angishields, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing… Not You

May 21, 2020 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing... Not You

00:00 /

BRX Pro Tip: Who Should Be the Hero in Your Marketing… Not You

Stone Payton: [00:00:00] Welcome back to BRX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, the way that we have things framed up, the way we try to go to market, we believe that the hero in the story, at least, a hero in our marketing should be anybody but us, right? Say more about that.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:20] Right. I don’t know if it’s a strategy word, but it’s just a way of thinking that I’m kind of borrowing from Donald Miller with Story Brand. And he talks about sales and marketing material or any kind of written material. And the hero of the journey of the sale is not you. You’re not the hero. The client is the hero. You are the guy that helps the client achieve their goals. So, when you position yourself as the guide, you’re not talking about yourself anymore. You’re talking about the ways you can help the client achieve their goals. It’s not about how great you are, what you’ve done in the past. None of that matters. It’s helping guide the client from having a problem to have a success. So, that’s the difference in kind of the mindset. And that’s how you frame the conversations in terms of what’s in it for the prospect, not what’s in it for you.

Stone Payton: [00:01:17] And that is just so wholly consistent with the way that we go to market anyway and execute on the work that we do, right? We don’t try to be the personalities on the radio show. And all of our shows are designed to support and celebrate the guests and position the host as the hero that’s making that opportunity available. So, to me, everything you just said about the marketing aspect of what we do is just wholly consistent with the way we choose to execute on our mission and purpose.

CTWJ Ep18: Franny Giangrasso, Marketing Director for Spenga

May 20, 2020 by angishields

Tucson Business Radio

CTWJ Ep18: Franny Giangrasso, Marketing Director for Spenga

00:00 /

Franny Giangrasso

7621 N. Oracle, Suite 150
Oro Valley
520.402.6100
https://spengatucson.com/
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook | Instagram |

I am currently the Marketing Director for Spenga. I have been working with the Franchisee for 5 years with other businesses. I live on Long Island, NY. SPENGA’s philosophy is based on the 3 pillars of fitness: spin, strength, and flexibility. Besides fitness, we want a deeper connection with the community. SUPERGA will be located in Oracle Crossings next to TREK and Dog utopia.

About Your Host

Jaime Overturf
Farmers Agent, Entrepreneur
2555 N Campbell Ave
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 293-2900
joverturf@farmersagent.com

As a local Farmers® agent in Tucson, AZ, Jaime Overturf helps customers identify the insurance coverage that best fits their needs. This process is straightforward and personalized to help make them more informed about their insurance options.

Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that Jaime has the knowledge and experience to help customers better understand their coverage options–whether that’s auto, home, life, business insurance and more. You can connect with Jaime on Facebook.

GWBC Radio: Theresa Payton with Fortalice Solutions

May 20, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Theresa Payton with Fortalice Solutions

00:00 /

Theresa Payton made history as the first female to serve as White House Chief Information Officer and currently helps organizations in both the public and private sectors protect their most valuable resources.

Managing cybersecurity risk is what Payton knows and does best. Before overseeing IT operations as CIO for President George W. Bush and his administration, she held executive roles in banking technology for two of the country’s top financial institutions. After serving in the White House, she went on to co-found Dark3, a cybersecurity product company, and Fortalice Solutions, a world-class cybersecurity consulting firm ranked a “Top 5 Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company” in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and DC.

Named one of the “Top 25 Most Influential People in Security” by Security Magazine, Payton was also featured in the book 100 Fascinating Women Fighting Cybercrime and honored as the 2019 Woman Cybersecurity Leader of the Year. She is the author of several publications on IT strategy and cybersecurity, including Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth, released in April of 2020.

Connect with Theresa on Facebook and follow Fortalice on LinkedIn.

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 this will be an interesting one. Today, I have Theresa Payton, and she is with Fortalice Solutions. Welcome.

Theresa Payton: [00:00:30] Well, thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:32] Well, Theresa, before we get too far into things, tell us about Fortalice. How are you serving folks?

Theresa Payton: [00:00:38] Well, one of the things that we focus on is we serve patients, businesses, and people. And we really feel like preparation is the best strategy to protect your organization, but bad things do happen, unfortunately. So, we’re also there and stand by you to protect you and help you during kind of a worst crisis scenario, which is responding to a cyber crime incident. So, we do both proactive and reactive side.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:11] So, now, how did you get into this line of work?

Theresa Payton: [00:01:15] Well, it’s interesting, I started off in the financial services industry, and I was on the technology side, but coming up through the ranks in banking, I had responsibility, not only for delivering technology that we wanted our banking clients to use, but I had responsibility for making sure fraud losses were low, and making sure that the technology was secure, and protecting our clients’ right to privacy. And so, by having sort of this kind of full-scale responsibility, that really shaped how I thought about security, which was security needs to be something that enables customers, not kind of that last thing you do before you access data like a very complex password.

Theresa Payton: [00:02:02] And I had the opportunity to work for George W. Bush, President George W. Bush at the White House and, again, had sort of that responsibility for technology operations and cyber security. And really sort of that was the genesis behind creating Fortalice and really creating a services company to take care of you as if you were somebody on the White House staff and to service our clients the way I wished I had been taken care of when I was in roles in banking and at the White House.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:38] Now, cyber security touches everybody and in maybe ways that surprise some people. It’s not only just keeping my identity safe or my money safe. It can kind of work into elections and things like that. You recently published a book, Manipulated Inside the Cyber War to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth. Can you talk about how cyber crimes getting involved in elections?

Theresa Payton: [00:03:05] Yes, sure. Absolutely. One of the honors that we have is actually helping different states and different vendors that play a role in our election ecosystem to make sure that things or processes are strong and that the technology is secure and safe, so that when you vote, your vote is counted the way you intended it to be. But kind of the other piece that people need to be thinking about as it relates to election security is sort of our personal reactions to the issues.

