angishields, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

GWBC Radio: WITH/agency CEO Blair Brady

May 8, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: WITH/agency CEO Blair Brady

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As the Co-founder and CEO of the WBE Certified WITH/agency, Blair Brady is an ambassador of the movement for female entrepreneurship and leadership as well as in diversity of talent. With her leadership, the award-winning agency has received recognition for its work in brand strategy, creative and advertising.

WITH proudly serves as an agency partner for Atlanta’s iconic brands such as AT&T, The Fox Theatre, Georgia Power, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, EarthLink and others. Blair has also led the expansion of the agency’s business and Atlanta’s creative talents to new markets through the agency’s partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric in California.

Blair co-founded the WITH/agency in 2012 to find a better way to serve Atlanta’s brands. When Blair assumed majority ownership of the agency in early 2018 and became CEO; her mission for WITH was realized: to reveal a world that works better together by creating unmatched creative work for clients while progressing a vibrant culture focused on cultivating and empowering diverse talent contributing to the rise of Atlanta’s creative community. As a trailblazer, Blair’s leadership style is centered around her intentionality to be the change she wants to see in the world around her.

The WITH/agency is an Atlanta born and based agency with service offerings including creative, strategy, advertising, video production, and branding. As a purposely small agency serving big brands, WITH is making its mark on Atlanta’s creative scene.

Blair also advocates for Atlanta’s creative community through participating in key professional organizations including:

The Forbes Agency Council – Member
Metro Atlanta Chamber – Board of Advisors
TimesUp Advertising – Board Member – Atlanta Chapter’
Network of Executive Women (NEW) – Member
Atlanta Advertising Club – Corporate Member and Event Host

Connect with Blair on LinkedIn and follow WITH on Facebook and Twitter.

Show Transcript

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of Open for Business, part of GWBC’s radio show that we run here at Business RadioX. Our guest today is Blair Brady, and she’s with the WITH/agency. Welcome, Blair.

Blair Brady: [00:00:33] Hi, Lee. Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:35] Well, before we get too far into things, can you tell us about the WITH/agency? Who do you serve?

Blair Brady: [00:00:41] I’d love to. We are a full-service marketing, advertising, and design agency right here in Atlanta. And we proudly serve a lot of Atlanta’s greatest brands AT&T, Georgia Power, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, and another wonderful client that is really Atlanta’s gem is the Fox Theater.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:07] So, how-

Blair Brady: [00:01:07] Other clients … sorry about that, Lee. Our other clients include Pacific Gas and Electric in San Francisco. And also, a wonderful re-emerging Atlanta brand of EarthLink.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:22] Oh, wow. I was with EarthLink when they were MindSpring. I have a-

Blair Brady: [00:01:27] You have?

Lee Kantor: [00:01:27] … an email address, MindSpring email address, probably still. I’m probably still paying for that. Yeah, that goes.

Blair Brady: [00:01:34] Yeah. I mean, that’s a throwback. That’s a good one. Hang on to it.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:38] So, now, how’d you get into this line of work? How’d you get started in your career?

Blair Brady: [00:01:43] I have always been on the agency side of business. I began early in my career with an agency that was born really out of sports marketing. But then, moved into general, a full-service, integrated marketing. And I was fortunate enough early in my career to serve really big brands from a young stage. So, I got to learn how to navigate corporate culture, which can be really, really rigid for a lot of good reasons as why they’re rigid. But as a marketer, you have to find a way to breathe life and creativity into those structures. So, I got to see that up close and personal early in my career.

Blair Brady: [00:02:28] And then, about eight years ago, my co-founder, Jamie Sims, and I decided that we wanted to make a new kind of agency. We thought that there was a better way. So, we founded the WITH/agency in 2012 and really bootstrapped from the very, very beginning, and years of really hard work and trying to align ourselves with the brand-forward companies who believed in creativity and really believed in brand strategy and brand storytelling was how we approached it. And we are, as you know, a proud, certified women-owned business.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:13] Now, why was it important for you to become a certified women-owned business?

Blair Brady: [00:03:20] That’s a great question. There are a couple of reasons. One, we believe that you need to be the change you want to see in the world. And, especially, in the creative industry, this rings very true. I believe that the best creative product that is really going to connect brands to people has to come from a diverse set of talent and has to come from several perspectives. And the old framework of doing things that limited female voices, diversity, that was not going to allow brands to reach the hearts and minds of people in the ways that they needed to.

Blair Brady: [00:04:12] So, we restructured, and it was important for us to certify because that meant that we were committed in going about this. And a lot of our corporate clients, they have a real need for diverse suppliers, especially in the creative industry, because a lot of really big multinational agencies are held by large companies, large holding companies that are predominantly male. And so, they are getting that. We were able to provide them a unique service and a unique perspective to serve today’s brands and what they need to reach their audience.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:51] Now, speaking of today, right now, we’re going through this coronavirus. And it’s a challenge for a lot of businesses. I’m sure you’ve had to make some adjustments. But from putting in your marketing hat on, how are you kind of consulting with your clients to help them kind of re-strategize or maybe pivot in order for them to continue to stay relevant during this?

Blair Brady: [00:05:16] That’s a great question. It is a real challenge right now because we live in a world of connection. And right now, we’re isolated physically. So, it’s a whole new way of working. And early on, in the first week of this, I challenged my team to think about the plans that we had for our clients for the year and consider that those plans were probably not going to happen. And what we needed to do to serve our clients the best way was not found in those plans because we’re in a new world. So, I urged them to take each of our clients, strip them down to their brand’s purpose and their brand’s promise. Why do they exist and what do they deliver? And then, put the new filter of today all over that. So, how are we going to exist and deliver based on this new on this new world?

Blair Brady: [00:06:19] And three of our key clients are essential business. Health care in Kaiser Permanente, obviously, they’re more essential now than ever. Pacific Gas and Electric and Georgia Power in energy and utility. Specifically with Pacific Gas Electric, we are working on how they position themselves to best help and speak with small businesses because, right now, they are in dire straits. And then, third would be in EarthLink, an Internet service provider. Everyone is at home right now working, trying to keep their kids engaged in school, and we are relying more heavily on our internet connection than ever before and in more ways. And so, we have to stay connected. That’s the way that we stay connected now. We can’t physically be connected. So, those three clients, we really leaned, we really pivoted strategy, and we quickly got in front of them to say, “You know what? We’re here. We have you. We understand that everything’s changing. But we’re ready to change too.”

Lee Kantor: [00:07:22] Now, what about when it comes to the messaging, when those people are going out to the world and saying, “Hey, we’re still open for business. We still are here to serve you. While our business may have been executed in this manner yesterday, today, we’re still here and we’re executing in this new manner,” is there any advice for those business people out there that maybe have to kind of re imagine themselves, but they don’t want to go out there, and be salesy, and yet want to be sensitive? It seems like a tricky time for marketers to communicate what they need to communicate and in what maybe a more elegant way.

Blair Brady: [00:08:07] Right. You’re so right. There is such a delicate balance right now. And you’re seeing, as you turn on the television, or Netflix, or anything, and you’re watching, brands are putting out all kinds of material that is pivoted now to the world that we’re in. And you’re starting to hear vocabulary that’s becoming cliche a little. You continue to hear words like, “In these uncertain times,” and “We’re all in this together.” And it’s difficult for marketers because we do want to speak and connect on a human level. We do want to serve the brands who are relevant to this crisis. But you can’t come across in a disingenuous way or kind of way that sounds like you’re pandering to a bad situation. You’re taking advantage of a crisis. So, it’s a very delicate line.

Blair Brady: [00:09:04] The way that that we approach it and the way that we advise our clients is that we should only put a message out there or we should only engage with consumers when we are directly relevant to what we’re talking about. We do want to pander. So, when you do put out a message, first, you have to say, “Is what we’re talking about, is our service directly relevant to what is happening in people’s lives right now?” And then, how do we make that message ring true and be genuine, so that they don’t feel like they’re being sold to and taken advantage of in a time of crisis.

