1172: How Operations Sees & Handles Growth w/ Marti Powles

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.519 Are you struggling to come up with original content weekend and week out? Start 2 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:09.189 a podcast, interview your ideal clients, let them talk about what they care 3 00:00:09.230 --> 00:00:14.589 about most and never run out of content ideas again. Learn more at sweet 4 00:00:14.589 --> 00:00:23.699 fish Mediacom. You're listening to be tob growth, a daily podcast for B 5 00:00:23.820 --> 00:00:28.059 TOB leaders. We've interviewed names you've probably heard before, like Gary Vannerd truck 6 00:00:28.140 --> 00:00:32.020 and Simon Senek, but you've probably never heard from the majority of our guests. 7 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:36.649 That's because the bulk of our interviews aren't with professional speakers and authors. 8 00:00:37.210 --> 00:00:41.090 Most of our guests are in the trenches leading sales and marketing teams. They're 9 00:00:41.090 --> 00:00:46.570 implementing strategy, they're experimenting with tactics, they're building the fastest growing BB companies 10 00:00:46.609 --> 00:00:49.770 in the world. My name is James Carberry. I'm the founder of sweet 11 00:00:49.770 --> 00:00:53.399 fish media, a podcast agency for BB brands, and I'm also one of 12 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:57.439 the cohosts of the show. When we're not interviewing sales and marketing leaders, 13 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.280 you'll hear stories from behind the scenes of our own business. Will share the 14 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.549 ups and downs of our journey as we attempt to take over the world. 15 00:01:04.189 --> 00:01:15.349 Just getting well, maybe let's get into the show. Welcome back to be 16 00:01:15.510 --> 00:01:18.659 tob growth. I'm Logan lyles with sweet fish media. I've got with me 17 00:01:18.739 --> 00:01:23.459 today Marty powlas. She is the chief operating officer over at new benefits. 18 00:01:23.500 --> 00:01:26.540 Marty, how you doing today? Doing Great. Thank you for having me, 19 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:30.299 Logan. Absolutely it is a pleasure to have you. Marty. We're 20 00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:34.569 going to be talking about growth from an operations perspective but, as you and 21 00:01:34.650 --> 00:01:37.849 I were chatting a little bit offline, I think it's going to have implications 22 00:01:38.010 --> 00:01:42.769 for sales, marketing and anyone who's contributing to company growth, especially with the 23 00:01:42.409 --> 00:01:47.010 organizational structure you guys have over at new benefits. That I think folks are 24 00:01:47.049 --> 00:01:49.560 going to be excited to hear about and really learn from. But before we 25 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:53.200 get into the conversation today, Marty, I would love for you to tea 26 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:57.480 folks up with a little bit of background on yourself and with the team over 27 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:00.760 at new benefits is up to these days. Sounds Great. My name is 28 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:05.069 Marty Palace. I've been with new benefits for twenty five years. We're a 29 00:02:05.189 --> 00:02:10.509 company that is getting ready to celebrate our thirty is anniversary. We are wholesaler 30 00:02:10.789 --> 00:02:20.379 of non ensured benefits focused on the Insurance Association affinity business model. So we 31 00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:28.099 work directly with insurance companies, agencies, associations financial institutions that want to sell 32 00:02:28.099 --> 00:02:35.210 additional products to their consumer base, and we pride ourselves on working with our 33 00:02:35.210 --> 00:02:42.530 customers to augment the services they already have just to make themselves even more valuable 34 00:02:42.569 --> 00:02:46.159 to their customer base. I love it so, Marty, as you and 35 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:50.919 I were talking a little bit offline, a big part of your growth story 36 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:53.080 at new benefits, which I didn't even realize. You know, Thirty Year 37 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:57.159 Company, you've been there for twenty five years, so you've seen. You've 38 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.069 seen a lot, I'm sure, good, bad and indifferent along the way. 39 00:03:00.110 --> 00:03:05.669 So that's why I'm really excited to dig into this conversation. You mentioned 40 00:03:05.949 --> 00:03:09.509 something that's always been a part of your culture, that has really been the 41 00:03:09.629 --> 00:03:14.819 key fuel to your growth, is really listening to your customers and having that 42 00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:19.539 feed the innovation that you're consistently shriving for in a regular basis. Could you 43 00:03:19.620 --> 00:03:23.099 speak to that a little bit as we kick things off today? Yes, 44 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:28.169 we've learned over the years that if you listen closely to what your customers are 45 00:03:28.169 --> 00:03:32.169 