IN BUSINESS JUNE 2015
PLUS:
•DealerBuilt expanding nationwide •Marketing is everything •It’s good to recharge! •Advice and more
The Kinseth Brand: On the grow in MC
J2 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
Growth & Development COVER STORY: From ‘accidental’ beginnings, Kinseth Hospitality now operates some 70 hotels
business and our parents stressed work ethics.” It was Kinseth’s parCLEAR LAKE — Kinseth Hospitality has come a ents, Ken and Cyrena Kinseth, who fell into long way from “accidentally” falling into the hotel the hotel business in the business in the late 1940s late 1940s. Ken owned Kinseth to operating around 70 Heating and Plumbing hotels today. in Belmond and when a “We’re a very handson organization,” said Les customer didn’t have the Kinseth, president. “We’re money to pay a bill he “accidentally got into the all involved in the busihotel business,” Kinseth ness. We grew up in the LAURA BIRD
laura.bird@globegazette.com
said. The customer gave Ken a 15-room strip hotel as payment. “My parents ran the hotel and ended up building a couple more,” Kinseth said. EVENTUALLY, KEN AND CYRENA bought the Cliff House in Decorah and expanded it to 108 rooms and a very large restaurant operation, Kinseth said.
JEFF HEINZ,The Globe Gazette
Les Kinseth, president of Kinseth Hospitality Cos., says the new Hampton Inn & Suites being built on the site of the now-demolished Clarion Inn in Mason City should do well in this market. In 1965 Ken sold the plumbing business to his siblings and moved Cyrena, Kinseth and his three siblings to Decorah.
“Myself and my siblings grew up doing anything and everything in the hotel business,” Kinseth said. In 1977 — around the
time Kinseth and his siblings began graduating from college — the family sold the Cliff House
See KINSETH, J3
Rendering from Hampton Inn & Suites Mason City Facebook page.
In Business: June 2015 Publisher: Howard Query 641-421-0500 howard.query@globegazette.com Managing Editor: Jane Reynolds 641-421-0564 jane.reynolds@globegazette.com Design Editor: Tom Thoma 641-421-0566 tom.thoma@globegazette.com
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KINSETH: Franchises experimenting with smartphones From J2 but also purchased a Best Western in Council Bluffs. In 1981, Kinseth Hospitality bought the Best Western in Clear Lake. KINSETH MOVED to Clear Lake where he served as general manager and his sister Linda Skinner, now vice president, managed the Council Bluffs location. A year or two later the company bought a property in Coralville, which sibling Bruce Kinseth, now executive vice president, managed. Fourth sibling Gary Kinseth, vice president, lives in Mason City. “We operated the three through 1989 when we started taking on third-party management,” Kinseth said. It was also in 1989 that the company bought the former Holiday Inn/Clarion Inn property in Mason City. Today, Kinseth Hospitality, which has corporate headquarters in North Liberty and an office in Clear Lake, operates about 70 hotels in 13 states. Kinseth said half of the hotels are third-party management and the other half are owned by Kinseth Hospitality. The company provides management for organizations such as individuals, cities and banks. For example, it manages King Pointe Waterpark Resort for the city of Storm Lake. KINSETH SAID a strong work ethic and having the right people in certain positions is critical. “We’ve had people who have been with us a number of years,” he said. The company is also grooming the next generation and trying to attract younger employees. “We’re continually trying to develop people,” Kinseth said. Embracing technology is also important and has been part of the challenges of an ever-changing industry. “You have to adapt,” Kinseth said, noting that the company is rolling out a new accounting system.
He said he remembers when the fax machine came out and having a handful of channels on a TV in each room was a big deal. Now there is WiFi for Internet use and interactive TV systems complete with payper-view. The Internet and smartphones have especially impacted the hospitality business. “The booking window has shortened dramatically,” Kinseth said, noting that booking now often happens the day of or within days of what someone needs rather than weeks in advance like it used to be. HE’S ALSO AWARE of different franchises experimenting with smartphones. One possibility is customers checking in via their smartphone and then receiving a code that allows them to unlock their room via their phone. “They wouldn’t even have to visit the front desk,” Kinseth said. Challenges over the years have been recessions, filling lower-level positions and dealing with aging properties such as the Clarion Inn in Mason City. “As properties age, sometimes they need to be torn down,” Kinseth said. THE CLARION INN, built in 1964, had become “functionally obsolete” and was in need of replacement. Kinseth Hospitality decided to build an 83-room Hampton Inn & Suites. The property will also include a Caribou Coffee outlet which could be open by the end of the year, another tenant yet to be identified and condominium housing. Kinseth said the company decides which franchise to use by looking at the local market. Hampton Inn is the No. 1 brand for its segment and is expected to do well in Mason City. It should be completed by spring 2016. For more information about Kinseth Hospitality, visit www. kinseth.com.
JEFF HEINZ, The Globe Gazette
Gary Kinseth, vice president of Kinseth Hospitality Cos., speaks at the groundbreaking for the new project.
Submitted drawing
This drawing shows what the retail space might look like in front of the Hampton Inn & Suites on Mason City’s west side. The retail space will include two tenants: Caribou Coffee featuring Einstein Bros. Bagels and a fast-casual restaurant.
J4 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
Big or small, marketing matters June is an ideal time for businesses to think about marketing plans
LAURA BIRD
laura.bird@globegazette.com
MASON CITY — Marketing is everything when it comes to a small or large business. “It’s the most important thing,” said Brook Boehmler, director of the Iowa Small Business Development Center in the North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. “They have to have a client. Establishing the client base is everything to a small business.” June is Entrepreneurs Do it Yourself Marketing Month, making it an ideal time for businesses and entrepreneurs to think about their marketing plan. Boehmler said even if someone has been in business for 50 years, there are always new clients to attract.
Boehmler
Latham
For help: Brook Boehmler said the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center “is happy to meet with clients at no cost.” For more information, visit www.niacc.edu/pappajohn or call 641-422-4111. more interactive.”
