BRX Pro Tip: Practice Sales Calls
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BRX Pro Tip: Practice Sales Calls
Stone Payton: And we are back. Stone Payton and Lee Kantor here with you for BRX Pro Tips. Lee, let’s talk a little bit about the value of practicing sales calls.
Lee Kantor: Yeah. I think this is a great way to kind of roleplay a sales call in order to anticipate kind of objections, pain points, and possible solutions. The more you can do this, it helps you kind of empathize and see things through the eyes of your prospect, the better it is. And you can really get ahead of certain things by just kind of imagining how the sales call is going to go, I mean, right from the beginning.
Lee Kantor: Stone, this is something that, together, we do periodically. You know, we work through the language. We work through better ways to express what the value proposition is. You do a great job in this. So, you want to talk about how practicing or rehearsing a sales call can be an effective way to just be better at sales.
Stone Payton: Well, I’ll tell you, I do a great job of practicing. I don’t know how well I do on the playing field. But no, actually, this is the origin of the high velocity sales simulator because I have personally found so much value in prepping before I go into a sales call. Practicing in a safe environment with you and then having you respond as realistically as you possibly can. And in some cases, maybe, even being a little more challenging than the person is going to be. But it really does help me clarify my communication and think through what is this person going to be excited about? What are they going to be scared of?
Stone Payton: So, to practice your sales calls in a safe environment, get some expert feedback and advice, incredibly valuable. And then, you and I more recently have also – I’ve asked you to help me recreate a sales call that I was just on because I thought pieces of it didn’t quite go the way I wish that it would have. And I have personally found that invaluable. I enter into those conversations so much more confident, so much better prepared, not just to execute on the sales call effectively, but I think better prepared to genuinely serve the prospective clients. So, yeah, I can’t recommend it highly enough, man.
Nikkie Handy with Ivy Kids Systems
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Nikkie Handy is a seasoned Franchise Business Coach with 25 years of experience in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
Specializing in transforming childcare centers into high-quality educational environments, Nikkie’s expertise spans child development, ECCE teaching methodologies, early childhood behavior, and brain development. Throughout her career, she has held key roles including teacher, campus director, regional program director, business consultant, quality assurance auditor, and professional development coach.
Currently, Nikkie coaches business owners on financial stewardship, operational efficiency, customer experience, and regulatory compliance, translating complex financial data into actionable insights. She is passionate about empowering others, especially women, and views her mission as paying forward the support she received growing up in extreme poverty.
With big plans ahead, Nikkie is committed to helping others rise—#TogetherWeRise.
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix.
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Houston, Texas. It’s time for Houston Business Radio. Now, here’s your host.
Trisha Stetzel: Hello, Houston. Trisha Stetzel here bringing you another episode of Houston Business Radio. Today, I have an extraordinary guest on with me, a true champion of economic empowerment and a powerhouse in leadership and business coaching. With 25 years of experience in early childhood care and education, she has dedicated her career to transforming child care centers into thriving, meaningful impact for children, families and business owners alike. She has made it her mission to be the ally she once needed, helping others rise above challenges and find their true why. Her belief in the power of lifting each other up is a cornerstone of her work, and a key driver of her vision for the future. Nikkie Handy, welcome to the show.
Nikkie Handy: Thank you so much, Tricia. I’m so happy to see you again and I’m thrilled.
Trisha Stetzel: Oh my goodness. And we just like oogled over each other when we first came on the show, right. So. Exactly.
Nikkie Handy: It was like instant brain crush.
Trisha Stetzel: Exactly. Way back in October, I think, at the Franchise Business Review Summit. And somehow at that summit with the 2 or 300 people that were there, Nikkieand I ended up in the same place at the same time, doing the same thing, walking to the event afterwards, and we totally bonded. It was amazing. So, uh, Nikkie, I know I’ve given, uh, you know, the bio version of who you are, but, um, tell me more about who Nikkie is and how you got started in the in this childcare business. And I know you’re a franchise coach, so talk a little bit about that as well.
Nikkie Handy: Absolutely. So I sort of wear it as a badge of honor that I started out very young in the industry and worked my way up from the very, very bottom. So you name it from infant teacher to curriculum coordinator to center director to site area director to implementation. I have served in some sort of capacity. And and these days, in my role as a franchise business coach, I really serve as that sort of safe place, trusted resource way, a like an opportunity to externalize your thinking and strategize about your business so that each one of my franchise center owners has a way to sharpen their tools and get those resources lined up so that their their business can become that hub of opportunity, a place for community and connection and meaningful work, and just incredibly transformative work to happen for the children that attend these programs, but also the career pathways for women in the industry, because especially in early childhood care and education, there, there is it’s heavily populated by women. There’s a lot of black, Hispanic, Asian women that that enter this role naturally. You know, women sort of are caregivers by nature. And and one thing that really gets me excited is just thinking about how we can build career pathways for them, ultimately expanding those opportunities. Imagine if some of these ladies started at, you know, I’m the afternoon closer in the infant classroom all the way up to the C-suite.
