Author: Jim Weber

Management Consultant, Executive Recruiter, Author, Public Speaker; My blog, "Fighting Alligators" is geared to the over 50 job-seeker; people interested in starting their own business; and freelancers looking to become more successful. I have 22 years of experience with Fortune 500 Brands in Strategic Planning and General Management. For the past 22 years, I have been President of New Century Dynamics, Inc., an Executive Search Business I started and own. My company is in the business of providing Consulting and Executive Search Support to our client base. In 2014, I helped create ITB Partners, an Association of freelance management consultants.
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Speaking To The FENG

Speaking engagements are an excellent way to expand one’s exposure and network.   I enjoy sharing my experience and learning from the audience.  Public speaking opportunities are a win-win proposition for freelancers.  This is a good month as I have two scheduled speaking engagements.
My corporate experience trained me to present quantitative data, usually financials, in charts and graphs.  The objective was to “be accurate, be quick, and be gone.”  They lasted about 20 minutes, one slide per minute. The point was to show up, present the argument and then get off the stage.  The purpose was to explain results and gain approval for a proposed course of action.  Of course, the presentation was designed to connect with the audience. Today, my goal is to influence my audience by providing useful information, reinforcing my status as a subject matter expert.  My presentation style has changed with the times.
Now, my speaking engagements are designed to facilitate a discussion.  Today the slides are not the focal point, but the backdrop for the presentation.  I am expected to tell a story without constant reference to PowerPoint slides, ticking off bullet points.  I rather enjoy this presentation style. I provide useful information by leading a discussion and learn something in the process. After all, my audience is usually comprised of senior executives who hardly need a lecture.  
That’s the way it was this week when I presented to The Financial Executives Networking Group, Atlanta Chapter, (The FENG). The FENG is an association of senior-level finance and accounting executives, mostly Chief Financial Officers and Corporate Controllers.  Most are in career transition, but not all.  I was invited to speak about my book, Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.
My plan was to tell them how the job market has changed for senior managers, especially for baby boomers in the Digital Age.  My message was to embrace a broader range of opportunities, supported by the realities of the current economy including shorter job tenures, greater opportunity with smaller, emerging companies; and the predominance of private equity groups.  I advised them to embrace technology, especially LinkedIn, but to focus on networking as their primary search strategy.  In short, my presentation was about getting baby boomers to think differently about their career options.
I presented this subject by speaking about the evolution of my executive search practice.   I spoke of the changing needs of employers and of new opportunities, particularly the growth of Private Equity Groups.  We discussed the trend to outsource many job functions and how that facilitated the growth of emerging companies.  I explained that over time, more of my clients began asking for independent consultants and contractors.   As this was my personal experience, I did not need a PowerPoint presentation to guide me through the material. Instead, my slides were used as a backdrop to help the audience internalize my key points. 
I told them of my journey, moving from a traditional corporate environment to an independent consultant providing executive recruiting services.   I explained that my business evolved into coaching job seekers, especially with respect to opportunities in freelancing, and then helping my clients find independent consultants.  Technology has helped facilitate the growth of freelancing for both the client and the independent consultant.  That led to an extension of my business, connecting freelancers to prospective clients.  I advised my audience to consider freelancing as a career option.  
  
The conversation with The FENG was stimulating as there was a lot of participation.  In fact, at the end of the discussion, several people approached me indicating their interest in freelancing as a career option and becoming affiliated with ITB Partners.  In the following days, I continued to receive positive feedback and requests to connect on LinkedIn.  I guess you might say my presentation was a success.  When you are scheduled for a speaking engagement, present your message as a story.  Use your PowerPoint slides as a backdrop, not as a primary focal point.  You will be pleased with the result and generate more invitations to speak.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


 

 

 

 

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The Making of a Great Brand – By Brad Taylor

 

As I recently enjoyed a family vacation at the fabulous Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, I was reminded of the building blocks of a great brand. In this case, the brand is The Salty Dog, and it is indeed a great brand that is loved by many because it: 1) is grounded in great, authentic storytelling, 2) consistently demonstrates a commitment to product quality and customer satisfaction, and 3) uses multiple communication outlets and brand extensions to provide for more meaningful consumer engagement opportunities. If you have ever been to Hilton Head, you have surely seen, and likely consumed this brand in some shape, form, or fashion. Let’s examine what makes the Salty Dog brand such a great one.