Blair Brady: [00:09:44] It’s interesting. I’ll give you one more example. Our client, the Fox Theater, obviously they cannot operate right now. Their doors are closed. And we’re not sure when they’re going to reopen. But their purpose in the world is to or their promise is to create a grand sense of occasion. It’s all about coming together. It’s all about people experiencing something amazing. How can we do that? How can we come together and say something amazing when we’re apart? So, that’s been our creative brief as an agency to help them make people feel like they’re connected and experiencing something wonderful while they’re not apart. And it’s not because they’re looking to sell tickets. It’s because they’re an Atlanta icon, and they’ve made a promise to the city a long time ago to remain that way. And so, they have to continue to tell Atlanta that that promise isn’t gone. But certainly, there’s no ticket sale message at the end of that. It’s just articulating that our promise still stands.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:49] Now, when you’re working with especially a client like that, where their business is in person, people physically going to their location, is there any kind of, I don’t wanna say therapy, but it’s kind of therapy to help them kind of focus on the long haul and to help them just not panic? Because at some of these, like even the Fox as an example, I mean, the Fox is an icon to many that they’re a little special, but if you’re just like kind of Joe and Mary’s theater, this is a tough time.

Blair Brady: [00:11:26] You’re right. And so, I have to say that part of being a really good agency partner, there is a percentage of therapists that’s in your job. One of the things that we always say is that we believe in a world that works better together. And that goes in good times and bad times. And so, I spent a lot of time on the phone with my clients talking about their personal lives, talking about their work lives, talking about what they’re concerned about. And it’s just because we genuinely love to be with people. I mean, that was how our agency was built. And so, a lot of it is time spent just listening because everyone feels so disconnected. So, we don’t even have to have conversations that are directional towards a project or a campaign. Sometimes, it’s just to catch up.

Blair Brady: [00:12:26] But what I do find when … because we do need to look towards something. So, for for some of our clients whose business is a little bit on a hiatus right now, what we started doing is working with them on re-emerging plan. So, when we come back into the world, what does that look like? And though we don’t know when that may be, there’s no date on the calendar necessarily, having the actual plan there not only give a sense of something to look forward to, but it makes them feel like somebody is at them, or they’re not alone, or when the time to reopen comes, they aren’t left saying, “Well, what do we do now?” That when the time comes to reopen, that we’re ready, we have a plan. We’re not just sort of slowly starting to get going. We’re already catching our pace.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:18] Now, how have you been working with your own team to keep their morale up? And maybe you can share some tips for others that are dealing with this with a team that’s working remotely. Maybe you’ve been already working remotely prior to this, but if you weren’t doing a lot more now.

Blair Brady: [00:13:39] Yeah, I can definitely share some on that because that has been one of the biggest things for me personally. In our office, it’s a very open office. We are a very close knit group. We are together a lot. We’re a very family-like environment. So, almost overnight, we were completely separated and isolated from each other. It was really difficult at first. It was a really heavy feeling for me. So, things that I had done and we have done together since then that have really helped, we do a lot of video conferencing. I know everyone does that.

Blair Brady: [00:14:21] But one thing I will say is get in the habit of always turning on your camera and showing your face because when you see each other’s faces, it makes it so, so, so much better. That, to me, is so important. I always want to see everyone’s faces. And we do quick morning check-in meetings every morning where we just see each other’s faces, write down a quick connect for what is going to happen that day, what’s really important, what somebody needs help on, what someone’s stuck on, any updates that we had got overnight. So, that’s been really helpful.

Blair Brady: [00:14:58] Another thing is that first week I was mentioning, I felt really disconnected. It felt really heavy. On the Sunday night of that first week, I just turned on my web camera on my computer, and I talked to the team. I just recorded a video of me talking about what I talk about, and then closing it with a fun … I played like a fun song. And so, I have done that every Sunday since the first week. So, we have seven episodes of what we now call the Sunday night sit-down. And it goes to my team every Sunday night. It just goes to is. It’s not posted on social media anywhere. It’s just a message to the team. And that’s been a really great way to connect. I’ve gotten really good feedback from them that they enjoy those.

Blair Brady: [00:15:50] And then, the other thing is we’ve done just agency polls. Like just fun things. What’s a new hobby you picked up during this time? What music are you listening to? We made a quarantune playlists on Spotify. So, finding those ways have really, really been a great way to keep everybody connected.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:13] Now, you had some great advice earlier about coming up with that kind of how are you going to emerge plan with your clients. Is that something that you’ve also done internally? Like how are you going … like how does the future you’re going to see yet the work you’ve done? And are you doing work that matters? Are you looking ahead to yourself as well?

Blair Brady: [00:16:38] I am. And that’s something that that we are addressing currently and recently. I’ve been referring it to as a mental box that I’ve just sort of been putting my thoughts in and keeping to the side, and I will address them when the time is right. But the time is right. We are going to be coming out of this. And that plan is not going to look like what I thought our year was gonna look like in January. When we started this year, we had a very, very robust plan for growth. It was going to be a very transformative year for the agency.

Blair Brady: [00:17:28] And so, I think in the first few days of this crisis, I probably personally merged that a little bit, that that was probably not going to go the way I wanted it to go and the way that I really wanted our team to that had gotten. Everyone was so excited and we were ready to go. And so, it took me a while to mentally adjust to that. But I have now. And we’ve been working on a plan to reemerge. And I think a lot of the ways that we were going to transform this year will still happen. They just may happen a little later, and they may happen in some different ways. We’ve learned a lot through this.

Blair Brady: [00:18:16] And I don’t think it will change everyone’s business. I don’t think anyone will just hit the on button again and just go on as usual like they did before. I think this crisis will challenge everyone to rethink the way they operate internally and with their customers, or clients, or who they serve. It’s just the plan is there, and it’s an important one, and it has to be done with with such intentionality, and we certainly can’t rush it. But I am immensely proud for the way that my team has conducted themselves through all of this. I’ve leaned into them hard, and they have stood up and done so much more than I had ever had in mind. So, I am immensely grateful to them. And I just think that the promise of reemerging is so much brighter.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:14] Now, what’s the ideal client for you? And what pain are they having where the WITH/agency is the solution?

Blair Brady: [00:19:23] Oh, that’s a great question. So, our ideal client doesn’t come in the shape of any specific category or vertical. We are not B2B, exclusively B2B, or exclusively B2C. Our ideal client is a brand-forward company. So, a company that believes in their brand and their brand’s ability to connect with people. And so, we start every piece of work, every project, everything with strategy. The strategy is really at the centerpoint of what we do, whether that manifests itself into a television campaign or manifests itself into a new visual identity for a brand. All of that must start with strategy. And so, companies that really invest in their brand and in their brand story, that is our ideal plan.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:27] And if somebody wanted to learn more and have more substantive conversation with you, what’s the website?

Blair Brady: [00:20:34] We’re at thewithagency.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:38] Well, Blair, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing important work.

Blair Brady: [00:20:43] Thank you, Lee, I appreciate you.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:45] All right, that’s a wrap for this episode of GWBC Radio. We will see you again next time.

About Your Host

Roz Lewis is President & CEO – Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®), a regional partner organization of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and a member of the WBENC Board of Directors.

Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.

During her career she has received numerous awards and accolades. Most notable: Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2018 Diversity & Inclusion award; 2017 inducted into the WBE Hall of Fame by the American Institute of Diversity and Commerce and 2010 – Women Out Front Award from Georgia Tech University.

She has written and been featured in articles on GWBC® and supplier diversity for Forbes Magazine SE, Minority Business Enterprise, The Atlanta Tribune, WE- USA, Minorities and Women in Business magazines. Her quotes are published in The Girls Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business book by Susan Wilson Solovic and Guide Coaching by Ellen M. Dotts, Monique A. Honaman and Stacy L. Sollenberger. Recently, she appeared on Atlanta Business Chronicle’s BIZ on 11Alive, WXIA to talk about the importance of mentoring for women.

In 2010, Lewis was invited to the White House for Council on Women and Girls Entrepreneur Conference for the announcement of the Small Business Administration (SBA) new Women Owned Small Business Rule approved by Congress. In 2014, she was invited to the White House to participate in sessions on small business priorities and the Affordable Care Act.

Roz Lewis received her BS degree from Florida International University, Miami, FL and has the following training/certifications: Certified Purchasing Managers (CPM); Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD), Institute for Supply Management (ISM)of Supplier Diversity and Procurement: Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta (DLAA), Negotiations, Supply Management Strategies and Analytical Purchasing.

Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.

About GWBC

The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC®) is at the forefront of redefining women business enterprises (WBEs). An increasing focus on supplier diversity means major corporations are viewing our WBEs as innovative, flexible and competitive solutions. The number of women-owned businesses is rising to reflect an increasingly diverse consumer base of women making a majority of buying decision for herself, her family and her business.

GWBC^® has partnered with dozens of major companies who are committed to providing a sustainable foundation through our guiding principles to bring education, training and the standardization of national certification to women businesses in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Tonya Echols with ICF Georgia Chapter

May 8, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Tonya Echols with ICF Georgia Chapter

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Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.

