2. Talent Search Dilemma
Businesses are charged with securing the
resources necessary to generate revenue and
growth.
Finding the right people often presents many
dilemmas for businesses that follow traditional
recruiting methods.
Firepole Marketing’s strategy for finding the best
talent is to look where most businesses would not
typically look: Their Clients! Absolutely Brilliant!!
3. Talent Search Dilemma
Quote
“Don’t hire people that believe in what you
do. Hire people that believe what you
believe.”
- Simon Sinek
**Firepole Marketing is obviously ahead of the
curve**
5. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
Allow me to start off by telling a brief, but ill-fated story
about my role as an active managing partner with a
company I co-founded and operated, Homewise
Solutions….
…this is where I discovered who I really am
and gained the most significant experience
about administration, marketing, informa-
tion systems, logistics management, and
managing projects.
6. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
Our venture began with seven (7) partners
enthusiastic about bringing a solution to the
collapsed real estate market in the metro
Atlanta area. We all had varying talents and
skills.
But with no prior model to follow, we had
no idea what this collaborative effort would
produce.
7. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
We started from
scratch…..
8. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
The market collapse forced lending
regulations and guidelines to become heavily
restrictive which resulted in a lot of real
estate industry professionals losing a
significant amount of business or folding
altogether.
9. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
We set out to turn lemons…
into lemonade
New Paradigm Shift – If the Buyer is no
longer there, then we will CREATE them!
10. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
And then there were three (3)
Long story short, once the harsh realities that our
business model had to constantly be restructured set in
after about a year, Homewise’s weaknesses began to
surface and rush in like a tsunami.
We lost 2/3 of our partners & staff and a proportional
amount of revenue right along with it.
By the end of the second year, it was just the CEO, the
Marketing Director and myself holding down the fort!
12. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
Fork in the road
Facing the agonizing decision to continue on full steam
or call it quits, us girls said “let’s ride or die!”
…And die we did, just not in the literal sense.
I was the CFO/COO managing Client Services [with no
personal assistant], which meant that I had my hands
in EVERYTHING 24/7!! I even had to help with some
marketing/Networking tasks!
13. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
The Aftermath…
Wearing several hats gave me the resolve to find
creative solutions even if it meant I had to do it myself.
I was determined to preserve current value to our
clients and industry partners, but soon learned I was
chasing fool’s gold. We were out of money with no
viable way of obtaining a business loan to sustain
operations and keep what little sanity we had left.
Needless to say….We closed our doors
14. A PAST LIFE REGRESSION…..
The Aftermath…
I now have a very keen awareness and understanding
(with the battle scars to prove it) of the plight of the
small biz entrepreneur and the need to have the right
team onboard.
Although I felt it necessary to close that chapter of my
life, I know that I will one day start a new one. Except
this time, I’ll have my knowledge bank and humility to
create a different, but valuable experience for those I
will serve.
15. Fast Forward to now
I say all that to say this…
When an owner is burnt out from trying to do
everything him/herself, it leaves much to be desired.
I quickly learned the value of having a trustworthy &
reliable assistant because I experienced what it was
like not having one after we laid off some extremely
valuable staff members.
In spite of all the devastation and fallout, I’ve acquired
numerous skills that I never would have had I still
been on a regular job.
More over, I personally “get” the psyche of the
business owner. I know what keeps you awake at
night.
And I look forward to being an understudy…learning
from the best!
17. Personality matters
What personality trait will best support me in
succeeding with Firepole Marketing?
Positive/High Energy, Committed to life-long learning,
Resourceful, Detailed, Good Listener, Strong Interpersonal
Skills, and Exceptional Task & Time Mgmt are all traits that I
feel are MUST HAVES!!!
In this particular case, if I had to choose THE one best
trait…it would be:
Having a Proactive focus on SUPPORT
18. What about Firepole Marketing that most
resonates with me as a place to work?
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The authenticity, integrity, and passion for helping both clients
and each other. I listened to the testimonials of the staff, and it was
very comforting to know that Firepole Marketing appears to be a
community where no one will get left behind (if they really don’t
want to). I get the feeling that if someone sees you stumble & fall,
they’ll come to your aid instead of laughing and throwing you under
the bus.
The Leadership philosophy resonates with me greatly because
no one feels that they are above the other. Even Danny seems down-
to-Earth. I found that particularly attractive because a lot of
successful gurus and entrepreneurs tend to get very egotistical
once they reach a certain threshold.
Last, but not least, the client testimonials and comments speak
for itself! You can’t have a successful business when a significant
amount of people are dissatisfied with the value and service they
are receiving.