Great Storytelling

The Salty Dog brand stems from the mythical story about a dog named Jake who rescued his master, John Braddock after their fishing boat, the Salty Dog, was sunk by a sudden storm off the shores of Hilton Head Island. As the story goes, Jake saved his master’s life by swimming for three days safely back to shore with John holding onto Jake’s collar. This engaging mythical story has become the foundation for the brand, and various chapters of the story are cleverly shared with consumers as they engage with different components of the brand.

Clearly, the central figure of the story is Jake, the dog that saved the day. Jake has, rightfully so, become the central icon of the brand and is the primary element of the brand’s visual identity. Jake’s image is adorned on everything from restaurant logos and menus, to those famous t-shirts and hats that almost every visitor to Hilton Head leaves with, and all kinds of dog and beach-related accessories. And, the story of The Salty Dog is consistently told with each and every interaction with the brand.

The Salty Dog team has done a masterful job of engaging consumers in the story of Jake and have, smartly, invited consumers to extend the myth by sharing their own stories and pictures of their pets wearing Salty Dog gear. It is safe to say that the story of the Salty Dog extends well beyond the beaches of Hilton Head Island.

Commitment to Customer Satisfaction

While authentic storytelling is core to the brand, the Salty Dog team understands that great brands must also consistently deliver against the promise of product quality, customer satisfaction, and surprise and delight. There are numerous proof points here, starting with the invitation from Jake himself for consumers to easily provide feedback about their experience with the brand at www.saltydog.com/survey. The Salty Dog team also consistently uses special contests and sweepstakes, like the “Lucky Receipt Contest” which rewards random consumers who have purchased something with full refunds, or the “Lucky 8’s Contest” which rewards random consumers who have engaged with the brand via numerous digital outlets with 8 free t-shirts! And, of course, they offer a money-back guarantee on all purchases and make returns and exchanges “easy and fuss-free”. These are all examples of standing behind the brand and inventing ways to surprise and delight consumers to drive further engagement.

 

Smart Brand Extensions

What started as a single t-shirt design and one local café operated at South Beach has grown into an absolute “destination” for visitors to Hilton Head Island, and a globally accessible brand via the web. The Salty Dog is now synonymous certainly with South Beach in Sea Pines Plantation, and arguably with that of Hilton Head Island at large. This is thanks to very smart brand extensions into numerous restaurants, shopping, and entertainment solutions for vacationers. The original Salty Dog Café has been pleasing guests for 31 years with great lunch and dinner solutions featuring Salty Dog and Jake branded favorites, in an unbeatable setting along the docks of Braddock Cove. The outdoor tropical bar complete with live entertainment and famous Salty Dog branded cocktails is always a crowd pleaser. The brand has extended its offering over the years to satisfy demand with a second eatery
called “The Wreck of the Salty Dog Café” which continues the great storytelling that made the brand what it is. And, there’s Jake’s Salty Dog Pizza and the Salty Dog Ice Cream Factory to meet those consumer needs. When it comes to shopping, the Salty Dog T-Shirt Factory is the destination in South Beach. It is a small venue but packs a tremendous selection of those famous Salty Dog t-shirts, sweatshirts, and accessories for the beach, dog, and home.

There’s a second retail store called Jake’s Cargo which is a bit bigger and offers an expanded selection of Salty Dog merchandise, as well as more storytelling via live macaws named Captain, Cherokee, and Kiwi. Lastly, the brand offers a variety of daily Salty Dog Music cruises on a 63-foot catamaran complete with a full bard, island-inspired cuisine, and live music.

No matter where you turn or what your needs or interests are, the Salty Dog is there to deliver with great solutions and storytelling. I can speak from experience that no visit to Hilton Head Island is complete without at least one engagement with the Salty Dog brand, and, of course, one more t-shirt, sweatshirt, beach towel or hat to add to the collection!

In conclusion, the Salty Dog is a great brand that is loved and consumed by many thanks to great storytelling, a commitment to deliver an extraordinary customer experience and satisfaction, and multiple venues to engage both physically and virtually with the brand to help extend the brand’s story!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Taylor is a foodservice and CPG marketing veteran with over 34 years of progressive experience in leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Pizza Hut, Inc., and in the advertising agency industry. Brad has consistently led teams to achieve strong B2C results through a keen understanding of how to effectively position and activate brands directly with consumers and through deep collaboration with B2B partners including customers, franchisees, strategic alliances, and marketing services partners. Brad has direct experience solving marketing challenges with leading brands including Circle K, Coca-Cola, Disney, Domino’s Pizza, HMSHost, Pizza Hut, Sodexo, and others. Additionally, Brad is a skilled orator and facilitator and currently serves as a part-time marketing faculty member at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and at the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


 

 

 

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In The Age Of Doing More With Less: Embrace Automation