saying to you that it will really spur either they need for a new product 46 00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:37.729 or potentially a new service or toll that you're going to build, and we 47 00:03:37.849 --> 00:03:42.639 brought ourselves on paying attention to what they're looking for, what they're saying to 48 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:47.919 us. It has really prompted us to build some custom print solutions for our 49 00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:57.389 customers, custom products within the portfolio, as well as the just the way 50 00:03:57.550 --> 00:04:02.509 our client services and member Services Department response to the business. I love what 51 00:04:02.550 --> 00:04:04.949 you're talking about there, Marty, and I know the next thing you want 52 00:04:05.030 --> 00:04:10.539 to share with listeners is really about having the right people in right places. 53 00:04:10.740 --> 00:04:14.860 As you're listening to customers, as you're figuring out what things do you needed 54 00:04:14.900 --> 00:04:15.980 to pull up, what do you need to offer? How do you need 55 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:20.420 to tweak your product or change your service for a better customer experience? It 56 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:25.970 becomes giving the right people in the right places. It's a little bit about 57 00:04:26.129 --> 00:04:28.610 you know some of the lessons you, guys, I've learned in that area 58 00:04:29.009 --> 00:04:34.009 over your thirty years of growth. Yes, so, our president and CEO 59 00:04:34.250 --> 00:04:42.959 and myself work closely with the managers and the departments to identify where the gaps 60 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.839 are within the business, based on any new initiatives we have going on and 61 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:51.910 identify if we have the right resources within the business to fill those gaps. 62 00:04:53.430 --> 00:04:58.509 Often Times that means that we may create a position that's never existed before promote 63 00:04:58.589 --> 00:05:01.029 somebody within the business into that position. We have a lot of people to 64 00:05:01.189 --> 00:05:09.180 have started in our customer service department and evolved within the business or in our 65 00:05:09.420 --> 00:05:15.339 members are client services department and evolved. So our evp of operations started as 66 00:05:15.420 --> 00:05:19.579 a client service wrap and she identified some areas within the business that we needed 67 00:05:19.779 --> 00:05:29.250 to improve and, looking at her recommendations, we took her thoughts and created 68 00:05:29.250 --> 00:05:36.120 a position that was first just the operations assistant position and then she became then 69 00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:41.959 a relation of vice president in two relations and now she's Ev evp of operations. 70 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:47.319 The president of our company started in member services and became the supervisor for 71 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:55.709 member services and then became vice president of member services and client services and has 72 00:05:55.829 --> 00:06:00.230 evolved to now being a president of a company. So we find that paying 73 00:06:00.269 --> 00:06:06.139 attention to the skill set that you have within the business and what they are 74 00:06:06.420 --> 00:06:12.379 offering is important to continue to grow your business. Yeah, absolutely, I 75 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:15.980 can attest to that. In a couple of stops along my career. I 76 00:06:15.100 --> 00:06:20.129 can remember a previous company I was a part of where folks move from service 77 00:06:20.250 --> 00:06:25.569 to sales because of looking at the skill set, in the knowledge that they 78 00:06:25.610 --> 00:06:30.649 had. Oftentimes, that sort of flexibility and kind of shuffling around of people 79 00:06:30.970 --> 00:06:34.079 in the seats on the bus, if you will, it can cause some 80 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:39.800 disruption. It can mean that you've got to do some really good change management 81 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:43.639 and as much planning as you can. But I've seen it on our own 82 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:47.269 team here. We've had folks who were in an administrative role that we're really 83 00:06:47.350 --> 00:06:51.709 keen to start helping on the social media side of the business. We've had, 84 00:06:53.029 --> 00:06:56.949 you know, a producer in Jeremy Woman here on the team who you 85 00:06:57.029 --> 00:07:00.430 know, really has a lot of video skills in as we've built out that 86 00:07:00.709 --> 00:07:02.939 piece of our business. He's kind of leading the charge there. And so 87 00:07:03.259 --> 00:07:05.860 when you have a lot of that change it becomes a lot to manage. 