BOTH LATHAM Hi-Tech Seeds and the Enchanted Acres have a website, which includes a blog and Facebook pages. Latham recommends businesses at least try an online presences; however, she HE SUGGESTED businesses cautions it’s a time commitment. promote what they have “If you don’t have to offer and anything new, such as services, products, time to be updating your blog regularly or you’re hours or pricing. “People want to see new not planning to respond immediately to input or a things,” Boehmler said. The outlet that they use comment online, I would discourage someone to to promote their business depends on what the busi- have an online presence,” she said, noting that it’s ness does. Social media, including frustrating for customers Facebook and Twitter, is a when an online presence isn’t regularly updated. one way to reach people. Cris Brager, manager “Social media is a great addition to the traditional of PM Park in Clear Lake, which also includes the marketing,” said ShanTiki Bar, addresses the non Latham, vice presitime issue by having one dent of Latham Hi-Tech employee in charge of Seeds, Alexander, and social media pages. owner of the Enchanted “Facebook is huge for Acres pumpkin patch in us,” Brager said. “One of rural Sheffield. “It’s an my employees is dedicated enhancement. I like the to taking care of PM Park fact that it lets people be
JEFF HEINZ, The Globe Gazette
As a part of maketing strategy, PM Park has a billboard for westbound traffic along Highway 18 west of I-35 in Clear Lake. and Tiki Bar pages.” BRAGER ALSO markets the business through some local radio ads but mostly through visual avenues. “Having stuff out there visually to help find us is important to us,” she said. “We have a billboard on Highway 18 that when you’re coming into Clear Lake from the Interstate (35) you’ll see us.” Tiki vans advertising PM Park and the Tiki Bar can also be seen around Clear Lake and the surrounding area. Brager said she lets employees drive them around town, even
Manager Cris Brager shows one of the special vans used to market PM Park and the Tiki Bar on Clear Lake’s south shore. Submitted photo
on days off. Since Clear Lake is a tourist destination, Brager also advertises in the Iowa visitor’s guide and in visitor centers in the Okoboji/ Iowa Great Lakes area. The business, which includes a restaurant and place for weddings and receptions, also offers a loyalty program, which is part of efforts to create a See MARKETING, J5
GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J5
MARKETING: Make it a unique experience From J4 unique experience. “I believe every restaurant operator is going to have good food and good service,” Brager said. “It’s whether or not you leave the impression. If you don’t have the unique experience, they might not come back or tell their friends and family about it.” LATHAM TRIES to bring a unique experience to the Enchanted Acres by teaming up with other local businesses. “I started selling Train Wreck wine (from Algona) in the store,” she said. “Again, to support another North Iowa business, but I think it makes for a better experience. “I’m located just off of Interstate 35 near Sheffield. If people traveling between Des Moines and Minneapolis stop, we can offer them a taste of the local area.” Other marketing strategies for the Enchanted Acres include trying to participate in local events such as “fresh on the farm” crawls. As for Latham Hi-Tech
“I started selling Train Wreck wine (from Algona) in the store. Again, to support another North Iowa business, but I think it makes for a better experience.” Shannon Latham, vice president of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds
Seeds, “We very much promote that we’re a family-owned business,” Latham said. “We’re third generation and we believe that helps provide a unique customer experience.” The company also tries to provide plenty of contact opportunities for customers. “I also try to get out as often as possible and visit our customers in the county and see how our products are working for them,” Latham said. “When you ask people what they think of Latham, what they say is quality. We take great pride in that.”
Charles City a major Iowa exporter
It’s especially strong in bioscience and pharmaceutical classifications
I
n my capacity with Charles City Area Development Corp. I am fortunate in that our manufacturing composition is relatively diverse. Obviously we are largely agriculturally dependent, not only on the commodity side but also on the supply side — companies which supply companies such as John Deere and Claas IH and Caterpillar and AGCO, for example. This seems entirely appropriate given Charles City’s legacy of tractor manufacturing. But Charles City is especially strong in the biosciences and pharmaceuticals classifications and this is where the vast majority of Floyd County’s exports flow from. Although I have no way of proving this given the
scarcity of data I would require to make such a contention, I would submit Tim Fox Executive Director that Floyd Charles City Area County’s proportion Development of exports Corp. is likely in the top tier of Iowa counties. Thank you in particular Zoetis and Cambrex Charles City Inc. for so dramatically positively impacting our import/ export ratio. The definition of Gross Domestic Product — GDP — is the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period.
IN PERCENTAGE of GDP, the United States is a poorly performing exporter. In 2013 it exported merely 13.4 percent of GDP, ninth worst of the 196 countries of earth. The only countries with lower proportions of export GDP were Sudan, Pakistan, Nepal, Kiribati, Ethiopia, Brazil, Burundi and Afghanistan. While the U.S. exports 13.4 percent of GDP, our friends in Czech Republic export 77.2 percent. Undoubtedly this is partially due to our isolation — excepting Mexico and Canada, there is always an ocean or gulf or sea to cross to reach export destination. Closely grouped nations such as the European Union countries find it much easier physically to transport goods.
However, in another respect, the United States is nearly the strongest exporter. Its GDP in nominal U.S. dollars is $17 trillion per year — nearly twice that of the second country, China, and 3.5 times greater than the third- highest-ranking GDP country, Japan. THE COUNTRIES with exports greater than $500 billion per year are: • Canada, $549 billion. • Singapore, $567 billion. • Russian Federation, $595 billion. • Italy, $613 billion. • Hong Kong, $629 billion. • South Korea, $703 billion. • Netherlands, $708 billion. See FOX, J7
J6 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
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IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J7
FOX: Exporting receiving its due acclaim From J5 • France, $793 billion. • Japan, $794 billion. • United Kingdom, $799 billion. • Germany, $1.7 trillion. • United States, $2.262 trillion. • China, $2.441 trillion. And we all know why China has leaped ahead of us — because we are buying all their products. China exports 26.4 percent of GDP while, as mentioned, United States exports 13.4 percent. By far and away the largest U.S. export market is Canada followed by Mexico. Of the 15 largest United States trading partners, it has a negative trade balance with 13 of them. The largest trade imbalance is with China, 315 percent. Of the 15, the only countries we export more to than we import from are Brazil and The Netherlands. WERE IOWA A COUNTRY, it would have the 57thhighest total GDP of the 196 countries. Its per capita GDP would rank 21st in country rankings. In 2014 Iowa companies exported $15.1 billion of goods — over 30 percent to Canada. Canada exports totaled $4.6 billion, Mexico $2.3 billion, Japan $1.2 billion, China $943 million and Brazil $502 million. Largest categories of export for Iowa were machinery, $3.6 billion; processed foods, $3.4 billion; agricultural products, $2 billion; chemicals, $1.6 billion; and $924 million in transportation equipment. When I came here in 1998 I would have never given a moment’s thought to export markets and how critical they are to our collective economic
success. Export was an afterthought. Now, with renewed commitments among state governments and the aggressiveness of local enterprises, export is receiving its due acclaim. We have witnessed companies newly exporting and companies expanding their export portfolios. The Charles City companies Zoetis, Cambrex Charles City Inc., L&J Industries Inc., Thor Manufacturing, Mitas Tires North America Inc., Valero Renewables and Hawkeye Preferred Tooling Group collectively export product to 79 countries of the world, or greater than 40 percent of the recognized countries. THE LAND MASS of the earth is 57.3 million square miles. The land mass included in markets where products manufactured in Charles City Iowa are existent constitutes 42,195,997 square miles. When we remove the area of the United States, 78.87 percent of the land mass area of this planet earth is covered by Charles City exports. Furthermore, the population on earth is roughly 7.3 billion. The number of people living in markets in which they are able to access products made in Charles City, Iowa is 5,799,889,830. Subtracting the United States population, 83.09 percent of the world’s population resides in a market where Charles City products are evident. Ponder that for a moment. I am extraordinarily proud of Charles City’s economic standing and wish to express my gratitude to those businesses which are strong and gaining traction in export marketing.
