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What Operations Leaders Wish You Knew | The Operators Seat E1 · The Operator’s Seat Podcast

0:23
SPEAKER_01: All right.
0:24
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to episode one of the Operator Seat Podcast.
0:28
SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Landon.
0:30
SPEAKER_00: And I'm your host, Sabrina.
0:32
SPEAKER_00: And we are excited to get started.
0:35
SPEAKER_01: Yes, it's uh been a long time coming.
0:37
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
0:37
SPEAKER_01: Um, up and rolling with uh something that started out as a dream and uh something on paper and now it's a reality.
0:46
SPEAKER_01: So we're here and we're excited to talk about all things operations and um get some feedback from you guys and some stories and uh yeah some other things.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, fun stuff too, lifestyle, all sorts of stuff.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: We will be talking about, I'm sure, everything.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I'm super excited.
1:08
SPEAKER_00: Let's get started.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: Let's get started.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: So uh Sabrina, you want to kind of talk about your background and where you started and where you're at now?
1:15
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
1:16
SPEAKER_00: Um, so I have worked with the same firm for this year, it will be 15 years, which is wild.
1:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, I started as the only employee of the firm.
1:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, that wasn't family, of course.
1:32
SPEAKER_00: And so then I slowly I was working um a couple different jobs at the time.
1:39
SPEAKER_00: Uh, this was one of them while I was in college.
1:43
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I've done essentially every position operationally speaking from start to finish.
1:50
SPEAKER_00: So that um that has been a journey in itself, and I've learned so much.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, it definitely wasn't like my anticipated career path.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: I didn't plan to stay after college.
2:03
SPEAKER_00: I was, you know, I had other plans for my life, but um I really, really enjoyed the people that I worked with, um, the founders of the firm.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: And I I just loved, I'm just so operationally inclined and I love the back-end operations of how things work.
2:21
SPEAKER_00: I love to problem solve, I love to figure things out and get stuff done.
2:25
SPEAKER_00: So it was just, I never felt like I could leave.
2:29
SPEAKER_00: I just I loved it and I still love it.
2:31
SPEAKER_00: So that's I mean, my journey is far more boring than your journey, Landon.
2:37
SPEAKER_00: So I would love for you to tell everyone about your journey.
2:40
SPEAKER_01: I don't know about far more boring.
2:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
2:42
SPEAKER_01: Uh you've definitely seen it in and out through um here.
2:46
SPEAKER_01: Uh but I guess I started at um, as far as finance goes, I started out uh six years ago in the banking industry after COVID came about.
2:56
SPEAKER_01: Um before then, I was at the Walt Disney company for six years.
3:00
SPEAKER_01: Disney.
3:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
3:02
SPEAKER_01: So um worked in gosh, all sorts of operations there.
3:06
SPEAKER_01: Um, everything but food and beverage and retail, yeah, uh merchandise.
3:10
SPEAKER_01: I worked in guest relations, I worked in um custodial operations, I worked in park operations and ran the rides.
3:18
SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of where my love of operations started.
3:21
SPEAKER_01: And just, you know, to me, operations is like a puzzle and seeing like how you can fit it together.
3:26
SPEAKER_01: And so that's where my love and passion for operations really started.
3:31
SPEAKER_01: Um and you know, COVID came around and um Disney shut down and the whole world shut down for a little while.
3:37
SPEAKER_01: And so I was coming back home wanting to use my business degree and uh really didn't know what was in uh store for me.
3:45
SPEAKER_01: So I was on Facebook one day, and um I had applied for job after job, and everybody had stopped their job uh postings.
3:54
SPEAKER_01: And I was on Facebook and saw posting for a teller position at a local credit union in Asheville, North Carolina.
4:01
SPEAKER_01: And so I applied and got that job.
4:05
SPEAKER_01: And then about eight months later, my manager had left and went to another credit union and he pulled me over for a banker position.
4:13
SPEAKER_01: And so uh I'll never forget that interview.
4:16
SPEAKER_01: It was in the middle of a park, um, and I met with the banker or excuse me, the uh branch manager and the vice president there.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: Wait, it was in a in the middle of a park?
4:27
SPEAKER_01: A middle of Fletcher Park.
4:28
SPEAKER_01: Bill Moore Park is.