The digital age is creating massive change as well as new opportunity. We are challenged to do more with less. Of course, this isn’t a new phenomenon, but the demand continues unabated. That said, we are all expected to maintain peak productivity in this chaotic environment.  Our responsibility is to adapt.  Automation is the solution.
Considering the requirements to manage my business, I could become overwhelmed by the effort to keep up. I maintain two major lines of business; an executive search practice and a business connecting freelance consultants to prospective clients. I facilitate two networking groups and write a weekly blog post.  I am the business manager for my wife’s residential construction company and have other consulting clients from time to time.  Additionally,  I am active in business development activities including networking events and speaking engagements. It is safe to say that I have a number of irons in the fire.  The demand on my time is probably not much different from most of you, and yet we manage.
The good news is there are options to help me manage my work, including a virtual assistant who updates my social media marketing efforts.  I am dictating this article on my iPhone using Evernote‘s voice to text capability. This is a fabulous tool which helps me shorten the time to complete each article.  Evernote is active on all of my computers.  It is a cloud-based system, synchronized across all of my devices
My number one time suck is managing email.  I have ten email accounts which I use to segregate personal and business correspondence.   This is the foundation of my time management strategy.  The first step is to set priorities for a follow-up response.  The number one priority is to address emails from clients, particularly those with current search assignments.  I use both Microsoft and Google products,  to automate functions that classify and prioritize each.  Using the “Rules” function in Microsoft Outlook I create processes to automatically direct email to their specific folder.  Using Microsoft Flow, copies of attachments, i.e. resumes, are automatically added to a specific folder in Microsoft OneDrive.   This is another valuable time saver!
At the beginning of each search assignment, I create a system to capture details from interested candidates and classify them by their relative match to the search criteria. Surprisingly, the capabilities of Microsoft outlook are well-suited to this task.  My first step is to set up a “color-coded category” in my address book for the client and each particular assignment.  A V-card is created for each candidate, assigned to the appropriate category.  Each v-card includes notes indicating their suitability for the job. The address book provides functionality to record contact with the candidates, including interviews I conduct and those conducted by the client.  I can translate this data into a spreadsheet to help monitor the progress of each assignment, and capture relevant statistics.  Using this spreadsheet I can send individual or mass emails to the candidates to recap the status of the search assignment.
Using Microsoft Flow, email attachments usually resumes, are automatically copied to a OneDrive folder I have established for each search.  OneDrive allows me to synchronize and access my work from any of my four laptops and iPhone.
Most unsolicited resumes are sent to a dedicated email address.  Each job seeker receives an auto-response message acknowledging receipt of their resume with my promise to review their credentials against my current assignments.  I invite them to become connected to me on LinkedIn and to sign up for my e-letter.  I even make a shameless plug for my book, Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.
And finally, a big shout out to YouTube, which has become my go-to resource for training videos to use these tools.  To meet the demand on my time I must employ tools to enhance my productivity.  I suspect that you do too.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


 

 

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Responding To Chaos In The Workplace

I had an interesting time facilitating a discussion at our monthly members meeting this week. Our primary topic was on business development so one of our members teed up an issue that was vexing him.  He explained that he has an engagement which he really enjoys, however, the situation is chaotic.  The organization is in flux and the employees are fearful of the CEO. This member was looking for input to navigate through the cultural dysfunction and improve his performance in the engagement. I thought that was an excellent conversation starter because it is a real-world issue, not some irrelevant hypothetical.  More to the point, the easiest business development opportunity is to sell more to existing customers.  It was a lively discussion which included input from all in attendance.  The best suggestion was to evaluate his goal for the engagement, an obvious starting point for any decision.