Theresa Payton: [00:03:39] And so, it used to be you could hear candidates talk on an issue, you could look at trusted vetted news sources on the issue, and then talk to your neighbors and make up your own mind. But what I learned in my years of working cybercrime is that nation, states, and also unscrupulous political operatives are leveraging social media to influence you on not just how do you vote on certain issues, but maybe even to disenfranchise you into not even wanting to vote at all.

Theresa Payton: [00:04:15] And so, cyber security for elections works everywhere from whether or not the paper ballot that you requested, that you requested from the right place, and did you mail in your ballot to the right place, to if you go Election Day and you vote on electronic voting equipment, is your vote secure there? But also, how you get information on these election issues and making sure that you’re not a victim of a misinformation or manipulation campaign.

Theresa Payton: [00:04:47] So, cyber criminals now have found their way into every aspect of our electoral process as far as an ecosystem goes. And that’s an area we have a lot of passion in making sure that every voter knows how to vote, knows how to make sure their vote is counted the way it was cast, and also knows how to get information on the issues in a way where they can make up their own mind.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:11] Now, let’s talk about, for our listener, that’s the business owner, is there anything actionable that you can recommend in order to stay safe for whether it’s their business or them as individuals?

Theresa Payton: [00:05:25] Sure, there’s a couple of things, especially during COVID-19 and sort of post-pandemic thinking about your planning. For starters, the remote worker to be thinking about making sure that any of your remote access has multifactor authentication turned on. In other words, they can’t just log in using a user ID and password. Like, for example, a text code or some type of an image is sent to their cellphone, and they need to use that additional step to get into remote access to your system.

Theresa Payton: [00:06:02] Pay special attention to the phishing – P-H-I-S-H, phishing – emails that are coming in. I just saw a report from Google that said two things: [1], that they’re blocking 18 million scam messages a day dedicated to something around coronavirus; and [2], the security industry has now said that COVID-19 and the topics surrounding the coronavirus are the most used in cyber crime scams ever in the history of internet and internet scams.

Theresa Payton: [00:06:42] So, that is the new normal to be dealing with. So, make sure that your e-mail system, that it’s secure, that you’re thinking about maybe more aggressively, actually, blocking emails that talk about CDC, that talk about WHO, that talk about COVID-19, and having a more manual process for deciding whether or not those mail items are actually legitimate. Be thinking about different approaches where your employees may not have to actually click on a link or open an attachment. Find a way to scan those before they do that to prevent your company from becoming a victim of cyber criminals syndicate.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:24] So, now, what do you do when you get an email that you’re like, “Well, that could be a phishing attempt,” or what are some of the clues you’re looking for when you’re seeing an e-mail because they’re pretty clever in the way that they look, and a lot of smart people have been fooled?

Theresa Payton: [00:07:43] Yes, no, you’re right. So, it’s interesting. We have some pretty sophisticated rules and processes in place at my company to block things before they go into our in-basket. But here’s an interesting one that actually got past all of this security software tools that we have in place, and the email was set up from a domain name that looks very similar to our company domain name, and it went to one of my employees, and it said it was from me. So, just a hint, my employees know I hate email, so I don’t email them because I don’t need anymore e-mails because if I e-mail you, you’re going to e-mail me back. And so, I try to avoid emails much as I can. So, that was like one clue. I never email my own employees. Like, we have an internal messaging platform we use.

Theresa Payton: [00:08:31] The second thing was it asked him to act quickly on my behalf. I would just pick up the phone. And then, the third thing was I was asking him in this email to buy gift cards for the employees, but to text me the gift card information. So, if you think about that, right, like if it’s a behavior from an executive is not what you’re not normally used to seeing, that’s a red flag. Asking you to act quickly, another red flag. And then, the third is some type of, “Buy something electronically, and then tell me what it is electronically.” And so, you notice there is no video conferencing there. There was no phone calling there. It was all electronic.

Theresa Payton: [00:09:16] And then, the other dead giveaway was they actually gave him a cellphone to text the information to. They made the comment that it was another cellphone that I was using. Well, it wasn’t my cellphone number. So, all of those things can be red flags. And it was very well done. I mean, we all commented. Like somebody had done enough of research to figure out Paul worked for me, and that maybe I would reach out to Paul on something like that.

Theresa Payton: [00:09:43] So, the other thing that you can do when you get emails besides that trust but verify, he reached out to me immediately. The other thing you can do, it’s not 100% foolproof, but you can take a link or an attachment in an email, and you can go to a free product called virustotal.com ,and cut and paste the attachment or the email, and it’ll tell you whether or not somebody else has reported across like 60 different sources whether or not that is a malicious link or attachment. So, that can also be sort of an extra way to do a trust but verify on emails that you get.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:22] Now, let’s talk a little bit about your relationship with GWBC. How has that organization impacted your business?

Theresa Payton: [00:10:30] Well, I mean, it’s been wonderful. I’ve had different people who have learned about our company. So, not only is it rare to find a woman who is in cybersecurity, but it’s even more rare to have kind of a woman-owned business that’s a pure-play cyber security company. And so, it’s been a great way to network. But also, we have had both private sector companies and government organizations who have a commitment to diversity. And as part of their commitment to diversity, they want to mentor women-owned businesses, and they want to buy from women-owned businesses. And having that certification helps give them some assurances. But here’s the other thing, they also know a third party from the outside is staking their reputation on that certification. And so, that gives them additional peace of mind as well.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:30] Now, in your business, has this virus, other than create maybe opportunities, like depleting phishing scams around it, but has the virus impacted your business on how you do business or are most of your workers remote workers?

Theresa Payton: [00:11:43] Well, it’s interesting. There’s a big part of what we do that we can do remotely. And then, there’s another part of it that does require sort of that in-person. It’s really hard to collaborate on video conferences. Technology is nice, but it doesn’t replace the opportunity to get in front of a whiteboard together, and really draw in kind of real time, and then go grab a bite to eat together, and sort of the different parts of an in-person relationship that you can develop. That’s really hard to replicate remote.