Embrace your inner Sofia Vergara! Businesses benefit when women take the L.E.A.D., research indicates • “A” is for Activate. Many leaders complain about their culture not There’s more to Sofia realizing their responsiVergara, the top-earning bility in creating it. Actiactress on television for vate will share the secrets three years running, than of activating a highmeets the eye, says execperformance culture built utive and business coach on the foundation of Debora McLaughlin. trust, courage and inno“She’s a wildly sucvation. Top leaders take cessful entrepreneur responsibility for drivwho embraces herself, ing the company culture including her own beauty, with collaboration, joint her 40s, her health as a leadership, transparthyroid cancer survivor, ent communication and her previous status as a innovation. Here, focus single mother, her mulon how to create a culture tiple endorsement deals of people who are happy from corporations that Associated Press to be part of it. reflect her life — and she • “D” is for Distindoes it all with swagger,” Actress Sofia Vergara poses for a portrait in New York in guish. It’s not enough to says McLaughlin, CEO May. blend in; it’s more fun to of The Renegade Leader stand out as a leader and Coaching and Consulting inclusiveness, generosity, the business world are now spot on in leveraging as an organization. Every balance and patience — Group, (www.TheRenleader has a brand and it’s your influence. which were not thought egadeLeader.com), and up to you to distinguish • “E” is for Engage. of as desirable attributes author of “Running in it. Distinction is allurSuccess doesn’t happen High Heels: How to Lead in the old commanding. People want to get alone. You need your with Influence, Impact & and-control boy’s club, to know you. Your teams people on board. You McLaughlin says. Ingenuity.” need a culture that rallies are excited to accelerate Despite the mighty “Vergara represents around shared goals and past your competition. contributions made by a new face in business Here you need to figure demonstrates its values female business leaders, leadership. Multiple businesswomen continue in day-to-day behaviors. out how your story, your studies have found that brand and your message You need a team that to face barriers. personality traits forwill result in becoming is just as excited about McLaughlin wants merly thought of as the leader others choose your vision as you are, more women to take ‘feminine’ are now seen to follow. standing ready to make the initiative with as preferred leadership “How does one a positive impact on the her L.E.A.D. Forfeatures in business,” become a leader? – What bottom line. It’s up to ward Formula. McLaughlin says. I describe is an outline you to move people to • “L” is for leveraged Research done by for getting started,” passion, positivity and leadership. You work it. Pew, Zenger Folkman, McLaughlin says. “Every possibility. Learn how Learn how to communiand Gerzema, Young & woman has her own heelcate powerfully, engage in to engage and mobilize Rubicam indicates the new business values con- a deeper level of influence your teams; get everyone print for the character of her leadership, but there on the same page, and tributed by women lead- and build a powerbase are helpful guidelines increase performance, ers. These days, essential to support you. Those traits previously thought productivity and positiv- to follow when tracktraits include empathy, ing progress.” ity. of as too effeminate for vulnerability, humility, FOR IN BUSINESS
J8 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
Rest. Relax. Recharge!
It’s important to put a priority on good worklife balance
For the Globe Gazette
MASON CITY — The city of Mason City launched a wellness program more than a year ago in an effort to improve the overall health and wellbeing of employees. The program includes fitness challenges and nutritional education, said Perry Buffington, human resources manager. “We do try to emphasize more of that holistic approach. … If our employees are staying active and engaged in a variety of outside interests, that can help them be a better employee for us,” Buffington said.
For the Globe Gazette
THE FIRST THING to go sideways when there’s burnout is the family, O’Brien said. Alex Olson, managing director with Kingland Systems in Clear Lake, said work-life balance is different for every individual and for each person through time. Seasons of life matter. People cope with busyness and stress in different ways, Olson said.
Active, engaged employees make better employees JULIE BIRKEDAL
JULIE BIRKEDAL
An out-of-town workshop or two-hour webinar revitalizes business leaders through continuing education and exposure to new ideas. Challenging exercise, time with family or vacations refresh in other ways. It’s important for employees to put a priority on a good work-life balance, said Perry Buffington, human resources manager for the city of Mason City, People need to recharge. If they do, they’ll be more productive, safer and happier employees, he said. Burnout contributes to more business failures in America than anything else, said Andy O’Brien, who offers business coaching with his Action Coach office in Mason City. At 87 percent, it’s “statistically unequivocal to anything else,” he said.