I continue to be fascinated by the way people make decisions, especially in business. I understand that many have been trained to use quantitative methods while others approach decisions based on intuition or gut feel.  The best decision makers, in my experience, integrate the empirical with the subjective.  During our discussion, it became obvious that our Consultant had missed some opportunities created by weaknesses in the client’s culture.  One thought was to present his work to the employees, demonstrating its value to the company as a whole, and to the individual employees.  That one action would have clear benefits by aligning the employees with the goals of the company while improving morale.
As I was trained as a financial analyst, I am more comfortable working with hard data. The use of statistics, linear regression, company values, and discounted cash flow analysis where my tools of the trade.  I learned early on that quantitative analysis was a good foundation, however, that was only the starting point for my superiors.  To arrive at a final decision they evaluated the opportunity based on their experience, corporate objectives, and appropriate risk factors.  I viewed their process as a combination of experience and gut feel.  Also, I am interested decision-making by people in their private lives, but that is topic for another day.
At the end of the discussion, I provided perspective from my experience as an executive recruiter. I spoke to a very common introduction from job seekers,  who tell me they are looking for a highly ethical, stable environment, with a healthy culture, selling a respectable product or service.  I told our members that the first thing that I must do is to disabuse these folks of that lofty goal as most employers are managing chaos.  Most companies are under tremendous pressure to maintain relevance in the face of disruptive start-ups and technology.  They are fighting for survival.
Reasons for chaos in the workplace.
  1. Every company is struggling for market share
  2. The pace of change is accelerating
  3. There is a major breakdown in internal communication
  4. The influx of millennial’s is complicating the situation.
  5. Tenures are short are getting shorter
These factors are creating significant opportunities for our consulting business.  By incorporating these dynamics into our work we provide a value-added benefit to our clients.  As with any product or service, good work is rewarded with additional work.  At the beginning of this post, I said that the easiest way to grow one’s business is to sell more goods and services to existing customers.  In conclusion, if one is to consider ways to provide value-added services to their client, they would do well by helping the client minimize the impact of these five factors creating chaos in the workplace.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


 

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Making Time For Business Development: Look For Leverage

This week has been unusual for me, at least in one respect. I did not have the typical amount of appointments or scheduled phone conversations.  Even so, I closed one deal to place a Fractional CFO with a new client.  That by itself would qualify as a Great Week!  After all, signing new clients is a primary objective.

No, this week was unusual because I was able to spend more time in the office, catching up on important administrative tasks. I prefer to complete administrative tasks, like accounting and bank reconciliations, after hours or on the weekend. That frees up time to focus on higher value-added work during normal business hours, especially business development activities.  It’s not as if I’ve gotten behind schedule on these tasks, but the available time was welcomed.
So, I spent most of the week working on business development activities, including recognition for one of our consulting clients.  This client is a residential remodeling company who just won an award from the Atlanta Architects Organization.  I updated our website News Page to reflect their award, with links to the press release and the client’s web page.  Also, I scheduled an email blast to add additional weight behind their success.  Finally, I added the profiles of two new consultants to our website and announced their affiliation with ITB Partners via my email marketing platform.  These digital marketing efforts are key components of our business development strategy so I gave them the respect they deserve.
The added time in my schedule provided an opportunity to think about my time management effectiveness.  Working as an independent consultant requires one to continually evaluate the way we use our time. As I have said, a vital yet time-consuming activity is related to business development. Obviously, this includes the activities I mentioned earlier; email marketing, social media marketing, blogging, and public speaking opportunities.   These tasks are fundamental for any Independent Consultant pursuing a “Subject Matter Expert” strategy.  However, the most productive business development activity is networking.  Networking is a face-to-face activity required to expand one’s base of contacts.  As more people learn about you and your capabilities, they become motivated to contact you when they have a need.
I’ve heard that Independent Contractors must spend up to 20% of their time engaged in business development activities. That is one full day per week.  It may be a good statistic as business development is a high priority, but one full day each week seems like a lot of time.  I believe you can appreciate my motivation to find a productive solution to this need.  Employing a successful business development program is so important to me, I have designated it as the primary topic of conversation for next week’s Monthly Member Meeting.
Frankly, leveraging our Members time to support their business development efforts is a primary benefit offered by ITB Partners.  Granted, our members still need to engage in networking activities, however, we help them find public speaking opportunities and execute an electronic marketing program on their behalf.  This allows them the flexibility to spend their time more productively.

At ITB Partners, we understand the dilemma faced by the independent consultant.  Without an affiliation with a larger service provider, they are burdened by the full cost of time and financial resources to support basic corporate infrastructure and business development.  We created a model that leverages their resources and integrates them into a network incentivized to connect them with consulting opportunities.  Our Members, Independent Contractors, minimize their time on the lower value-added marketing functions to focus on networking and client services.   We believe it is an ideal model for the New Normal.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


 

 

 

 

 

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Listen, Ask Questions, Solve More Problems

