Learning The Family Business

The Laurens Boys

I have grown up with this company my entire life. I have been there all 4 times we moved from one warehouse to another. I used to crawl on the floors around the warehouse as my family would work and I would attempt to learn how to walk and talk. I eat, sleep, and breathe Laurens Restoration, literally, when I was younger my dad would come home from work after getting back from being at a loss all day and I’d go running up to him and give him a nice big long sniff, then reply to him “smells like money”. After breathing in the smell of left over soot and smoke that was radiating off his clothes.

I started working for the company when I was just 14 years old. It was the summer after graduating 8^th grade. I was finally going into high school and it was time to start becoming a man. I figured the best way to become a man, would be, to work. But I didn’t get to just go in the office and have a nice air-conditioned 9-5 job. No, I was in the warehouse with all the employees. Making $7.50 an hour and losing, what felt like my entire check, to taxes, which I couldn’t understand at the time.

My Dad and I

So here I am, this little 14 year old, working with all our employees I have known for years working my first summer job making minimum wage. It didn’t help that majority of the people I worked with only spoke Spanish. But I was trying my best to learn and keep up. I didn’t want any special treatment just because I was the owners son.

Anyway, there I am on my first day and I am sent out on a “pre-pack” and “pack-out”. That is when the contents of a homeowners belongings are inventoried, packed/wrapped, and then loaded in the truck to be brought back to our warehouse. My crew for the day arrived to the house, which was easy to find; considering it was the only house on the block with giant burnt marks everywhere and 90% of the roof missing. I’m thinking to myself, “this isn’t too bad”. Until I get inside.

The fridge had been sitting with rotten food and no electricity in the house for weeks. The stench was nauseating and I did the best that I could to hold my composure. Before I could have second thoughts I hopped right into the mess and got to work. Clearing out furniture room by room until the truck was packed to the very end. Not only was that summer was the hardest I have ever worked but it was the most I have ever learned. I fell in love with the company I grew up with my entire life and knew it was for me.

Laurens Family

As I grew older my hourly wage was raised and responsibilities have grown tremendously. All I know is employees are counting down the days for my return. And the next time I come back; it's going to be for good.