Theresa Payton: [00:12:20] But we’ve sent everybody very early on, we sent everybody home. We started the kind of the early days in February telling staff that if they were uncomfortable coming into the office, also telling them if they weren’t feeling well to just work from home, and it would be a judgment-free zone, but better to have an abundance of caution than to put themselves and their coworkers at risk. And so, we went to that model pretty early, and we went to a flexible shift model as well.

Theresa Payton: [00:12:54] The other thing that we’re doing as a company is many of our clients are under stress and duress based on their vertical industry, where they typically get their revenue from entertainment, sports. I mean, you name it. Almost every industry has had some type of an impact. And so, what we’ve been doing is, I call it reimagining and pivoting to be where our customers are going to need us to be most.

Theresa Payton: [00:13:22] So, for example, one of the services that was incredibly popular and high demand before COVID-19 was to do red team,to act like an adversary and to really show if we were a cyber criminal, how we would attack a network. This isn’t really the best time to be doing something like that while people are working from home. So, instead, what we’ve been doing is pivoting and saying to our client, “Red teaming can be a very disruptive take your eye off the ball type of operation. Let’s instead do something called threat hunting, which is something where you can look for potential indicators of compromise. You can also look to see, has the company been scanned by the outside world in a way that looks like somebody has nefarious intent with that type of scanning that’s been conducted?”

Theresa Payton: [00:14:16] So, we can actually look to see sort of like, has somebody been peeking in your windows just doing some surveillance on you? And that doesn’t require having your employees or your team sort of take the eye off the ball of trying to make sure that you’re a resilient organization during COVID but, also, as we go into post-pandemic mode, you need to focus on what makes your business profitable. So, we need to pivot and sort of be where you are and be where you need us most.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:46] Yeah, it’s an interesting time where a real virus is kind of making cyber viruses more available. There’ll be more of those floating around. I guess, a lot of people. Because the people, the bad actors, this is what they do for a living. This isn’t the young kid that’s in the basement eating Cheetos and drinking Red Bull. These are people, countries, businesses that this is their job 24/7 is to penetrate these organizations.

Theresa Payton: [00:15:22] Yeah. No, you’re right about that. As a matter of fact, having studied these cyber criminal syndicates and nation states for decades now, what a lot of people need to realize is, I mean, cyber criminals are everywhere. I mean, America has them. Every country has them. But some of the best and the brightest to pull off some of the biggest heists, they live in economies that are not very good. So, this is one way for them to … I know it sounds crazy, but in their minds, they really have a mindset that this is a noble calling because they’re providing for their family and their communities.

Theresa Payton: [00:16:04] And it kind of turns sort of the compass of morals, for them, are turned on their head because in their mind, they’re stealing from wealthy economies who aren’t going to really miss the pennies on the dollar. They don’t really see us as human beings running a business, and you’re stealing our livelihood, and you’re impacting our reputation, and you’re impacting a business’s resiliency, and reliability, and their reputation. They see it as, “You’re not going to miss it much. And this will really help me out a lot.”

Theresa Payton: [00:16:38] And it’s a real crazy kind of moral code that these cyber criminal syndicates follow, but it’s a real and present danger because as you mentioned, they’re at this 24/7. They don’t follow any rule book. So, where we have to, as businesses, have insurance, we have to go through certifications, we have to get a business license, background check. Like we have to do a lot of things that are the right things to do to be an ethical, well-run company. They don’t have to follow any of those rules. And it’s all show up, do your job, and you’ll get paid. So, it’s very tough because we’re not playing from the same playing field. It’s not just a matter of, are they smarter than us or better than that? They’re not. They just don’t have any rules they have to follow, and they’re doing this all day long.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:32] Right. And they don’t have to be right all the time. They just have to figure it out once.

Theresa Payton: [00:17:37] No.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:37] And then, once they’re in there, then they’ll get what they get. And then, if you stop them, then they’ll work on another and work around. I mean, they’re working as hard, if not harder, than our side.

Theresa Payton: [00:17:51] Yeah, in some cases. And they have specialties as well. So, for example, a lot of people don’t realize that ransomware, it’s not like some elite team, and it’s a team of five people. They’re all orchestrated with great clarity. Oftentimes, it’s multiple groups that come together to pull off the ransomware. It’s almost like a pyramid scheme, how they all get paid to do what they do. So, some of them will have, like they build the ransomware. Another group may actually house and deploy it. Another group will actually have the keys and show up with the keys. Another group will actually provide technical support. So, if you don’t know how to get cryptocurrency, you don’t know how to pay them, you don’t know where to find the keys. They’ll actually walk you through all the steps. And they all basically participate in the ransomware syndicate, and they may not ever meet each other, know each other, they don’t work for like a boss, but they all come together and they all make money out of that process.

Lee Kantor: [00:18:59] Crazy stuff. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story and kind of warning us about what’s out there. If somebody wanted to learn more and have more substantive conversation with you or somebody on your team, what’s the website?

Theresa Payton: [00:19:14] Sure. It’s www.fortalicesolutions.com. And if anybody is a big LinkedIn user, we actually have a group that the women of our companies set up called Help a Sister up on LinkedIn, which is a safe place for both men and women to promote more women in STEM, especially cyber security. So, if you are trying to hire people, if you’re trying to find people, be a mentor, looking for a mentee, feel free. We’re always looking for new members to join that group and participate, share research. It’s a really fun way to get connected to an amazing global group of men and women who are very passionate about promoting more women in STEM and helping a sister up.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:02] Well, thank you again for being part of this. And again, the website is Fortalicesolutions.com. It looks like Fortalicesolutions.com, but it sounds like Fortalicesolutuons.com. Is that right, Theresa?

Theresa Payton: [00:20:16] Yes, that’s exactly right. Yes. And you can also find us on Instagram. We’re @FortaliceSolutions. We’re @FortaliceLLC on Twitter. And I’m at @trackerpayton. We’re on LinkedIn, and we’re also on Facebook.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:32] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see him next time on GWBC Open for Business.