Tonya Echols is an international Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant, facilitator, speaker, and writer. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF) of which she is also a Global member and President of the ICF Georgia Chapter.

Tonya was recognized by LinkedIn ProFinder as one of the standout Executive Coaches of the year for 2016 and 2017, and her writing has been featured in several publications including Forbes, HuffPost, and Training Industry.

Tonya is a faculty member of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), one of the premier coach training programs in the world and the American Management Association. She is a contributing member of the Forbes Coaches Council and an Executive/Leadership Coach for the TED Fellows Coaching and Mentoring Initiative.

Follow ICF on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What is the ICF and ICF Georgia Chapter?
The impact of coaching, especially as it relates to businesses
How to engage with members, affiliates, and the community
What International Coaching Week is and what ICF Georgia is doing to celebrate

About Our Sponsor

OnPay’s payroll services and HR software give you more time to focus on what’s most important. Rated “Excellent” by PC Magazine, we make it easy to pay employees fast, we automate all payroll taxes, and we even keep all your HR and benefits organized and compliant.

Our award-winning customer service includes an accuracy guarantee, deep integrations with popular accounting software, and we’ll even enter all your employee information for you — whether you have five employees or 500. Take a closer look to see all the ways we can save you time and money in the back office.

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

ATDC Radio: Take 5 – Five ATDC Companies Share What They’re Doing to Survive & Thrive During COVID-19

May 8, 2020 by angishields

About Your Host

Jane McCracken returns to ATDC as a Startup Catalyst, having started her career here many years ago. She then moved into venture capital and investment banking both in the United States and Europe before joining an early-stage, medical diagnostics company as chief financial officer. During her time there, she raised $60 million and completed eight international acquisitions. The company was listed on both the London and Oslo stock exchanges.

Jane then worked with two venture-backed companies. She joined the founders of an online travel company as CEO, and took it from startup to the world’s second-largest hotel booking site before Travelocity acquired it. At the request of her venture investors, Jane then joined a computer games developer as CEO and turned around the faltering enterprise before it was sold to a NASDAQ-listed games company.

Most recently, Jane was CEO of an oncology-focused clinical research company, which grew from startup to a multinational firm with $15 million in annual revenue and offices across Europe and the United States. The company was financed through its own cash flow and was sold in early 2012 to a larger clinical research organization.

Jane continues to work with fast growing companies — in interim and full-time positions — as a consultant, board member, and angel investor. In addition, Jane has served on boards for public and private companies, as well as government-related and non-profit organizations. She is a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences, companies, and universities and is an active volunteer in her community. Jane obtained her bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and her master’s degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Connect with Jane on LinkedIn.

BRX Pro Tip: How to Take Photos in the Studio

May 8, 2020 by angishields

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Jason Mazzarone with SoBol

May 8, 2020 by angishields

Denver Business Radio

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Jason Mazzarone with SoBol

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The açai craze in the United States is still a relatively new one, and SoBol founder and CEO Jason Mazzarone has been at the forefront of this food trend from the beginning.

Founded in 2012, SoBol was one of the earlier brands to provide açai bowls in a fast-casual setting. Jason can speak to the brand’s founding, initially inspired by his family’s successful ice house as well as the brand’s plans to continue growing throughout the east coast in 2020.

Follow SoBol on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About the Show

The Franchise Bible Coach Radio Podcast with Rick and Rob features no-nonsense franchise industry best practices and proprietary strategies that franchisors and franchise owners can implement to improve their profitability and operational efficiencies.

Our show guests are franchise superstars and everyday heroes that share their tips for growth and strategies to survive and thrive during the current challenges.

About Your Hosts

Rick Grossman has been involved in the franchise industry since 1994. He franchised his first company and grew it to 49 locations in 19 states during the mid to late 1990s. He served as the Chief Executive Officer and primary trainer focusing on franchise owner relations and creating tools and technologies to increase franchisee success.

Rick developed and launched his second franchise organization in 2003. He led this company as the CEO and CMO growing to over 150 locations in less than three years. He developed the high tech/high touch franchise recruiting and sales system.

Both companies achieved ranking on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 List. During this period Rick served as a business and marketing consultant to small business and multimillion dollar enterprises. He also consulted with franchise owners and prospective franchisees, franchisors, and companies seeking to franchise.

Rick had the honor of working with his mentor, Erwin Keup as a contributing Author for the 7th edition of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise Bible published by Entrepreneur Press.

Mr. Grossmann has been chosen as the new Author of Franchise Bible and his 8th Edition was released worldwide in January of 2017. He currently serves as an executive coach and strategist for multiple franchise clients.

Follow Franchise Bible Coach on Facebook.

Rob Gandley has served as SeoSamba’s Vice President and Strategic Partner since 2015.

With 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, digital marketing, sales, and technology, he continues to focus on leading the expansion of SeoSamba’s product and service capabilities and US market penetration. SeoSamba specializes in centralized marketing technology built for multi-location business models and continues to win industry awards and grow consistently year over year.

Concurrent with his work at SeoSamba, Gandley is a strategic growth consultant and CEO of FranchiseNow, a digital marketing and sales consulting firm. Gandley consults digital businesses, entrepreneurs, coaches and multi-location businesses across diverse industries. Prior to SeoSamba, he built an Internet Marketing business and platform responsible for generating over 100,000 qualified franchise development leads used by more than 400 US-based franchise brands for rapid business expansion.

Gandley also held various senior sales and management positions with IT and Internet pioneers like PSINet, AT&T, and SunGard Data Systems from (1993-2005) where he set sales records for sales and revenue growth at each company. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal Business School in 92’ with a BS degree in Finance and emphasis on Marketing.

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn.

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Jamie Cecil with Beef ‘O’Brady’s

May 8, 2020 by angishields

Denver Business Radio

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Jamie Cecil with Beef 'O'Brady's

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Jamie Cecil is VP of Franchise Sales with Beef ‘O’Brady’s

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s is one of the most enduring “family sports pub” concepts ever created with an unusually loyal following. Why is our franchise still growing after three decades while so many competitors have come and gone? Simple. Beef’s is more than just a restaurant.

It’s a social hub … a place where every corner of the community always seems to gather. And that legacy lives on with each new Franchisee who adds another chapter to our story.

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn.

About the Show

Our show guests are franchise superstars and everyday heroes that share their tips for growth and strategies to survive and thrive during the current challenges.

About Your Hosts

Rick had the honor of working with his mentor, Erwin Keup as a contributing Author for the 7th edition of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise Bible published by Entrepreneur Press.

Follow Franchise Bible Coach on Facebook.

Rob Gandley has served as SeoSamba’s Vice President and Strategic Partner since 2015.

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn.

GWBC Radio: Jodi Daniels with Red Clover Advisors

May 7, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Jodi Daniels with Red Clover Advisors

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Jodi Daniels is Founder and CEO of Red Clover Advisors, a privacy consultancy, helping companies create privacy programs, build customer trust and achieve GDPR, CCPA, and US privacy law compliance. Jodi helps companies with the daily operations such as data mapping, individual rights, training, policies, etc. and also serves as a fractional chief privacy officer.

Jodi is a Certified Informational Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) with more than 20 years of corporate experience at Deloitte, The Home Depot, Cox Enterprises, Bank of America where she most recently served as the privacy partner for Digital Banking and Digital Marketing. Ms. Daniels started her privacy career by creating the comprehensive privacy program at Cox Automotive. She launched an online advertising network for Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.

Jodi holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband, two girls, and a big fluffy dog named Basil.

Connect with Jodi on LinkedIn and follow Red Clover on Facebook and Twitter.

Show Transcript

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC Open for Business. And today, we have with us Jodi Daniels with Red Clover Advisors. Welcome, Jodi.

Jodi Daniels: [00:00:29] Well, hi. So glad to be here.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:32] Before we get too far into things, can you share a little bit about Red Clover Advisors? How are you serving folks?

Jodi Daniels: [00:00:38] Absolutely. Red Clover Advisors is a boutique privacy consultancy. And what that means is we’re helping companies comply with global privacy laws like GDPR, the big EU privacy law, or the brand new California Consumer Privacy Act that became effective in January of 2020. and actually is going to start being enforced in just a couple months in July 2020.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:07] Now, can you shed the profile of your clients? Who typically hires you?

