Integrity - You Can’t Fit It On A Business Card…You Find It In Action

In 1990, college roommates, Dan Liechty & Scott Davis, were on the verge of graduating from UC Irvine. With solid degrees within their reach, this is the time that students start to look for their “careers.” Instead they found themselves facing one of the worst job markets in decades. In fact, in late December 1990, they were both let go from “internships” …. who fires interns?….they are practically free.

Anyway, as 1991 began, Dan & Scott, with some help from family, a little birthday money and a small loan, decided to start a business refurbishing bath tubs and CALbath was born. It was a way to pay the rent and finish college. 

Let’s face it, at 22 you don’t know very much ….your goals are simple and your motives are fairly pure. All they wanted was to get a few customers, make them happy and get through until graduation. Then the “real jobs” would pour in. 

They began to solicit door-to-door to apartments in the area and eventually got a few clients. A few clients turned into a few more clients and then even more.  Successful may have been a stretch…but CALbath was growing rapidly. Still in school and taking business courses, one might assume it was a superior product or superior skill. These two college students were perplexed.  They weren’t the only ones in the business….and they knew they weren’t the best.

Call it naiveté, or a well thought out strategic business model, they started their company on one principle:

“Do What You Say You Are Going To Do.” (period)

At 22, you “assume” that is what business is about, that is what being an adult is about. However, that simple statement in the world of business, and especially Home Improvement, is something of a novelty.  So the little company continued to grow. So much so that in June of 1991 they were actually having to hire people. And they hadn’t even graduated yet!

Turns out that “simple” statement is a great foundation to build a business on….and build they did. Refinishing tubs in apartments turned to refinishing tubs at universities, hotels and residential homes.

Perspective employees began to seek out CALbath; they apparently heard that CALbath was doing the unheard of…. what they said ….paid well and on time …. Every time! CALbath employs some of the best people in the industry, and with an average of over 13 years, probably the highest retention rate.  With a great staff, committed to the same goals, it is fairly easy to grow and expand.

CALbath has grown to multiple locations: Orange County, San Diego, San Marcos and San Jose.  They have also expanded services to include Bath Refinishing, Tub and Shower Liners, Complete Bath Remodels, Closet Organizers and Full Kitchen Remodeling.

Turns out that naïve little philosophy of “Doing What We Say We Are Going To Do” isn’t taught in business classes, isn’t as common as one would think, and doesn’t quite fit on a business card.   But this simple philosophy is the cornerstone of everything that is done at CALbath, from dealing with employees, vendors and suppliers to installing dream kitchens and bathrooms for our customers. “Do What You Say You Are Going To Do.”

CALbath’s customers are everyone from UCLA, The Beverly Hilton, The US Marines (Camp Pendleton), The Irvine Company and Mrs. Jones next door ….. the philosophy is not contingent on who our customers are …but who WE are.

They did eventually find a word that would fit on a business card: Integrity.

Integrity isn’t perfection and it isn’t who you are when everything goes right…

It is what you stand for no matter what.

Integrity is more than a word at CALbath …..it truly is “Who We Are.”