It was in an epiphany for me. Well, maybe not so much an epiphany as a reminder. I was having a conversation with Charlie, one of our consultants.  He had some issues he wanted to discuss. Charlie began by looking for clarification as to our business proposition (IT Partners) and how to become more effective as an organization. I’ve had similar conversations with other members, so I knew where this was going. Listening is a vital component of coaching and problem solving so I gave him all the time he needed to present his case.   Even though I knew that his opening presentation was not his real issue, I responded appropriately; reinforcing our mission, value proposition, primary strategy, and business development tactics.  That got us beyond the first step at least.
Continuing our discussion, I asked about progress with his primary client. That generated a useful discussion including a detailed recap of one particular situation.  He expressed frustration with other issues impacting their business.   He told me the client was very busy and that he had a full plate.  He said the pace of work was revealing weaknesses with their processes and systems.  It appears that the added workload is creating bottlenecks.
I asked if he had discussed the bottlenecks with the client.  He might provide further support by surfacing those issues for their consideration.  He has an opportunity to help the client and to expand the engagement.  By the end of our conversation, Charlie had clarity and a game plan to better support his client.  His real issues were addressed.  Patient listening and a few well-timed questions led to a solution.
I spend a lot of time working through issues and problems with my clients and consultants.  Each conversation seems to follow the same outline.  It is rare that the actual problem is identified at the beginning of the discussion. Usually, begins with a recitation of irritations causing wasted time; symptoms of the problem, but not the root cause. Problem-solving is a process. It takes time and patience to understand the desired outcome and the real issues to be addressed.
One problem-solving metaphor I like to use is that of a physician. The first question a doctor may ask is “where does it hurt.” That begins diagnostic process. Obviously, the pain isn’t the problem, it’s a symptom of the problem.  Continued probing and questioning eventually lead to problem identification.
In my executive search practice; I work with the client to fully understand their expectations. What is their pain?  A job description is a basic requirement, but I want to know how the candidate will be evaluated at the end of the year.  What is the primary contribution expected of the position? What does the company want that person to accomplish?  Again, the process requires well-directed questions and active listening.  When interviewing my candidates I make an effort to understand their problem-solving skills. I want to know their process for surfacing bottlenecks. Their problem-solving methodology reveals their cultural orientation as well as their technical skills.
Problems are opportunities to learn something new and make a positive contribution. There are many tools and techniques available to aid problem-solving. Fundamentally the process is very simple. The first issue is to define the problem. Well, maybe it’s not so simple after all.  Finding the actual problem may take some work. Defining the desired outcome can be helpful. The next step is to identify possible solutions; to evaluate those options, and prioritize them with respect to their anticipated effectiveness.  The final step is selecting and implementing the resolution.  To become more effective at problem resolution, exercise your listening skills and ask good questions.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Offer Accepted
3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

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The Job Market Has Tightened; Adjust Accordingly



This week the US Labor Department reported that total non-farm employment increased by 164,000 in April.  This is slightly lower than the projection of 191,000. However, there was a net upward revision for February and March, increasing employment by 30,000. This continuing increase has resulted in an unemployment rate of 3.9%, down from 4.1% where it had been since October 2017.  To understand the significance of this result one must go back to the late 1960’s to find a similar unemployment rate.
The increased employment came from professional and business services, manufacturing, healthcare, and mining. There was little change in other sectors.
Long-term unemployment has been reduced by 340,000 people, is holding at 1.3 million persons, representing 20% of the total unemployed.
The labor force participation rate is 62.8%, and the employment to population rate is 60.3% largely unchanged. Involuntary part-time worker’s employment is unchanged at 5 million people.
1.4 million people are marginally attached to the workforce, down by 172,000 people. These people want to work and have looked for work during the past 12 months, but are not counted as unemployed as they had not been actively looking during the past four weeks.
The average workweek was unchanged at 34.5 hours.
There’s still a lot of slack in the economy keeping a lid on wage pressure.  The reasons include a large number of folks still unemployed; and slow gains in productivity improvement.  The labor force participation rate was greater when the “dot-com” bubble burst in 2000. Also, the long-term unemployed have been slow to return work, also suppressing inflation.  Together, these statistics are inhibiting wage increases
So, what does this mean for employers?
As the labor market tightens, fewer people are in transition, looking for new jobs. Those in job search find it easier to land, spending less time between jobs.  It may not be as big an issue hiring down the line where the labor pool is greater.  However, this tightening will have an effect on senior-level positions where the labor pool is smaller and more competitive. This requires employers to shorten their recruiting and selection cycle and offer a more competitive compensation package.  If the career opportunity is not compelling, those employers will be disadvantaged.
One of the difficulties facing hiring managers is their understanding of the labor market.  If one hasn’t had recent experience conducting a search for a specific position they may not be sensitive to the current dynamic.  Whereas they may understand the situation on an intellectual basis, they have not internalized that information.  As a result, their sense of urgency may not be what it should be.   In the last few months, I have lost excellent candidates to other opportunities, as my client was moving too slowly.
So, how should hiring managers respond?  A good place to start is with your Executive Recruiter.  Ensure that you and your recruiter are on the same page with respect to desired background and credentials.  A job description is a good place to start.  Make sure that all internal constituents are on the same page, especially with respect to key strategic initiatives expected of the position.  Use interview guides to facilitate the process, providing a consistent frame of reference to evaluate the candidates.
Make use of technology.  Use the telephone interview wherever possible, including multiple people as required by the internal selection process.  
Don’t wait until all constituents are physically available to bring candidates in for face to face meetings.  Use video conferencing wherever possible.  Go with those available and schedule time with the others as necessary.  I find that the coordination of schedules to facilitate interviews is the single largest time waster in the recruiting and selection process.
Have the offer letter/compensation package prepared in advance.  This document(s) can be prepared in parallel to the selection process, easily modified to the specific needs of the candidate.  If one waits until the end of the process, time will be wasted, especially if the new hire will receive an employment contract.
If you want to be effective recruiting top talent in a tightening labor market, find ways to shorten the process and commit to a faster response time.
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Offer Accepted
3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete


