angishields, Author at Business RadioX ® Page

BRX Pro Tip: Using Your Calendar to Manage Your Time

May 6, 2020 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Using Your Calendar to Manage Your Time

00:00 /

BRX Pro Tip: Using Your Calendar to Manage Your Time

Stone Payton: [00:00:02] Welcome back to BRX Pro Tips, Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you, Lee, we lean on this tool a lot. We want to encourage everyone in our world to, at least, seriously consider leaning on this tool, but our counsel is to utilize your calendar for time management. Can you say a little bit more about that?

Lee Kantor: [00:00:21] Sure. Both of us kind of rely on our calendar for our life. We don’t know what we’re doing unless we look at the calendar. And the calendar tells us when to show up, where to show up, and things like that. Those are obvious. Like when’s a show, who’s on the show, all the stuff about the show is within that calendar. So it gives us an easy way to keep track of our interviews and things like that.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:42] But there’s other ways to leverage a calendar. I think it’s important to schedule blocks of time on your calendar to do kind of those regular tasks that are important. Like if you’re going to say, okay, once a week, I’m going to connect all my clients with a past guest, then put that in the calendar. Find a day in time that works, and then put on a repeat on a repeat schedule and say every Tuesday at 2:00, I spend 30 minutes connecting my clients. Just put it in there, lock it in, and then just do what the calendar says to do. I would spend some time just trying to attack big goals, just thinking time, put that in the calendar, market down and hold. These should be non-negotiable things that don’t move.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:27] And then, I would expand that to just say things about your own life. If you want to put the gym in there, put the gym in there and make it a non-negotiable part of your life. You know put your family in there, put whatever you want to put in there, but block it, lock it, and leave it alone, and make it a non-negotiable part of your week. And then, you’ll see, things get done. We put in, “Do these Pro Tips.” I have one day on the weekend, I have 30 minutes to come up with topics. And every time that pops on my calendar, I sit down for 30 minutes, and knock out a bunch of these topics. And then, we do the same thing. Hey, now, we’ve got to record those podcasts. Then, we put it down, and we record the podcast, and it gets done. If you put it in the calendar, it gets done. People break promises to themselves all day long, but they do not miss appointments. So, make an appointment, make it non-negotiable, and things will get done.

Stone Payton: [00:02:25] Well, I agree. And I really learned this from you. And I find this strategy so powerful for the things that really can—something you can do tomorrow, right? Like we didn’t have to do the Pro Tips right now, we could have done on tomorrow. But then, tomorrow comes, and then, well, we could have done the next day. So, I find it very powerful for that. And I also find it very powerful for big, hairy things like working on a book or something. If it’s a big hairy thing that you need to cut up into chunks to calendar-specific blocks of time, and again, I learned it from you. It’s made all the difference for me.

Customer Experience Radio Welcomes: Wes Moss with Capital Investment Advisors

May 6, 2020 by angishields

Customer Experience Radio

Customer Experience Radio Welcomes: Wes Moss with Capital Investment Advisors

00:00 /

Wes Moss the host of Money Matters – Atlanta’s longest-running live call-in, investment, and personal finance radio show – on News 95-5FM and AM 750 WSB. Wes is also the Chief Investment Strategist and Managing Partner at Capital Investment Advisors (CIA). In this role, Wes is responsible for communicating CIA’s position on markets and investments. CIA currently manages more than 2.5 billion dollars in client assets.

In 2017 Wes was featured in Barron’s Magazine where he discussed his career in financial advising as well the investment strategy that he pursues, investing for income. Barron’s Magazine also named him one of America’s Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors in 2017 and 2019. From 2014 through 2019 Barron’s Magazine named him one of America’s top 1,200 financial advisors. In 2012, he was named as one of the top 40 fee-only investment advisors (under 40) in the country by Wealth Management Magazine. Wes was also named one of Atlanta’s 40 Under 40 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2015.

In addition, Wes is a regular contributor to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution both online and in print, and a regular contributor to ClarkHoward.com. In 2014, Wes was the host of Atlanta Tech Edge, a weekly TV show on Atlanta’s NBC affiliate WXIA, covering the fascinating business of technology within the state of Georgia. He was also the financial consultant for Spike TV’s show, Life Or Debt.

Wes holds a degree in economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and four sons and loves spending time with his family, coaching lacrosse, and playing golf and tennis.

Wes has written several books including Starting from Scratch (Kaplan) and Make More, Worry Less (FT Press), and has served as a financial expert for both local and national media including CNN, CNBC, and Fox Business Network. He has been interviewed by USA Today, Forbes, Time, The Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo Finance.

His latest book, You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think – The 5 Money Secrets of the Happiest Retirees (McGraw Hill 2014) has been a best seller in the retirement planning category. The book’s unique message and research has struck a chord with readers and the financial community since its release in May of 2014.

Follow CIA on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

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] Well, hello and welcome to this very special edition of Customer Experience Radio. I’m your host, Jill Heineck. And I’m a business owner, a real estate adviser and customer experience enthusiast. I’m super excited to have Wes Moss on with us today. He’s the host of Money Matters, Atlanta’s longest running live call-in investment and personal finance radio show on News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB. He’s also managing partner of Capital Investment Advisors here in Sandy Springs. He always delivers at such a high level. So, I thought it’d be really interesting to hear how Wes and his teams are working to meet the listeners and his investment clients where they are and especially in the environment that we’re in. And so, I thought that we just have a conversation with Wes. And I’ve been listening to a lot of his recent shows and a special podcast that you’ve been airing. And first, just give the listeners a little bit of background about who you are and how you got where you are now.

Wes Moss: [00:01:22] Thanks for having me on, Jill. It’s a lot of fun. I know that we’re doing this via a video, but I know this is via radio. And maybe you should have your own TV channel. It’s what you should have. Radio and television show. And Jill, for those listeners that are not seeing this because it’s all via audio, Jill is broadcasting from … most people have like a plan, and a family photo, and all that. Jill is in the bedroom, and she got two lamps and her bed. That is her home office. And maybe … is that a guitar in the corner?

Jill Heineck: [00:01:54] It is.

Wes Moss: [00:01:55] Yeah, that’s cool. Anyway-

Jill Heineck: [00:01:56] It’s our home office.

Wes Moss: [00:01:56] … she had a cool background. Yeah. Thanks for having me on. I will tell you that we are a financial advisory firm. So, we do investments. Our mission at our firm is helping families find happiness in retirement. And that is the guiding light at our firm. I wrote a book seven years ago called You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think: The Five Money Secrets of the Happiest Retirees. And that was really kind of an outcropping of a survey that I did for habits of happy retirees, and those who are unhappy and were effectively trying to reverse engineer how to be a happy retiree.

