Life Without Lorraine
As Lorraine has become a nationally recognized speaker, she’s spending more time out of the office, traveling the country. It’s great knowing she’s out there promoting our brand across the U.S., but the change comes with challenges-and growth opportunities for those of us left behind.
Business at Roundpeg starts with Lorraine. She’s the cog in the wheel, so it’s not uncommon for us to include her on every single business decision. Our’s is a fast-paced business, and sometimes things don’t go exactly according to plan. When thingsdo go wrong, or simply take an unexpected turn, my first instinct is to run to the boss so she can get me out of whatever mess I have created. She is out safety net, but when I depend on her, I know I am taking her time and energy away from what she’s working on and I am inhibiting my our own development.
When she is not here Taylor, Allison, and I are responsible for the success of Roundpeg. We have to trust our judgement, and make decisions. We have to be fearless. Slowly, I’m learning to figure things out for myself. I’m learning to trust my judgement and make decisions which affect our clients and our business. And I’m learning to do so without fear. ( It helps to know Lorraine will back my decisions. She may tell me later how she might have handled if differently, but she will support commitments I make to clients in her absence. )
For that reason, Lorraine’s speaking tours have been a blessing in disguise. The other VP’s and I are learning we can make the right decision most of the time. There’s a REASON Lorraine trusts us. We’ve had to grow up and realize the more ownership we each take in Roundpeg’s success, the more we will see that success become a reality.
Looking down the road, I’m excited. I can’t wait to see our entire team grow as problem-solvers, decision-makers, and eventually, corporate officers.
If anyone sees Lorraine out though…please let her know when she gets a chance, I have a couple questions…
Life Comes At You Fast
Since I have been out of school and employed at Roundpeg for a little over 7 months, this is an appropriate time time to look back on my first experience in the real world. I learn something new almost every day, but some lessons stand out far more than others. Without further ado, here are the top 3 things I’ve learned in my first 7 months as an adult:
1. Assignments don’t come one at a time-As luck would have it, the real world doesn’t care if you’re already busy doing something. At RoundpegI have the chance to wear several hats (sales, web design, customer trainer) and so I’m involved in several different projects at the same time. Learning to handle several projects at once was probably the greatest challenge I’ve faced in my first 7 months on the job. Day by day, I’m improving my project and time managements skills and my ability to set priorities and established realistic timelines. I can’t wait to look back in December at how much I’ve improved these skills over the year.
2. Nothing’s possible without the team-I can’t think of a single project since I arrived which didn’t require the support of my team. Taylor, Allison, and I each bring different talents to Roundpeg. This diversity is what allows us to work so well together. For example, when I begin a web design for a client, I know I will NOT be able to produce what Roundpeg is capable of without Taylor’s graphic design talent and Allison’s copy-writing genius. In this business, it’s pretty tough to do anything on your own. Luckily, I don’t have to.
3. Never Underestimate the Power of Relationships-Many of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had since hanging up my cap and gown haven’t occurred in my office. My job allows me to meet some of the coolest people and visit some of the coolest places in Indianapolis. Those relationships (and experiences) have helped grow Roundpeg’s business interests, while helping me create lasting relationships with some amazing individuals. Many I would never have met otherwise. Being part of a community is fun.
What about you? What’s the biggest lesson you learned during your first year in the “real world”?
The Big Ugly Blog Post
As I sit lethargically at my desk, admonishing fans and admirers in the wake of my victory over 1 1/2 pounds of Americana, I can’t help but reflect, as I often do…
I have just eaten the famous “Big Ugly”. A 1 1/2 pound behemoth of a hamburger made famous by “Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream” in Carmel. Rather than write a tell-all bestseller of this momentous feat, I thought I would use the experience to talk about what my battle with the big ugly taught me about business, marketing, and life. Here’s what I learned in six minutes and fifty seconds:
1. In any endeavor, preparation is key….I wish I could say I waltzed into Bub’s and handled the Big Ugly like it was any other lunch, but that’s not true. I had to respect my opponent, and I prepared for our battle. I made sure everything I did from the moment I woke up prepared me to reach peak hunger at precisely the time the burger was placed in front of me. I think the same is true in any endeavor, especially business. A lack of preparation is one of the main reasons business ventures fail. A great coach once said ”luck is when preparation meets opportunity” and I think there’s a lot of truth to that.
2. Don’t ever, EVER let a daunting task scare you…I’ll be honest, when I first saw the Big Ugly in person, yeah, I got a little scared. But I wouldn’t let fear determine the outcome of the Big Ugly challenge. I looked that plate-sized burger up and down, and said to myself “let’s dance.” If you can’t control fear, fear controls you. That is true whether you’re trying to eat a massive burger or deciding to open the sporting goods store you always wanted.