Jodi Daniels: [00:01:13] So, we honestly work with companies from startup all the way to Fortune 100 companies, I would say the majority of our clients are in that small to mid-sized market, kind of the folks who really don’t have anyone on staff really tasked with privacy, and they’re sort of tasked, and “Oh, there’s a privacy law. What do we need to do with it?” And so, we help those companies really get the initial project off the ground and build the foundation for a privacy program. And then, we also serve as a fractional privacy officer for the company.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:53] Now, how did you decide to specialize in privacy? How did that come about?

Jodi Daniels: [00:01:59] It’s an interesting story. I used to work at Cox Enterprises and the subsidiary, Cox Automotive. And long ago, before there were Facebook ads stalking us, I created a behaviorally targeted ad network. So, I stalked people for cars at AutoTrader.com. And from there was, actually, when the online advertising industry, so more than about 11 years ago, came together and said, “We really need some type of self-regulatory body to prevent government legislation.” Ironically, it lasted about 10 years. And here we are now with new government legislation for privacy. But I was responsible for that compliance with that self-regulatory framework. And from there, realized we also needed someone paying attention to privacy on a full-time basis, and created a privacy program at Cox Automotive. And that was where my start into privacy came from. So, my specialty is really in the marketing and the privacy side, which I find fascinating.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:03] Now, maybe explain to the listener about some elements of their privacy they might be giving up that maybe they’re not aware of.

Jodi Daniels: [00:03:14] Yes. So, it happens in a couple different places. So, the first is, oftentimes, when we’re buying something or we share information to a company, we hope that the company is going to use this and deliver whatever product or service that we just signed up for. But sometimes, those companies are also sharing it with other companies. Maybe it’s across their affiliates that we didn’t even realize how big the company was and all their different affiliates, or they sell it and share it to other companies. So, that’s one.

Jodi Daniels: [00:03:47] Another is with the proliferation of smart devices. So, think about your smart TV or Alexa, your Echo, your smart fridge, smart vacuum, telephones, all the different smart devices all over the place. They’re often listening or watching, and people don’t realize, “Oh, well, maybe I …” Especially right now in this remote working era, you need turn that smart device off while I’m on my viewing conference call because it can and is listening. In fact, I’ve even been on webinars, or conference calls, or in-person presentations, and someone’s Apple Watch’s Siri is going off because it actually thought we were listening or we are talking to her. So, all those different places are gathering data all the time and, also, utilizing it in ways that we might not have been thinking of.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:42] It’s one of those things where it has to listen to the trigger word, that means it has to listen all the time in order to hear the trigger word.

Jodi Daniels: [00:04:53] Right. And the more it listens, the more trigger words it’s going to have, which means the smarter it’s going to be. And you also have multiple people in a home all talking, especially now, all at the same time. So, it’s an interesting time. We have privacy from use-end collection. So, the examples I’ve given or how are any of these companies is using our data, but we also have the security part, and we want to make sure that we’re protecting the data from any type of bad actors that are coming through. So, kind of your classic phishing email. Is it really from the person that you expected the email to come from? Or is it a bad actor doing a really great job of mimicking an email? And then, oops, we’ve clicked on it. And now, we’ve potentially opened a huge opportunity for a bad actor to find their way into our computers and networks.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:47] And then, why don’t you educate the listener about that because some, maybe back in the day, the bad actor might have been a teenager in the basement just doing this to do this. But nowadays, there’s an organized effort to get some of this data. Can you talk about that a little bit?

Jodi Daniels: [00:06:09] Absolutely. So, phishing is up 350% in just a couple months. It’s a significant problem. And they are definitely not the teenagers who are bored, they are organized actors from across the globe. When you get personal data, it can go for pennies to hundreds of dollars, depending on what type of information you’re getting. Some is more interesting than other types of data. And they do it for gathering the data and be able to make some money. They also do it to be able to expose the company and be able to take a company down, expose it, lower stock price, all kinds of thing.

Jodi Daniels: [00:06:51] And the way they do it is they’re very, very clever. Some of these emails look exactly like you would expect them to be, and it could just be maybe the logo is a little bit off. Maybe it says “.org,” instead of “.gov” or maybe it’s, “.gov.org.” And people miss that one little piece right there. So, they’re very, very clever. They’re touchy subject lines to really lure someone in, or it’s information that you really want. Maybe it’s on COVID or something along those lines. So, again, you open it. And as soon as you click on it, and you have the potential, now, for someone to come in into the computer, maybe find a way into a network, they might sit and kind of watch for a little while. Maybe they’ll create rules and forward information from your e-mail. Maybe they’ll find your way on some shared drive and see what other type of information is there.

Jodi Daniels: [00:07:46] So, making sure that companies understand what phishing is and really educating. I believe you cannot over-educate employees on how to spot what a phishing email is. And also, to try and prevent … think about all the different systems, your computer ware where you have information. Maybe it’s the Dropbox account, maybe it’s a network drive, any of the tools and system that you use, and to have some good security measures. Things like what’s called multi-factor authentication, where you get that one time password, or you have to say yes before you can keep marching through. VPN is another really good one. And strong passwords, like long complex password or use a password manager to help you remember them. Those are really great ways to help minimize security breaches and, also, education to help make sure people understand how to spot phishing email.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:44] Now, is this something that requires your clients or prospective clients to have a big budget? Can you do some work for companies on a smaller budget? Or is this something that costs a lot?

Jodi Daniels: [00:08:59] I may put on a couple different ways. So, very specific to what we’re just talking about, like doing multi-factor authentication, getting a VPN and strong passwords, that is low budget. And communication, that is all very, very inexpensive, low budget. And there are tools ranging from free to a couple dollars a person to be able to help with those requirements. And then, from the privacy work, complying with the different laws that we talked about, we’re really flexible. There are some companies that this is sort of the package, take it or leave it. The approach that we’ve taken is very much to be flexible to work with the company on what it is that they need and really prioritize. Maybe you need one or two things now, and you need it in this capacity, and we’ll build up over time.

Jodi Daniels: [00:09:48] So, for a smaller company, you really want to have someone who’s going to be able to help guide you and understand what your company’s impact is, and prevention on both security and privacy is always going to be much less costly than maybe a law sales because if you weren’t ready, a customer can say, “No, we want to do business with you,” and I’ve seen that happen or worse, a data breach or a class action lawsuit that we’re starting to see as well. So, definitely flexible to be able to meet the demands of a company small to big.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:21] Now, has this pandemic made companies more vulnerable? I would imagine more people are online now. Are you more vulnerable just because people are kind of taking advantage of the pandemic?

Jodi Daniels: [00:10:35] So, companies are certainly more vulnerable because you have, literally, the globe working from home. And what that’s done is you’ve now taken a potentially company data on a personal device that you might not have had all the strong security measures that you had on your work machine now or environment now that are at home. You are also using your Zoom or other conference materials more often. So, I might even, by accident, share the wrong screen. You might have children sharing a laptop where, oops, by accident, they send the information that they shouldn’t have as they were trying to get to their program. You don’t have as many of the security patches that are often on a machine also being used. And even just how people are getting to company information. They might not have quite as many layers.

Jodi Daniels: [00:11:30] So, it is absolutely in that environment that’s kind of right for data breaches, which is why the phishing emails, which are so easy for bad actors to do and people are vulnerable right now where we want information. We’re craving to help other people. And someone can create a really great email, I click on it, and now that’s what’s happened. So, we expect to see data breaches and announcements kind of rise in the next couple months. It takes kind of a couple months for the activity to happen, and then for companies to notice it. So, I think, the second half of the year, you’re going to start realizing, “Oh, gosh, data breaches happen during this particular time.”

Lee Kantor: [00:12:13] Now, how has that COVID-19 crisis impacted Red Clover Advisors?

Jodi Daniels: [00:12:22] So, for us, we’re helping companies a lot on what I call kind of a remote working policy. So, everything I just described is really important that companies have a policy. What is okay for you to get to? And what should we have as a VPN or a strong password? And how will we make sure that computers have the right patches and the right security software on them? So, we’re helping companies manage the remote work policies, helping educate on phishing emails, and the communication, and kind of overall privacy and security training, certain things like that.