Nikkie Handy: And and just how inspiring that would be to other women and really making more possible, putting more opportunity on the table. So so that’s my I like to call it my, secret mission, right? Because my main mission is really contributing to that. The the economic success that that hub of industry that that really supports these salaries. But my side mission is that that work to create opportunity for for women that that happened to me at certain pivot points in my career. Somebody looked at Nikkie Handy and said, I see something there that has value. Let me offer an opportunity to get a toehold in that next level, a little bit of of coaching or support, to try to equip you to be successful and take it and run with it. And sometimes women can be a little bit territorial or resource guard, because wherever you got to in your career, you really had to make effort to get there. And and so we’re not as good as coaching each other up. And that’s that is so fun for me to see. Like these women layer on a set of of business acumen, skills, corporate savvy onto their already big heart. And to create this dynamic working professional, I’m just like go girl, go girl, get all the way to the top.
Speaker4: I love that.
Trisha Stetzel: And you know, before we started the show, you were talking about the, um, you were talking about numbers. Like how many women enter into this field at the level that you entered into. Yet when we look at the CEOs, the presidents, the owners of these franchises, we don’t often see women as owners. So talk a little bit about that. And I know that rolls into the mission that you have.
Speaker4: Yeah it does.
Nikkie Handy: So if you if you, you know, pull up like the top four largest childhood early learning companies in in this continent, you’re going to see that those C-suite executives are heavily male populated. And they they came into that role having the business acumen, that corporate savvy, but not the experience of that boots on the ground, working their way up, deep connection with the work that happens in their organization. And to me, it seems like such a disparity that that there should be a representation of the face of the industry at that top 1% at the leadership. Right. And so I think, man, wouldn’t that be energizing and reinforcing for all of the women who choose this as a career path, to be able to look up and say, oh my gosh, I work for Tiffany Alaniz, who I work, I know that she started in the classroom and just like me. And look, there she is, you know, chief Executive officer, that that’s something that I think is truly it’s a bit of a bit of a blind spot in our industry. And oftentimes it has to do with that coaching aspect, which I, I feel like I, I sort of discovered my niche, my superpower, if you will, that that coaching has to do a lot with accumulating those nuggets of wisdom. Being committed to being a lifelong learner, you rub shoulders with brilliant people that are good at what they do, and you try to, you know, let some of that rub off on you. But then the next step is getting that into as many hands as possible so that that success reinforces itself. So so that’s what I really want to accomplish. If I could leave a legacy in my career in this industry, it is that right there is getting that that good magic as far reaching as possible to see as many women just elevate their their own careers and their their earning opportunity for being honest and building a legacy for their own family as possible.
Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, I love that. And, you know, I’m sure you and I talked about this when we first met, and it sometimes as women, we don’t see ourselves as being at the top right, as being that CEO. So we don’t visualize that very often. So normally we’re just okay with being where we’re at, right? We’re okay with being okay. So what are some of the tools or tactics that you use to help these women really understand that there’s so much more for them than where they are today?
Nikkie Handy: I love that’s such a great question. And I, I’m going to probably, um, start preaching. So stop me if I really get a steam going. But here’s what I think really, really should start happening is that women need to take the time to point out pockets of brilliance, raw talent. You know, a growth mindset when they see it and and start illustrating for other women, women what’s possible. Right. If I look you in the eye and say, wow, that what you said right there, or that that little project that you brought to fruition or or that presentation that you gave blew me away? More people need to know about this. More. More people need to do what you’re doing. Do you know how incredible you are? Because I feel that, you know, just like we were talking about the representation in that top 1% in our industry, that sometimes your eyes need to be opened to the possibilities. And right now, in early childhood care and education, there’s kind of a sensation that there’s a cap to where you can go, where your your career trajectory can take you. Right. And that that might be, you know, an area director or implementation specialist. And so I feel that a lot of women have limited themselves. And you said it yourself, the visualization part is so key because every every high performing athlete does this. You have to see yourself in your mind’s eye winning that to get there. It’s like your brain needs to see that it’s possible to start seeing the opportunities that will arise, the development and growth that that you need to get there. And until you can visualize that, then you will limit yourself. And so so sometimes it’s about really pointing out to say, I know you’re capable of way more than what you’re doing. And that is when somebody says that to you, when somebody sits down and says, like, I can see there’s so much more to you that is like. It’s like drinking super fuel. Like you’re like, okay, I might be wearing a Superman suit under this. This shirt. I’m pretty sure I am.
Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. So you’re pushing women in your industry and specifically as a coach and the franchise that you’re a part of, how do we or what are your thoughts on how we as women who want to support other women, how do we do that? There’s so many women out there like the where when I grew up in corporate, right. Uh, there was a lot of well, I don’t know if I can do that. Well, I’m not sure if I can get there or there’s only one position open, so I’m not going to support the other women that are in my organization because there’s only three of us, right? So one of us is going to get that role and the other two aren’t. So how do we you and I know right. We’re like elbowing them to get to the top. Um, and what I’ve realized over the years is that we really need to create this sensation of supporting each other as women getting to the top. So what are your thoughts on how how do we do that? How do we foster and nurture women even beyond the ones that you have regular contact with in a bigger way?
