Most kids don’t dream of running an awning and canvas company when they grow up. Neither did James Dillport, chairman of the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association, but in 2017, he stumbled onto an opportunity to help lead Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas (MLAC) in Sherwood, Ark. After taking a chance on this new career, he and his team have made the most of the situation.
“We’ve consistently done twice the annual business than the company used to do before 2017,” notes Dillport, vice president of MLAC. “That has been no easy feat, but we keep on pushing and chugging away.”
For nearly 40 years, MLAC has built a reputation for providing high-quality commercial and residential shade solutions, including traditional awnings, modern walkway covers and custom-designed shade structures. With more than 7,000 completed projects, the company continues to grow while serving customers across Arkansas and beyond.
“In the past, this was a seasonal business. But now we stay busy year-round,” says Dillport, who attributes the company’s success to its work with commercial clients and contractors. The company also serves residential clients. “Those customers tend to have higher-end homes and want better-quality products,” he adds.
Dillport first connected with MLAC when he called the company during his previous role with a chemical company. Because that business was going through a transition, he was interested in new job prospects. So when MLAC advertised a position, he applied.
“While this job was outside my comfort zone, they liked the fact that I’d been a branch manager and handled sales in my previous role,” he says.
Landing a job at Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas turned out to be a trial by fire, however, because the business was struggling when Dillport came on board. “I came in not knowing much about the industry, but within the first week, I knew I needed to make significant personnel changes in some key roles to reach our goals,” he says.
As a result, he took a strategic, careful approach to creating the customer-and employee-centric culture that MLAC needed to thrive. He gave all team members multiple opportunities to help create this new culture. For those who resisted the change, he initiated critical conversations and provided coaching sessions to help them understand the vision he had in mind for the company.
“When you have an experienced employee with a lot of industry knowledge, you want to retain them, but you also can’t allow unacceptable behavior to continue,” Dillport says. “Even when you have to critique someone or have a tough conversation, always remember they are human and need to be treated with respect.”
After a year or so, it became clear that some team members were unwilling to embrace MLAC’s new culture. After Dillport transitioned out those employees, he brought new leadership into the company, including Tyler Glover, who started in sales and now works as a production manager.
Dillport also assured the other team members that these changes would be better for everyone. Almost immediately, the company shifted to a more positive environment, he notes. “Hands down, this was the best decision that I made for the company. It has allowed us to reach milestones that wouldn’t have been possible without taking this risk,” he says.
Perseverance pays off
Today, he manages a team of approximately 10 full-time employees. While finding good help can be a challenge, MLAC has successfully recruited through various channels, including employee referrals and online job boards.
“Our greatest asset is our exceptional team,” he says. “In today’s competitive job market, employee retention is even more critical than initial recruitment.”
The company offers competitive compensation, incentives, a comprehensive benefits package, vacation time, retirement plans, company-wide team-building events and internal training. Dillport focuses on providing flexible work schedules and hands-on learning rather than micromanagement. “Treat people the way you’d like to be treated,” he says.
Dedication and attention to detail drive the MLAC team. “The custom canvas world can be complex and sometimes overwhelming,” Dillport says. “We push through and go the extra mile to set ourselves apart from our competition. We’re persistent from start to finish and genuinely care about the work we’re doing.”
There are no shortcuts along the road to success, he adds. “In today’s society, there’s a tendency to expect immediate results with minimal effort,” he says. “I believe that dedication and perseverance are essential, both in business and in your personal life. While the rewards of hard work may sometimes be delayed, when I look back on the past five years, I can confidently say that our greatest achievements have come from periods of intense effort.”
It takes a village
The Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas team serves commercial businesses, schools, hospitals, daycare centers, churches, homeowners and other clients. Dillport and his team collaborate with a diverse group of professionals, including architects, design-build companies, general contractors, subcontractors, sign companies and consumers, to meet clients’ needs.
Some projects are straightforward while others are more challenging, such as complex, custom designs. “Sometimes customers come to us with an inspiration photo, while others have a space to fill and want to know what we recommend,” Dillport says. “With every client, we start by asking, ‘What do you envision?’ rather than just throwing ideas out there.”
While word-of-mouth marketing has been key to MLAC’s growth, the company also uses other marketing strategies, “including print marketing, billboards, digital advertising, websites, Facebook and mailers,” Dillport says. “In recent years, we’ve narrowed this down primarily to digital marketing.”
This includes Google Ad Words and banner ads based on specific geographic locations to target marketing with greater precision. For the past four years, Dillport has outsourced this work to a local marketing agency that also manages the MLAC website. He meets with this marketing team every month or two to get updates and receive input on his company-wide goals.
“You have to invest money back into your business,” he says. “A strong online presence is a necessity in our business today. Outsourcing our marketing has really paid off for us.”
Working with skilled, talented, caring people is vital for keeping Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas competitive and nimble enough to pursue new growth opportunities. “Interacting with my team and customers, along with our industry friends and partners, is my favorite part of the job,” Dillport says. “When you surround yourself with good, like-minded people, you will get the results you’re working towards.”
Darcy Maulsby is a freelance writer based in Lake City, Iowa.
Photography by Mark Skalny Photography
Snapshot: Turning a client’s vision into reality
When prominent ad agency CJRW wanted to add more visual appeal to the front of its office in Little Rock, Ark., the company chose Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas (MLAC) to bring about its vision.
“This was definitely an outside-of-the-box rebranding project, with a lot of moving pieces and specific requests,” says James Dillport, vice president of MLAC.
The ad agency’s office is in a busy, highly visible part of downtown Little Rock. The CJRW crew wanted to focus on a patio area in front of the business and enhance the space’s aesthetic appeal.
The MLAC team coordinated with a custom metal fabricator to fabricate a front railing. It also worked with a graphics company that can print designs on SGS Thermal Digital Print Film fabrics. “We needed to have the frames powder-coated as well,” Dillport adds.
While the project included awnings, most of the design features flat panels with graphics that align to create a single run of advertising in downtown Little Rock. The client was thrilled with the results, Dillport says. “This entire project took several months and was challenging from start to finish, but the final results were exceptional.”
Q&A: What trends are you watching in your business?
The trend toward metal continues to be a challenge. We recognize that price is a primary driver in our market for a lot of our customers. More customers are choosing metal due to its longevity. Some metal comes with a lifetime warranty, depending on the material. Fabric still offers many advantages, though. If a customer wants an awning re-covered, for example, fabric is more budget-friendly. Also, fabric is a great choice for customers who want a traditional, softer, less industrial look for their project. Fabric continues to have an important place in our business.
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