless beauty. Ms. Hepburn placed family, friendship, honor and duty, before all else. Her work with UNICEF to alleviate children?s suffering gave her life meaning and depth.
Favorite book:
"Life of Pi, " says Ms. Ogno, "showed me new perceptions on life, tolerance, fear, death and survival. My favorite is the observation fear is life's only true opponent."
What I enjoy most about my work:
Colleen loves making sales calls. She says she sees herself as a conduit of information, providing her customers optimal solutions for each of their unique situations. As a distributor of consumables, it is paramount to have the resources to fulfill a customer's request.
Greatest accomplishment:
Spending more time working ON the business instead of IN the business. By hiring the right ,key people, Colleen has been able to work on priorities and focus her energies on expanding the business.
Greatest challenge:
The business teetered near bankruptcy. It was a frightening time. Everyone pitched in to cut expenses and look for ways to increase revenue. The team effort made Colleen realize that everyone was part of the JOSCO family. It was a gratifying experience but one Colleen says she would prefer not to repeat. It also reminded her that failure is a step towards success.
Advances I envision in my field over the next 10 years:
Increased competition will spur demand for efficient and accurate processing of orders. Advances in technology such as RFID tagging of all shipments will be commonplace.
Strategies to maintain balance in my life:
A structured day gives Colleen the freedom to accomplish the important tasks while providing time to be of service to customers and employees. Scheduling time within her day for community, social, cultural, exercise and personal functions helps to maintain the balance.
Advice for emerging entrepreneurs:
Don't be afraid of failure. Colleen said, "A friend of mine strongly believes to fail often and fail fast." There is no better business than to figure what went wrong and avoid that mistake in the future.
The other piece of advice is to have a solid and honest relationship with your banker.
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