Nikkie Handy: Yeah, yeah, I again, I love that question. And I think that, um, that that this conversation is big and it has big ramifications because it’s fascinating to me that women are really great friends and they’re great at nurturing relationships. What I think is missing that magic sauce in the recipe is that we need to be able to push each other, to build the skill, to reach just beyond your capacity, to be bold, to like, grab that seat at the table and say, no, I deserve to be there. Be here. You know, if if I’m sitting across the table and like so my my dear, dear friend Candice Gillam, I need to connect you with her Because this woman is brilliant, right? The way that she thinks is like, I’m playing checkers and she’s playing 3D chess, right? She’s brilliant, but she really needed a safe space to say, you know, I but I have imposter syndrome, like, I don’t. I’m part of the conversation. I have a seat at the table, but I feel like I shouldn’t be there. And that led to a whole conversation surrounding what are the what are the minute actions that we can take to start to combat that imposter syndrome. And I feel that that, that women oftentimes lean into the care and support that, that if I just offered a safe shoulder for her to kind of lament to like, oh, this is my experience. And and I’m like, Candace, I get it. And and, you know, I’m here. I’m cheering you on. Right? That we stopped short of what could take her to the next level. And men actually do this for each other all the time because they’re like, bro, you’re selling yourself short or like, hey, come on, man.
Nikkie Handy: Really? That’s all you’re doing? And and what I have liked, what I’ve done in, in my coaching experiences is to really start, I take some of the little nuggets out of radical candor and some of the I don’t know if you’ve ever read Professional Troublemaker by Lovey Luvvie Ajayi. If you haven’t, you need to because it’s about boldness and it’s it’s about being able to say the thing that needs to be said. And and what I found. Out is that if you marry up the care, the compassion, all the nurturing that you’ve done to cement that relationship and leverage it to start saying to that woman sitting across the table is like, I know you have more. I know you can do better. And then break it down to say, we’re going to hold each other accountable for taking the steps to get there, because it’s a it’s a disservice to you. It’s a disservice to the world to not maximize your brilliance. And that is what that’s a skill that I think a lot of female leaders really need to start thinking about how to build in themselves is that it’s great to be a really relational leader. It’s fantastic to work from that relationship to to get high functioning teams. Now we need to take it that step further to be to to build the the mutual respect that comes and that the, the good things that grow when you can be the one to tell them the thing that needs to be said, that is it’s next level. And it’s really rewarding when you get to that place with another woman.
Trisha Stetzel: I love that I’m thinking about when you were talking about the brilliance that that each of us has that we need to bring forward and up. I think about it as a gift, a gift that we all have to give. And if we hold it to ourselves, then the people who are meant to receive that gift are never rewarded. So we need right? We need to step up, and we need to be better for each other, and we need to nurture each other. I’m so excited about this conversation that we’re having today, Nicky. So, uh, if people have listened this far and they want to connect with you, how might they find you and connect with you to have an even bigger conversation about this?
Nikkie Handy: Yeah, absolutely. I’m on LinkedIn, Nicky Handy and I would I for me, that networking component is really about the tapping into the wisdom that lives in the collective experience that women in industry are having. So you don’t even have to be in early childhood care and education to connect with this message that I have with this work that I’m doing because I am quite positive. If you’re working, you know, through you, you are in a spa or you’re, you know, working in a pediatric clinic, that that you’re probably hearing things that connect to your own experiences and maybe you’re feeling that same sensation. It’s like, how do I break the glass ceiling? How do I get to the next level? Maybe I’m not being ambitious enough. Like for a female, sometimes ambition sounds like a dirty word. And no, I want to encourage more women to be ambitious. Because guess what? If you succeed, we all begin to succeed. And and I think grab on to that opportunity because we’re going to be riding your coattails. Let’s go.
Speaker4: Together.
Trisha Stetzel: Yes, absolutely. And by the way, it’s Nikkie in I k k I e n d e n d. So don’t mistake that for another. Nikkie Handy. I’m just.
Speaker4: This is the Nikkie you need.
Trisha Stetzel: That’s right. Absolutely. So, um, really thinking about Nicki, like, one of your favorite stories of somebody that you’ve mentored or coached, whether they’re in the current franchise that you’re in today or a place that you’ve been before. What’s one of your favorite stories about someone that you’ve stood next to and helped them rise to the top?