Wes Moss: [00:02:34] A lot of that came out of what I saw as those going through retirement, they were really enjoying it, and those who were not as much, and just comparing and contrasting. So, it was almost an outcropping of that. And then, that’s even become even more so the philosophy and the guiding light at our firm. But I’ve been in the investment business right out … I studied economics at the University North Carolina back in the ’90s. Became an advisor right out of the gate. Actually, I was still in school and did an internship at Atlanta in the mid to later ’90s. And then, I’ve been a financial advisor ever since. And I started with a really big firm and always wanted to go independent. And now, we have an independently owned – me and another family, two of our families have an RIA, registered investment advisory firm that we’ve had now for going on 20 plus years.

Wes Moss: [00:03:28] So, that is what we do for a living. As far as the media, my second job, which takes up a lot of my bandwidth and time these days is radio as well. And being able to educate the public on so many new things has been a huge part of what we’ve been able to do and bring to the table as a firm, and a lot of it just goes … people are constantly saying, “Oh, Wes, you must be doing so much work to get ready for the radio. And then, how do you—” A lot of it is, what I’m doing on radio, and I do all these special podcasts now, in addition to Money Matters, the show, really, these are pieces of research and insight that I’m looking for economically to make investment decisions anyway.

Wes Moss: [00:04:17] So, a lot of it is just utilizing the content that we want to glean and find any way. And then, we can produce it in a way. We can publish it in either a podcasts, or radio, or videos, or both. And, obviously, we turn a lot of that into written content on my website at westmoss.com. Again, the media side of the equation, I was on The Apprentice with Donald Trump, if anybody remembers that.

Jill Heineck: [00:04:44] I remember.

Wes Moss: [00:04:45] I don’t know if anyone’s heard of Donald Trump at this stage, but there is a guy named President, or there’s a guy named Donald Trump who is a real estate mogul back in the day, and he had a show on NBC. And that show, I ended up on it, and it kind of opened my eyes up to the media. And the show is really run by Mark Burnett Productions, the guy who started Survivor and, ultimately, kind of woke up to, “Wow, there’s this whole another world of media,” and that kind of got me into doing radio. And I’ve been doing radio now for about 12 or almost 13 years now.

Wes Moss: [00:05:21] So, I do that in conjunction with what I do from an investment standpoint. I’m the chief investment strategist at our firm, and I’ve been been an investor or investment advisor for over 20 years now. And I think all those pieces kind of just come together. So, I’m able to be able to do our client work. Then, I still have individual families that I work with. And then, running the firm that we serve about 3000 families at our firm – Capital Investment Advisors. And then, just trying to bring the most current, up-to-date information on understanding what we need to understand at any given time. And today, that’s the virus, it’s coronavirus, and how that impacts the economy, how it impacts markets, how it impacts real estate. And we’re trying to make sure we’re bringing the leading experts from Johns Hopkins, and Harvard, and the Brookings Institute, all to our podcast because I want to get educated on it. And then, I can turn around and share that knowledge with our clients.

Jill Heineck: [00:06:22] So, let’s go back to real estate for a second. So, you’re talking to your portfolio clients, and they are potentially beginning their retirement journeys or they’re midstream. And now, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and they’re looking at the tickers. And I’m sure they’re asking and looking to you for guidance on, “Do they liquidate? Do they hold on, continue to look at it from a long-term perspective?” And are these questions you’re getting and what kind of guidance are you providing to them?

Wes Moss: [00:06:58] Beyond what is for my 401(k) or my IRA doing, and how much income am I generating, that’s the kind of primary conversation at our firm. And then, number two, second only to that, is real estate. Hey, what should I do with this house? I’d like to go buy my family … my wife and I, the kids are out of the house now, so I’m ready to go. I’ve been eyeing a place in St. Simons, Wes. What’s the best way to go do that? Should I wait? Should I keep my house here in Atlanta, and then go buy the place in St. Simons? Should I rent out my place? Should we pay off the mortgage? Should we refinance the mortgage? So, we do a lot of consulting around, Jill, the best financial … how does your how does your real estate, particularly your your personal real estate? And this is not necessarily commercial real estate, but your personal real estate that might be rental income too, how does it fit into the bigger plan? Because it’s such a big chunk. I mean, whether you’re … it’s always a big chunk. It’s always a big percentage of your personal balance sheet.

Jill Heineck: [00:08:03] So, are you seeing your clients, what percentage do you think of your clients are in the midstream or are jumpstarting, they were going to jumpstart their retirement journey before COVID actually really hit, before SIP maybe, or did you have a group? I’m always curious. Like what happens at that point when you were ready to do it, your maybe in your mid-50s, and you had planned all along to do it, and then COVID hits? And then, do you have to recalibrate and figure that out, or do you just keep rolling?

Wes Moss: [00:08:38] Mathematically, Jill, and we’ve all heard of these statistics that 10,000 baby boomers retire every day, and I’m in the middle of that. And I was shocked. I am constantly surprised at just how many people continue to hit that age of 65, and they’ve been eyeing retirement. So, just mathematically and statistically, a lot of people just retired right before COVID because a lot of people are retiring every day.

Wes Moss: [00:09:04] And everybody has to be prepared for big market correction and big dislocations because they happen all the time. And even though this has been really painful, and I think there’s a higher level of emotional burden, because we’ve all been sequestered in our houses than ever before. The crash of ’07 and ’08, the crash of 2000-2001, I mean, here we are in the third massive crash, and we were down almost 40% of the Dow, at the Nader, if you go back to March, we had three of these now in the last 15 or so years or call it in the last 20 years. So, to some extent, you’ve got to plan for it and figure out how real estate goes into that.

Wes Moss: [00:09:49] And one of the chapters or one of my favorite chapters in You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think has to do with one really interesting, let’s call commonality between happy retirees is they’ve essentially either paid off their primary residence or they have a plan to do so in the next five years. So, interestingly, as years to pay off mortgage goes down, and this is a cool chart I have in the book, as years to pay off mortgage goes down, happiness levels go up.

Wes Moss: [00:10:23] I want to try to … my goal typically is trying to help a family figure out, are you downsizing the house? And can you downsize? And if you can go from a $600,000 house to a $400,000 house, does that help you then have no mortgage? And that’s a huge part of that. I love that conversation is how can we get you to a point where you might be moving at this point, we’re eyeing a place that you haven’t lived before, and I keep using the coast, but I have a lot of folks that want to go from Atlanta to do some sort of other housing situation when everyone’s out of the house. My kids are out. It’s just me and my wife, or it’s just me and my husband. Does it make sense for us to have this big house still or are there places that we can maybe move now that we weren’t able to move before all within big metro Atlanta? I mean, it’s a huge area here.

Wes Moss: [00:11:22] And then, of course, people that are thinking, “Hey, is there a deal in the mountains? Can I go get a place? I’ve always got to do that,” or “We want to go closer to the coast and get something near St. Simons, or on the Florida Coast.” So, those conversations are happening all the time. And I think that you’ve got course. And then, you think of renovation, Jill. You think about like, “Hey, what do I need to do to fix up my house to sell it?” or “Do I want to spend $200,000 to stay here? Would I rather just sell it and go somewhere else?” So, it’s so unique to every family. And it’s kind of a fun … I will tell you, people like talking about their housing situation a lot more than-

Jill Heineck: [00:12:02] They do.