88 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:10.180 But I think it does two things. You alluded to one of them there, 89 00:07:10.259 --> 00:07:13.779 Marty, is it improves the customer experience because people who have been on 90 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:18.490 the team for a while they recognize some of those gaps in your service or 91 00:07:18.730 --> 00:07:23.329 things that are missing from what you're offering your customers and at the same time 92 00:07:23.410 --> 00:07:27.250 it allows you to grow because you retain people longer or giving them this kind 93 00:07:27.250 --> 00:07:30.759 of flexible career path within the company. It's not that. Well, you 94 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:33.680 started out as an inside sales wrapping, the only path for you is to 95 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:39.040 an enterprise account executive into the VP of sales, and if you don't want 96 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.920 to do that and there's not a place for you. So I think it's 97 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:45.829 kind of twofold fueling your growth there, as you have that flexibility to, 98 00:07:45.870 --> 00:07:48.470 you know, potentially change around the seats on the bus. If you will, 99 00:07:48.790 --> 00:07:53.670 Marty, talk a little bit about you know, we touched on change 100 00:07:53.709 --> 00:07:58.389 management there when it comes to rolls people career path, but what about reviewing 101 00:07:58.660 --> 00:08:01.819 processes from an operations perspective? I bet you've got a few things to talk 102 00:08:01.860 --> 00:08:07.540 about there as well. Yes, so we feel it we one have to 103 00:08:07.660 --> 00:08:13.970 constantly review processes through the existing employees, but we also encourage new employees when 104 00:08:15.009 --> 00:08:20.290 they come on to learn what the processes are and then question those processes. 105 00:08:20.610 --> 00:08:24.410 And if the answer is that's what is always that's how we've always done it, 106 00:08:24.970 --> 00:08:28.879 that's the wrong answer and we need to ask more questions and we feel 107 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:35.360 like it's important to always be questioning whether the process still fits based on the 108 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.879 evolution of the business and the changes that have happened. So don't know that 109 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:45.389 we could ever say that there is just one set way in time in which 110 00:08:45.429 --> 00:08:50.549 the process is get reviewed as much as it's this continuous encourage encouragement of our 111 00:08:50.629 --> 00:08:54.820 employees to question, to look at what is being done and make sure that 112 00:08:54.940 --> 00:09:00.379 it still makes sense. Hey, everybody, logan with sweet fish here. 113 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:03.539 If you've been listening to the show for a while, you know we're big 114 00:09:03.659 --> 00:09:07.139 proponents of putting out original, organic content on linked in, but one thing 115 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:11.129 that's always been a struggle for a team like ours is to easily track the 116 00:09:11.250 --> 00:09:15.970 reach of that linkedin content. That's why I was really excited when I heard 117 00:09:15.970 --> 00:09:18.570 about shield the other day from a connection on, you guessed it, linked 118 00:09:18.649 --> 00:09:22.529 in. Since our team started using shield, I've loved how it's let us 119 00:09:22.649 --> 00:09:28.360 easily track and analyze the performance of our linkedin content without having to manually log 120 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:35.120 it ourselves. It automatically creates reports and generates some dashboards that are incredibly useful 121 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.990 to see things like what content has been performing the best and what days of 122 00:09:39.070 --> 00:09:43.549 the week are we getting the most engagement and our average views proposed. I'd 123 00:09:43.590 --> 00:09:46.549 highly suggest you guys check out this tool if you're putting out content on Linkedin, 124 00:09:46.789 --> 00:09:50.629 and if you're not, you should be. It's been a game changer 125 00:09:50.710 --> 00:09:54.620 for us. If you go to shield APP DOT AI and check out the 126 00:09:54.779 --> 00:09:58.419 ten day free trial, you can even use our promo code be to be 127 00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:03.259 growth to get a twenty five percent discount. Again, that's shield APP DOT 128 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:07.450 AI and that Promo Code is be the number to the growth. All one 129 00:10:07.529 --> 00:10:15.129 word. All right, let's get back to the show. So tell me 130 00:10:15.169 --> 00:10:18.690 a little bit. It sounds like you guys have this culture where folks need 131 00:10:18.809 --> 00:10:24.399 to understand that, hey, there is this continual state of change, which 132 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:28.080 is exciting. It means there's more opportunity, it means there's constant improvement, 133 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:31.240 but it also means that, you know, some people might have a little 134 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:37.029 bit more unease with that, depending on their personality type or, you know, 135 00:10:37.110 --> 00:10:41.669 their experience in the past where this mindset of continual change and growth just 136 00:10:41.870 --> 00:10:46.350 hasn't been their experience before. I know you know we've seen that internally on 137 00:10:46.509 --> 00:10:48.950 our team. So I'd love to hear from you as a leader within the 138 00:10:48.990 --> 00:10:52.779 business with, you know, twenty five plus years looking at all of this 139 00:10:52.940 --> 00:10:56.580 change management and the change happening. What are some of the things that you 140 00:10:56.659 --> 00:11:01.059 guys do to either identify the folks that will thrive in that environment or just 141 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:07.769 help set expectations for life within that environment? Right? That's a great question. 