Nikkie Handy: So my one of my favorite stories, I actually mentioned her name earlier because I’m manifesting for you, Tiffany Alaniz. I’m manifesting for you that when I met this woman, I. I tell you the truth, she is humble. She is incredibly hard working. And she was overlooked for opportunity. Right? So she came into the organization that I was working with at the very entry level position that you could possibly come in at instantaneously. I knew that she was a wealth of talent that was just waiting to be tapped into. And immediately I felt almost like a sense of frustration on her behalf that I’m thinking to myself, girl, why have people not been like Tiffany Alaniz is the one Tiffany Alaniz promoter get her into the office. I don’t know, we gotta do something with this talent, but I, I said, put that aside because we’re going to start today. And immediately we started having fantastic conversations, fruitful conversations about what should be possible for her and where she needs to kind of build herself to to get to that next level. I cannot take credit for her success because, number one, she’s naturally an incredible person. Number two, I think it really just took someone looking at her and saying, you can do this, I’m going to be the one to give you permission, okay? And and number three, a lot of it has to do with her looking at opportunities and saying, no, I’m going to be bold enough to take it today.
Nikkie Handy: Today is the day. And so today she is she’s in charge of a massive implementation project in the state of Arkansas, and she is coordinating hybrid remote work in person. Mind you, starting from this entry level, level position and just handling it like a boss lady. And I’m looking at her and I’m thinking, I want to see your star rise. This is amazing. But keep going because there’s more there, there’s more there. And I want to see that, and I want to follow it, and I want to celebrate it. And I want to just feel the warmth of the glow of the after effects of that, because that, to me, is the exact recipe that that can be duplicated for other women who are probably selling themselves short and just need that right cheerleader at the right time.
Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. And so, Tiffany, we’re manifesting this for you.
Speaker4: This is how we all are.
Trisha Stetzel: So much more there, so much more there for you. And by the way, sometimes as a coach, it’s enough to be there just to help the person you’re coaching with permission to move forward. Sometimes all they need, they need someone to stand in their greatness, right? And say, it’s okay for you to go do that. You’ve been thinking about it for a long time now. Go do it right.
Speaker4: Yeah, I.
Trisha Stetzel: Just I love that so much. All right, Nikkie, uh, as we start to get to the back end of our conversation today, what’s 1 or 2 things that you would like for, uh, the listeners, especially the female listeners, the strong, bold ones who haven’t yet taken that first right. Step forward. What’s your message to them?
Nikkie Handy: Two things I would say. Number one. Today is the day, right? I think decide that you’re going to be an ambitious woman and decide to be unapologetic about that, because when you frame it in the context of this larger conversation, it’s not selfish. You are succeeding for your family, you’re succeeding for your industry, and you’re succeeding for women everywhere. So be ambitious. That’s number one. Number two, we’re sitting here today to give you permission to stop limiting yourself. You don’t have to stop at the next level up. The C-suite is an opportunity for you. So start manifesting it. Start planning to get there and call me if you need some help on exactly how to get that that far. Because we’re going. We’re going.
Trisha Stetzel: Love that so much, Nikkie. Thank you so much for being on the show today. It has been just a blast of beautiful, fresh, ambitious air to talk to you today.
Speaker4: I just thank.
Nikkie Handy: You for the opportunity. I’m so excited to be here. And I’ll be following your career also because, you know, like attracts like. So you’re part of the tribe?
Trisha Stetzel: Yeah, absolutely. And again, if you want to connect with Nikkie, she loves to network. By the way. You don’t have to be. As she said in her industry she loves to connect with people. It’s n I k k I e e h a n d. You can find her on LinkedIn. I we may have to have you back again in 2025 Nikkie so we can have another.
Speaker4: I’m ready for it.
Nikkie Handy: I’m ready for it.
Trisha Stetzel: Love it. Uh, thanks again for being here. That’s all the time we have for today’s show. Join us next time for another exciting episode of Houston Business Radio. Until then, stay tuned, stay inspired, and keep thriving in the Houston business community.
BRX Pro Tip: 3 Ways to Get More Value at Your Next Trade Show
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BRX Pro Tip: 3 Ways to Get More Value at Your Next Trade Show
Stone Payton: And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, let’s talk a little bit about trade show strategy.
Lee Kantor: Yeah. A lot of people, when it comes to trade shows, they really don’t know how to wring the most value out of going to a trade show. And it doesn’t always mean having a booth at a trade show. There’s lots of ways to get value from a trade show, even just as an attendee.
Lee Kantor: One way, if you’re just an attendee, is to find out where the biggest crowds are in the booths as you kind of walk the floor. And then, kind of figure out is it because they’re giving away free beer or free stuff or are they really selling something unique? Because a lot of times the biggest crowds, it might appear like they’re doing the best, but they may not be because they just might have the best giveaways. So, really try to understand their strategy and then you can learn from that. And then, maybe take that with you when you do have a booth at some future point.
Lee Kantor: Another opportunity you have when you’re at a trade show is just ask a lot of people a lot of questions because this is a great opportunity to do market research. With so many industry players at one place, you can really be efficient and talk to a lot of people and really start kind of getting a feel for do you have the right kind of product market fit, is what you’re selling desirable to the people. Because you have a lot of opportunities to go and meet a lot of different people and ask them questions and probe them to see if you are doing the right things in order to grow your business.