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

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Mayumi Young with CPA MOMS

May 20, 2020 by angishields

Denver Business Radio

Franchise Bible Coach Radio: Mayumi Young with CPA MOMS

00:00 /

Mayumi Young is a CPA, former international finance executive, and a financial architect, with 25 years of vast financial & entrepreneurial experience.

Her career began with Price Waterhouse serving Fortune 500 companies, but her passion to make a difference forced her to choose a purpose-filled path of her own as a Social Innovator.

Mayumi understands first hand what an entrepreneur needs and has designed a franchise company, CPA MOMS®, to meet those unique needs.

Follow CPA MOMS on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

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.

Chris Ionetz with Underground Strength and Wellness

May 20, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Chris Ionetz with Underground Strength and Wellness

00:00 /

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.

With over 25 years of business and healthcare experience, Chris Ionetz, Managing Partner with Underground Strength and Wellness, decided to take his passion for wellness to the next level.

Founded in March of 2020, Underground Strength set out to change the status quo of the Hormone Replacement industry. Our patient’s health is paramount to us so we offer all blood work (labs) at cost. We do this to encourage all of our patients to have their blood work checked often without breaking the bank.

Follow Underground Strength and Wellness on Instagram.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What TRT (Hormone replacement) is and why it’s needed
The benefits and what should one expect with treatment
What IV hydration (Meyers Cocktail) is and how it differs from oral vitamins
Underground Strength and Wellness’ core values

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.

GWBC Radio: Cassondra Preer Taylor with Taylored 2 CODE

May 19, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Cassondra Preer Taylor with Taylored 2 CODE

00:00 /

Cassondra Preer Taylor is a newly-minted entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of Taylored 2 CODE, a tech training platform for veterans transitioning from the military to second careers in tech. A decorated Naval Intelligence officer and retired Commander, she served as the Pentagon’s liaison in the Middle East and has accumulated a few sea stories.

Her corporate career includes marketing, consulting and process engineering roles across diverse industries from financial services to software development to biomedical R&D in juggernauts like General Electric, American Express and JP Morgan Chase. She is an alumna of GE’s prestigious Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP), an advanced pipeline for GE’s sales and marketing leadership, and Leadership Austin. Cassondra is the recipient of several awards including President Bush’s 1000 Points of Light, three graduate fellowships, multiple GE national excellence honors and nonprofit leadership accolades.

Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the University of Michigan, Cassondra is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and Project Management Professional (PMP). She has served on the boards of several nonprofits including BikeTexas, Austin Women in Technology and the Genesis Joy Homeless House for female vets.

When Cassondra’s not focused on making Taylored 2 CODE a staple for the transitioning vet, you’ll find her whittling down her very long travel bucket list with her camera slung over her shoulder, playing with her four-legged daughter Casper, volunteering in the community or hanging out with family and friends.