Jodi Daniels: [00:12:59] And then, with the CCPA, as I mentioned, that’s that new California Consumer Law, privacy law, it becomes enforced. Enforcement begins in July. So, right now, companies are still kind of getting all their final pieces, if you will, ready, to be ready for enforcement. Some companies are still just getting started. Some people are on different levels of the journey. And we’re here to support them wherever they are. So, we’re still busy helping companies protect themselves because, again, prevention is so much less expensive than a data breach. And data breach can be a couple hundred dollars per record. Now, if you have thousands of records, that can be really expensive. Not to mention, it distracts you from your core business. And we all want to make sure that we’re focused on our core business and ensuring revenue during this time.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:48] Now, talk about your involvement with GWBC. How did that come about? And how has it impacted your business?

Jodi Daniels: [00:13:57] About just under two years ago, I attended an information session that explains the benefits and the process of being a certified women business. And after that, I went through the process. And so, I just received my second certification. So, I guess, I did it kind of spring of 2020. So, my first one was spring 2019. Now, 2020. And I’ve always been a big supporter of women-owned businesses supporting other women. So, when I go out in the marketplace, I do believe that it’s helpful. People like to know and support other certain groups and especially, I think, helping women in businesses. So, I’m very proud. I have it on my signature that we are a certified women’s business.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:47] Has it helped to kind of penetrate some of these larger firms?

Jodi Daniels: [00:14:53] I think it definitely helps in in certain situations where if I was being compared to other firms, they really want to help the [1], one small business and [2], a women-owned business. So, I definitely see a value, which is why I went through and did the certification for a second year. And I’ve also communicated to other people about what this process is and why they should go through it. And so, sort of privately, I’ve been a champion of it on this side because, again, I believe it’s valuable information that they provide, it’s how we got connected here today, and it’s just an opportunity. I believe that businesses should take advantage of it, and it’s a good program.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:36] Now, if somebody wanted to learn more about Red Clover Advisors or have more substantive conversation, or maybe even if they just want to learn more about the CCPA, the new ruling that’s coming into effect, is there a website they can go to get more information?

Jodi Daniels: [00:15:53] Yes. if they go to redcloveradvisors.com, and actually slash CCPA, there’s a wealth of information. We have all kinds of articles, and blogs, and whitepapers and e-book, lots of information to help get started on understanding what the privacy laws are. And then, at any time can also find me. Just jodi@redcloveradvisors.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:20] Good stuff. Jodi. Well, thank you so much for doing what you’re doing and helping businesses stay safe and stay compliant. And thank you for sharing your story here today.

Jodi Daniels: [00:16:30] Thank you again for the opportunity. It’s been a pleasure.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:34] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Radio.

About Your Host

Previous career roles at Delta Air Lines included Flight Attendant, In-Flight Supervisor and Program Manager, Corporate Supplier Diversity.

Connect with Roz on LinkedIn.

About GWBC

Customer Experience Radio Welcomes: Paige Holden with XONEX Relocation

May 7, 2020 by angishields

Customer Experience Radio

Customer Experience Radio Welcomes: Paige Holden with XONEX Relocation

00:00 /

Paige Holden is the President of XONEX Relocation, a full-service global relocation management firm. As the second generation of management, Paige has in-depth knowledge of the company’s growth and development trajectory and will lead XONEX’s highly-trained team of relocation experts into the future.

She oversees all departments of the company and works closely with Katherine Holman, Founder and CEO, to ensure that corporate strategy is aligned with client service and operational goals.

Paige served XONEX from 2010-2015 as the Director of Communications. In this role, she oversaw the development of XONEX’s award-winning mobile application for transferees. She was the driving force behind XONEX’s thought leadership platform and marketing campaigns, including regularly released whitepapers, ebooks and blog posts.

Prior to returning to XONEX in 2018, Paige co-founded Snag-A-Slip, an online boat slip rental site, and Oasis Marinas, a full-service marina management firm. With her team, she grew the companies up from the ground to a successful, $6 million Series A close.

Paige has a master’s in business administration from the Robert H. Smith School at the University of Maryland, and a bachelor of science in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University.

Follow Xonex on LinkedIn.

Transcript

Intro: [00:00:01] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, it’s time for Customer Experience Radio, brought to you by Heineck & Company, real estate advisors specialized in corporate relocation. Now, here’s your host, Jill Heineck.

Jill Heineck: [00:00:18] Good morning and welcome to this very special edition of Customer Experience Radio. I’m your host, Jill Heineck, and I’m a business owner, real estate advisor, and a customer experience enthusiast. As many of you know, my boutique real estate group has specialized in helping families move with a job for the last 20 years.

Jill Heineck: [00:00:36] So, I’m excited to have Paige Holden on the show today to talk about her company and how they’re delivering a great client experience in today’s climate. Paige is the president of XONEX Relocation, a third-party relocation management company, or RMC, as we call it, in the industry, based out of Wilmington, Delaware. And they are hired by corporations to facilitate executive moves. For those of you that are unfamiliar with relocation management companies, they typically serve as an extension of the company and outsourced relocation department, if you will. The main goal is to alleviate the administrative burden of relocations by managing all the moving parts, pun intended. So, I want to welcome Paige. Thank you so much for taking the time out.

Paige Holden: [00:01:22] Thank you, Jill. Thanks for having me-

Jill Heineck: [00:01:24] Of course.

Paige Holden: [00:01:25] … in here.

Jill Heineck: [00:01:26] I am so glad to see you. I know that, normally, we have our Spring Relocation Conference that has gone virtual. And so, kind of bummed that we aren’t all getting to be together in person. But I’m glad you were able to join us today and talk to us a little bit about what’s happening in your world as it relates to relocating executive employees, and their teams, and what you’re seeing. But first, let’s start, like kind of give us a little background on you and how you got there.

Paige Holden: [00:01:59] Well, this would be my second tour at XONEX Relocation. In full disclosure, I’d be second generation at XONEX. I was with XONEX, actually, and I think we may have met back then, in 2010. And my goal with XONEX at that time was to develop a more robust marketing and thought leadership platform for the company. It was back in the time when like Twitter was new, and all of the social media and these digital tools were coming to play. And that was my focus then.

Paige Holden: [00:01:59] I did leaves XONEX for a little bit to go do some startup work. I wanted to build something from the ground up. I think it’s in my genes. I started with an entrepreneurial spirit, and I just felt like I needed to pursue that. So, I went and I did two startups. We brought them to a series A close that’s in the boating industry. So, it’s far away from real estate and relocation as you could get, but it was a ton of fun. And when I felt like I had learned tools to be a good leader, tools to come back into a business environment like XONEX, I came back. And I came back to XONEX in September of 2018. And it’s been off to the races ever since, getting the team together. And then, we’re building all sorts of new toys that we’re looking forward to emerging with when we get out of quarantine.

Jill Heineck: [00:03:27] So, what is your role right now? What do you do? What’s entailing your role now?

Paige Holden: [00:03:33] Right now, it is leadership, right? Coming into a company and getting to know your team, making sure you have the right players in the right seats doing what they’re good at doing, so that everyone’s operating towards positive goals and success. Of course now, in the time of COVID, that leadership role is critical, right? You want to keep the game together. We’re all remote. And so, a lot of the job today is keeping in touch and making sure everybody feels like they’re still part of the XONEX family. And in addition to that, I’m back with my background in marketing and IT spearheading new technology and marketing campaigns.

Jill Heineck: [00:04:21] Excellent. So, how are you feeling about being back? I mean, I know it’s been a few years now, but I mean,you’re not just focused on your fun marketing stuff that you’re bringing in before, right? So, how is that adding like another layer to your day? I mean, are you feeling like the marketing, still, is a big part of it or are you having to delve more to operations?

Paige Holden: [00:04:46] Yes, it feels great to be back. I learned so much. When you start a company from nothing, from a ping pong table in the basement of your buddy’s house to raising $6 dollars, you learn by fire, you learn a lot of lessons, you get stronger in a lot of ways, and you’re forced to look at other areas of the business, not just marketing, which had historically been my path. So, to come back with those skills was huge for me, and I’m enjoying being able to use the tools that I learned at Snag-A-Slip and Oasis, the name of the companies that we founded, here at XONEX.

Paige Holden: [00:05:29] And again, a lot of it is leadership. A lot of that is identifying your team and making sure that you have the right people in the right roles. And you get involve in operations. I definitely went around and tried to meet as many of our supplier network as I could in the first year. I was at all the ERC events. I was all local events. We are also women-business enterprise. So, I was at all the WBENC events, which is the Women Business Enterprise National Council. Just getting out, and meeting, and, reading and understanding what had changed in the industry since I left or what were things that I just didn’t know because it wasn’t my role to know them. That was tremendous amount of fun.

