Andy Yoder Takes Vertical Leap to Success

Andy Yoder, Owner, Flex-C-Ment

For Andy Yoder, owner of Flex-C-Ment in North Carolina, it's not a question of whether the chicken came first or the egg came first. After all, we're talking about a man who started stamping concrete vertically before he ever attempted to stamp it horizontally.

About 30 years ago, Yoder was creating fireplace fronts stamped vertically, all the while perfecting his mix through trial and error. "I know three key chemists in my life," he says, "and they've all been a huge resource (for me)." Yoder attributes his successful mix to the fact that in the past five years, research and development intensified, creating a lot of progress in the vertical system.

Just as successful as the mix he created is the fact that he has learned how to apply three key ingredients to both his work and his life. He calls them the Three Cs, and they are craftsmanship, creativity and character.

"About a year ago I realized we've been losing the idea of craftsmanship creativity and character," Yoder explains. "Then I looked up the word character in the dictionary and I realized its definition precisely describes what we do – it means something engraven, cut in or stamped."

Yoder took that definition and ran with it, developing a curriculum for it and incorporating it into his training seminars – all with great reception and success. "It has to do with more than just the product," he says. "I give them not only knowledge and techniques, but I also impart character qualities."

One of his tools is a book written by Bill Gothard and Institute in Basic Life Principles called, The Power of True Success, which explains how to build character in life and details 49 character qualities that can be applied to daily life.

Of course, that's not all that goes on in training. But he does discuss the lack of character in society, as well as the lack of craftsmanship and creativity. "I share my thoughts on how character is developed from the heart," he says, "and I get a tremendous response and appreciation as a result."

Yoder is also very dedicated to God and says he believes that God's principles work in all of our lives. He credits both his inspiration and his creativity to God, adding, "I regularly meditate in God's word and know I will be a success in what I do because of it."

"My classes responses to the Three Cs also inspires me greatly," Yoder says.

"If we can do more than just have a good product – if we can contribute worth -- it affects the world." Yoder says he is also inspired artistically to duplicate nature and make products that are as realistic as possible and still able to be duplicated fairly easily.

As for the industry he is in, Yoder admits that it's still in its infancy. "I think it's headed for a growing time in the next few years," he explains. "There's a lot of interest currently being shown by homeowners, contractors and developers...(they are) especially interested in the vertical product."

For those just starting out, Yoder expels some wisdom. "They need to look at their skill area," he says. "Sometimes it's not just the cement and masonry people who will do well in the industry, but it's the people with the desire to work with their hands creatively that would be prime candidates." He also adds that the skills can be learned, but the creativity is harder to come by.

The bottom line is Yoder is doing what he loves, and that's helping people both learn about craftsmanship, his product and the industry, and helping people learn a bit about themselves through studying their own character.

"I thrive on creativity, and I love to see what I can make, and create new ideas and new ways to do things," says Yoder. "I love to teach these techniques and principles, that's where my heart is."

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