Tow Professional Podcast
Tow Professional Podcast
Photo Card's Linda Biddle's Triumph in the Face of Loss: A Story of Resilience,
Get ready to feel truly inspired as we sit down with Linda, the matriarch of a thriving family business that she and her late husband, Terry, nurtured for over 37 years. Linda's journey is a testament to resilience, as she continues to lead the Photo Card Specialist business even after Terry's sudden passing. Their story will tug at your heartstrings and their business model will intrigue your entrepreneurial spirit.
We then shift gears to discuss Photo Card Specialist's innovative offerings. From capturing precious moments in business card-sized photographs, to creating personalized calendars and promotional products, Linda's ingenuity and her adaptation of technology are simply remarkable. Linda's warmth and passion shine through as she encourages listeners to put their creativity to work by personalizing their own artifacts using their photos. Tune in to this episode for an emotional yet enlightening journey of love, loss, resilience, and innovation.
Welcome one and all to no professional on the go podcast. This is your podcast. I want all of you to know this is a special one. I'm DJ Harrington, better known as the Thode Doctor, and this podcast is the voice of the towing industry. This is going to be a great one. We have a special guest on, but I want to introduce everybody to the real podcast guy who's the president and CEO of Thode Professional Magazine, my dear friend Darren Weaver. Darren, how are you today?
Speaker 1:DJ, I am fantastic and very, very excited about our guest today. Like you said, this is going to be a special show and we just ask for every one of you to stay tuned in. I think it will, certainly it's going to touch your heart and I think it also can give you some great ideas going forward for your company. So stay tuned into this one. It's going to be great because we've got Linda on with photo card specialist and everybody knows them from the shows, knows Linda, remember Terry? It's a fantastic company, family business that's just got some tremendous employees and some unbelievable products.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, the website's fantastic. If none of you have ever been to their website photocardspecialistcom and look at the website. But all I could do is, when I'm talking to Linda, all I could see is Linda and Terry working the booth at many of the shows that we've all been to. So it's a good, and I thank Linda for being on the podcast. I think it's great. Yeah, it's a lot of help. Go ahead, linda.
Speaker 4:I'm sorry. I just wanted to thank you so much for this opportunity that you're giving me. It means a great deal.
Speaker 2:Well, you guys have been. You think about all the shows that we have gone to. You know, on my whitehead, terry, and you have made so many booths there with your team of people from photo card specialist. They're great people and great products.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So what I wanted to do, Derek, just so our guests know a little bit, tell us a little bit about photo card specialist and where we go from here.
Speaker 4:Well, terry and I started the business about 37 years ago.
Speaker 4:He even had some pre-business experiences that led into photo card.
Speaker 4:Prior to that he was a pilot for the Eau Claire Sheriff's Department here in our state of Wisconsin and he did a lot of aerial photography that kind of led into now photographs, photographs and then making photographs the size of business cards. So we invented the process of being able to take a print, a negative, and reduce it down to the size of a business card, incorporate writing on the face of a photograph. Now you keep in mind that was the days of the film negatives, chemistry and type setting with a little machine that then you had to use rubber cement to make it all glue together and it was a heck of a process. So digital nowadays is a breeze compared to that process. So he had met me and we decided we wanted to form this company. We had a technician who knew the process and for 37 years now we have taken from photographic into the digital world, making promotional products, business cards, christmas cards, calendars, blankets, photo mugs, photo mouse pads, clocks, all kinds of things that now the technology allows us to put a photograph on.
Speaker 2:This is the season for the reason. And people thinking about calendars for the coming new year and also a nice Christmas blanket with their truck right on. It would be a great opportunity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was thinking that too, DJ. I sat there and looked through the site the other day and I'm telling you you know I'm looking at the truck that was on the blanket and I was sitting there thinking, hey, can I get a classic carpet on there as well? And I know you can. So let me tell you something If you can't find something for the man or woman in your life on this website, you can't find it anywhere. They got a little everything for it for everybody, from drinkware to the blankets, to the calendars. And the calendars are fantastic. I've seen them and actually got one hanging on the wall in my mouth.
Speaker 2:As a grandpa, I started thinking, you know, to have the three pictures of my grandchildren on a blanket that we're not allowed to watch movies with on the sofa. That would be a great idea for Christmas.
