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It’s hard to believe how quickly a year passes!
I was asked by Nancy Gamble, President, Hire Profile, in the summer of 2016, if I was interested in being featured in her June Newsletter. Without hesitation, I agreed to come up with 700 words of prose that promised to give the reader knowledge. Despite a case of writer’s block, I was able to articulate a few of the lessons I have learned over the last 20 years in business and 7 years as a CEO and entrepreneur. Thank you Nancy for the opportunity!
Just as most entrepreneurs, I spend more time working and building my business so it isn’t a reach that I consider myself in many ways married to my business. Unlike most relationships, I haven’t found a self-help book on the shelves at Barnes & Noble on how to best navigate the complexities of the business environment while also nurturing my entrepreneurial spirit such that success is the outcome. Let’s be honest, I haven’t been inside of a Barnes & Noble to peruse the shelves since becoming an Amazon Prime Member so it’s entirely possible that these books do exist. What I do know for sure is where I’ve been, what I’ve experienced, and who I have learned from.
Work Ethic. Simply put, you need to have one. When I was 16, my parents bought a restaurant. It was here that I learned what work ethic really meant. While my friends were on Spring Break, lounging poolside, I was scrubbing tile grout with a toothbrush until it was white. I’d like to think the phrase “blood, sweat, and tears” was coined by a teenager who was kneeling for 8 hours with a bucket of bleach and a toothbrush. It was hard work, yet I beamed with pride every time a customer commented on how clean our floors were. Develop a work ethic. Work hard. Dig deeper.
Take Initiative. Step Out. Engage. Don’t be complacent. Early in my career, I was often the gopher for the executives in my office. I was tasked with preparing meeting agendas, setting up the conference room, and making the coffee on a weekly basis. It wasn’t part of my job description. It was however an opportunity to take initiative. I made the agendas more detailed. I changed the layout of the conference room into a semi-circle so it would allow all participants to see each other. Instead of just making a pot of coffee, I created an experience with a variety of coffees, creamers, and even brought in breakfast Danish from a local coffee shop. No one asked me to do these things. I took the initiative. It wasn’t long before I was invited to the meetings to listen, learn, and share my ideas.
Execute. Success isn’t in the plans, it’s in the details. Roll your sleeves up. Get to work. In my industry, ideation sessions sitting in front of a white board are commonplace. It’s an opportunity to share, collaborate, and create the big ideas. Ideas aren’t enough. It has to be the right idea that is meticulously developed and carefully carried out. Have a plan. Follow it. Be diligent. Pay attention to every detail. (See also Work Ethic.)
No Excuses. Be responsible. Be accountable. Do not place blame on others for your mistakes. Take ownership. Inevitably, you will face a challenge with a client or an associate in the workplace. As humans, perfection is not just impossible but improbable. Admit your mistakes, learn from them and move on.
Earn It. I credit my boss from my first professional job for setting a high standard for me. I was expected to get to work early and stay later than anyone in the building. I had to sit in front of him while he critiqued my work. I watched him circle half of each page with red ink before saying “it’s a good start.” It would be 2 years before I walked out of his office with no red marks. I was eventually promoted and assumed his position when he left the company. He didn’t give me the opportunity, he made me earn it. A short-time later, I was recruited by a firm and landed my dream job at 25.
Be Humble. You will reach success and achieve many things. Remember that what goes up will eventually come back down again. Ace Greenberg (Alan C. Greenberg), former chairman of Bear Stearns, wisely noted in his book, Memos from the Chairman, that “…the period of euphoria will not last forever nor can anyone accurately predict its end….Be Careful. Be Smart. Be a Survivor.”
Move Forward. We’ve all heard “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Don’t let adversity stop you. Keep your head up, eyes open, shoulders back. All it takes is one step to walk through another door of opportunity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, JULIE CROPP GARELECK
As CEO & Founder of Junction Creative Solutions, Julie has built a hybrid firm, with the intellectual capital of a management consulting firm and the creative execution of an advertising agency. Under her leadership, Junction celebrated its 7th year in business. She set out with the intention to create impact and has helped more than 225 brands, 100 of which are companies in the Fortune 1000, do just that.
Julie has created an environment that empowers her team and her clients to be the very best they can be and success follows naturally. She has earned the respect of her peers not just for her shining personality but for authenticity, integrity, and drive as an entrepreneur. She remains actively involved in industry organizations often participating as an expert panelist or guest speaker.
When she’s not working, Julie spends time with her husband and twin daughters
