Lead the Field - Premiere Issue

LEAD

Transforming the Refractory Industry with World-Class Training, Consulting, and Coaching

FIELD the A CRSI PUBLICATION

Tony Sims, President Coastal Refractory Services

Premiere Issue

Career Growth

FROM MIXER TO MASTER: HOW A THIRD GENERATION REFRACTORY HAND IS TRANSFORMING THE REFRACTORY INDUSTRY By Tony Sims Like many in the refractory industry, my journey started as a laborer on the mixer. I realized early on that if I was going to succeed in this industry and go beyond a certain level, I was going to have to take responsibility for my

career and find my own way. As I worked to become Supervisor or Construction Manager, I was fortunate to have many mentors to help me along the way. They were pleased to see me advance even beyond their achievements. But beyond that, crickets! The companies I worked for seemed to be more interested in keeping me at a certain level where I simply followed orders and didn’t ask too many questions. The turning point came for me back in the 90’s when the company I was with at the time sent the owner’s son to manage our branch and we all got the “my way or the highway” speech. I took the highway and never looked back! It hasn’t been an easy journey from the mixer to mastery, but it has been very rewarding. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes and at times they cost me relationships, finances, health and wellness, and sometimes affected me spiritually. The good news is that I learned from all my mistakes and found mentors outside the industry to help me on my journey.

For years, my self-limiting belief about lack of education held me back more than I was aware of. You see, I went to work after high school and not to a conventional school like many of my peers.

(no internet and online access back then) in Business Management and Accounting. I could complete this type of education on the road while traveling and making money. Of course, this type of education wasn’t considered “real” education by the masses so I always thought someday I would “go back to school.” Someday never came (thank God)! Along the way I got my first introduction to personal development. I got crossed up with a refinery supervisor who also had no real training and education and got my ass kicked out of the plant and sent to an eight-week Dale Carnegie Course in Human Relations! I performed quite well in the training and enjoyed it! I returned to that plant, reconciled relationships and things worked out. After that experience I became an avid reader and believer in personal and business growth seminars and came to realize that the need for this type of

I valued education, but I just couldn’t see myself sitting in a classroom taking courses I didn’t need just to get the ones I did so I could check all the right boxes! So I continued my education through correspondence courses through the mail It hasn’t been an easy journey from the mixer to mastery, but it has been very rewarding.

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Don’t Just Cram For The API Standard 936 Exam, Do This Instead — Pass The API 936 Exam AND Understand How it Applies To Your Daily Job, Making You a More Valuable Professional. Learn “The 8 Key Elements of Refractory Quality Control” and pass the API 936 Exam in JUST 3 DAYS – GUARANTEED! Find out more and receive your copy of our new “The Heat is On” refractory career guide! Scan the code or visit CoastalRefractory.com and complete the short online form.

Get Into the Game

INDUSTRY NEWS

New American Petroleum Institute Certification Could Mean Greater Opportunity For Refractory Inspectors The American Petroleum Institute recently announced that their new API - 982 - Refractory Inspector Certification is available for qualified applicants with the first test date scheduled for August 2024. This is exciting news for the industry. My application is complete and I look forward to being one of the first to test! Additionally, we will soon announce our first training dates for our new course “The 8 Key Elements of Refractory Inspection (T8K).” Our new course will help prepare for the API 982 test and will include tons of refractory inspection techniques and knowledge from my 42 years of experience in the industry. Currently, you are required to hold your API 936 Refractory Personnel Certification for three years in order to on the fence about earning your API 936 Certification now is the time to take action, and we are here to help! Our flagship course “The 8 Key Elements of Refractory Quality Control (T8K)” will help prepare you for the API 936 Refractory Personnel Exam and take you to the next level in your career! Completing our courses and earning your T8K Certification will help elevate you above the “test passer pile,” boost your credibility in the refractory industry, expand your work opportunities, eliminate roadblocks, and allow you the freedom to choose where you work. Completing our courses and earning your T8K Certification will help boost your credibility and expand your work opportunities. qualify to sit for the API 982 exam. So, if you’ve been sitting