Speaker 1:Hey, dj, I think me and you both have just found a place where we can start getting Christmas presents stopped up this year and they will be special, because that is a special touch to be able to put your photo on anything, any type of product, and for the business to use that to grow the business and to brand. I mean, how good is that? So I guess my next question I've got to ask, linda. I know you and Terry have built this business over 37 years and I know a lot of our listeners out there have a pain in their heart today because they know what's happened. But let's tell us what's changed here in the business just in the last month.
Speaker 4:You're probably going to miss us at this, seeing us at the shows this year, because on August 1st, terry and I were down in Florida on vacation a little bit of that calm before the storms and he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. So it just, it just isn't possible this year for me to be able to travel without him and my heart isn't in it and we just don't. I just don't have the capabilities of the traveling myself. So I love you all and I'll miss you Not kidding to see you, but please, please, just don't forget us, because there's a lot of people.
Speaker 4:There has been a great deal of outpour across the country. When you belong to a towing network, you belong to a huge family and I can't thank those families across the country that we've watched their children grow up and are now handling their handling the businesses and people are retiring our friends, our business associates. So I can't thank you enough for all that support you have sent to me and cards and emails and phone calls. Thank you all for that. So, as far as Terry's passing, it's hard, it's hard, but I also want you guys to know that the staff has 100% been behind me. My daughter has worked with us. My other children have been a huge support as well, and we're gonna take care of this year's business, so we won't fail you.
Speaker 1:Linda, I tell you, I just applaud your heart, your passion for the industry. We certainly know there's gotta be time for healing, but we also know, as a business owner, we all turn around and we look at those that depend on us as well. So this is a time you've always helped the industry you and Terry both and blessed the industry. Like you said, I think it's a great time for industry to show our outpouring to those that have blessed the industry so much here at PhotoCard Specialists, and with that, listeners, we're gonna take a quick break. Listen to one of our sponsors and we'll be back shortly with more from Linda of PhotoCard Specialists. Believe me, you don't wanna miss it. The great company, great family and the Calton Onion. We'll be right back.
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Speaker 2:You have been listening to Joe Professional on the Go podcast. Each and every week we bring you new informative episodes. Make sure you download and listen. We're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, google Play, stitcher, iheart Media, amazon or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 2:This is Special One with Linda from PhotoCardSpecialistscom and I wanna tell all our listeners right up front. Here's the number I want you to write down 1-800-727-4488. Should you have anything pertaining to a business card, a postcard, a photo card, anything that you want to help build your business, you need to contact the people at PhotoCardSpecialistscom. Now I wanna ask, now, with the future plans that you got going and you know this is a period of time that we all have to remember, terry, and I think you know when I speak, people say well, how can I take a little bit of DJ home with me? And they buy a CD or they buy a book or a video or something. Well, in this case, how can we remember Terry? One way we can remember is go and see if you need a calendar for 2024. See if you need more promotional material. Now's the time to help Terry and the family. Okay, so what are some of the future plans for PhotoCard Specialists going on?
Speaker 4:Well, we'll stay strong. Like I said, awesome staff behind me. We will continue to try to reach out to people and keep our names out there by the trade magazines which we're new to, to professionals. So, darren, you have been awesome in helping us to enter into your magazine, get our message out through your magazine. You complimented Molly on being a great graphic artist and she is and you've made it easy for us to submit those ads and you've been quite generous to us in many ways. So thank you for that.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're certainly welcome, linda. I tell you, when I came to this market I was the little fish in the big pond, with a lot of fight in me and a lot of big dreams and passion for helping everyone in the industry find a value in their marketing. And I believe, whether somebody's a $10 million company or a $10,000 company, that they all need the same footing up under them. And I tell you, god bless me with this company and he's blessed me with the ability to help others and bless their businesses in doing so. So I'm just glad I can be a part of that, a conduit from that. So, thank you so much. And yes, you do have an awesome staff, molly. So punctual, that's phenomenal work and I just I wish that would spread to everybody being so punctual.
Speaker 2:Thank you kindly.