Connect with Cassondra on LinkedIn and follow Taylored 2 CODE 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’s Open for Business. And this will be a fun one. I’ve got with me today. Cassondra Preer Taylor. And she is with Taylored 2 CODE. Welcome, Cassondra.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:00:31] Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:33] Well, tell us about Taylored 2 CODE. How are you serving folks?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:00:38] Taylored 2 CODE is a ed tech platform that helps transitioning military service members pursue second careers in tech. And we do that via a hybrid online and traditional classroom educational model. So, what we have is a 15-week curriculum that’s structured in three core areas – hardware, software, and tech support. And not only do we teach in the core areas, we actually go beyond that to give our students additional soft skills to produce a tech leader as opposed to a tech specialist. Our target employment audience is actually smaller and medium-sized businesses, much like those represented in WBENC.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:16] Now, why was it important for you to serve the military?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:01:20] I am a retired naval intelligence officer. So, I remember what it’s like to be a transitional vet. My dad retired from the military. He was a careered army. And it was one week that separated the time that he left the army and I joined the Naval Academy. So, I’ve been in convoys. I’ve been in some pretty terrifying situations in uniform. So, I still remember what it felt like when I was living or trying to get out, and what could be my civilian life, and more importantly, how do I even transition into that career field in my civilian life?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:01:58] So, I know I can ease some of those fears for vet. I know I can because I’ve been there. And while I must say that vets appreciate the free meals on Veterans Day and the occasional upgrade, I can’t think of a single vet, especially those with families, that don’t want good jobs that allow them to care for their families. And again, I can help with that.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:20] Now, for those people who aren’t familiar, can you share a little bit about what happens when a veteran exits the military and then transitions a civilian life? I don’t think people are aware about how kind of drastic that shift is for somebody coming from military.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:02:39] So, for a lot of us, we don’t want to think about wardrobe. We had a wardrobe we wear every day. People kind of think that it’s all command and control, but there’s a lot of flexibility in terms of how you lead and follow in the military. But when you’re getting ready to transition out, and for me, this is all I knew, my dad was a careered army and, basically, I’m a careered navy. So, I have never had an introduction to what could happen and what civilian careers were. I just didn’t. I didn’t know.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:03:08] So, you had to come out, figure out. You’re moving your family someplace. Some people move and some people don’t. You have to figure out where you’re going to move. You move up with children again to a final place. And then, you have to figure out what you’re going to do. Most of us, we would sometimes look in the books to help us ease that transition, but you still have to figure it out before that time runs out or your leave runs out. And that’s a bit scary because, sometimes, the skill sets you develop in the military, you could be a medic, a combat medic. And there are literally some medical fields like becoming a paramedic, they don’t take you because they don’t see you’re qualified. And what could be more qualified than basically a medic, a combat medic who have seen everything in the field.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:03:56] So, you have to figure out how to navigate things well enough to figure out what qualifications you need and what resources you have. There are a number of resources for VA but it is not always easy to figure out and without help.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:12] Now, in your firm, you’re the CEO of the organization. When you’re leading a company like this, what stage of a company are you before we get too far into this? Have you launched already? What stage of an organization are you?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:04:28] We’re to proceed. So, COVID-19, has obviously focused on those in the post-launch phase, as it should be, because I can imagine for my friends, and family, and colleagues with small businesses, the havoc that’s been created when your dreams are being wiped away to some extent and by a virus, something as small as a virus. So, we all proceed. And I don’t have to worry about having to throw anyone because we haven’t hired staff yet, and I’m not worried about like how to cover expenses so much because our doors aren’t open yet. But we’ve still been impacted in many, many ways by COVID-19.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:10] Now, what are you doing to kind of prepare to launch? Pre-launch, is there things that you can do now that will set you up for success maybe post-COVID?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:05:24] Yes. So, one of the things we were looking at was grants and funding. And unfortunately, a lot of the grants and funding opportunities and competitions have been postponed or indefinitely canceled. And while there’s no guarantee my business is going to receive through that manner in the first place. When they shut down completely, there’s like zero opportunity to receive any funding from those sources. We are still networking and meeting with advisors, but that’s been a little bit more challenging in one way because we can’t meet with them in person, but I must say that working with Zoom and Google Hangout is actually cheaper.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:06:06] I have to say that my network. I’m the kind of person who tends to internalize things and not go out for help. And I’ve had to basically step back and say that I have to communicate the challenges that we’ve been having with my network. And thank God I did. Thank God I did. There are others in my boat, and my network has been rallying around in huge ways to help out, not just through with some encouragement, which have looked at us through the hard days but also through reaffirming our resources like my [indiscernible] in Atlanta. He gave us an academic development option that we had never have heard of. We were not even aware of. When we’re going to launch before, had we launch without him and what he had to say about how to go about this, we could have been in a much bigger deficit in terms of funding. So, in one way, COVID-19 has slowed us down a little, but it’s given us an opportunity, especially the resources we never knew existed.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:04] Now, are you spending some time right now to really tighten up the curriculum and get all of that as baked as it can be to prepare for the launch?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:07:13] Oh, absolutely. We did try to scale back. And looking at funding and financial resources, we decided that we had to look beyond just grants and pitch competitions. We are looking at lending more. We’re looking at self-funding a bit more. And so, in doing those, we had to go about the cost quite a bit. So, instead of launching with three components, we’re launching with one. And because we launch at one, that has decreased the cost quite a bit, as well as giving us an opportunity to focus on one curriculum versus three different curriculums. So, the time has basically allowed us to basically focus a bit more. We’re also going to push our launch from or from 2020 to probably spring of 2021. Some of the experts, medical experts are predicting a second wave of COVID-19, and that could hit us, especially since we’re a school environment, pretty hard. So, we’re launching in spring of 2021, which gives us an opportunity to back and look at some resources that we did not know existed three months ago. And that’s probably not a bad thing.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:21] Now, have you had a chance to have some military folks beta test and go through the curriculum to see what they thought and what results you’re going to get?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:08:33] Yes. We actually had a beta test. It was not necessarily structured around military, but we had multiple folks work with us. We ran a beta test that allowed people who are below the poverty line in Austin, Texas to essentially come in and to get training on hardware development, IT administration, system administration, server administration. And I found that my military folks were exceeding. That work ethic they have, their tenacity, their perseverance paid off. And we were seeing huge successes from a military standpoint. So, they tested it out. And we secured verbal commitments for people who were involved within that program that come with us. They’re able to actually launch this spring because, now, we are on a little bit wider locations. They’re coming on board. So, we’ve got some experience and lessons learned that we are going to be taking forward with us.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:30] Now, is it possible for you to do any launch virtually where a person can take the classes without coming into a location?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:09:40] Oh, absolutely. We want most of our classes to be in person. Anyone who knows the military knows that there’s a bond that you form with the people who serve in the trenches with you, that there’s a camaraderie that I had not been able to recreate with hardly anybody else. There’s just this level of camaraderie. So, we’ve noticed that. When you get into a group like that, when you have a bad day, the group picks you up. So, we want that camaraderie because we have seen the impact of that camaraderie on attrition. So, when you’re online and virtual, you lose some of that bonding and lose that that tight-Knit feeling you would get if you were in class. We will have an online option because these days, the environment demands that, but we hope that most of our students come through the in-person because there’s a different perspective that they get in that class versus online.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:37] Now, are there any lessons that you were able to transfer from your military career into the founder of a startup career?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:10:47] Yes. On your intelligence, you learned how to be good at research, you learn how to present a case, you know how to present well. That has always been a helpful thing. I would probably say that throughout my career, being a minority military officer has been a bit of a challenge. So, you learn, again, tenacity and perseverance that when people kick you down, you learn to get back up and quickly, and to pivot as you need to to get that message across. So, I would probably say that’s a big one. And coming from a tight-knit community such as the Naval Academy and the intelligence, your network is vast. It’s small but it’s vast. And you learn that this network … again, I can’t speak highly enough of of my network. There are some people who have stepped forward and said, “We have you.” And that’s big at the military.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:42] Now, you mentioned the importance of support, network, relationships. Could you talk a little bit about GWBC? Why did you get involved with that organization?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:11:54] I went to a training event, useful information event in Detroit, and the advisor spoke about this, and told everyone in class that this is the only way you have to … you have to be part of this organization. And it has paid off in huge dividends. GWBC and WBENC has offered … they have given me ideas, pointed me towards grants. We’re a finalist for the Diversity Supplier Grant, that we never would have heard about hadn’t come through our email. We’re now one of 10 finalists from hundreds of people who applied for this grant. We are networking within our space with other people who are like-minded who have the same challenges that we have. I’ve heard some people say that sometimes, there’s revocations and the networking here does not help. That’s not been my stance at all. My stance has been that they are a support group. When I was ready to go after my WOSB certification at WBE, I had resources to help me with those, I had resources telling me and giving me guidance. You can’t buy that kind of support.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:07] And I think it’s one of those things where any organization you get what you put into it. So, if you think you’re gonna just pay money to join, and then not do anything or not get involved, then it probably isn’t going to work no matter what it is. But if you kind of lean into it, volunteer, reach out to people, then it might surprise you.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:13:30] I totally agree. I think that you have to be engaged. This is not a one-way relationship. This is about relationship-building and [indiscernible]. Relationships take up some level of [indiscernible]. People want to give, and you have to get firm. So, I think that there definitely is an opportunity to be involved, and to take everything that they provide, and to make sure too to say thank you and to give back to them as well.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:58] Now, how could we help you? What do you need right now in the growth of your organization?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:14:06] Well, mostly bottom money. But also networking. Definitely network. There are a lot of folks who have experience, not just in my space, but just from the standpoint of having to be … I wouldn’t say necessarily a spring chicken in the spring chicken at my age, but a young entrepreneur who is stepping out there. It is scary and it can be lonely. It can be very lonely. A lot of people … if it was easy, everyone would do it. So, it’s not easy. Stepping out like this, and then taking this risk comes with big risks and fears.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:14:45] I would love to talk to people about their experiences and get your advice. To be able to talk to them about [indiscernible]. And that’s that’s how I probably … again, the biggest thing that’s coming from COVID-19 for me has been this network and how people have been rallying around. They’re not necessarily providing cash, but they’re pointing me in ways that makes me think a little more creatively and possibly about what I can do. And that has been huge.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:12] Well, that is a great thing to ask for. And at GWBC, I’m sure you’ll find no shortage of people willing to help. And if you want, listen to some of the episodes we’ve done on GWBCRadio.com, and you’ll hear from a lot of entrepreneurs that are grinding and battling every single day. So, please use that as a resource. And then, if you reach out to some of them, I wouldn’t be shocked if most of them would love to connect with you and help you.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:15:45] Thank you so much for that. Yes.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:46] Now, Cassondra, if somebody wants to learn more about your organization, is the website up and running?