Wes Moss: [00:12:02] … they like talking about their 401(k). Like, “Okay, Wes—”

Jill Heineck: [00:12:03] Yes, true.

Wes Moss: [00:12:03] “… we’ve talked about my retirement account. Now, let’s talk about the house.”

Jill Heineck: [00:12:09] That’s the sexy part. Nobody wants-

Wes Moss: [00:12:10] It’s a lot of fun.

Jill Heineck: [00:12:13] Nobody wants to worry about their 401(k).

Wes Moss: [00:12:15] I mean, everybody can worry about and spend time thinking about the house because we-

Jill Heineck: [00:12:18] That’s right.

Wes Moss: [00:12:18] And now more than ever … and this is what’s amazing over the next several years, Jill, is how much will our insights about our primary residences change in this?

Jill Heineck: [00:12:31] Right.

Wes Moss: [00:12:31] And they’re going to be-A

Jill Heineck: [00:12:32] A lot.

Wes Moss: [00:12:33] A lot. I mean, big time.

Jill Heineck: [00:12:35] A lot.

Wes Moss: [00:12:35] If I didn’t have two doors to get to this office, I would be really rethinking my house situation. We’ve been forced to do work from home. It’s worked out so well. And I have a company of 40 people on our main company, and then 20 people in our ancillary. It’s 60 people working from home, not skipping a beat. So, why would we ever go back to 100% of people going back to the office when we could, forever, if I’ve already done to get back to work office plan. And the third phase, which is the phase one, two, three, we haven’t even started phase one yet, but phase three, I have 30% of us still working virtually until further notice.

Jill Heineck: [00:13:21] Right. So, from a an experienced perspective and cultural perspective with your teams, they still need to be able to deliver whatever they need to deliver to your customers from that perspective. So, how are you motivating them and continually kind of keeping the energy high remotely and being able to still deliver on a high level to your clients?

Wes Moss: [00:13:53] The challenge is that we’re not together. And as humans, we want to be in the same room. And there’s nothing that will ever replace that.

Jill Heineck: [00:14:03] Correct.

Wes Moss: [00:14:03] I would say, being in person, that’s an A plus. Being on Zoom is like a B plus or maybe an A minus, maybe a B plus. It’s a B plus. It’s pretty good. And I don’t think you can build a brand new culture around it, and I think it’s tough to build … I think that it’s easier to maintain a culture via Zoom for, at least, a while than it is to build a culture via Zoom. We got to be together to really build a culture. You’ve got to have holiday parties where somebody maybe made a little bit fool of themselves, and they’ve gotten over it. That’s how you really become close, right? But-

Jill Heineck: [00:14:47] Yeah.

Wes Moss: [00:14:47] But it’s been fine to be able to maintain that. As far as customers are concerned, Zoom has been … I think it’s a really good evolution. It’s not a substitute. It’s an evolution on new communication. I did a client … I never thought I would do this, but I had a group of … I had about 80 clients on a Zoom call just as kind of a test, talking about what we’ve been doing. I do a lot of this via radio and videos where I’ll just send it out and it’s kind of just a message. But this was the first time I’d ever done, hey, I’ve got a bunch of my own clients collectively on the same call. And I’m a little bit nervous about that thinking like, well, are people gonna think, well, you just … now, we’re altogether. Why are we not talking one-on-one money so intimate? Yeah, I just want to talk to you.

Wes Moss: [00:15:41] So, it’s not a substitute for that, but it’s an evolution of saying, “Hey, we can do an update, live update, and everyone together.” And I get so many emails and text messages from clients like, “Thank you for doing that. That was awesome. Let’s just do our next meeting via Zoom anyway when the world returns. I don’t want to drive down to your office. Let’s just do Zoom. I love it.” So, it’s an evolution, Jill, not a substitute. I think that’s a way you can keep your client experience very much up to date and continue the intimacy and that emotional connection. And it’s not a substitution. It’s an evolution in the way we’re doing business and communicate.

Jill Heineck: [00:16:21] I love that. I think that’s incredible. We’re doing the same thing here. I’m not necessarily doing group calls, but it’s been a great way to take a little bit more time to be real clear on what the client is signing, what they’re signing up for. We can talk really intimately without worrying about rushing to get into the car to get into rush hour to leave the office. So, it’s been a really relaxing way to go through everything that the client needs to know. So, I appreciate that so much. And so, when it comes to your listeners, I know you get bombarded with questions, and they just want to know what you think. Have you changed the way in which you are delivering your information? I see you’re doing a few more podcasts now. Are you able to give them everything that you feel like they need? It sounds like your listeners are still very engaged, still really have their ear to the screen. They want to hear what Wes has to say. Are you changing any way that you’re delivering this information?

Wes Moss: [00:17:26] It’s a tricky environment, Jill, because not only is it about the economy. I mean, our job as an investment firm is to help people meet their goals and make sure that their portfolio structure is in a balance. And we are an income-oriented firm. Meaning that what we own for clients are generating income, whether it’s dividends, or interest, or distributions. And that velocity’s still remains. Now, we have changed and upgraded the balance sheet and quality of the type companies that we are owning. We’ve gone a few rungs up the ladder in quality because I think we need to in this particular economic environment.

Wes Moss: [00:18:11] But I think the other thing is when you’re talking about the economy, it’s such a political issue. It’s so polarized politically. So, I’ve had to be really careful about … I mean, I’m not a politician. And I’m not necessarily … I’m not a radio host. I’m not a shock jock to have these … I’m not here to polarize. I’m here to really try to be objective. And I’m always trying to do that. Now, I’ll still get comments on my podcast that, “Oh, because you want to reopen the economy, you’re clearly way right wing radical.” And if I say something here, we should be careful about reopening, I’ll get a message like, “Well, you sound like a liberal.” And just to me, it’s very difficult. It’s impossible today to really totally walk the line in the middle.

Wes Moss: [00:19:00] But listen, my goals, I think as long as you’re aligned objectively with your clients, and you want the same thing. If you’re totally aligned, you want them to meet their goals, my opinions about reopening the economy are, look, the economy needs to be reopened. We don’t want to go into a depression, which I don’t think we will. But if we stay shut down forever, we will. And we’ve got to have some reasonable balance about getting the engine restarted. And I’m not going to shy away from that. I think it’s important because, then, ultimately, companies have to be able to have customers. Ultimately, that flows through to earnings. Ultimately, flows through to stock prices. And that’s-

Jill Heineck: [00:19:42] That’s right.

Wes Moss: [00:19:42] … my vested interest for my clients. And I guess it has become a political issue but, to me, it’s an economic issue.

