There is no replacement for face-to-face when you want to know the people behind the label. We do so much online that we don't get much chance to get that human connection anymore. And now with the COVID-19 virus injecting social distancing and no-contact purchases, we can look forward to even less contact.
With that said, I want to share with you a short story about quality humans behind the TurnTex brand. In January 2020 I was on vacation from Maryland to Buda Texas. It was there that I noticed Cactus Juice was sourced from TurnTex, which just so happens to be right down I-35 apiece. On our way back from visiting friends in San Antonio I started to message Curtis on Facebook. No answer. Tried again, no answer. By the time we got to his exit, we decided to "drop in" and see what happens. The approach is a typical hill country ranch down a long dirt road. For me, very comforting. Several workers were in the yard. My friend and I got out and were welcomed warmly. "Curtis is in the shop", was their reply. So casual, we found our way to his shop unescorted. No answer explained, Curtis was busy on his computer and did not see my messages! But he stood right up, dropped what he was doing, and proceeded to spend an hour helping two casting and stabilizing newbies, understand the process, the TurnTex products, and nuances of each. Curtis introduced us to his production staff and answered any question without reservation. We left with a human connection to the people behind the brand.
Finally, several months into a national lockdown over the COVID-19 virus, 10%+ unemployment, and even worse economic impact on the thousands of self-employed crafts people, we see on the TurnTex website a product sale openly offering anyone so negatively impacted to request a steep discount, maybe below cost. And Curtis's words asking readers "to be honest".
WOW! For me, evidence of quality human beings that reinforced, no punctuated my first impression. The way a neighbor should treat a neighbor. With TurnTex, the world is his neighborhood and he's putting it all out there.
You can't ask for any more.