Testimonials

I started with Family Video on December 19, 1993. To keep me busy while my husband was working, I worked part-time at night and on the weekends, in addition to my full time job at a bank. I was asked to become an assistant manager at one of our Bay City, MI stores and gladly accepted. I became a store manager very soon after that.

I now had a job that I loved with Family Video and my husband decided that he too, wanted a job that he loved. He decided to go back to school to get his nursing degree.

In January 1997 my husband called to let me know he needed to take another class and would need $1,000. At that point in our lives, we had no extra money and I was devastated knowing he may not graduate on time....

I started working for Family Video in 1995 as a part timer in Homewood IL., when we only had 50 stores.  What a change it was from my full time job at the bank across the street!  I realized quickly that I was going to have more fun, make more money and have better opportunities if I chose Family Video as a career.

The next 10 years I spent managing several different stores in Illinois and Wisconsin.  When I became pregnant with our 2nd child, I discussed other opportunities with Tim Reynolds, my Regional Manager.  It was shortly thereafter that I moved into the Payroll/Human Resources Department in the corporate office.  That was over 3 years ago.

Today, I work in the Glenview office where quite a lot has changed.  We now pay 5500 people at over 550 stores, manage a full benefits plan, employee training and everything in-between.  While our company has grown, some things have remained the same.  I still work for Tim; still have a great career and still think I made a great decision to work for Family Video.

I started working for our CEO, Charlie Hoogland when I was 16 years old.  My first job was sweeping the floors and cleaning the bathrooms. In college, I worked summers and breaks. When I graduated, I went to work as a salesman on the road.   I became manager of a branch warehouse and eventually became a Vice President at Midstates Appliance & Supply Co., the parent company of Family Video.

After Family Video was up and running, I eventually became a Vice-President and was concurrently president of a sister company, Midstates Coffee Service. I helped train both Eric and Keith when they graduated college. I eventually left the company at the age of 41 to go into business with a friend of mine. Seven years after that Keith called me about the possibility of coming back to family video to help it grow. Obviously, I did come back as a Regional Manager and even earned my Vice-President title back.

I tell this whole story because it illustrates how our company rewards hard work and initiative-and talent. And most of this story relates to a time when our company was very small in relation to its size today.  What’s more important even than the rewards of hard work are the personal relationships I have built.  Charlie Hoogland is my surrogate father. He has taught me most everything I know about business and life. My father died when I was 28 and Charlie stepped in to fill that role. When I hit some rough spots in the road financially he stepped in to help. Keith and Eric are like my younger brothers. I have very close relationships with many people in the company, some who have been here about as long as I have. While nearly twice their age, my District Managers are somewhere between; my kids, my friends and my business associates.

So . . . come to Family Video for the opportunity to be paid and promoted based on your own efforts, and you will find that you will stay because of the relationships you form with people who actually care about you as a person.

I graduated college in 1999 with a B.S. in Animal Science.  Upon graduation I took a job as an Artificial Insemination Technician in Wisconsin.  As odd as it sounds, I loved my job.  I was breeding 50-75 cows per day, but I was working 7 days a week from 5:00am-6:00pm.  My wife and I had moved to Collins, WI, where we brought the population up to 80. 

After a couple of years, we decided to get out of the country so my wife could go back to college.  I called up the Family Video in Manitowoc, WI and immediately got an interview.  A few weeks later I started as a Manager In Training.  Upon completion of my training we moved to Lansing, MI where I became the manager of my first store.  While running this store I bought my first house and was given the opportunity to manage the Battle Creek, MI store.  This was an exciting promotion because of the volume of business and the excellent pay increase.  Eight months later I interviewed for a District Manager position and was promoted.  I opened my first store in Jackson, MI.  Six months later my Regional Manager called and asked if I wanted to move to Missouri.  I said that we had never thought about moving to Missouri and that I needed to talk to my wife.  He said "Let me know tomorrow".  We said yes.  We moved to Missouri for a year and then got another opportunity to help grow a new region in New York.  We moved again.

Family Video was only going to be a temporary transitional job for me.  7 years later I couldn't imagine working anywhere else.  My family and I are still excited to move again and try new places.

Four years ago I was attending college at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. I was majoring in Music Industry Management and hoped to work for a major recording label while developing my own studio. I was bartending at a local bar and, like most college students, was always a little short on cash. One of my softball buddies was married to the local Family Video manager.  He suggested I apply for a part-time position. I was hesitant to apply, I wasn't sure if I would have the time for another part time job. Three weeks later I dropped off my application and was hired to work three days a week.

I spent my entire first day with my District Manager. This was more than a little strange!  Any other first day would be spent with a shift leader or part timer...certainly not my boss’s boss! Immediately, I knew something was different about Family Video.  I started taking fewer shifts at the bar and took on more hours at Family Video. Three weeks into my employment I was evaluated by my District Manager.  She asked if I was interested in a Manager in Training position. This took me by surprise. I wasn't sure how to answer. I still had two years left in school and managing a video store was not in my five year plan. After taking some time to think it over I said yes. Before I knew it I was training to become a store manager for Family Video. Less than two years later I was approached by my Regional Manager with another challenging question...would I be interested in pursuing a position as a District Manager with the company?  Today I live in Iowa and am responsible for a four store District.

Where I am today is far different than the plan I made four years ago and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Family Video is a company that rewards employees who show commitment and dedication to their job. You can expect to get out what you put in. My road to success is not one of a kind with Family Video. I see it happen almost every day.  If you are a self motivated, fun, responsible individual who is on the fence about whether or not to pursue a career with Family Video, just know that from my experience this is a wonderful company to work for that sincerely cares about people. There is no "glass ceiling" and you can grow with the company through your own personal performance.

I started in April of 2001 as a part-timer at stores in Bay City and Midland Michigan. After graduating from Northwood University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, I left the company and took another career path. In the summer of 2005 I was recruited back by Lisa Gower and Aaron Buza to become an MIT for Family Video. I started back with the company in October 2005 as an MIT. I was promoted to manager of store 17 in Bay City in February of 2006. I was promoted to manager of store 166 in Saginaw, Michigan in April of 2006. I was promoted to a three-store district in Waterford, Michigan in September of 2006. I was again promoted to a four-store district in Toledo, Ohio in June of 2007.

I guess my story is that I have worked in almost every position in this company. I like to think that I am a pretty good example of the REALISTIC fast track success that this company offers.  I had even left the company only to come back to what I really love to do.  I'm looking forward to my next move and promotion and am very excited to see how fast our company is growing and the opportunities that come with it. That's my story in a nutshell.

Working my way from part-time cashier to a corporate employee, I spent six years with BEST BUY and left to move back to the Quad Cities in 2005.  A friend of mine from Best Buy was now working at Family Video and she called me to tell me about part-time openings in the Moline store.  I applied and was interviewed by the Regional Manager, Denise Miller. I began, shortly after, as a Manager In-Training at store 152.  I became a manager at store 248 in Clinton, IA.  I was there for 1 year and 8 months... closed two competitors and was promoted to District Manager just a few months later. Now I am working towards getting my 4th store. 

Enjoying Sporting Goods until I heard about Family Video. I researched the company, and was astounded to see this "best kept national secret' growth story of real estate development, movie and game entertainment, tanning and future fitness, all based on tradition of servicing the customer and developing and promoting people. After I spent a day with the regional manager in the North Chicago area, I came home and said to my wife, "I want to be him." Family Video allows the opportunity to be that person you strive to be.