Paige Holden: [00:06:08] Marketing will always be part of my sphere just because that’s my history, my background, and my knowledge. And thankfully, my experience in digital tools has been profoundly helpful in this time because XONEX, historically, an office environment and traditional office environment, in one week, we went to a full virtual remote office with everybody on the same page. I’m so impressed with my team. And a lot of that is just having knowledge of tools that we can use, be it Zoom, be it Slack to keep teams together in a remote place. And those lessons that I’ve learned throughout my career and, of course, will Snag-A-SLip and Oasis have been instrumental in getting us through this COVID time.

Jill Heineck: [00:06:59] So, that’s interesting. Let’s talk a little bit about that. So, now that within a week, you’re virtual, how are you keeping your teams cohesive and engaged, so that they can continue to provide and deliver the experience that your clients have come to expect while you’re virtual? How is that working for you?

Paige Holden: [00:07:23] It’s working really well. And we talk about customer experience. We’re here at a customer experience show. And I’m a firm believer that you can’t deliver a good experience for your customers if you’re not doing well yourself. It starts with your own company, and it starts with your, we call it the XONEX family, being healthy and being happy. And so, when this started to unfold back in early March, XONEX made the decision to get everybody working from home before the state’s required it. It gave us some time to get accustomed to the idea before we went to shelter in place, which was helpful, that forward-thinking approach to just getting everybody set up and comfortable before the news that’s coming in. So, that’s step one.

Paige Holden: [00:08:18] Step two was just getting everybody on the same page about what virtual norms look like. So, we moved the company over to Slack, which is an online platform where teams can engage and talk to one another. I felt really strongly that we needed a place for all of us to congregate. And we started that immediately. And we have norms. So, everybody, we check in with each other every morning. We say goodnight to each other at the end of the day. We have channels for the specific teams, and we’ve prioritized Slack as our number one communication channel for the company so that everybody can feel engaged and understand what’s going on at the same time.

Paige Holden: [00:08:56] And then, also, show their personalities a little bit. You know it’s funny, I’m learning more about the people on my team through digital tools than I knew in a traditional office environment because we shared sense of humor or someone is Zooming where I can see how they’re interacting with one another. And that’s been, I think, great for the whole group. So, everybody feels connected.

Paige Holden: [00:09:19] We’ve also done little things like for Easter, we had a contingent of us drive around and drop cupcakes off at people’s homes. And we’ve done mailings, and we’ve done mailings for our clients. We’re sending our clients a little – I don’t know if you’ve seen them but they’re like the hook extenders that you can hit an elevator button with or you can open up-

Jill Heineck: [00:09:44] Oh, yeah.

Paige Holden: [00:09:44] So, one of our team members actually has a new printer, and he made 25 of them, and we’re gonna send them out to our clients as a touchpoint. So, it’s finding ways to engage with your team even if you can’t be there face-to-face. And thankfully, we’ve done that. And then, of course, you just have the IT networking aspect of it, making sure everybody has a laptop, everybody’s got a webcam, so that we can see everyone’s face on Zoom, and so on and so forth. And fortunately, because it was part of our business continuity plan from the get go, we were able to roll that out very quickly as well.

Jill Heineck: [00:10:22] So, you’re feeling like you were well prepared culturally before, and then it was just easy for you to transition and may maintain that culture virtually?

Paige Holden: [00:10:33] Absolutely. It’s an incredibly proud moment, I think, for everybody that has a stake in XONEX and its future. And I’m just really grateful for the team I have. Truly blessed that everybody was able to kind of rally and adapt as quickly as they have. That’s not always the case, but we’re a very close-knit company. Our average tenure is 10 years.

Jill Heineck: [00:11:00] Wow!

Paige Holden: [00:11:01] And so, it’s really a family, when I say that. It’s like, “Okay, guys, this is what we’re doing,” and everybody jumped on board. And I actually think we’re going to come out of this even stronger and closer. And I’m looking forward to that day that we can all gather in our big boxes and kind of celebrate what we were able to accomplish.

Jill Heineck: [00:11:22] So, how big of a team do you have now?

Paige Holden: [00:11:25] We have about 30 people now. And about 25 in office with 5 satellite folks.

Jill Heineck: [00:11:33] Excellent. And so, from a customer experience perspective, what are kind of the cornerstones of service delivery for you at this point? And has anything changed since you went virtual?

Paige Holden: [00:11:49] That’s a great question. Nothing has changed in terms of our service delivery, except for, perhaps, we are probably touching base even more than we normally would have just because we have a compassionate group of people who really want to help. XONEX’s service has always been one of our differentiators. All of our counselors who deal with homeowner transferees, for example, are active, licensed realtors with CRP credentials. And then, the folks that handle our global population are all mobility specialists.

Paige Holden: [00:12:27] So, even before COVID, we felt that the best way to support our clients was to to provide them with counselors that truly had on-the-ground experience, especially in real estate. And that’s helpful in any case, but it is helpful now when we have transferees that,”Do I sell or do I not sell? What do I do? And how do I go through this? And how do I walk through the process?” And it’s actual realtors that are counseling them. So, that’s been instrumental, but it’s really no different than anything that we’ve always done at XONEX.

Paige Holden: [00:13:06] And being remote doesn’t change the way that we can counsel our transferees, and it doesn’t change the way that we can counsel our clients. And in fact, we’re so intensely focused right now on making sure that everybody is okay. I think our service delivery is probably stronger and better than it’s ever been before. Because with relocation, there’s a lot of compassion that’s required and empathy that’s required on a good day. And then, you add the COVID into the mix, and you have these folks that have worked with these transferees for so long, they care about them so much. It’s just it lends itself nicely to our group because I know our group is the right group to help counsel these nervous transferees.

Jill Heineck: [00:13:57] I will tell you that as a real estate agent on the ground here working with transferees, it does make a big difference when the relocation management company is working, is employing consultants that are licensed that have understanding behind it, had maybe potentially worked in the field before on a team or individually, but just have a good understanding as to what the transferee is going through. And I think with that partnership with the local agent, I think that makes such an amazing team for the transferee. So, I really do appreciate that. And I think you’re absolutely right, it makes a huge difference.

Jill Heineck: [00:14:42] So, generally speaking, in your view, how do you measure or what does a successful client experience look like to you? And I know that that could run in two parts. It could be the actual corporate client who is engaging you, and then the experience of the transferee, which is, I say, secondary but it’s really not secondary, it’s actually the reason they engage you for counsel and for help with the transferee. But how do you measure that success? Where do you see things that are happening the best for your company right now?

Paige Holden: [00:15:23] Well, from the transferee perspective, we measure success with performance questionnaires throughout their move. So, you’re looking at just metrics, we do that, and we have always done that. And we’ve always done interim things as well, so that we understand what’s happening with the move beginning, middle and end. And we don’t just wait until the end of the move to get feedback because we want to run the ship if the ship isn’t going in the right direction.

Paige Holden: [00:15:54] Anecdotally, what does success look for us in this time, I review … We call them PQs, our performance questionnaires. And I review them on a weekly basis because we’d just like to know. I don’t know. I’m curious that way. And I guess, yesterday, I was reviewing them, probably, in preparation for speaking to you. And one of the comments was, “I just want to say my family was so scared. We didn’t know if we would be able to sell our home. We didn’t know if we’d be able to get into a new home.” This is a transferee that’s working for a company on the frontlines of providing necessary services to the entire United States. “I didn’t know what to tell my children. I didn’t know what to tell my wife. And you held my hand every step of the way through it. And I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” And that’s a true comment-

Jill Heineck: [00:16:49] Amazing!

Paige Holden: [00:16:49] … that we got from a transferee moving in the middle of all of this with so much uncertainty. It just left the impression on me that that counselor, she really went above and beyond. She really made a connection with this family, and she made them feel safe. And even though we have some struggles out there on the relocation industry right now, I mean, the regulations from state to state, from county to county are different even, to be able to work through some of the supply chain issues in relo and not let that family feel it, to me, that success.

Jill Heineck: [00:17:33] I have to agree, if they don’t need to feel that that is our job to alleviate. And I agree with you, that’s a great way to measure success. So, what are your corporate clients saying to you in this time or even before? What are some great examples of how you’ve been able to serve from a corporate perspective?