BET ON YOURSELF By Tony Sims Early in my career I decided to take personal

responsibility for my refractory career and my life, and decided to bet on myself. Betting on myself meant investing in myself and not waiting for a company or anyone else to invest in me. I figured if I wasn’t willing to invest in myself then why would I expect anyone else to. A mentor of mine, Paul Martinelli once said “there comes a point in life where you must be willing to walk into the casino of life and place all the chips on YOU!” I find that to be true by evidence in my life. Andrew Carnegie, who founded US Steel played a big role in helping to develop refractory materials suitable for the steel making industry. Did you know that Mr. Carnegie was also responsible for one of the most successful practical personal success programs in history? That’s right, Mr. Carnegie chartered a man named Napoleon Hill to develop “The Laws of Success” curriculum shortly after the great depression because Mr. Carnegie, of limited formal “education” himself, knew that practical knowledge backed up with action is the key to success! You see, Mr. Carnegie valued education, but he knew that the flaw was in most people’s definition or interpretation of the word “education.” The word “educate” is derived from the Latin word “educo,” meaning to educe, to draw out, to DEVELOP FROM WITHIN. An educated person is not, necessarily, one who has an abundance of general or specialized knowledge. An educated person is one who has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others. Why am I sharing this little tidbit of wisdom with you? Because what is needed in the refractory industry is more practical knowledge for technical people, balanced with more technical knowledge for practical people. We are bringing exactly that to the refractory industry, following tried, tested, and proven methods demonstrated by some of the most successful people in history, many who happened to have had very little “formal” education. What does this mean? It means that we have all been sold a bad bill of goods when it comes to what amounts to real education. Stay tuned as I share more on this topic in future issues of Lead the Field , or follow me on LinkedIn.

Visit CoastalRefractory.com, scan the code, or call 409-267-7818 to register for the upcoming API and T8K Certification training.

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CoastalRefractory.com

Career Growth

—continued from page 1 FROM MIXER TO MASTER

declaration of independence many years ago and accepted the consequences, good and bad. I have no regrets. I see a bright future for the refractory industry and the people who share my vision. I have dedicated the remainder of my life to transforming a “hidden” and underserved industry and the forgotten people who are the backbone of this industry. I hope you have what it takes and are interested in joining me on this exciting journey from the mixer to ultimate mastery!

necessary to help the industry that has been so good to me. I started with my flagship course “The 8 Key Elements of Refractory Quality Control (T8K)” and it has been a resounding success! “The 8 Key Elements of Refractory Inspection” and other exciting courses and certifications are launching soon! I can hardly wait to share them! I believe strongly in personal responsibility and the freedom it allows for. I made my personal

education is much greater than I had known. I also came to realize that most companies aren’t investing in personal development, but this type of training and education is available to anyone who wants it and will take the initiative to get it! And no one can ever take it from me! It’s mine and I paid for it. So, after investing thousands and thousands of dollars in my own personal development, I realized that my true passion is helping others succeed. I decided to devote the rest of my career to developing the training and tools

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The Lead the Field Newsletter is a Coastal Refractory Services, Inc. publication. To subscribe, visit www.T8Knewsletter.com. The information in this newsletter may be freely copied and distributed as long as the newsletter is copied in its entirety. Design by Zine (www.zinemarketing.com). Copyright 2024 by Coastal Refractory Services, Inc. 3

P.O. Box 1448 Anahuac, Texas 77514 Call 409-267-7818 CoastalRefractory.com

HELLO FROM TONY SIMS I have dedicated the remainder of my life to transforming a “hidden” and underserved industry and the forgotten and underrated people who are the backbone of this industry. I hope you have what it takes and are interested in joining me on this exciting journey from the mixer to ultimate mastery!

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT T8K ★★★★★ “Even working in refractory for years, this class shows you that there is still plenty to learn about processes and procedures. It also shows you how much science goes into refractory and why

-Tony Sims

it’s so underrated.” – Jesus Gutierrez, RCS

THE MILLION DOLLAR DOG

Building a Career that Operates on Your Terms By Tony Sims

I spent most of October through early January on the road with a couple of capital projects in shops mostly in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, with a short stint in St. Louis. I decided to drive back and forth from home to the projects and to spend extra time sightseeing and enjoying the trips, and I took my dog I rescued a few years ago with me. Jolie is a 40 lb. terrier mix that I believe is mostly Brittany Spaniel or some sort of bird dog, but I need to do a DNA test to be sure. Anyway, she’s a great companion and loves people and loves to travel. She forces me to be active and we discovered a lot of amazing parks and trails during our travels. For most of my career I couldn’t have a dog because I traveled a lot and worked under conditions that weren’t accommodating to dogs. So, now that I have intentionally designed my career to operate on my terms, I can have a dog! Little did I know that with the right awareness and mentors, I could have designed my career to operate on my terms many, many years ago and I’m going to suggest that you can too! During the few months on the road, after some boarding time, pet fees at the hotels, and other associated fees, Jolie earned the title of “The Million Dollar Dog” because that’s probably what it’s going to end up costing me over her lifetime to tag her along on the trips that I prefer to take her on! Discover how to build a career that operates on your terms. Call 409-267-7818, scan the QR code, or visit www.T8KRefractory.com

Meet Jolie, The Million Dollar Dog