Lee Kantor: And then, lastly, one of the best ways to get value if you are a kind of sponsor or you have a booth there is leverage the Business RadioX platform. We have helped so many people in trade show environments build relationships with the people most important to them by broadcasting from these types of events. And our clients do some work beforehand by inviting the right people into the booth to be interviewed. And then, they take those interviews and leverage that as a way to have an elegant follow up to talk to these people and try to build the relationships so they can sell them something down the road later on. So, they really use the event and have legs with the event before, during, and after the event.
Lee Kantor: So, there’s lots of great ways to leverage trade shows. And trade shows are coming back strong and more and more people want to meet in-person in real life with other people doing kind of the same thing. So, if you aren’t thinking about trade shows, you probably should be.
3 Common Mistakes When Trying to Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace
The Importance of Elegant Follow Up
BRX Pro Tip: Pros and Cons of Pay for Performance
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BRX Pro Tip: Pros and Cons of Pay for Performance
Stone Payton: Welcome back to Business RadioX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you this afternoon. Lee, let’s talk a little bit about — let’s examine both the pros and the cons of pay-for-performance arrangements.
Lee Kantor: Yeah. Over the years, we’ve been offered or people have tried to negotiate in some sort of pay-per-performance fee or either in exchange for or an addition to the service that we provide. And I think that there’s pros and cons of working a pay-for-performance deal. Obviously, one of the pros is that it has a much bigger upside than just the rate by itself. And if you’re truly delivering measurable value, then you should benefit financially accordingly. So, if the person selling a high-ticket item, and you are accepting some sort of pay-for-performance, you should be making a lot more money if that thing goes through than you would if they were just paying for the service by itself, and then they were keeping all the money.
Lee Kantor: Now, obviously, the cost of doing that is that there’s a lot of variables that are outside of your control. So, you might be delivering your end of the bargain perfectly, but if they can’t deliver their end of the bargain, you’re doing a lot of work, and you’re not benefiting at all. So, that’s a big con in my book. There might be a way to do this that’s kind of a hybrid where you’re guaranteed a base fee for your best advice and the service you’re providing, and then you get a bonus when your client closes the deal down the road. If you’re doing that, make sure your base fee obviously covers whatever your costs are, and you make some money from it, so you’re not really losing in any sense. You might be getting less fees, but you’re not losing. So, I think that there’s pros and cons for doing it. And it’s a case-by-case basis. If there’s a big upside, and you believe in the partner, then it might be worth giving it a shot.
BRX Pro Tip: Adjust Your Strategies to Your Audience
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BRX Pro Tip: Adjust Your Strategies to Your Audience
Stone Payton: [00:00:00] And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, we’re always, as entrepreneurs, business owners, senior execs, and ongoing concerns, we’re twisting the dials. We’re trying to dial things in and make adjustments. But it’s key, I think, that we adjust our strategies, and particularly our marketing and networking strategies to our audience.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:29] Right. I think it’s important to communicate in the language of which you are dealing. So, if you’re dealing with accountants, for example, you might tell same story, same anecdote, same case studies, but use different words and use different language with the accountants than you would if you were selling that same thing to advertising creatives.
Lee Kantor: [00:00:51] Your philosophy isn’t really going to change, but the language you use, and the words you use, and the way that you communicate will change. And I think it’s a mistake to think that you can speak the same way and use the same words and examples with different types of people. You have to adjust to the type of person you’re dealing with.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:11] So, if they’re super analytical and number oriented, you should be adjusting your case study or testimonial or social proof accordingly. If they’re more creative or more vision or future focused, you should adjust your story to use that kind of language and to use those kind of words and imagery to help them really connect with the story you’re trying to tell.
Lee Kantor: [00:01:33] So, the example might be the same, but the words and the language might be totally different. So, keep that in mind. The next time you have a sales pitch or you’re talking to a prospect, listen to the words they’re using, listen to the the way that they prioritize what’s important to them, and then adjust your story to fit into their patterns.
Building Bridges: How Radford Doors and Gates Connects with the San Diego Community
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In this episode of Women in Motion, Lee Kantor speaks with Emily Souliotes, co-owner of Radford Doors and Gates. Emily shares her journey into the garage door and gate industry, highlighting her background in design and business management. She discusses taking over the family business in 2019 with her husband, emphasizing the importance of continuity, customer service, and community involvement. The conversation covers technological advancements in garage doors, the types of clients they serve, and the significance of being part of the WBEC-West community. Emily underscores the value of collaboration and relationship-building among women entrepreneurs.
Emily Souliotes is the Principal of Radford Doors & Gates, a family-owned and operated business she runs alongside her husband, Aleko.
Specializing in high-quality residential and commercial door and gate solutions, Radford reflects Emily’s commitment to fostering a culture of integrity and excellence.