Jill Heineck: [00:19:52] Well, and your clients look to you for your opinion. Now, again, it’s still your opinion. So, what people perceive to be political is, I guess their problem.

Wes Moss: [00:20:05] This is the world we live in today.

Jill Heineck: [00:20:06] I know.

Wes Moss: [00:20:06] Which is the world we live in today.

Jill Heineck: [00:20:09] Right.

Wes Moss: [00:20:09] So, are you seeing … I mean, I would think, are you … now that we’ve been sequestered for probably, call it seven to eight weeks, let’s call it two months, I don’t know, are people starting to … now that Georgia’s reopening, are people looking in to you and say, “Hey, I’m ready to make or thinking about making a move?” Are you seeing [crosstalk]?

Jill Heineck: [00:20:30] Yes. Our business has exploded in the last four weeks. In the last four weeks, we’ve written six contracts. We have several more in the pipeline right now. It has been incredible, the amount of agreements that we’ve signed to engage our services because part of the reason because of Zoom, we’ve been able to just coordinate it easier and faster. And so, for us, the opposite of what you would think it would be. There’s two more layers to getting contracts solidified. So, I’m going by myself to the property COVID-ready, doing the Facetime walkthrough with the client who’s at home after they’ve already scrutinized online properties, and videos, and whatnot.

Jill Heineck: [00:21:19] And we’re very, very careful. It’s taking a little bit longer. But at the end of the day, it’s not slowing down interest. And so, as we all know, real estate really is the backbone of the American economy. So, as long as people are wanting to buy and sell property, that’s a great thing. But we also know that sector of the economy that’s not working is also going to impact real estate. So, we’re keeping our eyes out, and we are praying, and we’re much like you, very optimistic. So, we are optimistic.

Wes Moss: [00:21:55] I’m very optimistic that we get this right. There have been so much because Georgia was somewhat first to market on reopening. And optically, maybe we didn’t do it in the perfect way by starting with tattoo parlors, right?

Jill Heineck: [00:22:07] Right.

Wes Moss: [00:22:07] But the idea of getting back to work, I’m very much behind and very much in line with. But there’s been so much criticism. There are a couple of different articles that I’ve seen just this week that are bashing the State of Georgia, and there are people that are like rooting against us.

Jill Heineck: [00:22:28] That’s right.

Wes Moss: [00:22:28] And that really bugs me that you can … it really bugs me that you’ve got such polarization. There are folks that are almost they’re scorning us from afar. You’ve got people in the northeast, you’ve got people out west looking at us saying, “You’re irresponsibly reopening.” And I think that what I think is that just because we’re allowed to reopen doesn’t mean everybody does reopen, number one. Number two, just like you’re mentioning, and I think about the … and you hear commercials on our station at WSB Radio, every single one of them is like, “Here’s how we have adapted to do business.”

Jill Heineck: [00:23:10] That’s right.

Wes Moss: [00:23:10] Even roofers are like, “Look, we’re not going to come and shake your hand. We’re going to do this via Facetime. We’ll come and we’ll fix your roof.” Everywhere from roofers to any other industry, they’re trying to figure out how to get back to work safely.

Jill Heineck: [00:23:25] That’s right.

Wes Moss: [00:23:25] And to me, that’s the spirit of entrepreneurs is to adapt to the environment we’re in, not just throw our arms in the air and say, wait. What? We’re gonna have to wait till everything’s perfect again because it never will be. You’ve got to be able adapt to the world that would be, the cards that we are given.

Jill Heineck: [00:23:43] That’s right. That’s right. And I really appreciate your insight and your time today. I continue to be a big fan, and listen, and hope that every time I listen, I glean something that will be able to be applicable to our situation. And I know a lot of our listeners really appreciate your insight. So, I wanted to say, is there anything that you would like to impart on our listeners before you leave? Any piece of advice or tell us where they can find you?

Wes Moss: [00:24:15] Well, one, I would say that I’ve followed Jill Heineck and her team for a long time. And you guys are some of the very best in the business. So, that would be one of my pieces of advice for your listeners.

Jill Heineck: [00:24:25] Thank you.

Wes Moss: [00:24:25] They probably already love you. The second part is that from a financial standpoint, we are, again, available just like anybody else, through Zoom and chat. We have had no business interruption. It’s easier to coordinate today more than ever. And the my thought is, yeah, people can find us at wesmoss.com, which is where we post a lot of our resources and articles about the world we’re living in today to try to keep people informed. And then, you can contact us through that. And I think that that’s a good hub for you to find my firm and the Money Matters team. Our firm name is Capital Investment Advisors. So, you can find our firm through our website, and we still love to chat with folks and see if we can help.

Jill Heineck: [00:25:17] Excellent. Well, I want to thank everyone for listening. I’m proud to share this show with you as these stories prioritize the customer experience as a legitimate business strategy, reminding us that no matter the business that you are in – entertainment, investments, or real estate – the customer experience should always be at the heart of the business.

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.

GWBC Radio: Emma Moore with Fundamental

May 5, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Emma Moore with Fundamental

00:00 /

Emma Moore is President of Fundamental, an agency that has helped startups as well as large corporations with innovating and quickly iterating on their ideas to produce quantifiable results.

We utilize research and data to produce creative solutions for website, software, and creative ventures.

Connect with Emma on LinkedIn and follow Fundamental 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. Proud to be sharing the stories of women business owners that are making things happen. This is, again, Lee Kantor. And I’m proud to have with me today Emma Moore. And she’s with an organization called Fundamental. Welcome, Emma.

Emma Moore: [00:00:34] Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:37] Now, Emma, before we get too far into things, tell us about Fundamental. How do you serve your clients?

Emma Moore: [00:00:44] Well, Fundamental is a full-service agency. So, we have worked on marketing campaigns, as well as startups ranging from Disney to FinTech. So, we’ve been able to kind of become the incubator to test products before they really launch into the full scale of, let’s say, a Costco product.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:05] So, now how’d you get into that line of work?

Emma Moore: [00:01:09] That’s a good question. I just fell in love with computers. I just literally fell in love with it, and I started reading books, and that’s how it worked. I would just practice, and practice, and practice all night long and didn’t sleep for about 10 years. And then, I started hiring other people who had similar passion but better than me. And then, we all kind of fed each other. And it’s been quite a journey.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:37] So, now, when you were going at the beginning, when you were starting out, how did you just kind of battle through the grind of the learning curve?

Emma Moore: [00:01:48] Well, I think there will always be a learning curve. And that battle will continue every day. And that’s one thing. That’s the beauty, as well as the shadow of tech, which is I don’t know anything. I don’t know a thing. And tomorrow, I won’t know anything. But how can I problem solve today to create a result in an ethical way that will serve my clients? And it’s a mindset of making sure that I ask the right questions and I surround myself with people that also ask really good questions and challenging questions. And then, we have that curiosity to make sure it happens.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:26] Now, when you’re working with a client, like what pain are they having where they’re like, “You know what, we’ve got to call em in her team to help us on this”?