GLOBE GAZETTE
Andy O’Brien of Action Coach in Mason City says a good strong workout has long been a part of his regular routine. JULIE BIRKEDAL, for the Globe Gazette
“For me personally, I have a wife. I now have a child. I, obviously, am busy with work. I volunteer a number of hours with my church.” Alex Olson, managing director with Kingland Systems “For me personally, I have a wife. I now have a child. I, obviously, am busy with work. I
volunteer a number of hours with my church,” Olson said. Being on from a
When business owners and leaders “can’t recharge, they’re of zero value to customers and their staff,” said O’Brien, who said a good, strong workout has long been O’Brien Buffington part of his regular routine. A physical workout helps minimize stress and Kingland perspective is improve sleep, said Jason different from being on Laube, owner of Cutting during the five hours he Edge Fitness in Clear Lake might participate in a and a strength conditionchurch activity, Olson said. Involvement in work ing coach. People who and other activities allows work out are also more likely to make healthy him to nurture differfood choices. ent aspects of his life, all A lot of people find a of which are important to him. See BALANCE, J12
MASON CITY has offered classes for employees interested in learning about healthy cooking, said Angie Determan, community program manager for Blue Zones Project-Mason City. An employee can take off up to four hours of work with approval of the city administrator to volunteer with projects that enrich the life of the community, Buffington said. Under that policy, half of the time off can be paid through their accrued vacation time and the other half by the city. It’s not designed to be used by a father wanting to serve as a Boy Scout leader but for volunteer activities that would take place outside the scope of normal See WORKERS, J12
GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J9
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J10 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
Easy tips for managing time, tasks Q: As a small-business owner, there never seems to be enough time to accomplish everything. Can you advise me on how to organize my time? A. No matter how hard you try, you can’t be in two places at the same time. There never seems to be enough hours in a day to accomplish everything you know you should be doing for your business. To get an overall picture of your business requirements, make a list and prioritize all of the tasks within a three-month period that need doing for your business to prosper. In addition to serving current customers, make sure you account for publicizing and prospecting for new business, billing and collections, payroll and taxes, and management and human resource issues. Categorize both easy and tough tasks according to which must be accomplished daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly. Place the highest priority on items that contribute to your bottom line or keep you in business (i.e. paying the telephone bill). As much as possible,
analyze your business day. Determine busy and slow times during each day and week. Many businesses Bruce Freeman experience lulls Small Business at different days Professor or times. Try scheduling easy tasks for slower times. Schedule all tasks that must be accomplished in a planner. Make a time commitment for tough tasks and defer regular business until the tough tasks are completed. If possible, put the same task on the same day or time each week or month so that you develop a routine. This also helps you keep from putting off things you know you should be doing and others (clients, suppliers and employees) will come to know in time that you are not available during this period, except for emergencies. When you are finished with the tough tasks, you can relax and enjoy your business for the majority of the time. Hard as it may be for you
smartphone. Video equipment quickly becomes obsolete, so small businesses can save money by using something they already have for a fraction of the investment and operational cost of purchasing new equipment. Plenty of amateur videos have been shot using smartphones. Plus, there is inexpensive software available that can update your videos to ultrahigh definition. Many companies are offering add-ons to increase smartphone memory, which NEW TECHNOLOGY increases the recording time. Q: I have a small video Add to this a good video app production company and my budget is tight, but I’m consid- and your smartphone will perering investing in new technol- form like any $10,000 camera. Elliot Grove, founder of the ogy to “keep me in the game.” film festival/film school comWhat do you suggest? pany Raindance, believes that A: According to Tony feature-length films can be Nguyen, CEO and program made on a “catering budget” if director at UMii Corp., you don’t have to go “high-end” to you follow a few simple steps. • Find a good story or get the job done. screenplay. According to Nguyen says that many small businesses are consider- Grove, you need to weave together four elements to ing new technology that is achieve this: a specific goal already available. Instead of purchasing a high-end camera, for your characters, a setting, a small film company can use a actions of the main characters to accept, it may not be possible for you, personally, to do everything that needs to be done well. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If tasks that are vital to the growth and success of your business are not in your strength column, consider hiring someone else to accomplish them. For example, if you dislike cold calling or bill collections and just can’t seem to make yourself do it, hire someone part time just to do those tasks.
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and strong dialogue. • Eliminate or reduce the number of location moves. • All digital cameras generate the same signal, which means your budget should focus more on the quality of the lenses than spending big bucks on a digital rig. • Good sound can make even the most low-end video images look great. • Get cheap or free film scores or write the music yourself. • Make sure everything you need is within reach. • Hire actors from local theater companies or acting schools. Avoid using friends that can’t act. • Use social media to promote your film and build exposure by commenting on relevant articles on various websites. • Register your domain name for your production company or the title of the film. Bruce Freeman, an adjunct professor and co-author of “Birthing the Elephant” (Random House), is president of ProLine Communications. Readers may send him email at bruce@smallbusinessporfessor.com and follow him on Twitter (@ smallbizprof) and Facebook.
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Keeping your personal brand alive sonal brand. But many entertainers and athletes thrived at urn on the television, several years. In fact, it’s it long ago. the essence of my book, pick up a newspaper While I “Celebritize Yourself.” or visit the Internet Marsha don’t want If you open a dictionand you will be inundated Friedman to date ary, the word “brand” with messages about Special to In myself, is defined as a type of brand products. Business many of us Tide is a brand. Pepsi is product manufactured remember by a particular company a brand. Nike is a brand. the song under a particular name. And so are you – or at These days you need to be “Happy Trails” from our least you should be. childhood. Roy Rogers that product. Personal branding has When you think about was the movie and TV gotten a lot more buzz cowboy who made this it, though, personal in recent times and has song popular and whose become an important tool branding is not new. It’s name and image appeared just that more people for everyone who wants on toy holsters, lunch to improve their career or have the means to do it boxes, comic books, today and, fortunately, business opportunities. I’m a big believer and have the Internet has provided puzzles, coloring books us with numerous ways to and other merchandise in been touting the need create and maintain a per- the 1940s and 1950s. for personal branding for
It’s a must for success in today’s marketplace, expert advises
T
ROY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE of someone who was ahead of his time with personal branding although he stumbled into it unintentionally. The story goes, he wanted a raise from his movie studio, but the boss balked. Bummed out by the response, Roy asked for what he considered a consolation prize — all rights to his name and likeness. As it turned out, that was no consolation prize. Roy soon figured out that he — not the studio — was the big winner in the negotiations. Any raise would have been paltry next to the money he raked in from Roy Rogers brand merchandise. Here’s an additional
lesson about personal branding that Roy Rogers provides us. When I asked my employees if they knew of him, Roy’s name drew puzzled expressions from most of the younger staff. Even the best personal branding, you see, doesn’t last forever. It has to be nurtured continually. (Roy, of course, nurtured his brand his entire life, and it was only the passage of time after his death that caused it to fade, so we’ll give him a break.) The rest of us get no break and the message is clear: Don’t rest on your laurels, or in your saddle, whichever is appropriate.