4:30
SPEAKER_01: What was the weather like at this point?
4:31
SPEAKER_01: It was gorgeous, it was a gorgeous day out there.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so it wasn't like melting hot.
4:35
SPEAKER_00: No, no, no, no.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: Okay, it doesn't really get melting hot in Asheville, North Carolina.
4:39
SPEAKER_00: Well, that's true.
4:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's not Texas.
4:41
SPEAKER_01: No, the mountains definitely block out that uh weather, so but yeah, that was an interesting interview.
4:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
4:50
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but it was also during COVID time, so like it kind of made sense that we were outside instead of huddled in a room.
4:56
SPEAKER_01: Um, and then I was there for about almost three years and then got pulled to another finance firm, and that's where my uh wealth management uh background really started.
5:09
SPEAKER_01: And so I went in there as a new business um processor, and so I was processing new business for about six months, and then I was promoted director of operations.
5:18
SPEAKER_00: Director right away.
5:20
SPEAKER_01: Yes, that was uh to my surprise, you know.
5:23
SPEAKER_01: But it I I don't know, being a leader at Disney leadership was something I was always passionate about.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: Yes, for sure.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: And you had the Disney culture is just like you had so much experience with that.
5:33
SPEAKER_01: Yes, definitely.
5:34
SPEAKER_01: And they, you know, great foundation, customer service, and really tried to bring that into the firm.
5:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
5:40
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I was there for about three years, and then I got pulled over, and now I'm working as VP of ops with you.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I got you to come over all the way across the country, yes, to Texas from South Carolina to Texas.
5:56
SPEAKER_00: So I'm so excited to be working with you.
5:59
SPEAKER_00: I think already we make such a good team and we balance each other so well, which I think we'll speak to in future episodes.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: But it's just it's been such a dream to get to work with you, and I'm excited to be on this other journey with you.
6:16
SPEAKER_01: I am too.
6:16
SPEAKER_01: I'm super excited.
6:17
SPEAKER_01: You know, this uh the dream of the op seat came about two years ago.
6:23
SPEAKER_01: I wrote it down on paper, I started building it out, um, and then I brought it to you and you made it come alive.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: So Yeah, I mean, I was like, so yeah, it's funny because we were sitting on your couch um in your first house in in Texas, and I don't even know how we got on this topic.
6:45
SPEAKER_00: I don't remember.
6:46
SPEAKER_00: But you told me about the podcast, and I was like, that would be fun.
6:50
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
6:51
SPEAKER_00: Like, how serious are you?
6:52
SPEAKER_00: And then I felt bad because I didn't want to like take over your idea or your dream.
6:57
SPEAKER_02: Not at all.
6:58
SPEAKER_00: And then I was like, oh shoot, maybe I've like overstepped and now like what if he doesn't want to do the podcast like with somebody?
7:04
SPEAKER_00: What if he wanted it all by himself?
7:07
SPEAKER_01: And I felt bad, but No, I definitely it it definitely wouldn't have been able to come about without you.
7:13
SPEAKER_01: Oh, thanks.
7:14
SPEAKER_01: Uh it was just a pipe dream until you joined.
7:18
SPEAKER_01: So you made it come alive.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: You made me come alive, Landon.
7:22
SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to get into it with you.
7:24
SPEAKER_01: No, we're definitely gonna have some uh fun episodes and you know, lots to talk about.
7:29
SPEAKER_01: Um, we definitely need our audience to give us some prompts and you know, questions, stories.
7:35
SPEAKER_01: We'd love some stories to give some feedback on and uh our experience.
7:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes, for sure.
7:41
SPEAKER_00: So if you are listening to this on like Spotify or Apple Podcasts uh or Apple Music, you can, I'm sure we'll put a link to our form that you can fill out.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: It's just a simple little questionnaire.
7:55
SPEAKER_00: Um, and you can fill out like a question or you can just share a story.
7:59
SPEAKER_00: But please do that.
8:00
SPEAKER_00: If you're watching on YouTube, then we'll definitely link it there as well.
8:04
SPEAKER_00: But it would be great to have.
8:06
SPEAKER_00: I know we have a few questions already, so we'll probably tackle those on our second episode.
8:11
SPEAKER_00: But if you can please share your thoughts, your questions, and we will address them on the podcast.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: It'll be fun.