Emma Moore: [00:02:38] Well, when we were an agency in Los Angeles, it was mostly just reputation. And it works quite well. So, I hadn’t ever truly advertised Fundamental. I’ve always kind of relied on people just knowing that we could do a really good job, and I felt that that was the best type of advertising.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:02] Now-

Emma Moore: [00:03:02] When it comes to … I think your question was, how do we … please repeat your question for me?

Lee Kantor: [00:03:07] How do you get clients for Fundamental? Like, what’s the challenge that that potential client has where they’re like, “I have to call the Fundamental folks. They’ll be able to help us”?

Emma Moore: [00:03:20] Thank you. Well, I mean, if it’s a large corporation, it’s usually an innovative product that they want to test. If it’s a small company, they have a great idea, and they’re just not sure if they want to invest a large amount of money to truly create the product at another agency. So, I’ve been able to scale the pricing model according to the business that’s coming to me, and in an ethical way, though. So, let’s say you have Joe down the street that says, “You know what? I have this great idea about X,” learn stitching, or syntax, some type of idea, we will price and create solutions that he or she can afford and truly create a profitable result for him and a scalable model that’s data driven. So, that’s what’s helped us.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:17] So, you kind of-.

Emma Moore: [00:04:18] They know.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:18] You’re kind of partnering with the firm in order to create something that your fees might grow as they grow?

Emma Moore: [00:04:29] Well, yes and no. Well, no. Actually, no. We’ve never done that. We’ve always kind of kept the same price. That’s a good idea. Thank you. We’ve [indiscernible].

Lee Kantor: [00:04:47] You never know where innovation is going to come from, Emma, so.

Emma Moore: [00:04:50] Thank you. We are seriously suffering from that. You’re doing well. I’m like, “We really should have priced better.” Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:02] So, the way that it works, Emma, is you make it work at the beginning stages. And then, if it becomes a huge success, then your fees stay the same, but it’s a minimal risk for the firm that’s testing out this idea?

Emma Moore: [00:05:17] It is a minimal risk. And usually, what happens is they just need more work. It’s just they just need more work. It may not be as profitable for us, but then they expand into marketing campaigns. They need more iterative testing. They need a different kind of database. So, it doesn’t ever become anything too hairy in that people suffer too much. But your previous idea is probably best.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:46] Now, in kind of in our current situation with the pandemic, has that impacted the business at all?

Emma Moore: [00:05:54] My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering. I think that it has affected almost every industry but tech. And even though there’s a lot of people that are getting laid off in tech, people are spending more time on their computers and more time watching anything that’s a product-based, tech-based. So, this is probably the first time that I have not immensely suffered. And I do mean that. The tech crash was awful, but what it did teach me was severe and utter compassion of what it takes to keep going every single day because, I mean, I’ve been hungry, I’ve lost everything, I know what that’s like.

Emma Moore: [00:06:39] And then, to come back every day despite that is where true champions are made. And I’m very hopeful for society and the people involved, especially the entrepreneurs and idea makers, we’re going to create a new world. I mean, not that we’d need to, but you see what I mean? There’s going to be so many people out of just dire consequences that they’re going to think of amazing things. And so, because I understand where that is, I think we can meet.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:12] And then, for you, and your career, and most people who have been in technology, there’s higher highs may be in lower lows. It’s very kind of change is real and it happens quickly. What do they say? It happens gradually, then suddenly. So, someone who’s gone through that maybe has a higher level of compassion or empathy for the people who have gone or this is the first time seeing something this dramatic occur.

Emma Moore: [00:07:43] Yes, I think so. I think tech, through the ways of tech, I’ve learned a lot of tips and tricks as to how to prepare for the next wave or the little ideas. How do you create an idea from nothing? How do you scale even though you have nothing? There’s just so many little things that happen to dire consequences. And humans are geniuses of what they come up with. So, we all kind of stand together, and we think of things because we all need to. I think beautiful ideas and innovations will happen.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:20] Now, have you had to diversify maybe some of your offerings in order to adapt to this kind of changing landscape?

Emma Moore: [00:08:28] Absolutely, absolutely. I will personally do consulting work. I considered, if the new business didn’t come in, no problem, get a full-time job if someone’s willing to hire me. I’m also a Coursera teacher, where I took on teaching about a certain trade that I know, which is UI/UX design with data science. And I’m willing to just turn up every day. What can I do? How can I serve? Just asking this question. What can I learn? Who can I connect to? How can I help?

Lee Kantor: [00:09:06] And that’s the kind of attitude that … that’s what makes, I think, us, as a country, special. We’re problem solvers, and we’re resilient, and we just find a way. And that’s a good lesson for the young people out there to not kind of wallow in misery and woe is me but to just figure out, “I got to make a work. I got to figure out a way.”

Emma Moore: [00:09:30] You have to figure out a way. I know it sounds very cheesy. I do believe Diana Nyad, there is always a way, and it’s not always easy. It isn’t many times, but it usually is simple. And that’s why I called the company Fundamental many years ago because things are not always easy. In fact, most the time, they aren’t. But they, usually, can be boiled down to a simple solution, or you can move from there. And principle, living by principle, and practicing those principles, not being overly confident that you can actually live them every day, but actually per episode. So, I think that is a stepping stone to this new way.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:15] Now, how about some advice for the people out there regarding one of your superpowers around kind of user experience? What are some things that a person on their own could do, maybe through their website or their media presence in order to make it as user-friendly as possible?

Emma Moore: [00:10:39] Okay. Well, many times, if they do not have the ability to scale themselves, depending on their product or service, you can use template sites. You can use Wix, you can use Shopify. There’s there’s even templates and WordPress that you can use a pre-formulated WordPress whether you want to market your services or whether it’s writing or copywriting, you want to take a hand at funny T-shirts, or you have some kind of technological innovation, there are plenty of templated ways to get started that already have that UI/UX kind of feel to it. And they have analytics, so that you can kind of see if there’s any traction. So, you may not need anyone in the beginning if you just have a few, I would say, a focus on understanding what you’re putting out there.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:40] Now-

Emma Moore: [00:11:40] Understanding your market, but you may not understand your market. Sometimes, you have to kind of throw the pain out and see where it lands. So, it really depends on what you’re trying to sell.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:49] And that’s probably an important thing for people to understand that you can kind of whiteboard something to depth in your office and within your own kind of circle, but until you put it out there into the world, you’re not going to know if it resonates or not, right? Like you’ve got to take action and and really kind of publish your work in order to know if it’s working or not.

