Forging Ahead

Forging Aheadicon

How Five Generations of SmallTown Values Collided with Big Ambitions to Spark One of America's FastestGrowing Companies

by Angie Klink

Publisher
Koehler Books
Publication
Dec 03, 2024
Format
Paperback/Softback
Illustrated
No
Price
21.95
Dimensions
6 x 9
ISBN
9798888246733
ASIN
B0DJDP67ZN
Pages
286
Age
Adult 18+
Category
Business & EconomicsCareer

Rights Sold

🌍 World Wide Rights Available

Description

"A delightfully written book about the little business that could." Julia Scheeres, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Land Matthew Nix, age twenty, yearns to grow Nix Welding, even though his grandfather, father, and aunt are content with the way things are. Small. Status quo. Good enough.  In 1902 in tiny Poseyville, Indiana, Matthew's greatgreatgrandfather opened the blacksmith shop that became Nix Welding. He thwacked a cross peen hammer onto whitehot iron to shape it into submission on an anvil. Nearly 100 years later, despite family pushback, Matthew looks beyond the cornfields that his family thinks confine Nix Welding. He works his own kind of forge, to bend, mold, and expand the business, often finding himself in his own selfstoked fire as a trialbyerror entrepreneur. Forging Ahead reveals how Matthew, now CEO, and the team he methodically curated leaned on smalltown values and faith to transform humble Nix Welding into Nix Industrial, a revered custom manufacturing and industrial repair powerhouse. Today Nix Industrial is one of the fastest growing companies in America.  Author Angie Klink paints a vivid portrait of a business saga from America's heartland. Forging Ahead is a family tale, a comingofage story, a business handbook, and a letter to future generations.

Awards & Endorsements

Review
"Forging Ahead is an inspiring testament to how strong values can guide a business for generations, touching the lives of not only its employees but countless others. The dedication and faithfulness of the Nix family to valuesdriven leadership make this an inspiring read for entrepreneurs and anyone who needs a tangible example of how staying true to one's faith in business can lead to immense success in both business and life." Tom Monaghan, Founder of Domino's Pizza, Ave Maria University and School of Law, Legatus "The Nix family's journey in Forging Ahead illustrates how legacy is built over generations. Matthew Nix's vision to grow NIX Companies while preserving its values offers a powerful example for business leaders. Forging Ahead is a valuable resource for those wanting to create a lasting culture while balancing tradition with ambition." Scott Farmer, chairman of the board, Cintas "Becoming a fifthgeneration family enterprise requires a lot of work in the family and in the business. Forging Ahead shares the journey of the Nix family with the world and provides other business families with insights on how to build and maintain a generational legacy." Isabel Botero, PhD, associate professor and chair in family entrepreneurship at the University of Louisville "Angie Klink and Matthew Nix have masterfully woven together the rich history of the Nix family and their business legacy. Klink skillfully crafts the lens to gaze into the portals of familybusiness life. With a passion for serving God and people, the Nix family has blended spirituality, passion to succeed, and the drive to foster success in their employees and communities. Reading Klink's testament to the Nix family will awaken your entrepreneurial emotions to bring your life to an enhanced state of grace." Ira Boots, former chairman and CEO, Berry Plastics; chairman of the board, Milacron "Forging Ahead is a captivating narrative that beautifully intertwines the rich history of Nix Companies with Ma...

Author(s)

Angie Klink

Angie Klink

Angie Klink writes compelling stories of Americana and the hero's journey. An author of twelve creative nonfiction books set in the heartland, Klink is a historian, biographer, essayist, scriptwriter, and copywriter with sixtyone American Advertising Federation ADDY Awards. She has written for Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History magazine, MS. Magazine, and the American Writers Museum. She was the scriptwriter for two documentaries narrated by actor Peter Coyote: the public education film Rise Above the Mark and Eternal Flame about Tom Kelly, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2024, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution honored Klink for her distinguished contribution to historic preservation, particularly the publishing of books. A sixtime attendee of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop at the University of Dayton, Klink received an Honorable Mention in the Bombeck Writing Competition. She holds a BA in communication from Purdue University.

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