8:19
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
8:19
SPEAKER_01: No, and your journeys, um, whether you're operations leaders or you're in operations yourself.
8:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we'd love to hear anything from you, uh, learn from you guys.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: And yeah, hopefully we can teach a thing or two as well as share some of the wild ride that we've been on.
8:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's been a shorter journey for me than you, but we definitely have some stories.
8:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you have years of experience for sure.
8:43
SPEAKER_00: And I feel like, yeah, I mean, growing with one firm for 15 years has been such a blessing.
8:51
SPEAKER_00: But you also, I'm also always curious and I love to learn from other, you know, other operators and other business owners that, you know, are in our industry or not in our industry.
9:03
SPEAKER_00: So if you're even, you know, not in the finance world, but you, you know, help run a business or you own a business or you're an operator for a business, this is definitely the spot for you too, because I feel like operations is it's more than just about processes, which I think people um can kind of misunderstand what we do every day.
9:24
SPEAKER_00: A lot of it is working with people and different personalities and being a strong leader.
9:31
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, there's no such thing as a perfect leader.
9:34
SPEAKER_00: I feel like we're all learning as we go, but that's that's one of my favorite parts of operations is leading a team and being part of a team and watching people succeed on your team.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: I think it's the most rewarding part.
9:49
SPEAKER_01: What's your favorite part?
9:50
SPEAKER_01: No, I definitely um helping people grow, watching people grow, you know, even um with my time here, just watching some of the team grow and uh step into an uncomfortable situation of, you know, hey, there's this South Carolina boy coming into our um what was comfortable to everybody.
10:08
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
10:08
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, just seeing the team grow with uh me joining.
10:12
SPEAKER_01: Um and you know, just being able to be a part of that growth, to be a part of the success of the business and just, you know, fine-tuning the individuals, the people.
10:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, it's so funny you say process and people, you know, it's uh processes, people, and projects.
10:29
SPEAKER_01: I feel like those are the three things that we're always working on.
10:31
SPEAKER_01: I had a leader one time tell me about that.
10:33
SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
10:34
SPEAKER_01: Um I if you nail down operations, I feel like those are the three top things that you work on.
10:39
SPEAKER_01: Uh me, you know, people are are my favorites, uh, but I do enjoy a good process and project as well.
10:47
SPEAKER_01: So yes.
10:48
SPEAKER_00: And I think the people side of it is I have a psychology background, so I went to college and um studied a lot of psychology.
10:57
SPEAKER_00: So I really enjoy learning about different personalities and the Enneagram, which we'll get into as well.
11:04
SPEAKER_00: We could we'll probably do a whole episode on that.
11:07
SPEAKER_00: But um, but yeah, I would say your balance here for me has been so instrumental in people leadership because you are so great at it.
11:19
SPEAKER_00: And you really balance my um, you know, sometimes I can be a little too harsh or too direct, or I just don't, you know, I'm not aware of how I come across.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: And so you really balance me in that way because I am very process-oriented.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: So I think out of all the, you know, people, projects, and process, like I think I'm strongest on like process and projects.
11:43
SPEAKER_00: People is probably the one thing that I'm still learning and refining as I go.
11:48
SPEAKER_00: And obviously I'm learning processes and projects, but I'm much better at that part, I think, and getting things done.
11:54
SPEAKER_00: Um and you are just I'm not saying I'm much better than you.
11:59
SPEAKER_00: I'm just saying like you are fabulous at the people part, far, far more fabulous than me.
12:05
SPEAKER_01: So thank you.
12:06
SPEAKER_01: No, I you you're wonderful with the people.
12:08
SPEAKER_01: Um, and like Connor, like you said, we'll get more into the Enneagram, but yeah, you helped me grow as a leader so much because you helped me uh sometimes everybody doesn't have to like you as a leader, and that's what it's gonna be, and that's part of leadership.
12:21
SPEAKER_01: Um you spoke to learning as a leader.
12:24
SPEAKER_01: I don't believe you can be a leader if you're not constantly learning and you're not constantly wanting to grow, you're not constantly wanting your team to grow.