Paige Holden: [00:17:57] Yes. So, the biggest, when this started, we had the first wave of, “What do we do?” And I think every relocation company probably. What do we do with that? We’ve got global assignees out there all over Europe, in Asia. We’ve got people in temp living that are supposed to be leaving temp living or coming into temp living and you know what happens. So, initially, a lot of it was to pause those in assignments, and get the information, and not make knee-jerk reactions. And then, collect as much information as possible to guide our clients in the right way. So, in some cases, that looked like your global assignee just needs to stay put for a few months in Hong Kong or whatever. And in other cases, it means, yo”Y know what? Maybe we’re gonna have to extend temporary living on the front end if they can’t move on the back end.”

Paige Holden: [00:18:57] The challenge we have in relo right now, again, is it’s varies market to market, state to state, county to county, policy to policy. And so, the biggest piece of advice I could give for anybody in this right now working with clients is you just really have to understand your clients’ goals. We have the conversations about what is the reasonable exception to policy in this time. The counsel that there might be some additional expenses as we incur more temporary living costs, or we can’t get these houses sold as quickly as maybe, historically, we could; although, we haven’t really seen too much of a problem right now with those. And just managing the expectations, having a plan, and understanding each individual circumstance.

Paige Holden: [00:19:47] And then, communicating it effectively to the client. We have an amazing chief customer officer who’s been reaching out to them on a regular basis to understand changes in their programs. And certainly, if we start to see some trends that are going to impact that client, getting ahead of it before it becomes a fire drill is our goal. So, it’s kind of-

Jill Heineck: [00:20:08] So, talk to us a little bit about what is happening with those assignees that are outside the US that potentially were coming back before this all went down. They were supposed to come back to the US or coming for an assignment in the US. What happened? I just can’t imagine. I was just listening to the news and how people have been stranded on cruise ships for all these months because they just weren’t allowed to come back. So, what happened? How are some of your clients managing those?

Paige Holden: [00:20:43] For the most part, our clients have just had everybody stay put. We’ve extended living arrangements and it’s been a shelter in place. We don’t know exactly. At least, in immigration is going to vary drastically from country to country. So, the immediate reaction is everybody kind of stay put, let’s be safe, let’s shelter in place, and then see what happens from a visa immigration perspective coming back into the US or going out, and what happens there? And I think we’re still trying to gather that information. But right now, for the most part, our clients have kept everybody where they are.

Jill Heineck: [00:21:30] And so, are your counselors, do they have a special additional layer of communication touch points where they’re reaching out to those that are sheltering in place where they didn’t expect to be this long, and just checking in with them and saying what else can they be doing to help them kind of assuage the tension that might be happening?

Paige Holden: [00:21:52] Yeah, that’s exactly right. That’s exactly what we do. And because XONEX works with the single point of coordination model for each client, the folks that are out on assignment, they’re accustomed to dealing and working with one specific counselor who’s been able to build a rapport over time. And in some cases, we have assignees that have been out there for 10 years that have been working with the same counselor. And so, it’s just that regular check in, and checking in with the client to see what they want to do, and then checking in with the assignee to make sure they’re okay, and then trying to arrange services as needed.

Jill Heineck: [00:22:32] Excellent. So, going back to the experience of the transferee, is it your practice to have … I mean, how many contact points is there for one transferee within XONEX? And is it just the one counselor contact? Or is there many people reaching out to this transferee? And what do you find works well and what doesn’t?

Paige Holden: [00:23:00] We have always worked for this single point of coordination model. We feel that the transferee needs a person that they can trust that walks them through the whole relocation that will know and understand what’s going on with their relocation as opposed to, say, calling a call center and getting flipped around to a group of people. So, we have always, always had a single point of coordination model. And I think that’s been extremely helpful in this time because it helps to ease a little bit of anxiety.

Paige Holden: [00:23:32] That being said, there are some cases,we’re coordinating a household goods move, they may have to set up their time schedules with the movers, or walk through what the safety plan is, or for PPE or wherever it is. But our counselors are always quarterbacking the whole relo. And-

Jill Heineck: [00:23:52] Excellent.

Paige Holden: [00:23:52] … move them beginning, middle and end throughout.

Jill Heineck: [00:23:58] So, talk to me a little bit about how … you mentioned supply chain earlier, and I know that that, obviously, is another layer to relo, and how that can really impact the client/transferee experience.

Paige Holden: [00:24:12] Sure.

Jill Heineck: [00:24:12] So, what is happening on the supplier side in terms of movers and just getting stuff from A to B?

Paige Holden: [00:24:22] Yeah, right? That whole moving part, it it’s very state-by-state-dependent. In some cases, county-by-county-dependent. Moving companies, they are all taking more precaution. Of course, they’re wearing protective gear, gloves, masks. In some cases, I think, in a lot of cases, actually, I know the moving companies that we’re working with are doing virtual surveys of the home just to limit the amount of exposure.

Jill Heineck: [00:24:55] How was that working?

Paige Holden: [00:24:56] I think it’s working pretty well. I haven’t heard any any reason why it wouldn’t be working. And I think that there were some trends going in that direction before this even happened that maybe celebrated virtual serving. We’ve seen with some companies out there, they’ve gotten ahead of that. And now, companies are catching up. So, it’s very interesting to see from a digital perspective what happens there. But I believe it’s working out very well. And it’s certainly calming fears. We have run into transferees who just simply do not want movers in their home, and they’re scared. And that’s okay. And in those cases, maybe, we can work with the self-move, or container or, move or something to that effect. But for the most part, virtual service, protective gear, and following, of course, all state and local guidelines for what businesses can do on the moving company side.

Paige Holden: [00:25:56] On the temporary living side, we’ve had similar challenges. There are rules. I know here in Delaware, and I know in certain places around the country where short-term leases are no longer an option. So, for those, we have to work within the guidelines that they have to stay put or we’re working with extended stays maybe that they can do something. But the temp living, that’s been a challenge. It’s been temp living, I know that for a fact. And I don’t know when that will lift, but [crosstalk]-

Jill Heineck: [00:26:34] And again, to your point, it’s going to be state to state, it’s county to county, city to city. There-

Paige Holden: [00:26:41] It is. And we’ve been lucky, at least, with the transferees that were already in temp living that they’ve been allowed to stay. And that gets into the extension of temporary living in terms of policy and exceptions. And companies need to be aware that that’s going to be happening, that you’re going to have extended temporary living, which is going to drive temporary living cost. And then, in the cases where we just can’t do it, maybe holding the relo a little bit to see how things open up.

Jill Heineck: [00:27:10] I just had two families relocating, one from Chicago and one from Florida, and they could not find. It took them a while to find a temp. They have a family. So, they didn’t want to be in a hotel. So, they wanted to do an Airbnb, and they made a reservation, and then found out like 48 hours before that they were like, “You know what? We don’t want anybody in our house.” And so, then, they’re like, “There’s two other options in all of metro Atlanta for us to bring our family of five. Like, this is insane.” And, luckily, at the last minute, we’re able lock something down. But I can’t imagine if you’re doing a bigger move than one family, how hard that must be to try to coordinate this. And then, outside of just logistics, you’re talking about you’re trying to temper emotions, and when are we getting on the job to be productive, and all these things play into it, right?

Paige Holden: [00:28:11] Right.

Jill Heineck: [00:28:12] So, how have your clients been responding to you? How have they been interacting with you during this time?

Paige Holden: [00:28:22] I think that they’ve been grateful to have a support. I know that we deal with clients in different capacities from company to company that have different responsibilities that go beyond relocation. And so, we try to be sensitive to that as well. Our HR folks out there are dealing with a whole litany of issues that just go so far beyond relo that we just try to give as much helpful information as we can, as succinctly as possible, understanding that they’re they’re stressed, and they’re busy, and that they’re juggling a lot of balls in the air.

Paige Holden: [00:29:00] Just being there for their transferees, solving problems before they get to the corporate client is the best way to alleviate stress, I think, across the board. We believe that even in good times. It’s our job to make everything look smooth and seamless. And I think that our clients really appreciate that, especially as they’re juggling so many things. So, providing good counsel, being there for them, being responsive, treating their transferees really well. These are all tenets at XONEX, this philosophy that go back years, but it’s more important today that we have good communication, and we have good practices and procedures, and that we communicate effectively.

Jill Heineck: [00:29:51] When you say being responsive, what does that look like to you?

Paige Holden: [00:29:56] We have a sunset rule at XONEX, and it goes across the board from my desk to the newest person on the team. And the sunset rule means that we don’t end the day without getting back to whoever reached out to us that day. Even if you don’t have an answer, even if you haven’t solved the problem from soup to nuts, just letting someone know, “I hear you. I’m looking on your problem. It’s my top priority. And I’m going to start tomorrow. And we’re gonna work through this.” That’s, again, been a philosophy at XONEX for a very long time. It’s been a practice we’ve put in place for a very long time. And I think it’s great that we have those procedures because, now, in the time of COVID, you get more phone calls, you get more anxiety, and it’s important to be responsive. So, what does responsiveness look like to me, it means that nobody goes 24 hours without, at least, a comment back that I hear you and I’m working on it.