3. Don’t pay attention to anyone who says you can’t…There were definitely some people in my ear trying to use their own experiences with the Big Ugly to scare me or throw me off (cough::Kelly::cough). But to no avail! In life, many people you meet tell you that you can’t do something. People told Henry Ford he would never develop a reliable V-8 engine. People told Elvis he’s never make money singing. People told Helen Keller’s parent’s she would never accomplish anything.In each case, the persistence of these individuals in the face of adversity is the stuff of which success stories are made. Have you written your success story?
Jay and the Rest of the Roundpeg Crew
4. Once you commit, stand behind your commitment.…At Roundpeg, we have spent countless hours over the last 3 months talking about my Big Ugly Challenge. (Note from Lorraine, perhaps too many hours) .
By the time the moment actually came, I really had no choice BUT to finish the whole thing. Anything less would have been a complete and utter failure.
A great general once sailed accross the sea to conquer an enemy. Once his troops had all landed on shore, he ordered all the ships burned so there was no other choice but to win…or perish trying. So OF COURSE they won.
The same thing happened today at Bub’s. I’d talked a big game, and I had to back it up. Giving yourself no other option is a pretty motivational tactic. (That being said….a contingency plan in case of an emergency isn’t the worst idea in business. We can help you with that.)
5. Define your goal, and don’t let anything distract you from accomplishing it…Walking in to Bub’s today, I knew what I had to do; and nothing was going to stop me. With the support of the Roundpeg crew, I charged through like a champion, never stopping-or, really, even breathing. Finally, I accomplished the feat for which I may become most well known. And it all began three months ago with a singular goal I was determined to achieve. The FIRST step toward success is always a goal. Always.
6. And finally…
You can’t go wrong wearing pants with an expandable waistband….No-brainer.
In conclusion, I’d like to thank all my fans for there encouragement and support. And in case you are curious, I am officially announcing my retirement so I can be inducted into the Adventures in Dining Hall of Fame.
Until next time…stay hungry, my friends.
On the Road, Again!
When I left my corporate gig behind, for the most part, I hung up my traveling shoes. I built a business which was based primarily here in Indy. But in the last few months, I have seen a shift as more requests are coming in for me to head back out on the road.
I have mixed feelings about this shift. On the one hand, I love variety, meeting new people,and seeing new places. On the other hand the hours in airports and the hassles of travel are less than exciting. In in the past, I have been concerned about the day to day operations of my business. How would I keep it on track, if I was traveling? These days, I am not worried. With my top notch team of VP’s Jay, Allison and Taylor, and the support of our interns, assistant Rebecca and supervisors Bonnie and Clyde ( ok, so the dog and cat don’t really get a lot of work done) Roundpeg will run smoothly with or without me, so I can head out with confidence.
And where will I be? Lots of interesting places
- Aug 12 Ft. Smith, AK at the headquarters of Rheem Manufacturing talking about their spring training programs.
- Aug 23 – Dallas, Texas at Adessa conducting a team building session for their southern region marketing folks
- Aug 31 – Sept 2 : Dealer meetings in Des Moines, Omaha and Kansas City
- Sept 31 – Oct 2: Back to Kansas City for the International Start Up Weekend conference.
So new laptop in hand, and a stack of books to read I am ready to head out on the road. And if you are traveling too, look for me in the skies over the midwest.
Boys (and Girls) of Summer
This has been one wild and crazy summer at Roundpeg. I can’t believe it’s already August. In just a few days our interns will be back in school and things will change all over again as we move into the fall.
As my first summer (as a Vice President) at Roundpeg draws to a close, I wanted to look back at the last three months and reflect. I have learned so much about this job, myself, and the people I’m in the trenches with every day.
This summer started off with a bang. The company is growing so fast, we brought on an unprecedented four interns, each with their own unique talents:
Emily Beck was our PR intern, and a great counterbalance to all of our worrying all summer. In addition to interning here, Emily took several classes at IUPUI. Her ability to balance work and school really impressed me.
Heather Ousley, our graphic design intern, came onto the team as a highly sought-after free agent in the middle of the summer. Since joining Roundpeg, Heather has seamlessly integrated herself into the fiber of the company. She has done a fantastic job not only assisting Taylor with graphic design work, but also never being afraid to branch out and learn new things or ask questions. (We are excited she will continue part time through the fall semester as well.)
Dan “Baby D” Lipson was a great addition to the team this year. Even though he’s only in high school, Dan was able to spearhead both video and Facebook fan page marketing efforts. We couldn’t have asked for a better “first high-school intern”.
And finally, my pride and joy, Kelly Rogers, was our marketing intern. Kelly showed up in May excited and willing to do whatever we asked, and hasn’t stopped since. She’s has take on each challenge with a positive attitude and even branched out and worked directly with our Vice President of PR, Allison, on public relations projects.
I would like to think we taught the interns a thing or two, but in the end, I think I learned much more from them than they learned from me. I learned how to teach, how to manage, and how to levy criticism with praise. I think Taylor and Allison learned some of the same things. Neither Allison or I had much management experience before the summer, but Taylor-the consummate professional was always there to show me better ways to lead.
