How Hazel Hu built this fast-growing grill company
She’s a woman who wanted to start a manufacturing business.
She’s also a Chinese immigrant.
And because of both of the first two factors, she faced doubts from some that a woman from another country could operate a manufacturing company successfully.
So, Hu set out to prove that she could not only run a manufacturing company, but she could do it very well.
Since founding Permasteel in 2004, Hu has a long list of accomplishments that includes selling products under her own brand name. While her success required overcoming a few challenges at first, she always believed in herself when it came to knowing exactly what she wanted to accomplish.
“My mother told me a story about a time when I was a young girl. Most of the girls my age, when asked what they wanted to be, said a teacher. When my mother asked me what I wanted to be, I said I wanted to be the boss,” Hu said.
Fast forward to today as Permasteel celebrates its 20th anniversary, Hu has earned numerous kudos for her company’s products, now distributing grills across Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot and Target — and for being a driving force that kept the Kenmore and Kenmore Elite brands alive when Sears filed for bankruptcy.
Here’s more from Hu on her entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, how Permasteel plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary and more.
What interested you in launching a manufacturing company?
I came to the U.S. in 1999 for my master’s degree because I realized that there were more opportunities for women here than in China. Here, I could start my own business and build it the way I envisioned.
In China, there are many barriers for women. Once I arrived in the U.S., I attended Azusa Pacific University, where I earned my master’s degree in human and organizational development. I founded Permasteel the year after I graduated. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2024, I have been able to grow the company to 20 workers here in the U.S. who basically handle sales, marketing and customer service, and we have 600 workers in China for our manufacturing operations. The driving force in starting a company was realizing that I could manufacture products in China that are sold here.
Besides the difficulty of having to learn a new language after coming to the U.S., what other challenges have you faced as a woman in manufacturing?
There still are not many women in my industry, especially in leadership roles. I would say one of my initial challenges was dealing with people’s doubts not only about the fact that I’m a woman, but I’m also a woman from another country. I didn’t let that deter me because I had the drive to make my business successful. When you believe in yourself, you can accomplish many things because of your determination to succeed.
How has Permasteel changed in the 20 years you’ve been at the helm?
The biggest change came in the way we perceived what the business should focus on. For the first 10 years, we were mostly driven by customer demand when it came to the products we offered. One day I realized that doing business that way meant we always would be tied to having to compete with other businesses over product cost.
So, we rebranded ourselves as an industry leader when it came to introducing new products, not just selling basically the same things as everyone else. We became much more innovative, which allowed us to set ourselves apart a bit from our competitors because now our products could be something fun and colorful and unique to our brand.
Another big change came when we won the bid to be a licensing partner for the Kenmore brand. We had been their original equipment manufacturer for Kenmore grills for about 10 years, and we were their No. 1 supplier. When we won that license, it helped me better understand the importance of brand recognition. That, in turn, helped me understand the need to build the Permasteel brand as well.
What’s been the most important lesson you’ve learned?
That my No. 1 priority is my family, which always comes first. It’s easy to get caught up in your company or other needs, but you have to take care of your family. I lost my husband several years ago and now am a single mom of two daughters. Because of my business responsibilities, I don’t have a lot of time with them, but when we are together, we really try to make it quality time.
What might people be surprised to know about you?
I love to read, and I love to go to school. In fact, I have every intention to take some time off in order to go back to school again in the near future. I believe it’s always important to continue to learn.
Do you have any special plans for celebrating Permasteel’s 20th anniversary?
We rented a yacht to celebrate as a company, and we also launched a retro Kenmore grill this year. And looking ahead at the next 20 years, Permasteel will focus on problem-solving products like our all-new Elevated Garden Bed with EnGrow Technology, which launched earlier this year. And I’m sure we will have many new innovative and exciting collaborations and products that will be unveiled in the future.
Any advice for other women entrepreneurs?
- Always continue to learn. Men and women both have advantages and disadvantages in the business world, but being a lifelong learner sets you on a path to be better equipped.
- Build a strong support network you can use for support, encouragement and to bounce ideas off of.
- Always develop and improve yourself.
- And, most of all, it’s really important to love yourself. Give yourself the grace to grow by providing the personal care you need.
____________________
Permasteel Inc.
Top official: Hazel Hu, founder and president
Description: Manufacturer of barbecue grills and other seasonal outdoor products such as patio heaters and coolers. Permasteel makes grills under its own brand in addition to winning an exclusive licensing agreement to produce and sell Kenmore-brand grills and accessories to large retailers.
Year founded: 2004
Headquarters: Pomona, California
View original Press Release Article at:
https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2024/07/how-hazel-hu-built-one-of-the-largest-us-grill.html