With over five years of experience in a traditionally male-dominated industry, she is passionate about building strong customer relationships and upholding meaningful values.
A mother of two young children, Emily balances the demands of business ownership and family life, drawing inspiration from both roles. As a WBENC-certified business owner and active member of NARI, she is dedicated to supporting women in business and advocating for female leadership in construction.
Emily also contributes to her community through involvement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest San Diego County. 
Connect with Emily on LinkedIn.
Music Provided by M PATH MUSIC
This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix
TRANSCRIPT
Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios, it’s time for Women In Motion. Brought to you by WBEC-West. Join forces. Succeed together. Now, here’s your host.
Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of Women In Motion. And this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, WBEC-West. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories.
Lee Kantor: Today on Women In Motion, we have Emily Souliotes with Radford Doors & Gates. Welcome.
Emily Souliotes: Thank you so much. Happy to be here.
Lee Kantor: Well, I’m excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us a little bit about Radford Doors & Gates.
Emily Souliotes: Yes. So we are a residential and commercial garage door and gate specialty subcontractor. So basically, we’re a construction company. We’re located here in San Diego. We have, which is kind of cool, one of the only garage door showrooms for our residential clients where we have, you know, full-sized doors up and people can come on in and take a look and design the door that they love.
Lee Kantor: So, what’s your backstory? How’d you get involved in this line of work?
Emily Souliotes: Yeah, you know, I get that a lot. It is a little bit different. So, you know, I have a background in design, which then led me into helping family with their own businesses, which in turn led me to managing businesses.
Emily Souliotes: So before I met my husband, I was managing at a practice, an optometric practice. And so people essentially was the business I was in and keeping that business running. And then when I met my husband, he was into – before we were married, he was doing some house renovations, house flipping, and construction was in his background, and he was looking to transition businesses. And he found this one for sale. So the two of us jumped in 2019 right before the pandemic and learned a lot about doors and gates pretty quickly, I’d say. When you jumped in, it was learning everything start to finish. And so now it’s been about five years; we’ve been running the company together.
Lee Kantor: So, is there any kind of similarities from the previous business? I mean, each of those, I mean, there’s customers, there’s some kind of basic foundational things of all businesses. But was there anything transferable for you?
Emily Souliotes: Absolutely. So, you know, when we jumped in, we took roles that we felt, you know, spoke to our strong suits. So, you know, he came from the entrepreneurial business strategy, sales side of things. And so, you know, he’s always been you know, the sales manager, acting sales manager and running that side of the business.
Emily Souliotes: And then I jumped in knowing what I did best, which was operations and people management, whether it was helping our dispatch team with customer management as well as the internal side, and making sure, you know, H.R. employees all that side, making sure that they, you know, they can do their job at their best. So we took specific lanes and roles, knowing that that was what we were good at. And it’s worked out really well for us.
Lee Kantor: Now, do you have any advice when it comes to buying a business that already exists, or are there any kind of do’s and don’ts that you picked up from doing this and successfully running it for five years?
Emily Souliotes: I would say, you know, my husband had a lot of financial criteria that he used, and he was more heavily involved in that. But what we were looking for was a business that had continuity. You know, we’ve – like I said, we’ve owned this for five years, but the company is actually going to be 80 years old next year. So we are the fourth owners. And we felt that, you know, if the business had sustained the economic cycles and had been around for those years, we felt like we could pick up where they left off. So I would say the continuity was the biggest thing for us.
Emily Souliotes: And then along with an industry where we just felt like, you know, we had a little bit of background in construction, and as long as you can jump in and put the right people in place for more of the technical aspect, we felt like if we had the people then we could make it work. So we actually have one employee that’s been with the company since he was 18 and his father was an employee as well. So that’s something that’s pretty special to us.
Lee Kantor: Now, were you searching out businesses or did this just kind of get on your radar? And it was an opportunity you couldn’t pass up?
Emily Souliotes: No, he was actively looking. You know, he was looking at different businesses in the home services space. So it wasn’t just garage doors specifically, but we did expand it. I will say that when we purchased residential garage doors was the only lane and we have since added gates and the commercial side of the business as well. So that’s been a creation that we’ve put on. It wasn’t there before.
Lee Kantor: Now, what about – for you, was this something that you were, like, fired up about, or were you like, all right, I guess we’re in the door business? I mean, like, because a lot of people believe, you know, follow your passion and everything is going to come from there. Was this something like that or was this business is business and it doesn’t matter what I’m selling, I’m going to be, you know, I’ll give it my all and, you know, do good customer service and all that good stuff?
Emily Souliotes: I think for us, the most important – one of our, you know, family values is just that. It’s being available for family. And yes, you know, follow your dreams is something that, you know, a lot of people hear about. But at the same time, we have to be realistic in what works for our lifestyle and our family. And for us, we wanted a business that gave us some flexibility. But at the same time, that was something that we could – that we knew we were good at already or, like, that we could tackle. And this fell into that. So I think, you know, since we’ve owned the business, we have two small children, you know, we’re growing the business, but we’re making sure that we have a good balance of our lifestyle with family and travel and the business as well.