There were times this summer that things got crazy…really crazy. Whether it was the overwhelming amount of projects, technical failures, or growing pains which come with being part of a fast-rising company…everything brought us closer.
When my back was against the wall, Allison was at my door offering words of encouragement. When I got stressed out over a deadline, Taylor would never let me lose perspective. And that, folks, is the very definition of a team.
We’re wrapping up the summer next week with a company trip to Bub’s Burgers. Bub’s offers a one-pound burger I will tackle in an attempt to become a Carmel legend. I’m looking forward to ending the summer with a bang. Whether it was Adventures in Dining, a Facebook fan contest, or designing a photo reenactment of Taylor’s close encounter at the State Fair, I’ll always look back fondly on this summer. And I hope the rest of the team will, too.
Don’t Forget to Stop … And Listen to The Music
This is the fourth in a series of VBlog’s produced by Another Cool Design. Originally shared as a blog post almost a year ago, this is an example of how we miss great opportunities when we aren’t paying attention.
Roundpeg Video Blog #4 – Joshua Bell from Another Cool Design on Vimeo.
Want to see the entire Joshua Bell video?
Bad Customer Service is Worse PR
Dear AT&T:
You lied to me. After my boss and I spent a combined two hours on the phone with unhelpful customer service reps, I turned to a forum where I thought I could get help: Twitter. I knew you tweeted customer service assistance, and it seemed a fair court of last resort.
Wrong.
Now, you might think it’s strange that I’m writing this letter instead of my boss, Lorraine, who actually pays the bills. But there are two reasons: first, her husband, Andy, works for AT&T. Second, her blood pressure is still sky-high from dealing with you.
AT&T, why did you ignore me? You were so good at first, quickly getting in touch after the initial tweet and promising a call “soon.” Two hours passed. No call. I reminded you. You promised a call “soon.” When I left the office at 5:15, nearly four hours after the initial promise, there was still only silence from you.
Bad move, AT&T. Not only is it awful customer service, but it’s terrible PR. It looks like you’ve only jumped onto Twitter customer service because it’s the hot new thing (companies like Discount Tire use it splendidly), not because you actually care about delivering customer service in this new format. I see it as a cold, calculating PR move with no substance to back it up. And PR should always, always have substance and truth behind it.
I don’t trust you, AT&T. I was neutral towards you before, but your poor service, both on the phone and on Twitter, has moved me to open hostility. I will now do my best to avoid your products at all cost. All because of one poorly executed PR move.
Don’t call us, and I won’t call you.
Sincerely,
Allison.
Insert Clever Title Here
Something very, very bad happened today. I got writer’s block.
For someone who earns her living, and genuinely enjoys the process of writing, this is a bad thing. For me, it isn’t necessarily a total lack of ideas, but a lack of good ideas. I saw a thousand roads before me, all leading absolutely nowhere.
For a while, I sat and fumed at my computer. I did some research, thinking it might help unclog my brain. It didn’t. Finally I got desperate enough to Google “how to beat writer’s block.” I came across this excellent page of suggestions, and slowly but surely, the block began to thaw. I started doing some mindmapping, an activity which in the past I’ve always found useless, but in this case, visually organizing my thoughts helped tremendously.
Lorraine came along and we stood on our patio, discussing other possible approaches to take. I switched the project from third person to first, and gave myself permission to write badly. I sat down and began to bang out copy. As I did, I realized overcoming writer’s block isn’t about coming up with a brilliant and revolutionary new idea. Sometimes it’s as simple as sitting your butt in the chair and getting something on paper.
Do I like what I wrote? Not really. But I’m proud I could at least unblock myself enough to get a starting point. Tomorrow I intend to come in and demolish the piece, hopefully coming up with something I do love. But now I’ll be prepared when writer’s block strikes again without warning.
Roundpeg Radio: We’ll bring the noise if you bring the funk
It’s time again for Roundpeg Radio, where we make your Friday a little easier by playing the music YOU want to hear. Just tweet your request to @RoundpegRadio or any of the Roundpeg crew and come back to this page to hear your song, plus some Roundpeg favorites.
(And while you are here, be sure to cast your ballot for this month’s winner of the ugly business card contest. )
Jump Start Your Business: Find a Work/Life Balance
We’ve reached the end of our series on Inc. Magazine’s 25 Ways to Jump Start Your Business. And one of the best ways to jump start your business is to jump start yourself.
Most people don’t do their best work when they’re stressed to high levels. Things have been crazy here at the Roundpeg office (in a good way!), but sometimes the madness can get to you, sap your energy, and require you to take a step back.
We’re lucky at Roundpeg to be just a block from the Monon Trail, so if things get to be too much, we can take a relaxing walk. Sometimes, a group lunch with all of our employees is a great way to laugh and release some tension. Sometimes, maybe you just need to take a day off and find your center again.
Your business is important. But so are you. You’ll find that you’ll be more efficient and happier if sometimes you just take a step back and relax for a few moments before diving back into the fray.