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:15:52] It is indeed. We are https://www.taylored2code.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:03] taylored2code.com. And you can get more information about Cassondra and her amazing organization. Well, you’re doing great work, but you’ve got to hang in there. Things are hard. It’s okay. You’ll get through it. Making a social impact-

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:16:18] Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:18] … is not easy, but it’s worth it. So, congratulations-

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:16:23] Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:23] … making it this far. And best of luck in the future.

Cassondra Preer Taylor: [00:16:29] Thank you so much.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:30] 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

Laura Whitaker with Java Joy

May 19, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Laura Whitaker with Java Joy

00:00 /

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.

Laura Whitaker began as a volunteer at Extra Special People in 2003. With her passion for enhancing the lives of children with developmental disabilities, Laura became the Executive Director at the age of 19 after the founder, Martha Wyllie’s sudden passing in 2004.

In 2016 under the ESP organization, Laura co-founded Java Joy, a mobile coffee cart rented by businesses and organizations to provide a unique give-back experience for their employees and/or customers, while also providing meaningful training, employment and self-confidence for individuals with disabilities. What sets Java Joy apart is its power to impact people of every ability. Java Joy brings the experience of interacting with people with disabilities to patrons in their own, familiar environment—with a cup of coffee, a hug and a smile.

Laura obtained both her Bachelor’s degree in Collaborative Special Education and her Master’s degree in Adapted Curriculum Classic Autism at the University of Georgia. She is a 2017 member of Leadership Georgia, 2018 member of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 and Georgia Trend’s 2018 40 Under 40. Laura enjoys leading ESP and Java Joy while admiring tulips, nurturing her affection for elephants, decorating thriftily and raising 3 kids in Athens, GA.

Follow Java Joy on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Meaningful employment for people of all abilities
Maintaining employment for people with disabilities during a time of crisis
Adjusting a business model that includes HUGS during COVID-19 (Zoom, neighborhood pop-ups)
Why businesses need JOY – it’s good for business (CSR, company moral, etc.)
National expansion of Java Joy

About Our Sponsor

Follow OnPay on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

GWBC Radio: Laura Davis with Laura A. Davis & Associates

May 18, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Laura Davis with Laura A. Davis & Associates

00:00 /

Laura A. Davis is the CEO and Founder of Laura A. Davis & Associates, Inc., an Atlanta-based transformational executive coaching, leadership and team development, and DiSC assessment training firm.

Since 1998, Laura has been coaching leaders at all levels of Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies to become more emotionally intelligent, agile, and aware of their role in creating a healthy, engaged corporate culture. Organizations must become agile in today’s world of disruption and agile organizations are made up of agile, emotionally intelligent people.

Laura and her associates also focus on assisting teams within organizations to become more cohesive by building cultures of high trust, productivity, accountability, and collective results. Laura and her team offer leading-edge mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets needed to create high performance and inspired success.

Prior to starting her business, Laura held both line and staff marketing management positions at Exxon, Equifax, and UPS. She was an Adjunct Professor of Business Studies at Mercer University and holds an MBA in Marketing from Emory University. Laura earned the coveted Master Certified Coaching designation through the ICF in 1998 and maintains that credential through her ongoing study and dedication to the profession.

Her ongoing thought leadership is demonstrated in the talks she gives at professional industry conferences around the country. She is a contributing author to “A Guide to Getting It: Self-Esteem” and has published articles in leading industry publications such as Choice magazine, ATD newsletters, and more. She has appeared on “Good Day Atlanta” and numerous internet radio shows to talk about emerging organizational leadership best practices. Laura A. Davis and Associates, Inc. is also a certified woman-owned business through WBENC.

Connect with Laura on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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 Radio’s Open for Business. And this is going to be a fun one. I have with me today Laura A. Davis. And she’s with Laura A. Davis & Associates. Welcome, Laura.

Laura A. Davis: [00:00:31] Thank you so much. It’s a joy to be here this afternoon.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:34] Well, before we get too far into things, tell us about your work. Who do you serve, and what do you do?

