Citation Press--Rags to Riches

Tran also sponsors immigrants from Latin America and Asia. He handles issues of limited English skills by color coding instructions and bringing in an English teacher, sponsored by a state program, two hours a week. "I've earned a lot of loyalty from my employees," he observes.

But hard work and commitment to a job isn't all that Tran asks from his employees. He also encourages them to be part of the decision-making process. Tran believes in an open-door policy. Each Friday, he buys lunch for his employees in an effort to keep the lines of communication up and running. He says that the lunch sessions encourage feedback and brainstorming among workers. "It's very enjoyable and everyone sits down, has lunch and talks about what is going on and what can be done."