Simple Again

S IMPLE AGA IN again. It was impossible to manage personnel. Rolling takeovers became a new solution.” Today, Simple Again has ramped back up to 80 percent of their former business, and that growth is expected to continue as they introduce new products and innovations to their line. The company used their time and experience through the pandemic to shore up infrastructure and create new tools for their customers to enjoy. One of those tools is PFC University, which takes training to the next level. “It basically replicates in-person trainings while strengthening continuity as juice bar personnel come and go. This alone has helped mistakes decline and sales to increase at our customer’s juice bars,” says Young. PFC University offers a six-module course that new hires can take, with results sent directly to management. “It’s a way of automating what we do in person. We have basically cloned ourselves, Interest came from all over the spectrum, including universities, Amazon, and the military. “It gave us the fuel we needed to continue until things shook out for us,” says Hocker. “We didn’t anticipate it being a long-term solution, but it was definitely the solution we needed to get us to when the sun came out again.” The venture took Simple Again on a rollercoaster. Sales were up, but soon they learned that the sanitizer they were selling had issues with scent and they ended up having to issue $2 million in refunds. Young admits, “It hit us between the eyes. The pandemic was a difficult time for all, but that period was so stressful for us because we like pleased customers, not unhappy customers. But we made everyone whole and we got through that as well. By then gyms were opening up again, state by state, and we found we could actually begin selling to our customers again. Although, that too was a rollercoaster ride – as soon as a state would open, they’d close