12:31
SPEAKER_01: And so finding the balance between the two of us, um, and you know, our personalities, because I can definitely be too nice sometimes, and uh I definitely know that, but you know, you've really helped me learn to step up and to say it's okay if somebody gets upset at me because I don't have to always have everybody like me.
12:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean I think it's hard.
12:51
SPEAKER_00: Like I always want everyone to like me too.
12:54
SPEAKER_00: Um I think that's just human nature.
12:56
SPEAKER_00: And it's like the hardest part of leadership is learning.
12:59
SPEAKER_00: Like I feel like everyone strives to be in a management position.
13:03
SPEAKER_00: Like when you're working a job, you're, you know, you're like, oh, I if only I could be a manager, I could, you know, do X, Y, and Z.
13:11
SPEAKER_00: And it's like it doesn't really, it's has its perks, yes, but it has a lot of uh challenges involved and a lot of mentally taxing um loads that you carry.
13:26
SPEAKER_00: And someone once told me that leadership is a lonely place to be, and it's it is very true because you can't, you can't vent to anybody at work.
13:37
SPEAKER_00: Um, you can't uh show that you're upset with somebody at work.
13:42
SPEAKER_00: You have to remain, you know, unbiased and uh, you know, just doing what's best for the team as a whole and the the business as a whole.
13:50
SPEAKER_00: And it's hard to do that sometimes, especially when you know that someone's going to someone's going to be upset.
13:57
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
13:57
SPEAKER_00: Um and you feel like maybe you're you're part of, you know, betraying that person or doing something that they're not going to like when you really love them and care about them, but it's just not what's best for the business or the team.
14:11
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it's definitely challenging for sure.
14:15
SPEAKER_00: And so if you have any stories to share, if you would like feedback on that, that's one thing that we'll get into a lot is you know, people leadership and how to manage that.
14:24
SPEAKER_00: I think that will be super important and something that not a lot of people talk about unfiltered, frankly.
14:32
SPEAKER_00: And I'm great at being unfiltered.
14:34
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, just ask us anything.
14:37
SPEAKER_00: Um I will preface that by saying, like, I hope that our team listens to our podcast.
14:44
SPEAKER_00: I'm sure some of them will.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: And I I love everyone on our team.
14:48
SPEAKER_00: I think we're all fabulous humans.
14:51
SPEAKER_00: And it's, you know, it's just, it's fun to be authentically yourself when you're able to be with your team.
14:59
SPEAKER_00: Um and so yeah, if you're if you're on our team and you're listening, you know me.
15:04
SPEAKER_00: So I'm just unfiltered and I will say whatever.
15:08
SPEAKER_01: Oh yes.
15:08
SPEAKER_01: And you articulated that much better.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's not always that, you know, people aren't gonna like you.
15:13
SPEAKER_01: It's more of, you know, you're you can't appease everybody in the room.
15:16
SPEAKER_01: And that's definitely uh part of leadership.
15:18
SPEAKER_01: And like you said, it's it's a lonely place to be.
15:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, but you know, I I'm very thankful to have you by my side to talk things out and you know, to really, okay, I I'm worried about doing this, but you know, you you really ground me and bring me back to hey, this is what a good leader decision makes.
15:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:37
SPEAKER_01: Um and so and vice versa, for sure.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
15:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:41
SPEAKER_00: Definitely.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: But I've had my moments and Landon is like, uh I don't think I would say it that way.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, okay, that's fair.
15:49
SPEAKER_00: That's fair.
15:49
SPEAKER_00: That that won't land well.
15:52
SPEAKER_01: It's all about talking it out in that throughout thought process sometimes.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, for sure.
15:57
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I feel like I'm just excited to get into some nitty-gritty with you.
16:03
SPEAKER_00: I think it'll be helpful for people.
16:06
SPEAKER_00: Um and like I said, there's there's a lot of things about leadership or operations that people try to be um filtered about that I think is a disadvantage sometimes to helping people grow and learn and just believe in themselves because I promise you we've been there too with a lot of issues and a lot of feelings and emotions, and especially as you're building and if you're building um a a very fast growing company or a fast growing team.
16:42
SPEAKER_00: I think that's one of the most challenging parts too, um is trying to manage it all.
16:48
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and the operations side of it, especially, you know.
16:52
SPEAKER_01: Uh and sometimes operations is seen behind the scenes.
