Small Business Today Magazine NOV 2014 EXHIBIT NETWORK | Page 11

Kathleen believes in giving back to the community and teaches
ESL classes every Tuesday evening. In their spare time, Kathleen
likes to work in her garden creating new landscaping designs and
Lenny likes to hunt and fish.

The ladies of Exhibit Network are a
“Power House of Services!”
Photo by Gwen Juarez Photography.

Kathleen and Lenny have done quite well working together. They
have used their positions as polar opposites to their advantage.
Most important to them is their marriage and they have never let
their marriage take second place to the business. Lenny expressed
it well, “I think because we both know our jobs well enough, we
respect each other’s talents. I think it gives us an advantage when
to leave each other alone. I don’t want to do her job so I don’t
dare interfere. The older I get, I’ve become a lot more supportive.
I’m now more patient and more willing to listen than in the earlier
years when my brain-train was moving way too fast. I was more
worried about the projects that I had to complete and I couldn’t
gear my mind towards future growth or different marketing aspects which Kathleen was so well-attuned to. So she got the short
end of the stick sometimes. I can tell you that.”
“Kathleen has the vision.That is her greatest strength. I’m trying
and she is dragging me along,” laughed Lenny. “The greatest thing
I learned from my wife is the ability to say ‘No’. And that took
a long time for me to learn. Early on, I missed too many Little
League games and dance recitals because I was insecure. I was
involved in too many projects that, in retrospect, were not worth
the money compared to the family events I missed. My most
important goal now is to try to find that right balance between
work and family.”
During the last five years, Exhibit Network has invested a lot of
time and money on rebranding, rebuilding, and remodeling their
45,000-square-foot facility. Their striking conference room is truly
a showcase of their creativity and talent. Now that they have
worked so diligently to become more efficient, organized, and
systematized, they can take on double the work.
One of the greatest things that was thought out in the new
design of Exhibit Network’s headquarters and drives home their
regard for family values is the multipurpose room they built upstairs. Not only was it designed as a hurricane evacuation room
for employees needing shelter during a hurricane, it was also
designed as a “working overtime” and “sick child” room. Every
exhibit house in Houston knows that preparing for Houston’s
Offshore Technology Conference in May requires long hours.
Exhibit Network provides a set of bunk beds and a kitchenette
where employees can spend the night or take a nap. If one of
the employee’s children is ill and home from school, they can stay
upstairs and watch videos on the big screen television. The room
also has computer games and toys for the children. Also located upstairs is a workout room complete with professional-grade
gym equipment. Last but not least, babies are welcome to come
with their parents to work as long as they can safely remain in a
crib or playpen. It’s truly family values that keep Exhibit Network
scooting along and growing strong.
[ NOVEMBER 2014 ] www.SBTMagazine.net 9