With the recent passing of A.J. Richard from PC Richard and Sons, I noticed that their logo mentioned "Honesty and Integrity" as their keys to success. I absolutely agree. I have been in the packaging industry for over 19 years and have learned that my customers thirst for someone who will be honest with them and actually follow through with what they promise.

We live in a world racked with scandals and deceptions, and I believe that now more than ever, people are in need of people that they can trust.

I read a study that was done a few years back, where an experiment was performed investing in the stock market. The study compared two investment strategies. The first would be to take $10,000, and invest it in the best rated companies spread out over a wide variety of industry, and let the money sit for 10 years. The second invested the same $10,000, but they only invested in companies that had "honesty and integrity" in their mission statements; that was their only criteria. The results were astounding, whereby the portfolio that invested in "value" based companies, versus straight performance, the value based portfolio outperformed the composite by 7 to 1.

In my own little corner of the world, I too find this to be true. I recently was awarded a nice order from a client of mine for shipping cartons, bubble wrap and tape. My client had received a bid from one of my competitors that was over 20 percent less than my rates, and he called me in asking me how this was possible. I explained that for the great quality level he was accustomed to from me, the reliable service day in and day out, that something must be wrong, and I wished him luck with his new, low priced vendor.

I must admit, I was a little concerned, (no one ever likes to lose such a nice order), but I couldn't pull a rabbit from my hat. Fortunately, as it turned out, neither could my low priced competitor. I believe that deep down, my client felt that I was telling the truth, and after a few subsequent conversations with my competitor, my competitor was stumbling over his commitments and promises, and my client didn't want to take a chance and jeopardize his valuable products to get damaged in transit and lose much more than the apparent savings he was promised.

So, in summary, my advice is to set a new year's goal to become a person of "Honesty and Integrity." Write it on a post it note and stick it on your mirror, and recommit yourself each morning as you get ready for work, and in time, you will see that your own personal success level will improve both your business and personal life.

Paul Pileggi

Wrap-N-Pack

Farmingdale