16:57
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
16:57
SPEAKER_01: Um and you know, the uh slogan one seat over is, you know, um you kind of see marketing and you see sales and you don't really see the operation side of it, but it's so important.
17:09
SPEAKER_01: And if you don't get the operations side right, then it can be detrimental to sales, it can be detrimental to marketing.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: Um for the fast growing firms, especially.
17:19
SPEAKER_01: If you don't really put in place the individuals, the processes and the projects, you know, that you're you're not gonna be successful.
17:28
SPEAKER_01: And so if if you forget operations completely, uh which you know, uh it some people do.
17:34
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
17:35
SPEAKER_01: And you know, I I don't think that the success between all three um can happen.
17:40
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely.
17:41
SPEAKER_00: I agree.
17:41
SPEAKER_00: I feel like it's very easy to forget the things that you don't see every single day.
17:48
SPEAKER_00: And so as a business owner, a lot of times you're worried about sales, of course.
17:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, you have payroll and you have a livelihood, and so sales kind of becomes the forefront.
17:58
SPEAKER_00: But what you don't realize is, you know, once you make whatever sale it is or bring on whatever client, how will that person or that sale flow through your entire company and what does that look like?
18:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, especially when it's client focused.
18:15
SPEAKER_00: So how are your clients or your customers going to be taken care of?
18:18
SPEAKER_00: How are you going to build that um, you know what word am I looking for?
18:25
SPEAKER_00: The loyalty of your customers to not, you know, to not leave or, you know, to not buy a product from someone else or to not, you know, talk to another advisor.
18:37
SPEAKER_00: So how are you going to keep those people um long term and not just short term, you know, and I that comes with solid operations.
18:47
SPEAKER_00: So I definitely think it's it's extremely vital and a lot, and it's no fault of founders or business owners, but a lot of the time they're blinded by just getting the sale and nothing else on the back end.
19:03
SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, your team and your clients and customers can suffer because of that, um, and your business.
19:10
SPEAKER_01: So and on the other side, you know, your team, your customers, and your business can really thrive if you put a focus on it.
19:18
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
19:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, good operations, good processes.
19:20
SPEAKER_01: And you know, I've I I personally have learned this, and I'm sure you have too, even as an operations focused person.
19:26
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
19:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, just how important it is.
19:28
SPEAKER_01: And y even as an operations leader, it's easy to forget some of the operations.
19:33
SPEAKER_01: Sometimes it's, you know, the uh the process, and you you know, you're trying to figure out a process of everything and you you forget that, you know, hey, I need to document that, or you know, there's certain things about operations that it's just easy to miss because it is something that's behind the scenes so much.
19:51
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
19:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's it's you know something we always tell the team is just how important they are and uh to the entire client or process and onboarding um to taking care and engaging with the client.
20:05
SPEAKER_01: And um just you know, it starts with marketing and then it goes to sales and then it ends with operations.
20:11
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
20:11
SPEAKER_01: And that client relationship management for us, um, you know, that's just as much operations as the onboarding team or the new business team or um the service team.
20:22
SPEAKER_01: Yep.
20:22
SPEAKER_01: Um, so it's it's it's a wild ride and you know, there's so many moving parts that uh even operations leaders, not you know, just founders or anything, you know, we can all uh forget about it sometimes.
20:35
SPEAKER_01: Oh yeah.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's a good point.
20:37
SPEAKER_00: I feel like I move very quickly a lot of the time.
20:40
SPEAKER_00: And so even me being super process oriented or, you know, focused on a project, I can I tend to like just I want to get things done as quickly as possible.
20:52
SPEAKER_00: I like speed, I like to be fast at things, I like to just tackle whatever's in front of me.
20:58
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I'll forget, you know, oh well actually we should be doing X, Y, and Z first, but it's okay.
21:05
SPEAKER_00: I remembered.
21:06
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
21:07
SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, even operators mess it up for sure.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: And it's it's easy to forget.
21:12
SPEAKER_00: And I think that's why it's good to have people talking about it and have it at the forefront of your mind as you're growing a business, or maybe even you you've already grown and you're having, you know, kinks along the way in whatever process you're you're working on.
21:30
SPEAKER_00: Because it sounds simple to build a process, but it really isn't.