Jill Heineck: [00:30:54] I love that. I think it’s fantastic. I think no news is not good news for a lot of people, particularly in a transferee situation. And even me being one of the counselors that’s helping during a relo, I feel like I want to hear from the relocation company, or the mortgage company, or whoever. I want to hear from those people that we’ve been trying to make sure we can satisfy the questions and the concerns of the client before the end of day. Nobody wants to go to sleep not knowing.

Paige Holden: [00:31:28] No. And it’s even … obviously, as things come in, we want to solve them. Counselors don’t want to have that nagging. So, it’s amazing what the power of just, “I’m on it,” can do to just alleviate concerns, that that your concern has been acknowledged, and that it’s in process of being worked out. It’s huge.

Jill Heineck: [00:31:56] It is huge. And I don’t want to get too in the weeds on tactics, but I’m just curious. From a communications platform perspective, do you and do your counselors have a platform that they log in or the transferee logs into a platform where they communicate, or is it like just basic texting, or email, or calls? It’s a combination? How are they communicating on a consistent basis?

Paige Holden: [00:32:25] It’s a combination. So, XONEX is built on its own proprietary technology. So, we have portals that both the client can go in and see in real time what’s happening with their transferees and assignees. And then, we have a portal for the transferees and assigness that they can see what’s happening in their relocation. We have mobile apps that help them do the functional things of moving, those expenses, and so on and so forth. And in our technology message boards that everybody can watch, and review, and see what’s going on.

Paige Holden: [00:32:56] But then, there’s emails and there’s phone calls. We try to walk through the communications channel that that transferee prefers. And so, it can also be text messaging. Every transferee likes to be communicated with differently. And it depends, too, on the issue. Like for me even, even if I want to have a phone call, I want a phone conversation about, and sometimes I’m like, “Oh, just text it to me.” And so, we try to give the right space on what the transferee has opted into and opted out of. So, we use all tools, and they can see, they have their own portals to log into, yeah.

Jill Heineck: [00:33:37] And you mentioned a success story a little bit earlier. I didn’t know if you had another one that stands out in your mind about either a transferee or a corporate client who reached out to you, just let you know how well your program was received with the transferee. I don’t know if you had any other stories that you’d like to share.

Paige Holden: [00:34:00] We do have client. Again, this one is also on the front lines of … actually, a healthcare client, front lines of service delivery. And they were trying to determine how doctors and nurses could potentially get into a temporary living environment because they didn’t want to bring potential infection back to their families into their homes. And we were able to do some research for them, and start to understand the climate where their hospitals are to see what we could do. Now, they haven’t gone forward with anything but just the dialogue with them with, “Thank you, XONEX.”

Paige Holden: [00:34:47] Taking a traditional function of relocation, which should be temp living or extended stay, and trying to apply it to a completely different situation, and walk through what the logistics and the costs of that might be. It was a great exercise. If they may still decide to go that way, they haven’t needed to, but just the exercise of walking through that with them was, I think, pretty positive experience for our team. And it’s always good to look at the services you provide and see where else they might be able to help outside of just traditional relo.

Jill Heineck: [00:35:26] I love that story. And I love … Going beyond is really kind of the theme of the moment, especially when people are putting themselves at risk for us. And I have too many stories about being affected by this, and being on the front lines, and not having the support. And knowing that there are companies out there that do that, you feel so much better. And thank you so much.

Paige Holden: [00:35:56] We are always going to try to find creative solutions for our clients. And I’m just grateful that this particular group hasn’t had to do, haven’t had to take those measures because they haven’t been as impacted, which is a really good thing.

Jill Heineck: [00:36:13] That is a great thing. So, what pieces of advice would you impart on our listeners today regarding how you are continually serving, meeting and exceeding your clients’ expectations?

Paige Holden: [00:36:30] Well, I think what I would have always said remains true today and is especially important today is when you are counseling folks that are going through a major life change, which relocation is, patience, kindness, empathy is critical. Taking the time to listen is critical. And having the right counselors on your team who can do that work is so important. And this COVID situation has just highlighted that for me in in such a big way, and I’m sure for other people as well, how important human connection and human reassurances can be.

Paige Holden: [00:37:22] So, I think we’ll always reflect on this time and try to remember the human element. Even if we’re apart from each other, you see more connection happening in some way. I mean, I know I’m doing Zoom calls with folks I haven’t even seen in years, but it’s such a great way to reconnect. So, keeping the connection point on our transferees, making sure we’re always treating them with compassion and empathy, and trying to solve their problems logically and reasonably.

Paige Holden: [00:37:52] And then, for our corporate clients, it’s really just listening, understanding what’s happening in their markets, understanding what’s happening in their personal roles because, again, our client context wear many hats in many cases. And so, being sensitive to the fact that they are stressed, and that they just need accurate information succinctly and quickly, and that we’re here to support them when they ask, and that’s what we’re doing. And that’s always going to be, I think, the recipe for effective customer experience. It’s just being there. It’s listening, and being there, and working as a partnership.

Jill Heineck: [00:38:31] I love that. And it’s absolutely true, I think, on every level of a relocation, but particularly when they are looking to you as their partner, and getting from point A to point B, and needing to know all the things in between. And Paige, I’m so happy that you were able to join us today. I really appreciate it.

Paige Holden: [00:38:53] Thank you.

Jill Heineck: [00:38:53] Hang tight for just a second. I want to thank all of our listeners for for listening today. We’re proud to share the show because these stories will show how there are companies out there who are actually prioritizing the customer experience as a legitimate business strategy. So, no matter what industry they’re actually in, the customer experience should always be at the heart of your business. Thanks so much for joining us. Have a great day.

About Your Host

Jill Heineck is a leading authority on corporate relocations, and is highly sought after for her real estate industry acumen and business insights. As a published author, frequent panelist and keynote speaker, Jill shares her experience and perceptions with people from around the globe.

Jill is a founding partner of Keller Williams Southeast, established in 1999, and the founder and managing partner of Heineck & Co. Her real estate practice specializes in corporate relocations, individual relocations, luxury residential, and commercial properties. Jill’s analytical approach to problem-solving, along with her expert negotiation skills and sophisticated marketing, deliver superior results to her clients. Her winning strategies and tenacious client advocacy have earned her a reputation for excellence among Atlanta’s top producers.

While Jill has received many accolades throughout her career, she is most gratified by the personal testimonials and referrals she receives from her clients. Jill’s unwavering commitment to the customer experience, and her focus on the unique needs of each client, serve as the foundation of her success.

Follow Jill Heineck on LinkedIn.

K.T. Mills-Grimes with William Mills Agency

May 7, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

K.T. Mills-Grimes with William Mills Agency

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Brought to you by OnPay. Built in Atlanta, OnPay is the top-rated payroll and HR software anywhere. Get one month free at OnPay.com.

K.T. Mills-Grimes is the Director of Marketing Services at William Mills Agency, the nation’s largest public relations and marketing firm serving the financial industry. K.T. oversees all marketing and content marketing activities for the agency and its clients.

She manages a team of specialists to execute on all digital communications including social media implementations, SEO, website developments, HubSpot implementations and content marketing campaigns. Her efforts also expand into traditional marketing where she assists with clients’ strategic market planning, brand identity, advertising, trade show booths as well as sales collateral.

K.T. is a HubSpot certified specialist. She graduated from the University of Georgia where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Classical Culture and is additionally a 3rd generation employee of William Mills Agency.

Connect with K.T. on LinkedIn and follow William Mills on Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

About William Mills Agency and K.T’s role at the company
What content marketing is
What HubSpot is
How can content marketing help companies grow given the state of our country
How William Mills Agency is helping companies during this pandemic
What is included with the HubSpot Free offering
How people contact K.T. to install the software for free

About Our Sponsor

OnPay is a fast-growing software company that offers small businesses and accountants the best payroll in the cloud backed up by a team of helpful, friendly experts. And as a payroll service provider with more than 30 years of experience, we know how to get it right.

Whether business owners have three employees or 1,000, OnPay makes payroll fast and easy. We also serve nonprofits, restaurants, religious organizations, and ag businesses without skipping a beat.

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.