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SO WHAT CAN YOU DO to get your personal brand launched and keep it alive? Here are a few suggestions. • Make sure your website represents you exactly the way you want to be seen. This is one of the best places to control your image. That could mean you want to be viewed as witty, intellectual or physically fit. It could mean you want the world to see you as an expert in a particular field. Maybe you want to convey an image of trust. Roy Rogers was the cleancut hero wearing a smile and a cowboy hat. What’s your image? • Maintain a strong See BRAND, J16
J12 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
WORKERS: Blue Zones is a proponent of purpose workshops to identify talents, gifts From J8 city duties during work hours, Buffington said. Some city employees volunteered this way during RAGBRAI’s visit to Mason City last summer. One of the ways the Blue Zones Project tracks whether it’s making a difference in the community is through the Gallup-Healthways WellBeing Index, Determan said. When the program started, one of the areas of the well-being index that had the lowest numbers was within work environments. “Our work has really pushed those numbers up significantly,” Determan said. In the first three years of the program, there was an 8.8 percent improvement reported
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in how people feel about their well-being as it relates to their work environment. People like to feel valued in their workplace, to feel a sense of partnership with supervisors and that their strengths are utilized, Determan said. Blue Zones has also been a proponent of purpose workshops which
can help people identify talents and gifts. “People don’t really understand that if you know where your talents and gifts are and are able to use them that you’re happier,” Determan said. That is true whether those skills are used at work or in personal hobbies or volunteerism, she said.
Globe Gazette photo
Perry Buffington says Mason City believes employees staying active and engaged in a variety of outside interests make better employees.
Forest City MS-35958
BALANCE: When on vacation delegate to someone competent to make decisions and lead From J8 strength-conditioning coach helps provide needed motivation to workout and an outlet for talking things out while they exercise, Laube said. WHEN BUSINESS OWNERS or managers take time for continuing education or vacation, they must be confident their business will not falter, O’Brien said. Their role must be delegated to someone competent to make decisions and lead in their absence. If business leaders need to check in with their staff or clients while gone, they should set limits, O’Brien said. They can let clients or staff know they’re on vacation or at an all-day meeting and that they’ll check in at noon, 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. It took years for him to set parameters, O’Brien said. He knows his adult
children could tell stories. “Oh, Dad’s on vacation. He’s on the phone, great! He stopped the boat in the middle of tubing to answer a phone call,” O’Brien said.
The benefit of time away gets lost if a salesperson or manager is constantly available by telephone or email, O’Brien said. Getting the break helps renew their sense of
purpose. It’s OK that it’s extremely busy before and just after time away. “I work to live,” O’Brien said. “I want to have my job but I want to live my life.”
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GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J13
Built for Growth
DealerBuilt’s auto dealer software growth prompts expansion TIM ACKARMAN
For the Globe Gazette
MASON CITY — DealerBuilt, a Mason City-based software company, is quietly cultivating a nationwide market while expanding its footprint locally and beyond. “We’re relatively under the radar,” said John Hosmer, company president and founder. “Our best business is word of mouth.” DealerBuilt develops, installs and maintains auto dealer management systems (DMS). It has 80-plus employees serving over 300 “rooftops” (an individual dealership location, whether independent or part of a larger group) in 35 states. “We have a core dealer management system that’s likely the best on the market,” said CEO Mike Trasatti. “We have a software program that operates every facet of a dealership or dealership group,” Trasatti said, “including parts, service, inventory, accounting and payroll, while featuring integration with most major car manufacturers. “We’re certainly changing the landscape of this industry.”
Tips for success: Tips for success from John Hosmer and Mike Trasatti: • Offer a quality product. • Do what you say you’re going to do. • Grow, but at a comfortable pace. • Invest in people first and infrastructure second.
Hosmer
Trasatti
Fourth St. S.W. “Our employees couldn’t be more excited about the move,” Trasatti said. “(But) it’s not just going to be a facility for our staff. We’ll be able to offer new services like classroom training, conferences, etc. “It will be another catalyst for our growth, moving into that space.”
ALTHOUGH DEALERBUILT’S growth has been by design, the company started pretty much by chance. UNTIL RECENTLY the company “The car business is the last occupied about 2,400 square feet in the Hosmer Toyota building at place I thought I’d ever be,” Hosmer said. 3851 Fourth St. S.W. Originally from Eagle Bend, After enjoying steady growth Minnnesota, he spent two years since undertaking a major at North Iowa Area Community rebranding and expansion in College before graduating from 2007, however, the company St. Cloud (Minnesota) State Unineeded its own location. versity with a degree in account“We couldn’t hire anyone ing. else,” Trasatti said. “We were Along the way he met and busting out at the seams.” DealerBuilt is currently tran- married Becky Lyons of Mason City, whose father, Bill, owned sitioning from the Toyota locathe Mason City Toyota-Dodge tion to 6,000 square feet leased dealership. from Kaplan University at 2570
TIM ACKARMAN, for the Globe Gazette
IT support staffers Cole Waner (left) and Dustin Harms make the most of minimal space at the old DealerBuilt location above Hosmer Toyota. After years of steady growth the company began moving into a much larger facility this spring. When his father-in-law needed surgery in the early 1980s, Hosmer agreed to help watch over the business temporarily. “I sold a bunch of cars and I really fell in love with it,” Hosmer said.
ONCE SETTLED in the dealership, he began dabbling in spreadsheet software. Initially his creations were only for in-house use but eventually he began sharing them with other auto dealerships. By 1996 Hosmer had taken over operations of the Mason
City dealership while also completing his first installation of a comprehensive dealer management system for another company. “It was hard to juggle
See GROWTH, J14
J14 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
GROWTH: Hosmer, Trasatti ‘really hit it off’ From J13 management of the dealership with the DMS,” he said. “There were times I felt it was way more involved then I wanted.” Hoping to ease the strain, in 2000 Hosmer partnered his software enterprise with a leading automotive accounting firm to develop the system then known as Lightyear Dealer Technologies. ALTHOUGH THE ENTERPRISE flourished, the success at times seemed overwhelming. “By 2005 we had about 40 rooftops,” Hosmer said, “and every single one of them was a major effort. At times I thought about selling (the software business).” Two things changed his mind. His son, Jeremiah, eventually took a leadership role in Mason City at what are now Hosmer Toyota and Hosmer Honda. “(That) gave me more time to figure out what I wanted to do with the software side,” Hosmer said. IN 2007 mutual acquaintances introduced Hosmer to Trasatti, a Philadelphia resident who grew up in the car industry and had an extensive background in auto retailing, consumer finance and DMS. “I met John and we really hit it off,” Trasatti said. Trasatti joined the leadership team with an ambitious goal: “Let’s put a business plan together and take this thing national.” Among Trasatti’s many contacts in the industry was Frank Lucas, who once managed California’s Galpin Motors, the world’s largest-volume Ford dealership. Lucas soon joined the company as well. He serves as chief operating officer and executive VP of product strategy. ONE OF THE TEAM’S first moves was to rebrand Lightyear as DealerBuilt, a name Trasatti believes highlights the company’s special connection to the
TIM ACKARMAN, for the Globe Gazette
DealerBuilt CEO Mike Trasatti (second from left) and President John Hosmer (far right) meet with software designers Lauri Nelson and Mark VanLent at the company’s new location adjacent to Kaplan University. industry it serves. “The DMS grew up inside a dealership, right above the showroom, and it’s evolved and grown from there,” Trasatti said. Using their combined expertise, they also redesigned the software to better meet the needs of bigger companies, including large dealership groups. “We feel we fill a niche not covered by the other DMS providers by managing multi-store dealerships on one centralized system,” Hosmer said. “That saves redundancy of people and software.” EQUIPPED WITH this new approach and big aspirations, DealerBuilt made Galpin Motors one of its first major targets. “They had more managers than we had people,” Hosmer said. “The question has always been, ‘How are you going to do it with the size of your company?’ ” Hosmer and Trasatti prefer to view being relatively small as a strength rather than a weakness. “We aren’t so big that we can’t move,” Hosmer said.