Emma Moore: [00:12:16] And you, also, sometimes, can get on the ground. Like my friend had an idea about, “Hey, let’s create an application where you can shop from farmer’s market produce and have a pickup.” Even though that’s a really good idea where you can consolidate farmers in the area, and get the kind of things that you want, and you don’t have to deal with people in the sense of picking up any kind of illness, a lot of people, when you think about it, we could create an entire app on that. Technically, that’s a good idea as well. But when you think about when people go to a farmer’s market, they actually want to see the produce. They want to touch it. They want to smell it. That is the purpose of a farmer’s market. So, even though it seems like a fun idea for 24 hours, when you get on the floor and start asking people who cook a lot, they’re like, “No, no, no. I want to know what I’m buying. I want to walk around and check.”

Emma Moore: [00:13:12] So, even just asking if you have an idea, start asking strangers, what do you think? Or go online, and create a YouTube video and say, “This is …” Even though it’s risky, someone might take your idea. But it’s better they take your idea, and you create a better version than you doing something that is unapplicable for that particular market.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:36] Right, because a lot of times, I think, people imagine it so. And then, they miss a lot of money in building something that the market isn’t either ready for or wants.

Emma Moore: [00:13:46] Yes, yes. And I’ve told people that, and Fundamental has done the research for people. There’s been times where we give them research, and we want to make sure they know we want you to succeed. And by you succeeding, you need to think of another idea. We’ll do what you want, but I’m just giving you the data. And so, we don’t play to them. We give them facts. We’re data-driven. And if we’re wrong, we will pay the piper. We’re sorry. We haven’t been wrong yet because we’re data-driven. But I just said it, so it’s probably going to happen.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:27] Now, tell me about your relationship with GWBC. Why was it important for you to get involved with that group?

Emma Moore: [00:14:34] Well, we’ve been a vendor to Disney for many years. And I didn’t know that GWBC was part of Disney. And I had not ever participated in many women’s groups. I wasn’t aware of it. I had always just hit my head against concrete and just somehow just worked myself to death, essentially. And it was really a nice thing to see such an amazing group of women that are so successful and so collaborative. And for lack of loving that they’re going to create a group where we can cater to a certain sector, whether it’s contracts that only cater to X or Y, whatever variable that is. I wasn’t aware of it untul WBENC. So, there was a lady at Disney that said, “You need to do this. This is a good thing.” And so, you know it’s good when someone from Disney says it.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:31] Yeah. That’s a good sign because I know you like data. So, that’s good data point, right? When Disney is saying you should do this, that’s probably something you should probably consider.

Emma Moore: [00:15:40] Yes, yes.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:43] So, you enjoyed the support of the group, as well as the opportunities that kind of bubbled up or maybe in the future will bubble up for you?

Emma Moore: [00:15:53] Yes, very much so. I hope to make it to the convention next year, given the situation this year. But next year, I’d like to go.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:03] And then, for Fundamental, what do you need more of and how can we help?

Emma Moore: [00:16:10] You’re doing it right now by just letting me talk about it and opening up new avenues of business. And Fundamental basically helps not every person but we try to help through data, we try to help her research and scalable solutions, so that you can start where you are to go where you need to go. And you do define those values. We can give our experience, but we don’t always work with large companies. And so, we’ve actually found a lot of joy in working with startups because there’s so much passion and happiness in their idea that we love to see that.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:55] So, if somebody wanted to learn more and have a more substantive conversation with you about Fundamental, what’s the website?

Emma Moore: [00:17:01] It’s fundamental.is. So, fundamental.is.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:08] All right. Well, Emma, thank you so much for sharing your story and Fundamental today.

Emma Moore: [00:17:12] Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:15] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Radio.

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.

Monique Stoner with Excelerate

May 5, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Monique Stoner with Excelerate

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.

Dr. Monique Stoner is a Business Consultant, Executive Coach and Life Strategist. She’s also a Licensed Therapist, Certified Trainer, and a Marketplace Mentor. Monique transformed from herself from a struggling 7-Eleven Cashier to a seven-figure consultant. She has made her mark as an expert in personal and professional transformation throughout the world. Today, her client portfolio includes 46 Fortune 500 companies, as well as a host of celebrities, politicians, executives and entrepreneurs.

Monique has served as an Executive for two major corporations, in addition to serving as a National Consulting Leader for Deloitte, LLP and KPMG, LLP. When organizations like Novartis, Virgin Hotels, Macy’s, Amazon, Proctor & Gamble, the National Basketball Association (NBA), Aetna, and the VF Corp are looking to develop their workforce, create a marketing campaign, or launch a new product line, they turn to Monique Stoner.

Monique is an award-winning business consultant, speaker and serial entrepreneur who has trained and advised 2,000+ CEOs, small business owners and senior executives. In 2018, she facilitated training to over 35,000+ Professionals and 1099 Gig Freelancers. She has successfully navigated all sides of the corporate buying table for more than 20 years — including hiring more than 500+ vendors and service providers and landing her own corporate clients.

Connect with Monique on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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.

BRX Pro Tip: Success is Not a Math Problem

May 5, 2020 by angishields

BRX Pro Tips

BRX Pro Tip: Success is Not a Math Problem

00:00 /

BRX Pro Tip: Success is Not a Math Problem

Stone Payton: [00:00:01] Welcome back to BRX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, it’s time to lay a little bit of Kantor wisdom to our friends. But you’re fond of saying this, and I believe every word of it, “Success is not a math problem. It’s a behavior problem or opportunity.” Yeah?

Lee Kantor: [00:00:23] Yeah. I think that what people do every day, the actions they take every day, and the people they surround themselves with, it’s more of a lever to determine success than it is counting the money and looking at the money part of things. So, you’ve got to kind of start with the people around you. There’s a saying, I think Jim Rohn says, “You’re the average of the five people you are around the most.” So, make sure that you’re around five people that are kind of moving you forward, not five people that are bringing you down. Those people should be supporting and celebrating you. They should be inspiring you and encouraging you. They should be holding you accountable. They shouldn’t be negative drama people that are just kind of whining and complaining. These are people that you need to help take you to the next level.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:16] So, I would first prune the toxic people around you that are holding you back. And then, I would make sure that your actions that you’re taking every day are moving you forward. And if you’re doing things that aren’t moving you forward, I prune those things too. So, I would kind of focus on your behavior and make sure that the behavior you’re doing every single day is moving you to the financial success you desire.

Stone Payton: [00:01:43] Well, what I find encouraging about this strategy, I know a lot of things take time, but you can change your own behavior fast. You can turn your own behavior on a dime.

TMBS E82: Dr. Alan H.Gluskin, Dental Care During COVID-19

May 4, 2020 by angishields

Tucson Business Radio

TMBS E82: Dr. Alan H.Gluskin, Dental Care During COVID-19

00:00 /

CURIOUS ABOUT TOOTH PAIN, DENTALCARE DURING COVID-19,

Alan H.Gluskin, D.D.S, President, American Association of Endodontists. Dr.Gluskin is a professor and co-chair of the Department of Endodontics, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, the University of the Pacific in San Francisco. Dr. Gluskin serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Endodontics, the International Journal of Endodontics, and the Journal of the California Dental Association. He is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists.