Laura A. Davis: [00:00:41] Absolutely, sure. We’ve been in business now since 1995. So, that’s quite a long time, have seen lots of changes. And today, our work is more important than ever. What we really do is help leader be more emotionally intelligent and more agile in today’s world. And we certainly can do that virtually. And then, we really focus on building cohesive teams. People are on teams at least 60% of the time or more these days. And now, the fact that they’re operating virtually in remote ways, it makes it even more challenging. But basically, everything we do is helping organizations be healthy, as well as smart strategically that’s really developing the right kind of culture to really be productive and effective in today’s world work.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:34] Now that a lot of people are working remotely rather than face to face, are there different challenges when you’re trying to kind of be empathetic and be emotionally available?

Laura A. Davis: [00:01:48] Yes, that’s a great question. Even before the events of the past few months, there have been some macro trends that have been driving virtual collaboration. Technology, certainly, is requiring us to change the way that we work. It puts pressure on all of us to keep up. It’s interesting because there’s so much global collaboration and a flattening of organizational structures. People are now working on teams with people from different countries, from different cultures, operating in different time zones. So, that’s more complex. They’re dealing with a more diverse workforce.

Laura A. Davis: [00:02:28] And then, I mentioned the changes in the organizational structure, we’re really moving away from traditional hierarchies to more of a matrix networked kind of organizational structure. And so, that really requires a lot of communication, collaboration and speed. And now that we’re all working remotely, we really have to be intentional about being more human than ever, really thinking about how to communicate. You mentioned being more empathetic. It’s interesting because we do executive coach leaders and mid-level leaders, and we do training and corporate culture change. And these leaders, many times, are used to driving for results. And sometimes, being empathetic is a challenge. So, we work on that mindset and skillset quite a bit, actually.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:27] So, now, is there a different kind of challenge when you’re coaching client over video or over the phone as opposed to face to face where you can kind of judge by body language, maybe they’re leaning in, leaning backwards, arms crossed, like things that maybe are different cues you’re getting through the phone or through video than you would be in person?

Laura A. Davis: [00:03:57] Yes. Yeah, it’s a great question. The good news is Zoom and other platforms allow you to see people. And my team and I had them working virtually as coaches for many, many years. So, this isn’t new to us. There are still many things you can pick up in someone’s tone of voice. And actually, there are some advantages to coaching and working remotely in that you don’t have to deal with traffic, or getting in and out of the building, and that kind of thing. So, it really requires a heightened focus.

Laura A. Davis: [00:04:32] Now, my team and myself, we’ve been doing this a long time, but to answer your question more directly, I think, many times, the leaders are now challenged with picking up on these nuances when they’re working with their teams. And one of the things we coach people to do is make sure that they do check in with people personally and allow time for that. This is not the time to be overly efficient. It’s the time to really be exceedingly human and recognize that people have all of these new distractions now with pets at home and children at home, and maybe they don’t have an office set up that is conducive to really working effectively. It varies because some of my clients have been virtual for many years, and others, this is a brand-new work environment for them. So, it really spans a broad spectrum there.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:30] Now, how are you counselling your clients when it comes to this level of uncertainty when a lot of the employees maybe are looking to the leader to have a game plan or to have some sort of roadmap for what’s ahead? And in today’s world, it’s obvious everybody’s roadmap’s out the window at this point. So, the leader is going to be more vulnerable and has to maybe show emotions in a way that’s different than they have in the past.

Laura A. Davis: [00:06:01] Yes. I’m so glad you mentioned that because one of the key skill sets that’s always been needed that more than ever before is is building trust. And you mentioned vulnerability. And I work quite a bit with program, an assessment-based learning experience that’s called the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team. And it’s based on the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, written by Pat Lencioni. And I’m an authorized partner for Wiley. And Wiley only goes to market through authorized partners like myself – independent business owners, coaches, trainers, consultants, et cetera. And so, we spend a lot of time helping leaders and teams learn to build trust quickly.

Laura A. Davis: [00:06:46] And one of the key things is to be vulnerable, and be willing to admit when they don’t have all the answers, and being willing to admit if they need help. And that’s not something we’ve been taught as children. We were taught to be team members by just being nice or we should know that kind of culture. And so, it’s common that people tend to want to hide their flaws, and not challenge the status quo, and try and achieve consensus. And a leader, sometimes, because they might think it appears stronger to feel like they know the answers, can come across as being insensitive and out of touch.

Laura A. Davis: [00:07:35] So, what I coach people to do is say what they know. We’re going to work with them to develop a rallying cry and a work motto, basically, for the team to get something accomplished. And everyone participates in that, so everybody has a voice which really contributes to buy-in and clarity. But you can’t pretend you know all the answers, and you need to be willing to say, “We don’t know, but you’re going to have a voice, and we’re all going to co create this together. And together, we’re going to be focused on this goal and not let ourselves get overly distracted by trying to predict the future.”

Lee Kantor: [00:08:23] Now, how are you helping your clients navigate this uncertainty in terms of innovation? Some people’s business plans are out the window and that they can’t do – even if they’d like to, they couldn’t do what they used to do. And some of them, I’m talking to a lot of people, some of them are saying, “I’m going to just wait this out. And then, I’ll pop my head out a few months, and then see what’s what.” And then, others are like, “Look, we’re going to figure this out. Yesterday, we couldn’t do ABC. But today, we can do DEF. And then, we’re going to just try to find the market for that.”

Laura A. Davis: [00:08:59] Exactly, yes. Well, the latter is obviously preferable. And I think it’s a very natural reaction to want to hunker down and sort of hide, but that’s not productive. And it is much more productive to be looking for the opportunity. And while that sounds trite almost, there will be amazing opportunities for innovation and opportunities to work in brand-new ways that we can’t necessarily envision yet. And there are a lot of other macro trends, such as artificial intelligence and, really, it’s going to change the talent landscape significantly. I do believe there will be more flexible working arrangements, even when we “go back to work.”