WHERE LARGER DMS companies tend to offer a fixed suite of products, DealerBuilt is able to tailor its software to the requirements of each client. “We listen to dealers and customize to their needs,” Trasatti said. “We grew this thing through the relationships we fostered.” The leaders at Galpin were convinced, and DealerBuilt installed its DMS with the company in 2009. “That was really our breakout dealer,” Trasatti said. Shortly thereafter DealerBuilt landed a second major client, Performance Motors in Ohio. “We went from being this local, obscure Midwest DMS to having two major, prominent dealers on our software,” Trasatti said. DEALERBUILT HAS SINCE enjoyed steady growth at a comfortable pace with low attrition, Trasatti said. Yet he and Hosmer both admit growth has not come without challenges. North Iowa has a limited pool of qualified software designers and IT experts, Hosmer said. Attracting outside talent is
“The DMS grew up inside a dealership, right above the showroom, and it’s evolved and grown from there.” Mike Trasatti
always a struggle. He believes Mason City offers a good quality of life and feels DealerBuilt provides rewarding job opportunities. “Our (software) development is very hands-on with the customer in a variety of areas,” Hosmer said. “I think it’s interesting development. It’s fascinating.” Yet being a small company from a small town makes it challenging to get the word out about all DealerBuilt has to offer. “We need to start really articulating what we do,” Trasatti said. IN ADDITION to providing much-needed space to house employees and serve customers, Hosmer hopes the new DealerBuilt location will help to raise
the company’s profile. A believer in keeping overhead low and investing in people first, Hosmer put off the move as long as possible. “John was looking at this closet (as workspace),” Trasatti said. “We can always use another body,” Hosmer said, “so do we pay rent or do we get another body?” When he finally ran out of places to put those bodies, Hosmer agreed expansion was a necessity. “We were looking for space where we could have room to expand, adequate parking, adequate facilities for training and some exposure to the community for the purposes of recruiting and hiring,” Hosmer said. “It’s kind of perfect for us.” THE COMPANY is also seeking growth opportunities outside of North Iowa. Less than half of DealerBuilt employees live and work in the area, with most telecommuting from homes across the nation. The company is in the process of opening a branch office in Los Angeles while exploring similar opportunities in Dallas and elsewhere. “Mason City is still our core,” Trasatti said, “but for whatever we can’t fill in Mason City we’ll find another hub of talent to pull from.” Hosmer and Trasatti believe the need for new talent will remain strong as their business continues to grow. DESPITE SEVERAL YEARS of expansion, DealerBuilt still controls less than 1 percent of the DMS marketplace. Hosmer and Trasatti are confident their recent emergence as a small but no longer insignificant DMS provider is just the beginning. “We could double in the next three to five years,” Hosmer said. “We love technology; we love the business,” Trasatti said. “If we can provide compelling technology to this marketplace, there’s no stopping us.”
GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J15
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J16 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
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Five traits of successful entrepreneurs today CAVANAUGH L. GRAY
I
Special to In Business
have been involved with small business in some shape, form or fashion since I was a kid. I have spent the majority of my life developing my own ideas, being an ardent student of small business and paying attention to the moves of some of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time. Sadly, I have been unable to bottle this information and sell it as there is no magic formula for success. However, there is commonality. Although vastly different, successful entrepreneurs seem to exhibit some of the same characteristics. Over the years I have managed to put together a list. The following are my top five entrepreneurial traits. HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR GLASS? For the most part, I’ve chosen to see the world through rose-colored glasses, regardless of the situation. To become a glass-half full kind of individual, it takes one part personality, one part faith in what you are working toward and one part attitude.
Successful entrepreneurs have learned to manage the negative environGray ment around them, eliminating it if need be in order to remain focused on the positive. IT TAKES PERSEVERANCE. I have always believed that a dream and some determination can take you a long way. Many would be surprised to learn that the journeys of some of their favorite entrepreneurs are tales of businesses that almost went belly up. Overnight success stories are often few and far between. Those entrepreneurs who succeed often found themselves at the crossroads of success and failure, and they simply made the choice that failure was not an option. As a collegian, one mentor gave me advice that I have leaned on over the years. “Most people give up just before they make it, so don’t give up.” Successful entrepreneurs have mastered the art of
perseverance. CRUSH THE BOX. How many times have you heard the saying, “Think outside the box?” The phrase has been so overused that it now just feels like a few motivational words strung together. Did the folks at Apple, Google and now Uber simply think outside of the box, or did they kick the box down the street and then jump up and down on it? Following in the status quo has rarely leant itself to greatness. Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to be creative, different, innovative or disruptive.
make more money, have more time, gain more control and achieve more happiness and fulfillment from their work. Successful entrepreneurs have unique dreams, goals and objectives. The difference is that no matter how far-fetched their ideas might have seemed, these entrepreneurs found the courage to live their dreams on their terms.