142 00:11:07.889 --> 00:11:11.169 I think one of the things that we do that may be different than 143 00:11:11.330 --> 00:11:20.200 some companies is how we handle our interview process. So our HR and hiring 144 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:26.759 managers are very involved in the initial interviewing stages and once they've identified some key 145 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:31.559 candidates that they feel are good fit for the organization, than either the President 146 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:37.029 of the company or myself, or both of us, interview those candidates for 147 00:11:37.509 --> 00:11:43.230 culture fit and we're looking to see if they are up for that challenge of 148 00:11:43.590 --> 00:11:46.340 continuous change, if they're here for the journey and want to be a part 149 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:52.620 of building something exciting and not just coming for a job. Because if they 150 00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:58.059 don't have that mindset, if they're not interested in really being part of change, 151 00:11:58.860 --> 00:12:03.570 then they're going to get frustrated, they're not going to be successful. 152 00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:09.129 It's just going to create disruption for everybody involved. So we feel like it's 153 00:12:09.129 --> 00:12:13.370 really important to find that right fit from the beginning and then we encourage people 154 00:12:13.649 --> 00:12:18.159 to make sure that that they want to be here, that they enjoy what 155 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:24.279 they're doing and that they want to make a difference for the organization, and 156 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:28.399 I think that's what helps them to be comfortable with the continual change. That 157 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.190 makes a lot of sense kind of getting out in front of that, having 158 00:12:31.230 --> 00:12:37.350 that very candid conversation with higher levels of leadership in the interview process. Is 159 00:12:37.470 --> 00:12:41.230 opposed to just okay, let's bring anybody we can that can fill a seat 160 00:12:41.269 --> 00:12:45.539 and that can do this job, but are they a fit for this environment 161 00:12:45.779 --> 00:12:48.460 of continuous change? Which leads me to my last question for you, Marty. 162 00:12:48.460 --> 00:12:52.460 I was really intrigued, as you were sharing with me before, about 163 00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:58.019 really your flat organizational structure. You mentioned being the Coeo. You have some 164 00:12:58.179 --> 00:13:03.289 other functional roles within the business that don't normally fit within operations, finance, 165 00:13:03.370 --> 00:13:07.730 compliance, it sales, rolling up to you and you kind of overseeing all 166 00:13:07.769 --> 00:13:11.889 of those. Tell us a little bit about how that's maybe a little bit 167 00:13:11.929 --> 00:13:15.759 different than other structures and what are some of the benefits and challenges there. 168 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:18.200 It sounds like you know that flat organizational structure. I heard a little bit 169 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.879 of it there and you and your president getting involved early in the hiring process, 170 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:26.120 which I think is a little bit a typical and has some benefits for 171 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:28.789 you guys. I'd love for you to kind of expand on that a little 172 00:13:28.830 --> 00:13:33.789 bit here. Yes, I think part of it is that our company started, 173 00:13:33.950 --> 00:13:37.789 when I started with company twenty five years ago, I was the fifth 174 00:13:37.830 --> 00:13:43.940 employee in the company and so when you're a small company, everybody wears a 175 00:13:43.980 --> 00:13:46.059 lot of hats and everybody learns to do a little bit of everything that is 176 00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:52.940 required to make the company successful. And as you grow it's really easy to 177 00:13:52.179 --> 00:13:58.529 lose some of the those touch points and some of the connections that you had 178 00:13:58.690 --> 00:14:01.129 when you were a small company and we felt like it was really important to 179 00:14:01.169 --> 00:14:07.529 keep that culture and keep that same environment. So our CEO is extremely involved 180 00:14:07.570 --> 00:14:13.720 and connected with our day to day operations. Myself and the president are involved 181 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:18.039 in all the day to day operations and we feel like it's important that we're 182 