Back in 2009, Matt Ray didn’t know what he was getting into when he bought Midwest Retail Services. But he smelled opportunity, even during that tough time for our economy.

Today, this former salesman is still the proud owner and president of this business that provides shelving, displays, and more to stores. In fact, since he took over, the business’s revenues have tripled.

His philosophy since the beginning has been to enjoy the ups and downs, the triumphs and the struggles, because it’s all part of, as he puts it, “living life to the fullest.”

We get into that during our conversation and also talk about…

• Why running a business is like raising kids

• The importance of having a positive company culture – and how to cultivate it

• The role of fear in guiding important decisions

• Maintaining an appetite of continuous learning and improvement

• And more