21:33
SPEAKER_03: No.
21:34
SPEAKER_00: Like yesterday, we were building a process for something, and me and Landon and I share an office because we're outgrowing our space.
21:41
SPEAKER_00: And oh my gosh.
21:44
SPEAKER_00: We should have filmed that as a podcast.
21:47
SPEAKER_00: That was wild.
21:48
SPEAKER_00: And it's like simple information, but it's just lining it all out is it takes a lot of work, and people are, you know, I love AI.
21:57
SPEAKER_00: We use AI all the time on a daily basis.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Um, but there are some things that AI cannot do for you that you have to use your brain for.
22:06
SPEAKER_00: And this was one of them.
22:07
SPEAKER_00: And it's um it's mentally taxing for sure.
22:11
SPEAKER_01: It definitely was.
22:12
SPEAKER_01: I left here exhausted.
22:13
SPEAKER_01: I know.
22:14
SPEAKER_01: But you know, it was it was a lot of fun too, once it was all finished.
22:18
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, learning everything that we uh whiteboarded the entire process.
22:23
SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, just figuring it all out.
22:26
SPEAKER_01: And there were some times where we were like, where are we in this?
22:29
SPEAKER_00: Or, you know, we're on different wavelengths, some like not understanding.
22:32
SPEAKER_00: Landon wants to like stab me.
22:36
SPEAKER_01: No, but yeah, it was it was a great time, you know, being able, and like you said, AI doesn't know how to, it doesn't know our business.
22:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
22:45
SPEAKER_01: I mean, it knows a little bit about our business, but it doesn't know the operationally processes of our business.
22:52
SPEAKER_01: Or the people that are a part of it, right?
22:55
SPEAKER_00: Like the clients, our team, you know, all of that is a huge factor in processes.
23:01
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and no, you know, each team member, you have to know how they uh handle information or receive information, you know, and AI is not gonna know that.
23:10
SPEAKER_01: So uh every business has a different process base, you know, you have the ground bases for it, but you know, sometimes you adapt adapt those to the team that you have.
23:21
SPEAKER_01: And, you know, as you continue to grow and add or take away or readjust, um, you have to readjust the processes.
23:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
23:30
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely.
23:31
SPEAKER_00: And that on the other side of that, you readjust the processes based on the client or the customer that you want.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: So with that comes more challenges and more process adjustments because eventually in a business, uh, I I feel like this is what everyone wants.
23:49
SPEAKER_00: They want to be able to not have to take in in just any customer.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: They want to be able to, you know, procure a uh business that attracts certain customers over others, just whatever depending on whatever your business is.
24:04
SPEAKER_00: And so yeah, that comes with its own adjustments and processes and procedures and how you operate and what the expectations are.
24:12
SPEAKER_01: So as you grow a business too, you know, you get better at what you do and you go from, you know, when it was just you and two others to six people, you know, and and you get better at what you do with more people.
24:27
SPEAKER_01: You go from generalist to specialist.
24:29
SPEAKER_01: Um you really have to adjust then.
24:32
SPEAKER_01: So uh as I tell the team when we're um rolling out something new or updating something, I this is a living, breathing document that will forever be changed.
24:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
24:44
SPEAKER_00: It's a two-way door decision.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: I like that term.
24:48
SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, it's not a one-way door decision.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: So you can you can walk in through the door and you can walk out through the door if it doesn't work.
24:56
SPEAKER_00: So, or if we don't like how it works.
24:59
SPEAKER_00: Um And then I thought you were gonna say when you were talking about the team, I thought you were gonna say about uh talk about our bad word in the office.
25:08
SPEAKER_01: Our bad word, yeah.
25:09
SPEAKER_01: We adopted a bad word this year.
25:11
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Landon adopted our first bad word.
25:14
SPEAKER_01: Uh so we got rid of the word change.
25:19
SPEAKER_01: Um, so we're no longer using the word change.
25:21
SPEAKER_01: It has such a negative connotation to it.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: I know.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: I love change.
25:25
SPEAKER_01: But growing up, you can ask Robin.
25:27
SPEAKER_01: Growing up, I changed my room at least once a month.
25:30
SPEAKER_00: Yes, it's like the the dopamine of like the dopamine hit of something new and exciting.
