Examining life through a new lens. This podcast will explore community, sustainability, and the value of human connections through a series of conversations with Jim Henderson. Jim is the owner of William C Huff Companies, a high end logistics firm and is the founder of JLH Sustainable Housing, providing pre-engineered steel and solar powered home environments.
www.williamchuff.com
www.jlhsustainable.com
In this episode Jim talks about the importance of getting involved with your community. Not just by being a passerby, but by involving yourself, your company and your personal circle of people. Authentically giving back can certainly include just writing a check, but giving of your own time and self not only is often more beneficial to the community organization that you're giving to, you can feel better doing it.
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John Perchas: Welcome to In Case You Wanted to Know, a podcast featuring the inimitable Jim Henderson. My name is John Perchas, and joining us in the room is Derek Sherman. Today, we’re diving into a conversation about community, sustainability, and the environment. Specifically, we’ll focus on the impact of community involvement.
Jim Henderson: That’s right, John. In our last episode, we talked about company culture and how it’s different here at William C. Huff. As we’ve grown as a company, we’ve become more comfortable with who we are and what our mission is. Ultimately, every business is driven by people—whether it’s your staff, your clients, or the community around you.
Derek Sherman: Exactly. When you think about business strategy, it’s a combination of people, process, and technology. Community is an essential part of that. One of the things that drew me to William C. Huff, coming from Salesforce, was Jim’s deep involvement in the local community—whether it was helping foster children, participating in local events, or supporting causes like the Winter Wine Festival in Naples.
Derek: At Salesforce, there’s a model where 1% of time and revenue is given back to the community. It’s a great idea, but it doesn’t always translate into meaningful, hands-on impact. What struck me about Jim’s approach is how personal it is—giving not just money, but also time, energy, and authentic involvement.
Jim: That’s been our philosophy from the beginning. Our community involvement started in New Hampshire, where we supported the Special Olympics. One of our staff members’ moms was a local director, and we jumped in to help. We organized an annual mini-golf tournament for the athletes at the University of New Hampshire, and it became a huge hit. The joy on their faces was unforgettable.
Our involvement is always driven by what’s meaningful to our staff and our company culture. For example, foster children are close to my heart, and when our PR person introduced me to Friends of Foster Children, it felt like a natural fit. Over the years, we’ve expanded our outreach to include groups like Better Together, which helps parents at risk of losing custody keep their children through local community support.
John: One of the things we touched on last time was how the security you provide to staff—knowing their jobs are stable—fosters a willingness to give back to the community.
Jim: Absolutely. When people feel secure in their roles, they’re more inclined to get involved in something bigger than themselves. For years, our staff in New Hampshire and Florida have volunteered their time and resources without ever asking, “Do I get to clock in for this?”
Derek: That authenticity shows up in our digital presence, too. Our best-performing social media posts are often about our community involvement—not about the work we do. Authentic engagement resonates with people, and it’s not something you can fake.
Jim: That’s why we don’t treat community involvement as a marketing strategy. You won’t see us advertising, “5% of everything goes to charity.” It’s simply who we are. Over the years, we’ve been involved with more than 20 community organizations, and while we’ve scaled back a bit, it’s still a core part of our identity.
Jim: A healthy community starts with healthy businesses. When a company takes care of its people, that care extends outward. Growing up in foster homes, I saw firsthand how government programs alone can’t solve the challenges communities face. Real change comes from local involvement—businesses and individuals stepping up to meet needs that government programs can’t address.
One example is Better Together, an organization that helps single parents keep custody of their kids by providing temporary support. It’s inspiring to see how much impact a small, dedicated group of people can have when businesses like ours get involved.
John: Jim, thank you for sharing these insights. Community involvement is clearly a big part of what makes William C. Huff unique.
Derek: And it’s a great reminder that giving authentically—whether you’re a business or an individual—has ripple effects. It’s like karma: when you invest in others, it comes back to you in unexpected ways.
Jim: Absolutely. As a company, we’ve always focused on building long-term relationships—with staff, clients, and our community. That’s what sets us apart and keeps us going strong after nearly 40 years.
John: If you’ve made it this far, thank you for joining us! Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and ring the bell if you enjoyed this episode. We’ll be back soon with more conversations, including a deeper dive into environmental topics. Thanks again, Jim and Derek, for another great discussion.
Jim: Thanks, everyone. See you next time.
Derek: Thanks, John.[Music fades out]
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William C. Huff Companies is committed to simplifying the complicated maze of moving and storing your priceless possessions. With over 40 full-time, tenured, and highly trained staff, you can be assured that your move will be handled smoothly and professionally, from the first phone call until the last box is unpacked.
