Women a Growing Force in Business World

Marcia Sampson: Business blends family past and future

Marcia Sampson, president of Loveland-based Eldon James Corp., will tell you that plastic fittings are one of those things nobody really wants to have to think very hard about. But she doesn't include herself in that, however.

For Sampson, fittings are "a passion - and it's fun to be able to generate an income from something that you believe in." Plastic fittings are a product she's proud of, not just because her company produces them, but because "it's a product that our father designed and developed."

Family is woven throughout Sampson's experience with Eldon James Corp.

Sampson and her sister, Dee, started the business in 1992 by purchasing a spin-off division of Value Plastics, a business started by their parents, Kent and Gloria Sampson. Before that, Sampson, whose background is in real estate, worked for Value Plastics for about a year. Dee had worked for the firm since high school.

Eldon James, which is named for two younger brothers, manufactures plastic fittings used to connect hoses and tubing. The fittings have applications in automotive, beverage dispensing, chemical, respiratory-medical, general harware and industrial markets.

The two sisters decided to launch the spin-off to try out some of their own ideas, Marcia says. "We wanted to try working through distribution. Value Plastics had always believed in selling direct. We were able to successfully set up a business through some very nice distributors. That allowed us to grow as quickly as we did."

In July, Sampson bought out her sister, who retired to devote more time to raising her five-year-old twins.

Succeeding in the male-dominated industries where Eldon James finds its clients requires preparation, Sampson says. "You'll be quickly dismissed if you don't know what you're talking about. I've made sure that I've stayed within the realm of what I know. I think you definitely have to be well prepared. You can't bluff  your way through."

While she is successfully garnering sales from industries where the presence of women is still rare, Sampson says that some of the biggest obstacles she has faced lie not at work but at home. "I think the only challenge was being a single mom for the last eight years and being in business."

She tackled that challenge by assembling a team of people to help her care for her children, now ages 14, 16 and 20. "I think it's more than two parents can actually handle these days.

It's not unusual to find Sampson blending the needs of both family and business. Two summers ago, for example, when Sampson took Eldon James' sales efforts on the road, her children accompanied her. A 30-foot travel trailer served as home base while Sampson called on clients. And, she and her children took in the sights on weekends. "We did a lot of fishing that summer and we saw a lot of customers."