TIME FOR SOME ACTION. Some of the greatest ideas ever invented, no one has ever heard of. The number of unrealized dreams out there are too many to count. Many of these shortcomings could have been avoided, if only a little action had been applied. Success is not obtainable unless effort is STAY TRUE TO there to match. “YOUR” DREAM. One of my favorite sayEntrepreneurial dreams ings from motivational are like snowflakes. No two are alike. Some busi- speaker Les Brown is, “At some point, you have got ness owners want to become wildly successful to be willing to climb up on the roof and kick the with all of the fame and ladder away.” fortune that comes with Successful entrepreit. Some owners want only to change the world, while neurs understand that a plan without action others want to create businesses that offer them behind it is simply an empty promise. a certain quality of life. Cavanaugh L. Gray is a contributing When I founded The Entrepreneur Café, LLC, I writer to the Carbondale Small Business Journal, a product of the Southern was concerned only with Illinoisan, like the Globe Gazette a Lee helping entrepreneurs Enterprises newspaper.
Original or Digital — Get your news any way you choose. Subscribe today: 800-433-0560. Globe Gazette - globegazette.com
The bottom line is that creating a personal brand is one of the keys to success in today’s world. By branding yourself — making sure the world knows who you are and the expertise you have to offer — you not only set yourself apart from your competitors but you also open the door to new opportunities. BRAND: It’s not a one-shot deal From J11 social media presence. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites are invaluable tools for networking or getting your message out quickly under your personal brand. Also, make sure you have a unified message that weaves through your website, your social media sites and anything else you use to promote yourself. Design elements should be consistent from one platform to the next as well. • Keep your presence alive in traditional media, too, making yourself available for interviews. Media appearances act as a third-party endorsement, casting you as an authority in your field. This also needs constant cultivation. If you were quoted in a newspaper article last year, then you’re last year’s news. Even worse, if your competitor is quoted in an article today, they’ve become more relevant than you and are winning the personal-branding war.
• Branding yourself is not a one-shot deal. One of the biggest misconceptions about branding is that people expect to do one or two things to promote themselves and then figure they are done. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your branding effort never stops. It’s like trying to become physically fit. You don’t go to the gym for one week to get your dream body — nor would you expect that a good workout three years ago would leave you set for life. Your personal branding effort is the same way. It’s ongoing. The bottom line is that creating a personal brand is one of the keys to success in today’s world. By branding yourself — making sure the world knows who you are and the expertise you have to offer — you not only set yourself apart from your competitors but you also open the door to new opportunities. Marsha Friedman is a public relations expert and is the founder and CEO EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated. com), an award-winning national agency.
Have a concern? We’d like to hear from you. 641-421-0500. Globe Gazette
GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J17
Why we struggle to understand each other at work REX HUPPKE
Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Social psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson wants you to find someone at work who has known you for a long time and ask them to complete the following sentence: “If I didn’t know you better, I’d think that you were ... .” Most of us would hope to hear things like “a movie star” or “an acclaimed novelist” or “Thor.” But Halvorson, who is apparently hellbent on ruining my dream of being mistaken for Thor, says we’re more likely to hear things that bum us out. Like “cocky.” Or “flaky.” Or “kind of a jerk.” This is the often-awkward collision between perception and reality. We see ourselves a certain way and assume everyone else sees us that way as well. But that’s rarely the case. And what we see in others tends to be off base as well. The bottom line is this: We kind of stink at understanding each other, and that causes a lot of problems in the workplace.
you have a problem.” “It’s about beginning to understand the magnitude Huppke of the problem when it comes to perception,” she said. “How wrong we are in assuming that people see us the way we see ourselves. When you unpack that and consider what the other person’s brain has to do to figure you out, you realize what an enormous task is involved in that. You think you’ve been misunderstood before, but you’ve actually been misunderstood way more than you think you have.” Things break down because our brains tend to create shortcuts. We make assumptions about people, often based on first impressions. We group people into categories — smart, chatty, untrustworthy — and then stick to that categorization even if it doesn’t truly fit the person in question. Also, Halvorson writes, “Other people will assume you share their opinions and attitudes but not their abilities and moral character. With respect to the latter, they believe they are more talented and less corruptible than you are. Try not to take it personally.” If you’re honest with yourself, this sounds familiar. It’s not that we’re intentionally putting ourselves on a pedestal and giving other people short shrift. We’re victims of the way our brains function.
IN HER NEW BOOK “No One Understands You And What to Do About It,” Halvorson writes: “Statistically speaking, there are only weak correlations between how others see us and how we believe we are seen. And while I don’t actually know what your colleagues, your partner, or anyone else thinks of you, I do know that you don’t know, either.” In an interview, Halvorson, associate director of the Motivation Science Center at ColumBUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN bia Business School, said we can’t train our brains the key is “admitting
If you’re honest with yourself, this sounds familiar. It’s not that we’re intentionally putting ourselves on a pedestal and giving other people short shrift. We’re victims of the way our brains function. to function differently. Halvorson presents three steps to improve the way you perceive your colleagues. (Or anyone, for that matter.) • Don’t judge people too quickly. Allow some time to actually get to know someone before forming an impression. • Commit to being fair. As Halvorson writes, “A simple reminder to yourself to be fair when you judge someone else is enough to activate the goal and diminish your unconscious bias. Make it a mantra, something you say before you walk into any meeting.” • Watch out for what’s called “confirmation bias.” It’s basically relying on your impression of someone and then seeing in that person only things that confirm that impression.
“Like almost everything in life, it’s going to take some time and some practice because it’s new and it has to become a habit,” Halvorson said. And you’ll also need to work on how you’re being perceived. “If there’s a way in which we come across incorrectly more than any other it’s that we come across colder than we think we are,” Halvorson said. “I talk in the book about how it’s important to come across with warmth, not as in being a huggy, fuzzy bunny but in how you convey to people that you have good intentions toward them, that you’re a friend and worthy of being trusted. “Our intuitions at work are strongly geared toward looking competent, and that can make us look less caring than we are.”
“The Simpsons”: “If you want to be anyone on ‘The Simpsons,’ you want to be Lisa. She’s competent and smart, but she’s also honest and compassionate and kind. If you don’t send the warmth signals that Lisa sends, then you’re Mr. Burns. You’re cold and competent.” That advice is, as Mr. Burns would say, excellent. We’re loathe to ever
admit we’ve read people wrong or that we’ve projected a version of ourselves that’s less than stellar. But think of the problems our misperceptions create, not to mention the bad feelings. This is a skill that requires humility and practice, but it’s logically worth the time. Rex Huppke writes for the Chicago Tribune. Send him questions by email at rhuppke@tribune.com or on Twitter @ RexWorksHere.