Emily Souliotes: So I think for us, we are doing what we love because we can, you know, we have the flexibility as business owners and entrepreneurs and, yeah, we are still really passionate about the business itself and making sure the company is run from core values and spreading that not just, you know, here to make money and turn a profit and be, you know, be a local business like that, so, sort of answering that, yeah.
Lee Kantor: Now, who are your clients? Are they consumers directly or do you sell to middlemen who then sell to consumers?
Emily Souliotes: No, we’re direct to consumer. So we, and we’re not a manufacturer. The cool part about us is that we can source garage doors and products from a multitude of vendors. So, we like to sort of say that we are not brand agnostic. You know, we have a lot of different brands that we supply to our different customers. Some of them are businesses, but some of them are, you know, on the residential side, specifically. All those – people can come in and find us and we can sell to them and they can pick their brand of their choice. And like I said, you know, find a garage door that really fits their budget, their dream, their vision, and their design. And we can make that happen.
Lee Kantor: Now, are they coming to you because something happened to their door and then they have to replace it? Or do sometimes people just say, “Hey, we want to refresh, and let’s see what’s out there”?
Emily Souliotes: I would say the majority of the time people are just upgrading. It’s doing what we would call a retrofit, right? They lived somewhere long enough where the doors may be no longer in style, or they’re building a house or they’re doing a retrofit of their current home.
Emily Souliotes: But I will say, before I got into the business, I didn’t even really know. But there are more garage door accidents with cars than you can imagine. Some people, you know, just gas or break, they end up tapping that garage door a little too hard and they end up having to replace it. So, I’ve seen a couple of different things, some funny or not-so-funny stories, but unfortunately, that does happen. And we’re there for those replacements as well.
Lee Kantor: Now, when you decided to get into gates, how did that come about?
Emily Souliotes: You know, people came in asking for it. So usually when you’re designing a house or looking at the front of your house, the garage doors line up with any other access point, right? So, you’re going to have a walkway gate potentially. Or maybe there’s a driveway gate that leads to your garage door. And people were asking a lot about products that complemented themselves. So we just thought, well, if we’re already providing one access point that’s designed, why not add to the repertoire?
Emily Souliotes: So, some of the other manufacturers had already offered, you know, complementing or matching products. And so we thought it would be a good – it would be a good opportunity to offer more services to people that were already coming to us and finding us and asking for it.
Lee Kantor: Now, does the gate is that like fencing as well, or like, what is it?
Emily Souliotes: No. Yeah. A lot of people think, oh, so, you know, I can get a fence for my house. It’s not. It’s not. They’re actually pretty different. Perimeter fencing is kind of a different skill set where we focus specifically on the gate itself. So mounting like a pedestrian gate or a walkway gate and then a driveway gate where it’s the automation of it as well.
Emily Souliotes: So, home automation, as you can imagine, has become very big lately, especially with the advent of all the home automation services like Google and all the devices that are being created. You can implement a lot of that with access points to the exterior of your house as well. So garage doors and gates all have systems that can usually be integrated, and people are really excited to jump on that and heighten their security for their home in that way, too. So, you know, we felt like it was just sort of a match made in heaven, getting all that connected and offering all the possible services to our customers in that way.
Lee Kantor: Now, is that something the technology to open doors and gates remotely or to give, you know, maybe somebody who’s visiting access remotely, is that now kind of must-haves? Where they used to be nice-to-haves? Is that like – does everybody want that nowadays?
Emily Souliotes: Yeah, most people do. Almost every single garage door opener now comes with it whether you want it or not. You know, there’s a phone app that usually integrates with your garage door.
Emily Souliotes: And then, we have a lot of customers that have rental properties. Right? So they’re changing out their doors or their gates. And a lot of those are the access points for their customers and for their renters and they want to be able to have the security that they need. And so, yes, those access controls are a big deal to them and potentially, you know, is a make or break for their business.
Lee Kantor: Yeah, I didn’t even think of that. That must really – that is a must-have for anybody who’s like Airbnb or doing some sort of rental. They need to have a –
Emily Souliotes: Yeah.
Lee Kantor: A way to, you know, turn it on and off.
Emily Souliotes: Yeah. I mean, they have people coming in constantly, whether it’s cleaners or maintenance people. And then, you know, the guests themselves need to get in and out.
Emily Souliotes: And then the same for some of the higher-end communities that we serve in the San Diego area. I mean, we have a lot of homes that are on estates that have multiple gates or multiple access points and door systems, and same thing they need to let people in and out. And, you know, all that is handled by these systems and needs to be up and running for people to be able to do their jobs.
Lee Kantor: Now, in your business, I would imagine in San Diego, there’s a lot of people with boats and things like that, or that’s a whole other kind of door and building that the boats go into. Right?