Speaker 1:Well, look, I'll tell you I guess the. I guess the. I guess the, I guess the, I guess the. Go ahead, go ahead. Dj, you said that I know the future plans for photo card specialists is. We're going to work with this going forward. But let me ask you this, Linda will you elaborate on some of the products that you have, the wide array of products that you have and that you can produce, and are just some of the ones that seem to stand out for your clients and that have been so beneficial for them when they go to front?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. One of the things that I want to touch bases on first is that, even though Terry and I aren't at the shows and Terry's not out there capturing those photographs, you know, the cameras that we have within our phones are just amazing. So, and the fact that Molly and Sarah are such great graphic artists, don't be shy about shooting your own photographs, because that's the very first thing we need in order to make these products. You take the picture, you send it to us. We can do the rest. So the from the calendars, we do a like a 12 month or one photo each page. If there's a high line in there, don't fuss with it. We can. We can alter that. We have a couple of three different types of calendars that are laminated so that they can be hung on the wall and, and especially in the shops Don't worry about a grease smudge on it. The laminate wipes off. We have little business card calendars that you can stick right in your vehicle. Give them to a law enforcement, any kind of a service department that has a. I use your nail stick on there and then when you remove them at the end of the year, it doesn't leave a mess behind. You know like you ever tried to pull tape off of something and either pulls the surface or it leaves a mess behind. So we have a style called daily dates. You don't see these very much anymore. The other banks used to give them out extensively and it's where you tear one page off each day and we have that style. So if anybody's looking for that style or would consider that style, we've got them Again.
Speaker 4:The website is a perfect place for our product lines. Beyond the promotional products, we have the personal products. We have clocks and drink where all different kinds there, the the polar camels, which are comparable to yeti's. They'll keep your drinks hot for long, long periods, cold for long, long periods. We have mouse pads. That's a huge item that sells well for us. I'm reading cards. You want to send somebody a greeting card with your, your rigs on there, or what's your family out in front of your rigs? There's no better way to show people your company spirit, as there is when you put your staff or your family out in front of your rigs and then make it into a business card.
Speaker 4:You know, and if you ever have questions, all you have to do is call a hundred number and we have amazing customer service. I know she's my daughter is one of them and then you've got Any anybody. We don't have a, an answering machine, we have people. We have people that will take your calls. So I guess I know that's a. That's my plug for my business.
Speaker 1:I tell you you've got some phenomenal products, linda, and I love it. I think folks when they, when I get on the website, they're going to be inspired. I think I'm going to get my wife a coffee cup this year with just a picture of my face on it, I think that will do it for the year for her, but you're more than right.
Speaker 1:I've taken photos off of my phone, one that was five generations prior to when I'm holding in my hand now, and done a two page spread with it. I've done a front cover for the magazine and, whether somebody has an Apple or an Android, as long as they just back up and don't take pictures of it Close and they just give it some space and take that photo, they can send it as an original and then, like you said, your, your, your staff can make it look 10 foot tall and bulletproof from that. That's a great way they can capture it, without a doubt. Well, folks, we're going to take one more break. We're going to step away from one of our sponsors and I want you to keep listening. We're going to have more from Linda, a bit of hair with photo card specialist, and we will be back in just a moment. Don't you go anywhere.
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Speaker 2:You have been listening to Toe Professional On-the-Go Podcast. Remember to like, review and share everywhere. If you'd like to hear somebody like Linda from KodoCartcom, by all means, all you have to do is let down an I-Know dial 706-409-5603, and tell us the industry expert you would like to hear on the podcast. Now, before I turn her over to Darren, I want to ask Linda and Molly, if you could, what's the best time when you start thinking about calendars? Should we think about it now? Or how about the listener who wants to send out a Thanksgiving Day card? Do we still have time for that?
Speaker 4:Absolutely. You know our turnaround times here are extremely swift and we pride ourselves on that. We would like to not be inundated with those kinds of requests, but this is the season, this is now the time to be submitting your photos, placing those orders and help us keep out of that Christmas insanity that we incur once it gets around the mid-November. And most of the time I tell people you get it to us by Thanksgiving For sure, you'll have it back before Christmas.
Speaker 4:Now, that gives us an immense amount of time. You know I'm letting out my secret, but that would definitely be a good thing to lock into your mind in by Thanksgiving, back by Christmas, so immediately would be the time to get out there, get those photographs taken, send them off to us. We always do layouts and show you back our work before it's completed. If you don't like something, we tweak it to your satisfaction before it's completed, and then it's produced and then shipped out. Our normal production days are seven to 10. Christmas time we stretch it a little bit from 10 to 12. And that's only because we are trying to put together people's orders from all over the nation. And so, yeah, this is the season.
Speaker 1:DJ, I tell you when it. I can tell you, trying to get a magazine out around Christmas time is very, very hard to do. So I can tell our listeners, the earlier you get that order and the better. And guess what, if you go ahead and order it now, that money you were going to spend in December is in your pocket. Now you can get yourself a present. I think it's a great idea.