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J18 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
GLOBE GAZETTE
Working 9-5 a less-popular way to make a living NEW YORK (AP) — If you want an income, or you’re an employer looking for help, it may be time to scrap the idea of the traditional 9-to-5 arrangement. For workers, it’s become easier and less risky to go solo. Affordable health insurance plans, which kept many workers shackled to traditional jobs, are more accessible because of the Affordable Care Act. And companies are increasingly open to hiring freelancers and independent contractors. Many say independent workers bring fresh ideas without the long-term commitment. An industry dedicated to serving the companies that offer freelance and contract work and the people who fill those openings is growing. Gigs can be found at a number of websites, such as Upwork.com and Freelancer.com, or through hiring services that connect professional freelancers and companies. And companies that provide shared rented office space, such as WeWork, lets freelancers mingle with fellow contractors. IN 2013, 23 million people were self-employed, according the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s up 1.2 percent from the year before and up about 24 percent from 2003. That number doesn’t count selfemployed people who may also hire employees. “This isn’t going away,” says Brooke Borgen, co-owner of Canopy Advisory Group, a hiring company for freelancers in Denver. She started the business five years ago with co-owner Griffen O’Shaughnessy. They observed that companies needed a way to access independent workers while friends and colleagues were telling them they wanted to find ways to balance their work and personal lives. “More and more people want to have ownership over their career,” Borgen says. HENRY W. BROWN ditched his fledging advertising career 11 years ago, sick of spending 15 hours a day at work and having “no life.” Now he works 30 hours
Associated Press
Freelance Web designer Henry W. Brown cycles around his neighborhood in the Lower East Side of New York. Brown ditched his fledging advertising career 11 years ago, sick of spending 15 hours a day at work and having no time for himself. a week, juggling about four projects a year and earns a salary in the six figures designing websites and apps. Brown has time for two-hour yoga sessions, midday bike rides around his New York City neighborhood and lunch dates with friends. He also has more time for passion projects: He spent a month at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand this year, and he started a Facebook page called TheDogmatic, posting photos of dogs in shelters to help get them adopted. He never plans to work for just one employer again. “Everything about an office was such a waste of time to me,” he says. When Brown first went freelance, he emailed companies
asking for work. Now, most comes from referrals. Sometimes he checks in with a hiring agency. “I’m not clamoring for work,” says Brown. “I can be picky and choosy with what I do.” DEPENDING ON the industry, the work can be lucrative. Business Talent Group connects independent workers with companies. Its contractors can make between $1,500 and $2,500 a day, says CEO Jody Miller. Companies weren’t always so thrilled about hiring freelancers, says Allison Hemming, CEO of New York staffing company The Hired Guns. When she started the company 15 years ago, companies would say, “If they were that
president of strategy and business development, has increasingly turned to hiring agencies. “It cuts the search and qualification time down,” says Balay. “It’s way easier now.” Stephen Wunker left a consulting firm in 2009 to spend SPEX, A COMPANY that makes software and apps used for home more time with his kids. Wunker and his partners started inspections, turned to Canopy New Markets Advisors and are Advisory Group to find a parthired by companies to come up time publicist. CEO Brett Goldwith business plans or create a berg says he didn’t have to post growth strategy. a job description, sift through He still works 40 to 80 hours resumes or conduct interviews, a week, but his schedule is more saving him time and money. flexible. He can take days off At food company Cargill, Michael Balay hires independent whenever he wants, and also contractors with specialized skills spends about a month a year to manage projects, such as com- working from Ecuador. “I have a dramatically better bining groups of workers inside the company. Balay, who is a vice lifestyle,” he says. good they would have a job,” says Hemming. That’s changed. “The concept of freelancers as slackers is completely over,” Hemming says.
GLOBE GAZETTE
IN BUSINESS • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • J19
Millennials want more flexibility in workplace schedule, survey says SAMANTHA MASUNAGA Los Angeles Times (TNS)
Some days Jay Greenlinger bounces from his children’s plays and baseball games to work and back again. The 34-year-old has four young children and serves as the director of technology at the Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo, California. Greenlinger’s flexible schedule, aided by his largely electronic workload, is an example of what millennials now crave in the workplace. “It shouldn’t be an either-or proposition,” he said. “I think the millennials’ ideas of how and where work gets done is very different than previous generations.” According to a recent survey by accounting firm Ernst & Young, millennials highly value flexible
work arrangements, as well as paid parental leave. MILLENNIALS ARE the most likely generation to say that they would change jobs or careers, give up promotion opportunities, move their family to another place or take a pay cut to have flexibility and better manage work and family life, according to the survey. “If the senior management or companies decide not to embrace that, you’re going to lose talent,” said Monica Marquez, Ernst & Young’s West region inclusiveness and flexibility lead. This comes as millennials see an increase in responsibilities at work and at home. According to Ernst & Young’s research, workers commonly become both managers
“Generation X and boomers have this kind of misconception ... that these people that want flexibility might be less committed to their work, less committed to their career progression. For the millennials, they’re saying we want this flexibility, but we aren’t any less aggressive about our career.” Monica Marquez, Ernst & Young’s West region inclusiveness and flexibility lead and parents between the ages of 25 and 29. But with more flexibility comes the stigma of the lazy worker. NEARLY 1 IN 6 millennial workers said they “suffered a negative consequence as a result of having a flexible work schedule.”
“Generation X and boomers have this kind of misconception ... that these people that want flexibility might be less committed to their work, less committed to their career progression,” Marquez said. “For the millennials, they’re saying we want this flexibility, but we aren’t any
less aggressive about our career.” For some, the commonly used term “worklife balance” is a myth. “I think it was a term that previous generations believed in,” said Michael Elliott, 28, principal at Dittrick and Associates Inc. in Burton, Ohio. “I know for me and most
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of the millennials I talk to, work-life balance is nonexistent. There’s only work-life integration.” As part of his doctoral research, Greenlinger studied the support needs of millennials compared to baby boomers and found similar results as those in the survey. HE USED the hypothetical example of millennials leaving work early to take their children to soccer practice. “While they’re sitting there, they’re on their phone completing work tasks,” Greenlinger said. “It was more of a balance of when work gets done.” The survey was conducted by market research firm Harris Poll for Ernst & Young. About 9,700 people between the ages of 18 and 67 were surveyed across the globe.
J20 • SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015 • IN BUSINESS
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