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Are You Seeing the Bigger Picture?

Guest Post by Brad Taylor, Principal




I took this photograph a few years ago during a family visit to the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia. The funny thing is, when I took the picture, I didn’t even see the frog on the alligator’s snout. I was too excited, and maybe a bit anxious, about capturing a great shot of the gator that I didn’t see what ended up being the bigger picture. It wasn’t until I stepped out of the moment and reviewed all of my photos from the trip that I saw the frog! This reminds me of the challenges many start-ups and small businesses face … being too focused on immediately jumping into selling and not taking the time to focus on the bigger picture – building a differentiated and sustainable brand.


Most start-ups and small businesses typically get one shot at launching a business, and it is understandable that they need to generate sales as quickly as possible. For a fortunate few this approach works, and they go on to achieve sustained success. However more often than not, entrepreneurs encounter soft or declining sales and don’t really understand why and what they need to do to turn the business around. This is where taking the time early on to build your “brand house” proves beneficial for the long term. Building your brand house first helps you understand and truly focus on your biggest opportunity.



Think of your brand house as the foundation for continued success. It starts with clearly defining your business ambition. What does success look like, and what is realistically achievable? To comprehend this, it is important to first focus on the MARKET by analyzing market trends and the competitive environment. Are you entering or attempting to compete in a growing category with few competitors, or a saturated and highly competitive environment? Will your sales come from organic category growth, or by taking market share from your competitors? These are critically important questions as the answers will compel you to focus on the real and, perhaps bigger opportunity.


Once you understand the market, you should then focus on your BRAND offering and what makes it unique, different, and special from your competition. What promise are you making, and is that promise believable and defendable? Does your brand have equity, and does it offer unique consumer benefits? Many “me-too” brands ultimately fail because they simply do not offer anything different, better, or special vs. competitive offerings. And, in the sea of sameness, low-cost providers typically win. Are you prepared to always be the low-cost provider? One of the greatest benefits of a truly differentiated brand offering is sustainable higher margins.
After understanding what is truly unique about your brand offering, it is critical to understand and define who specifically your core, or most important, target consumers are. Do you understand the needs and motivations of your most important customers? What do these PEOPLE look like, how do they think and feel about your category and your offering, what will be most important and motivating for them? Does your brand promise resonate with them, and is it believable?


Once you truly understand your market, your brand, and the people most important to your business, you can then move forward with developing your brand positioning, which can and should inform and influence your selling and marketing approach and content going forward. Stay tuned to this blog for more on developing an effective brand positioning.


In summary, in the rush to capture something great, we often miss seeing the bigger picture. Taking a step back to really understand and then focus on the bigger picture can lead to more success in the long run. Do you really see the full picture of success for your business?




 Brad Taylor is a foodservice and CPG marketing veteran with over 34 years of progressive experience in leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Pizza Hut, Inc., and in the advertising agency industry. Brad has consistently led teams to achieve strong B2C results through a keen understanding of how to effectively position and activate brands directly with consumers and through deep collaboration with B2B partners including customers, franchisees, strategic alliances, and marketing services partners. Brad has direct experience solving marketing challenges with leading brands including Circle K, Coca-Cola, Disney, Domino’s Pizza, HMSHost, Pizza Hut, Sodexo, and others.  Additionally, Brad is a skilled orator and facilitator and currently serves as a part-time marketing faculty member at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and at the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Offer Accepted
3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

Posted on

Beyond Delivery: A Guest Post by Eric Norman


By Eric Norman, Partner,  ITB Partners


Thinking back on both the successes and disappointments I’ve experienced in my career as a leader of organizational initiatives, the recollections that surface most often are not the successes… or even the difficult efforts I’ve led. The thoughts and underlying concerns that haunt me most frequently gather themselves around the discovery, after-the-fact, that some of the initiatives I believed were successfully delivered had actually been only a temporary fixes, or when viewed at a later date were revealed to be failures masquerading as success – to be discovered for what they really were only after the passage of time.