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:22.240 all willing to roll or sleeves up and get involved in whatever it is that 183 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:28.830 needs to be done. I do, as CEO, have unique role of 184 00:14:28.950 --> 00:14:35.070 having sales, it finance, as well as our EVP of operations all reporting 185 00:14:35.190 --> 00:14:41.500 to me and while that may sound odd, the value to that is that 186 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:46.379 we sell what we create and we create what we're going to sell and we 187 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:50.220 make sure that we're going to be able to deliver on what is being sold 188 00:14:50.860 --> 00:14:56.490 because we're all connected and aligned and paying attention to those talk tracks, as 189 00:14:56.570 --> 00:15:05.529 well as the deliverables internally that are required whenever sales is out bullet promising sometimes 190 00:15:05.730 --> 00:15:11.000 something that doesn't currently exist and we have to find ways to make that happen. 191 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:15.399 It's the flexibility that we have as an organization that has also really been 192 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:20.080 a key to making a successful and they'll the last thirty years. Yeah, 193 00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:24.029 I really hear what you're saying there, Marty. I don't mean to keep 194 00:15:24.110 --> 00:15:26.870 bringing it back to sweet fish, but so many of the things that you're 195 00:15:26.909 --> 00:15:31.470 talking about our I see parallels within our own organization. I mean we're a 196 00:15:31.549 --> 00:15:33.870 good bit behind you guys in our own growth story, but you know, 197 00:15:33.990 --> 00:15:39.299 joining as employee number for seeing the growth we've had over the last year and 198 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:43.179 a half, I can definitely relate to that. Just one trying to keep 199 00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:48.740 that that same feel when you're at an early stage as much as possible and 200 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:54.250 also keeping that tight loop between customer success. In our case, you know, 201 00:15:54.409 --> 00:15:58.610 producers that are producing podcast and sales and what you said about, you 202 00:15:58.690 --> 00:16:03.049 know, selling something that doesn't exist yet. We are very much in line 203 00:16:03.049 --> 00:16:07.080 with you guys trying to be a nimble, Agile Organization and responding to what 204 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.440 our customers need. And sometimes that means you're having conversations about what you'd like 205 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:15.080 to deliver in what your customers will want before you have the processes and you 206 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:19.710 have everything worked out. So you need that tight interaction, you need that 207 00:16:19.750 --> 00:16:26.269 alignment between all the the moving parts of the organization. So anyhow, I 208 00:16:26.549 --> 00:16:30.429 just from my own experience, can really hear the truth in what you're sharing, 209 00:16:30.509 --> 00:16:33.220 Marty. I think it's great advice and great lessons learned for our listeners 210 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:37.340 today. So, on that note, if anybody listening to this would like 211 00:16:37.419 --> 00:16:40.620 to stay connected with you, reach out, ask any follow up questions, 212 00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:44.740 pick your brain on operations or growth in general party. What's the best way 213 00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:47.850 for them to reach out or stay connected with you guys? The best way 214 00:16:47.929 --> 00:16:53.090 is to reach us at New Benefitscom as our website and my contact information is 215 00:16:53.210 --> 00:16:59.970 on the website and you can also find me on Linkedin and I'd love to 216 00:17:00.009 --> 00:17:03.480 visit with anybody who would like to learn more about how we've become what we 217 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:07.720 have in the last foot thirty years. I love it. Well, congratulations 218 00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:11.319 on your success and best wishes as you guys continue your growth story. Marty, 219 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.759 this has been a great conversation. Thank you so much for coming on 220 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:15.470 the show today. Thank you, Logan, and I look forward to watching 221 00:17:15.509 --> 00:17:22.190 your continued growths as well, and thank you so much. We totally get 222 00:17:22.230 --> 00:17:26.910 it. We publish a ton of content on this podcast and it can be 223 00:17:26.029 --> 00:17:30.539 a lot to keep up with. That's why we've started the B tob growth 224 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:34.259 big three, a no fluff email that bools down our three biggest takeaways from 225 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:41.019 an entire week of episodes. Sign up today at Sweet Phish Mediacom Big Three. 226 00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:44.690 That sweet PHISH MEDIACOM Big Three