Laura A. Davis: [00:09:47] But it’s interesting, most of my clients currently have obviously been impacted, but they just really need to think about creatively what’s the most important next thing we can do to serve our clients. And depending on who their customers are, there’s a different answer. You have companies who are struggling with keeping their workers safe as they’re first-responder type organizations. But there are other organizations, more in the majority in terms of my client base, which are just trying to figure out, what does this new normal look like, and where do we want to focus our energies and attention for the foreseeable future?

Lee Kantor: [00:10:39] Now, what advice would you give to young people that are maybe now just getting into the workforce, and this is a different workforce that maybe they went several years in college for?

Laura A. Davis: [00:10:50] Yes, interesting. Well, again, I am a passionate believer in emotional intelligence and really understanding yourself. So, the first piece of that is self-awareness. And that’s why I love the Everything DiSC Assessment and the Five Behaviors, and we also have a total talent management tool called PXT Select. And that helps people, all of them help people see what their natural strengths are, and what their challenges are, and what they need to do differently to be more effective in a variety of situations. I did not learn of these tools until I was just 15 years into my career. So, one of the things I think would be fabulous for newer workers to seek out, really, at any stage of the employee lifecycle is, what is it that I’m really good at, where do I need to improve, how can I developed myself and manage myself, so that I can be more agile, and adaptable, and flexible in a variety of situations, and I can communicate what my ideas and thoughts are effectively.

Laura A. Davis: [00:12:03] And again, that comes back to developing a corporate culture where that is received. I’ve been working for many years. And in a traditional hierarchy, sometimes, it’s not safe to speak up and share a dissenting opinion. So, many times, I’m coaching senior leaders, do your best to be open to these new ideas because even if they’re not fully baked or they may not be exactly actionable, there’s probably a grain of a good idea in there, and you want to encourage that kind of thinking and innovative flexibility.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:37] Now, how has GWBC impacted your firm and you personally?

Laura A. Davis: [00:12:46] Well, I have been relatively … well, I’ve joined many years ago, and I’ve been a women-owned WBENC company for the past three years. And I had an opportunity to go to the conference in Baltimore last year. And it was a really wonderful experience meeting other women business leaders and learning about different industries. I happen to be a voracious learner. And so, I study a lot of different … I follow a lot of different people, professional associations, and so forth. But I think, again, the connections that you make through an organization like GWBC are invaluable, especially in today’s world. And that’s really what I’ve gained is meeting and being able to collaborate with some amazing women leaders.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:44] And it sounds like in your work and philosophically that you realize the importance of relationships, and service, and helping people get the outcome they desire. Do you have any advice for the women-owned businesses out there to get involved with an organization like GWBC?

Laura A. Davis: [00:14:07] Yes. I think it’s great. You hit the nail on the head. I’m glad that you could discern that. But yes, I think it’s very, very important to have effective relationships, connections. Sometimes, we have … well, we all have blind spots. And sometimes, we can’t see the forest for the trees. And it’s really helpful to have a network of people and and be able to mastermind with people who might have a unique perspective that could be really valuable for you. So, yes, I would, for sure, encourage participation. And hopefully, we’ll all be able to do that face-to-face [indiscernible]

Lee Kantor: [00:14:47] Now, before we wrap, do you have any kind of pieces of actionable advice for that person that’s now dealing with a remote team for the first time ever, and they want to make sure that they are staying attuned to what emotionally where their team is at? Is there something, some low hanging fruit that this leader can be doing or paying attention to?

Laura A. Davis: [00:15:11] Yes, I think the main thing to think about is building trust, and making sure that you are vulnerable and open to suggestion, and that you are really clear about involving people in the process of decision making, and that you encourage and engage in productive conflict. So, those are two key things right there. And I said it earlier out, I’ll say it again, it’s just really reach out and understand yourself and others from a more human perspective. And that’s why some of the tools we use, like DiSC and the Five Behaviors and so forth can be so valuable because it gives scientifically measured data to validate what you might know about someone else. And it’s very, very useful to appreciate that people see the world in very different ways. They’re not acting the way they’re acting to make your life miserable or because there is something wrong with them. They just bring something to the table. We all have our our strengths, our emotional intelligence strengths. And if we know that, then we can work with our strengths, and mitigate some of our challenges, and just be that much more effective when we’re working together on a team.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:31] Now, if somebody wanted to learn more, and have more substantive conversation, and maybe take their emotional intelligence to a higher level, what’s the best way to get a hold of you and your team?

Laura A. Davis: [00:16:44] Absolutely. So, what I would recommend is they join our community. So, you can go to www.lauraadavis.com. Someone got to domain name first, a real estate agent in Texas, Laura Davis. Remember, there’s an additional A. And you’ll see a pop-up and sign up for our community because, in fact, this Wednesday, we’re facilitating a webinar on why cohesive teams are more effective than ever. I’m going to be doing one on Agile EQ and how to really understand that whole concept in a couple of weeks. So, you’ll get on our list. And feel free to e-mail me or just give me a call. It’s laura@lauraadavis.com. And I’d love to have a conversation with anybody and help them see what their next best step might be.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:36] Good stuff, Laura. Thank you so much for sharing your story. And once again, that’s lauraadavis.com for more information. Thanks again, Laura.

Laura A. Davis: [00:17:46] Thank you. My pleasure.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:48] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all again 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

Ashish Mistry with KontrolFreek

May 18, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Ashish Mistry with KontrolFreek

00:00 /

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.

As President and CEO of KontrolFreek, Ashish Mistry oversees the company’s strategies across all key business divisions including sales, marketing, and operations.

Under his leadership, KontrolFreek has experienced a staggering growth over the past year and has emerged as a brand to watch in the consumer electronics and video games industries.

Follow KontrolFreek on Facebook and Twitter.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

What KontrolFreek is
What motivated KontrolFreek to donate sales to a series of key local, national and global COVID-19 relief efforts
How KontrolFreek products can help customers play more comfortably at home

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.