Let me briefly explain. The challenged initiatives (projects, programs, portfolios of work) I’m referring to were efforts that defied easy resolution – every step a difficult and exhaustive slog upstream.  These “successes” were initiatives that had effectively ticked all the traditional performance boxes… meeting project or program objectives, achieving initial acceptance criteria and benefits targets, delivered within budget, on schedule. On later review, however, the changes we understood to be successfully delivered and implemented were nowhere to be found.  New products, practices or systems sat idle – never to be used; new processes and guidance regularly circumvented or entirely ignored; new organizational structures reworked or fully replaced, no longer recognizable.  In these cases, what had initially been seen as resounding success was, in reality, complete and utter failure.

Fortunately, this did not happen often, but when it did, I found it particularly disturbing and difficult to accept.  I found myself asking “what had we, as the leadership team missed, what had we not done to ensure success – what had I overlooked as the initiative leader that enabled and led to this outcome?”

Answers to these questions have not come quickly. It’s taken more years than I care to admit to gain adequate perspective on the common thread that ties these failures together. Taking time to look more deeply into the initiatives I’ve led, I’ve focused specifically on the challenged initiatives and those initial successes I found later to be failures. I looked for common themes and conditions embodied in these efforts and what I found surprised me.  Here are three themes common to all of them that stand out:

·        Solutioning, not Solving Business Problems:  Common among nearly all of these challenged and failed initiatives was the notion that we were delivering “solutions”.  In many cases, they turned out to be fixes to symptoms that truly didn’t address underlying business issues and conditions. Examined more closely, these were often “pet” initiatives sponsored by influential leaders intent on changing something within the organizations they led, without much real concern for, or understanding of long-term organizational or business impact. Many times these came as mandates or pronouncements, such as: “we are going Agile… every project in the organization will now follow Agile principles”, or “Regardless of what the demand study says, we are going to deliver that product by September”. To help ensure we, as initiative leaders aren’t led down this dangerous path, perhaps we should inquire about the strategic significance of such initiatives, asking organizational decision-makers: specifically, what business problem are we trying to solve? Then follow that question with another: and how will this _______ (fill-in-the-blank initiative) help achieve that outcome?  In the end, it is our responsibility to ensure that the degree of clarity in the answers we receive actually guide our actions.
·        Delivering, not Generating Business Outcomes: Another striking similarity among this group of initiatives was the continual drumbeat of process and delivery – and we followed that drumbeat dutifully, attending to the management plans (process), and getting the job done (delivery) with mechanical precision. Whether the initiative was heralded as a model for success or one that struggled to cross the finish line, we celebrated at the conclusion and congratulated ourselves for a job well done. What becomes obvious now recalling these initiatives as a collection, was that in nearly every case the work wasn’t complete. We had prematurely declared success when we hadn’t actually achieved it. We had entirely ignored the need to measure progress against intended business outcomes. To put it simply, what we missed with our exclusive focus on process and delivery was the awareness that if we were delivering a new or changed product or service, delivery wasn’t the end of the process, it was the beginning. Measures and activities that would have served to focus the team, stakeholders, and sponsors during the initiative were entirely absent. How will we ensure adoption of the new ______ (fill-in-the-blank product or service) during and after the close of the effort?  What must we do now, during the initiative, to ensure the benefits we achieve can be sustained after the effort ends, and what must we put in place to make certain these benefits continue to accrue into the future? Who, specifically, will own sustainment of the changes we’ve implemented after the current champion, sponsor and team move on? I call these questions and others like them outcome-oriented thinking, and this approach now shapes and influences the methods, processes, tools, and systems I put in place for initiative leadership, benefits achievement and sustainment.
·        Maintaining Systems, not Sustaining Benefits: Finally, short-sighted or limited post-delivery planning characterized many of these failed efforts. Because we had focused so intently on delivery, our post-delivery plans emerged mostly as traditional, backward-facing maintenance activities. Warranty periods, call centers, support plans, problem/issue tracking, all targeted at correcting fallout from the delivery itself – and only for a relatively short period of time. On reflection, what I noticed common among these initiatives was the absence of a forward-looking sense of sustainment and continuous outcome improvement. During the initiatives, we hadn’t anticipated and planned for systemic issues that may have occurred. We viewed support as a passive, reactive activity, without planning-in the necessary components for acting on support information and feedback, employing this key information for ongoing outcome improvement. We spent little effort on defining post-delivery adoption, utilization or effectiveness measures, or the people and processes required for monitoring and acting on them. This reinforced our view of delivery as an endpoint, leaving the difficult follow-on work to others. Related to this – and most importantly in all these initiatives, we neglected to specifically identify the individuals responsible for carrying forward the new structures, products, services or benefits sustainment activities. This was a significant omission, leaving critically important considerations completely unaddressed. In effect, we had actually built short-lived success into these efforts, without a foundation for ongoing business value generation behind it.  Armed with this insight, I now regularly begin thinking of the post-implementation “who” and “how” during the planning stages of the initiatives I take on.  To summarize, in my view these three “Beyond Delivery” themes are inseparably linked, and to employ them as effective initiative leaders, we must:

·        Ensure alignment exists between the organization’s strategic objectives and the efforts we lead
·        Focus attention on post-delivery activities. Identify what must be put in place during initiatives to ensure durable and sustainable success after

·        Anticipate and plan for process ownership and sustainment activities, specifically identifying the individuals who will carry on the good work delivered by initiatives long after the original efforts have ended
Outcome-oriented thinking; it’s what results from considerations of things that occur in business…Beyond Delivery

Eric Norman
For more articles, presentations, books, and lectures by Eric Norman, check out his website: https://nncweb.net/publications/
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Offer Accepted
3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete

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Posted on

How to Hire Top Talent Millennials into Commission-Only Jobs

Chris Butsch – Keynote Speaker, Author, Millennial Expert
Hiring Millennials into paid positions is difficult enough; so how on earth do you attract them to commission-only jobs? What’s the secret to selling a full-time position with deferred payment to a generation who places high importance on instant returns and gratification?
The solution is two-part; you must first address the unknown, then spice up the value proposition. Remember: you’re competing with the comforting psychology of a guaranteed paycheck. As a result, setting clear expectations and an attainable vision of success during the interview process will be critical in recruiting top Millennial talent to your commission-only positions.  You can do this in two stages during early conversations with candidates:
1. Clearly lay out expected earnings potential.

Laying out earnings expectations for 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months out is an excellent place to start. The word “expectations” will help assuage concerns over the commission-only model. Then, a segue into earnings potential becomes natural and powerful. Some sample language you can use:
“At a salaried position, you have to wait until the end of the year for a bonus. Here, you can earn a bonus anytime. Furthermore, at a salaried position, there are limits on what you can earn. Here, your hard work will directly translate into higher earnings.”
Language like this helps Millennials see the potential, as opposed to the limitations, of a commission-only model.
2.  Play the role of mentor. At this point in the conversation, even a confident, entrepreneurial-minded Millennial will wonder “but what if I fail?” You can address this fear head-on by assuring them that you won’t let them.
Millennials grow with guidance and place a high value on experiential learning. 79% of us want our boss to serve as a coach or mentor, and 88% of us prefer collaborative to competitive work cultures. Plus, strong mentorship is the #2 strongest retention tool for Millennials, behind alignment with the company’s purpose.[1]
Certain key phrases will eliminate culture concerns and paint you as someone they’d desire to work for. Positive, supportive language like this will augment every interview you conduct, but works especially well with a young person:
“I won’t let you fail.”
“We’ll create work plans together.”
“You’ll get some of the best sales training on the planet; training that you’ll have forever.”
“My office is always open for questions.”
“I’ll turn you into a rock star.”
“Commitment goes both ways; you make a commitment to me, and I’ll make a commitment to you.”
In summary, mention of pay and mentorship are critical while recruiting Millennials. Assure them that if they work hard, they’ll succeed; and you personally won’t let them fail. Many employers forget to make the latter point so you can use a promise of mentoring and coaching to gain a competitive edge over other recruiters: even those hiring into salaried positions.
What’s your company’s current “Millennial Problem?” Recruitment? Retention? Engagement? Message me on LinkedIn and I’ll do my best to help. 
About The Author
Chris Butsch is an expert on maximizing the Millennial generation in the workplace, Chris has directly advised Fortune 500 CEOs and delivered keynotes on three continents. Having built a reputation for offering managers free and immediate “quick wins” to maximize Millennial retention and productivity, Chris is organizing his latest findings in a new book called These Damn Millennials. 
His business website is:   www.chrisbutsch.com
Thank you for visiting my blog.
I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
4. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – New
5. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer:  Complete



[1]Source: Intelligence Group (link)