Speaker 7:Well, we'd also like to offer a special discount for your listeners. If they're able to get us that those pictures and place their order before November 15th, we can give them 15% off all calendars if they mention your code TOE-PRO.
Speaker 1:Oh fantastic, Molly. That's awesome. That's awesome. Hey, you and Linda are coming through on this episode. Listen, Lesnar, you just say 15%, you get to TOE-PRO and you get 15% off the calendars, and let me tell you that is a great gift for Christmas. Let me tell you, I keep my calendar. I've got one on the wall and one on my desk, and the one on my desk is how I chart out all my podcasts, all my meetings, everything that's going on in the week. I didn't have that. I am absolutely lost. So, yeah, it'd be a great time to get it now. Anything else, Linda, you want to? Or Molly you want to say before we go to our finish up the show?
Speaker 7:Boy, that DJ is a great announcer.
Speaker 2:No our listeners will know, I told you to say that.
Speaker 4:I would just like to tell everybody that is listening who have been our friends, our customers and or thinking about being our customers, thank you. Thank you for supporting Photocart Specialists all these years. We've enjoyed so much coming to the shows, meeting people, making those friendships. I had individuals from all over the country within the towing industry come to Terry's funeral. That was so amazing, thank you.
Speaker 1:And thank you, linda. I tell you, unbelievable family, unbelievable product and Lester. We just ask you to step up now. Start ordering here for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You need any promotional products for your business. Remember, order them before the end of the year. It's a tax write-off. You can write that off on your taxes. Go ahead and get your products Now. Make sure that you go to photocardspecialistcom. Also, when you're at the upcoming shows you know coming up International Toeing Hall, the Fame Museum weekend and the Chattanooga Toe Show. So that's September 28th through the 1st of October there's another great opportunity to get some pictures of your trucks You're setting up in the beauty contest. You're setting up on the street. Get some photos, dj anything.
Speaker 2:Before I close, sir, no, I just think that all of us have that, have known, careful and lived all these years and I, sure enough, have known them. If you would just think about a gift or something that you need for your business, I think about all the years I've been telling people you know Christmas time. Somebody says do you send a Christmas card? I know that. A calendar every month of the year. They remember you. And when Linda was talking about the calendar it goes on the dash Boy, would that be perfect to go into a police officer's vehicle or an emergency vehicle right there. So the first thing they think about is calling you. You're the Toe guy who's next on the list. So, by all means, they have a great product line and I'm going to the website. I looked at the website earlier today when I was telling my wife about what we're doing and she said, boy, look at all these items. So just make sure you go to the website, photocardspecialistcom, all right down. I'll turn it over to you so you can do our special ending.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, again, remember folks, if you don't go to the website, call them toll free 1-800-727-4488. Ask them any questions you have. Their staff is phenomenal and they will help meet your needs. Linda Molly, we appreciate you both so much being on the show. It's been fantastic.
Speaker 1:And first, as always, I want to close with a prayer. We're standing here and I'm not appear to preach politically to anybody, but we are looking at a nation of trouble. Dear Heavenly Father, I just ask you to put your arms around our nation. You give us peace in our world, in our industry, in our market, in our lives, in our businesses, in our finances. Then, with Father, I ask that you go out there and you bless our vendors with knowledge, prosperity, wisdom to bring products to our to market, to enhance our industry. And I ask that you put a head to protection around our first responders, around our men and women that are out there with a service heart, as I say, serving others on a daily basis. Father, we ask that you increase the prosperity of the owners in this industry, the safety of all of their employees, protect them and build this industry and protect this industry For many years to come. We ask you this in your precious name, father Amen.
Speaker 1:Listeners, I thank every one of you. I ask you to stay tuned To toll professional. You'll see us on Facebook. We'll be at the Chattanooga Show. We will be at the wall of the Fallen Pass and Out the magazine that honors the Fallen on the cover, so make sure you stop by. I've got the magazine set up to honor your Fallen and I want you to have a copy of that to take home with you. If anybody wants a PDF of that cover, all you have to do is reach out to me, darren D-A-R-I-A-N at tollprofessionalcom, and it will make that available for you and your family. Until next time, keep listening. And Linda Moller, we thank you so much D-Day, and Chuck for producing, for being an awesome host as well, d-day. And until next time, listeners, we'll be back with more great guests, like Linda Biddle with the PhotoCard Specialist. Thank you and God bless.