Emily Souliotes: Yeah. I would say we work more with people that have extra vehicles or terrain. We have a lot of clientele that have RVs and a lot of extra vehicles for vacations and stuff that, that on their property that, that sort of they house in, more commercial-looking buildings on their property with big commercial roll-up doors. And I would say that’s as far as we get into that.
Emily Souliotes: We also have a lot of commercial clients that have products in big warehouse-type settings too with commercial roll-up doors. For example, we had a property that stored a lot of their theme park floats and things, you know, on-site, but they needed them to be secured. And so we installed over, I think, 20-foot high door that needed to be able to house all these floats. So we get some kind of cool projects like that, too.
Lee Kantor: And then you can – it doesn’t matter. Like, you can create it no matter what need they have. You can kind of figure it out, right? That’s your superpower.
Emily Souliotes: Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, we have a technician that’s done, you know, been in this industry over 20 years, and I have yet to see him not be successful in, you know, making sure a customer gets what they need, whether it’s from getting the product and just deciding the product and then actually getting all the way to the install. You know, maybe construction, it wasn’t as easy or there’s been some odd things.
Emily Souliotes: Construction is a really – it’s a solutions-based industry, right? Everyone, you know, usually comes to us needing a solution. They might have a problem at hand and they’re trying to find solutions to it. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all mold. I mean, there’s so many different ways you can go about building something. And so, you know, we definitely pride ourselves on doing it the right way and making sure that people get what they want in the end and that it’s a good solution.
Lee Kantor: Now, why was it important for you to become part of the WBEC-West community? Like, what were your expectations and what have you gotten out of it so far?
Emily Souliotes: So, I felt pretty strongly that I wanted to have a presence in the community. And, as a woman in an ownership role, I felt that the biggest thing for me was to connect with other women business owners, right? I mean, not only am I a woman-owned business, so it’s something that is not as common, but it’s also in a field that’s not as common. Right? Construction industry is just pretty male-dominated. And so, I felt like if there were going to be any groups that would support me in my journey, I wanted to be a part of them. And so WBENC was definitely one of those.
Lee Kantor: And then have you found it to be as collaborative as you hoped?
Emily Souliotes: Yeah. So, I’m a little bit newer into the organization. This has been my first year and I’m about to renew for a second year. But I would say it’s really inspiring. I went to my first event this past year, and to be able to just talk to people face-to-face, hear about their journey as well was really inspiring. It’s amazing how much relationships I think make the difference, and that’s what I’m learning. I think if I have any advice, it’s sort of like, that’s where I’m starting to realize that just building relationships, whether you think people are in your same industry or able to help you, or maybe you might be able to help them without knowing, that’s been something that I’m quickly learning.
Lee Kantor: Now, what do you need more of? How could we help you?
Emily Souliotes: You know, just connecting with companies in the San Diego area that would partner with us and, you know, we can support them as well. We like to give back to the community as well. I’m heavily involved with Boys & Girls Club in the San Diego area, and just making sure that organizations like that get what they need. But, you know, really connecting with other commercial, commercial companies and bigger businesses in the San Diego area is something that we really aim to do in the next couple of years.
Lee Kantor: Like, what are some groups or industries that are good, kind of referral partners or good people for you to know?
Emily Souliotes: Yeah. So we really try to support commercial companies that need to maintain their own products for their tenants, for example, so apartment complexes or retail spaces that need to make sure that they stay open and that they have gates or serviceable areas, access control that needs to maintain a certain level of workability. And then obviously, if they’re, you know, if we can support the residential community as well, you know, we love to; we really love inviting people into our showroom.
Emily Souliotes: The other thing we’re partnering with later or partnering with now is the interior design community and remodeling community. Right? Just making sure that people have resources that they need, learning about garage doors. You know, I know it’s in the construction industry, but it is design-influenced, and there’s some fun aspects to it. And so we really love inviting people into our showroom and giving them a little tour and, you know, hoping that they leave knowing a little bit more.
Lee Kantor: Right. I’m sure that they don’t know what they don’t know. They might have made some assumptions and, you know, kind of the ins and outs of this thing that you can really give them some options they hadn’t even considered.
Emily Souliotes: Yeah, absolutely. People don’t know there’s so much that goes into a garage door. Right? It’s a moving wall in the front of their home. I mean, it’s a big product. So there’s a lot of options there, and there’s a lot of cool innovative things that I think have come out in the last couple of years that we’re excited to always be the first to offer.
Lee Kantor: So if somebody wants to learn more and have a more substantive conversation with you or somebody on the team, is there a website? Is there a best way to connect?
Emily Souliotes: Absolutely. So you can definitely Google us or visit our website, radfordgaragedoor.com. We’re in a pretty central area in San Diego, which is nice. And so, the showroom is always open during the week, Monday through Friday. Walk-ins, welcome. We love anyone that wants to come visit us.
Lee Kantor: Well, Emily, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.
Emily Souliotes: Thank you so much, Lee. Much appreciated.
Lee Kantor: All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on Women In Motion.