25:35
SPEAKER_00: The change.
25:36
SPEAKER_01: You couldn't have much decision as a young child, but my parents allowed me to decide the layout of my bedroom.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: So but yeah, I think like when you talk change um and people hear the word change, it's it's just it's scary, I think.
25:50
SPEAKER_01: Maybe maybe scary rather than bad.
25:52
SPEAKER_01: Um, but so all that to say is we got rid of the word change and we are evolving.
25:59
SPEAKER_00: Evolving.
26:01
SPEAKER_01: So we love the word evolve.
26:03
SPEAKER_01: Um, it has such a brighter and wider aspect to it.
26:08
SPEAKER_01: You know, you're um when I say the word evolve, I just I think um the you know, glass ceiling.
26:14
SPEAKER_01: And yes, you know, as you continue to evolve, you grow.
26:18
SPEAKER_01: And you whatever blue sky, um, and you know, as we continue to talk with the Enneagram, we'll talk about our blue sky founders and um you know how they're constantly give throwing us ideas.
26:31
SPEAKER_01: And so I thought it was, you know, the perfect word for us here.
26:34
SPEAKER_01: Um, and you know, for myself too.
26:36
SPEAKER_00: There was a lot of change in my life over the past you've dealt with a lot of a lot of evolving.
26:41
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
26:42
SPEAKER_01: So we use that way.
26:43
SPEAKER_01: So evolving, I know it's bad, but that's the last time I'll use it.
26:46
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
26:46
SPEAKER_01: But it uh yeah, my life has been evolving, and you know, I've been growing, and my personal life has been evolving, my professional life has been evolving, my surroundings have been evolving.
26:59
SPEAKER_01: So just moved into my uh home here in San Antonio.
27:03
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I love his new.
27:05
SPEAKER_00: Is it?
27:05
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I guess it's a town home, right?
27:07
SPEAKER_01: Uh Zillos is a single family home.
27:09
SPEAKER_00: Oh, okay.
27:11
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't touch walls with anybody.
27:13
SPEAKER_00: Excuse me.
27:14
SPEAKER_00: Yes, he has a three-story single family home.
27:17
SPEAKER_00: I just with an outside, like a rooftop patio.
27:20
SPEAKER_00: So I'm just saying.
27:21
SPEAKER_01: We're so excited for the rooftop patio that looks over the skyline of San Antonio.
27:26
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
27:27
SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm on a five-minute walk to Starbucks, so that's dangerous.
27:30
SPEAKER_03: I know.
27:31
SPEAKER_01: And uh yeah, the hospital's there too.
27:33
SPEAKER_01: So yes, if Robin, if you're listening, no worries.
27:36
SPEAKER_00: Oh yes, Robin, it is so safe.
27:38
SPEAKER_00: And yes, the hospital, we could I could literally carry Landon on my back if need be.
27:44
SPEAKER_01: I don't know about that.
27:44
SPEAKER_01: I'm a pretty big guy.
27:45
SPEAKER_00: No, I could.
27:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm very strong.
27:47
SPEAKER_00: So yes, I love and your neighbors are so sweet and nice.
27:52
SPEAKER_00: And yes, Robin, we're taking very good care of him.
27:54
SPEAKER_00: They are.
27:55
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
27:56
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited for you to make dinner because I'm not much of a cook.
27:59
SPEAKER_00: So I'll come over.
28:00
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
28:01
SPEAKER_00: You make dinner, I'll bring the wine, and we'll just, you know, maybe we should set up another studio there.
28:07
SPEAKER_00: Ooh, a rooftop studio.
28:09
SPEAKER_00: A rooftop, oh live from the rooftop.
28:12
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I really do a live.
28:14
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
28:15
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
28:16
SPEAKER_00: Tell us if you want a live.
28:17
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you know.
28:18
SPEAKER_01: TikTok live.
28:19
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
28:21
SPEAKER_01: That'd be fun.
28:22
SPEAKER_01: Maybe, who knows?
28:23
SPEAKER_01: The podcast is ever evolving.
28:25
SPEAKER_00: It is.
28:26
SPEAKER_01: So who knows?
28:27
SPEAKER_01: Just like us.
28:28
SPEAKER_01: Just like us.
28:29
SPEAKER_03: Mm-hmm.