Find My Endodontist

TMBS E81: Safwan Shah, Earned Wages on Demand

May 4, 2020 by angishields

Tucson Business Radio

TMBS E81: Safwan Shah, Earned Wages on Demand

00:00 /

PayActiv Getting Earned Wages into the Hands of Workers Immediately PayActiv Offering Free Access to Earned Wages on Demand

The coronavirus crisis has upended daily life for millions of Americans, and over 82% of workers say that they are more worried about financial issues than their health. More than half of American workers have seen their hours reduced and, even before the crisis, 78% of workers were living paycheck to paycheck. To help provide relief during this time, PayActiv, the leading provider of employee earned wage and tip access, has waived its fees until further notice to help workers access their earned wages instantly.

More than 1,000 employers across healthcare, retail, food services, and business processing services have signed up for the PayActivplatform to manage their cash flow challenges, cut costs, and support their employees by enabling them to access their earned wages when they need them most. PayActiv has seen workers enroll in its services at a 200% increase week-over-week since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, with much of that increase stemming from workers on the front lines of the crisis in America’s hospital systems, senior living centers, and recovery clinics.

www.payactiv.com

MORE ABOUT SAFWAN SHAH:

As PayActiv’s founding CEO, Safwan is inspired every day by the transformative impact that PayActivcan brings to the lives of millions of people living paycheck to paycheck.

An engineer by training, payments expert by experience, and entrepreneur by accident, Safwan’s last job was at TSYS after the acquisition of Infonox, a payments company he founded and bootstrapped.

His previous stints include being a rocket scientist at a NASACenter where a number of his experiments were part of the space program.

Besides science and entrepreneurship, Safwan has also taught Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, and Baskin School ofEngineering at UC Santa Cruz.

Safwan is a graduate of the distinguished Stanford ExecutiveProgram (SEP’09) and has an MS/Ph.D. from UC Boulder.

GWBC Radio: Robyn Davis with Global Eventures

May 4, 2020 by angishields

GWBC Radio

GWBC Radio: Robyn Davis with Global Eventures

00:00 /

From Florida to Bangkok and TONS in between . . . Robyn Davis, CEO of Global Eventures, has planned countless successful meetings and incentive trips for various corporate industries since 2002.

In addition, she offers complimentary vacation planning services for her leisure clients. She is known for her tireless work ethic, drive to exceed her customers’ expectations and attention to all the details. Her philosophy is that there is always a solution and the easy way is not always the best way.

As a senior third party planner, Robyn has managed meetings and incentive trips for Fortune 500 companies in a wide array of industries, such as automotive, financial, insurance, pharmaceutical, technology, service industries and more, for almost two decades. Some of her incentive programs have been recognized by the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) and the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA).

Robyn is a Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CITP) who coaches companies regarding best incentive practices for both dealers / customers and internal employees. Creating incentives that work is her expertise!

As a mom to two beautiful children, it is Robyn’s goal to teach that with hard work, strong ethics and passion for what you do, anything is possible! As Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”

Connect with Robyn 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: [00:00:16] 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 Robyn Davis. And she is with Global Eventures. Welcome.

Robyn Davis: [00:00:31] Thank you so much. I really appreciate being on the show today.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:35] Well, Robyn, before we get too far into things, tell us about Global Eventures. How are you serving folks?

Robyn Davis: [00:00:42] Sure. Global Eventures is a full-service corporate meetings and incentives planning agency. We do everything from inception to operation, hotel contracting, all of the logistics for a meeting or incentive trip worldwide. We staff it, we operate it, and we make our clients look fantastic. And we also allow our clients the time to work on the nitty gritty and the guts of the meeting while we do all the logistics. And then, in addition to that, we have a second side to our business where we offer a complimentary vacation planning services for individuals and families.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:26] And that’s kind of an add-on value add for the people that you work with to offer to their employees and their people that are important to them?

Robyn Davis: [00:01:34] For anybody. So, that example would be, on one side, if we were doing an incentive trip for a company, if all of those winners wanted to extend, say, the incentive trip is in Europe, and they’d like to go visit other areas of Europe besides where the trip is going, we can assist with that, and that’s complimentary to them, or it doesn’t have to be involved with a corporation at all. It could be just the family that wants to go on a vacation.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:04] Oh, wow! So, you’re B2B and B2C, kind Kind of?

Robyn Davis: [00:02:09] We are. We’re all things travel.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:12] Now that we’re going through this tough time with the coronavirus, I’m sure that’s impacted your business in terms of lots and lots of people aren’t traveling as much. But on the flip side, I would imagine there’s a lot of opportunity because prices probably can’t get any much lower for travel today.

Robyn Davis: [00:02:30] Yeah, it’s definitely been interesting. I was in this business through 9/11, and the most recent reports that I saw is that our industry has been impacted eight times more than 9/11 if that tells you anything with the coronavirus. Currently, we have really just been assisting our clients with their cancellations. Some have been because they wanted to cancel. Most have been has their trips have been canceled on them with all the restrictions and the cruise line shutting down and whatnot. And one thing that I built Global Eventures on was ethics and the notion that our clients are more important to us than our P&L statements. So, we have been working tirelessly to assist all of our clients to make the outcome the best for them, knowing that our clients are struggling financially in their lives as well, and they had a lot of money tied up into these trips. So, we have been basically working for free because it’s important to us that our clients come first.

Robyn Davis: [00:03:40] And our hope is, is that when all of this is over and people are ready to travel again, they will come back to us because we did the right thing and we were there for them. And we we were the ones that were waiting on the phone for hours. I literally sat on the phone two and a half hours waiting for a travel operator to assist me with a client yesterday. So, yes, there are definitely deals out there. I don’t know that they’re as prevalent yet because most of our travel operators are also trying to figure things out right now. But I estimate that when the industry does start to turn around on the leisure side that the deals will be there.

Robyn Davis: [00:04:27] Now, on the flip side, with the corporate side of things, the hotels are hungry for business. So, now is definitely the time to start getting your room block contracts going. And what I didn’t mention also is that Global Eventures also does hotel contracting and site selection for free. We don’t charge for that service. And I urge any companies out there to look into the future of 2021 and 2022 or beyond to contact us right away. We have the bandwidth. We’re here for you and are ready to start negotiating and helping you find the best venue for that face-to-face meeting in the future.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:13] And that’s something, I think we all agree that when this thing passes, which we know it will, face-to-face interacting is not going anywhere. I mean, we might tolerate some of these virtual meetings, but I think humans prefer meeting face-to-face if they can.

Robyn Davis: [00:05:35] I think so. I personally have been on many of those Zoom calls, and virtual meetings, and virtual trade shows as of late. And what I’m noticing is that I’m half listening. I mean, to be completely blind, I’m doing other things. I’ve got my kids here. I’m answering emails. I’m doing so many things other than paying attention to the information that’s being presented; whereas, when you are face-to-face, you’re able to disconnect from your other life to be able to be present and really focus on the mission at hand.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:18] Right, I agree. I think that it’s kind of like what happens with social media and the media, in general, is that people are kind of maybe they’re consuming more of it, but they’re not as engaged, and they’re more distracted. Like, my kid watches a movie while on his phone with his laptop open. Like he’s not all in on one thing; where face-to-face, it kind of forces you to be all in that interaction and really get the most out of that time together rather than multitasking.

Robyn Davis: [00:06:52] Right. I totally agree. And I think that it’s important for the team aspect of companies as well. You work better as a team. It’s obvious, we know this, we start that at a very young age. My kindergartner does group projects at school. So, that team building aspect of it really is important too and it’s memorable as well. I don’t necessarily remember every Zoom meeting that I’ve been on, but I remember if I went to a hotel, and I went to a conference, all of the experiences that happened there because experience really is everything.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:31] Right, because that’s touching more of your senses simultaneously. There are smells, and sights, and sounds, and tastes; whereas, a Zoom meeting, they all kind of run together. It’s hard to remember one over another.

Robyn Davis: [00:07:45] One hundred percent.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:47] So, now, how has GWBC helped you? Have you been active in the group for very long?

Robyn Davis: [00:07:55] Well, interestingly enough, I just got my GWBC certification just as this pandemic started. So, I haven’t really had the opportunity to get as involved as I wanted to because I’m in damage control, but I really do look forward to the interaction with the other women business owners and taking full advantage of everything that it has to offer.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:23] Now, as part of your role as a travel professional, are you able to kind of, at least, have conversations with companies now? Are their heads down, they’re not even open to talking about this just yet, that this isn’t a priority right now?

Robyn Davis: [00:08:40] I really, honestly, have not reached out to companies because I think that they are also just struggling to figure things out right now. And I almost feel like it’s a disservice to try and sell my services at this point because I think people or companies are really just trying to figure out how to to keep salaries and keep employees employed. But I do want to get the message out there that I am here for all of my clients and future clients, and we will bend over backwards to do whatever we can to assist you.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:21] And then, that might be also just making them aware, like you said earlier, about these hotels are hungry for business. And if they have plans to be putting on a conference, or doing some travel, or retreats, or anything like that in the next year or two, it might be worth having a conversation just to know what’s out there and what deals can be done.

Robyn Davis: [00:09:43] Absolutely.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:45] Now, for you, tell us how you got into this line of work. What was the impetus to start Global Eventures?

Robyn Davis: [00:09:54] Sure. Well, I started my career with a fixed third party company that used to be here in Atlanta, that’s no longer here. I started there in 2002. So, like I said, right after 9/11. And I didn’t even know about this industry at the time. I had worked at a hotel at one point. I ran a youth program at one point. I’m a graduate at the University of Georgia, always been a planner. I was the one in my group of friends who always planned everything for everybody. And I worked my way up at this company and started as an account coordinator, which was great because I really learned from the bottom up. I learned about the logistics of taking care of customers, my customer service for all the attendees of meeting. I did all the the quality control of rooming lists and managed databases. So, I really got to learn the nickel side of meeting planning, and then was promoted into an account manager role.

Robyn Davis: [00:10:54] I was a certified meeting planner at one point. Long story, but I had kids. I took a small break, and it lapsed. But that’s going to come back again. And I was very involved in Meeting Planners International and different organizations. Won of few great industry awards, got the opportunity to plan corporate meetings all over the world as far as Thailand and Cambodia. And then, like I said, I took a small break, got married, had children, and realized pretty quickly that being a stay-at-home mom was not for me because I need to create. It’s actually funny because I was putting all my energies into my kids’ birthday parties and to the point where they were becoming like corporate incentive trip events and other parents were getting a little bit overwhelmed by them.

Robyn Davis: [00:11:48] So, I looked at my husband and said, “Okay, the kids are in school, I need to do something.” So, for a year, I learned the leisure side of the business by working with another travel agency that a cousin of mine who’s been a travel agent for 30 plus years was involved with. And I got to learn that as a business. After doing it for a year, I realized that with more technology and more streamlined processes that it would go a lot more smoothly. This agency was owned by women that were a little more old school in their 70s, have been doing this a very long time. Well, I bit the bullet. I started Global Eventures, and I created the technology with database management and created relationships with tons of travel suppliers and really studied up to know that side of the business.

Robyn Davis: [00:12:48] And for the first year, we focused strictly on the leisure. And then the second year, I was ready to get back into the corporate meetings and incentives and realized very quickly that I could do everything that I did for that very large third party company. I could do that on my own by using 1099s and contracts with businesses and basically just doing all the project management that I did when I was at the other company.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:15] Well, congratulations on the success that you’ve had in growing Global Eventures. And the first few years are the hardest years. And this pandemic will pass. And I’m sure that you’re going to get busy again as soon as people feel confident and safe traveling again. So, it sounds like you built a really strong foundation and infrastructure, and you have the right philosophy to run a successful business. So, hang in there.

Robyn Davis: [00:13:41] Thank you so much. We’re here when everybody’s ready. We’re not going anywhere, so-

Lee Kantor: [00:13:47] And then, what’s the-.

Robyn Davis: [00:13:47] If anybody has any need, I’m here for you.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:50] And what’s the website if people want to go and check out your website and learn more about Global Eventures?

Robyn Davis: [00:13:56] So, we actually have two. It’s www.global-eventures.com or www.gemeetingsandincentives.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:15] Well, Robyn, thank you so much for sharing your story today.

Robyn Davis: [00:14:19] Thank you so much for having me.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:21] All right. This is-

Robyn Davis: [00:14:21] Good luck to you.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:22] Well, thank you. 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

Tom Lasswell with Aventis Systems

May 4, 2020 by angishields

Atlanta Business Radio

Tom Lasswell with Aventis Systems

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.

Tom Lasswell is Vice President of IT Operations at Aventis Systems. Tom is an industry veteran with over 17 years of IT experience in various industries. Having had an opportunity to work in big corporate as an individual contributor and manager, to enterprise consulting, and finally to building managed services practices, Tom has a unique view of how companies can benefit from IT, rather than IT being a burden.

Tom has extensive experience in enterprise storage systems, virtualization, cloud services, development and DevOps, and monitoring and management systems. Tom is originally from Los Angeles, moved to Boston where he attended college and obtained a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology, and finally landed in Atlanta just over 7years ago.

Tom enjoys travel, golf, drones, and home automation.

Follow Aventis Systems on LinkedIn and Facebook.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

About Aventis Systems and their new Cortavo solution.
The biggest issues facing small to medium-sized businesses today
The increase in helping businesses move to a remote workplace due to COVID-19. (New offering designed in response to COVID-19: Cortavo Work from Home Bundles)
The biggest challenges for SMBs trying to transition to a remote situation
The types of technology that can help companies who were not originally set up to be able to work remotely