LeadHERship Business Panel | Rachel Hollis x Hollis Company
And we, come in one morning and there, are, 6,000, emails in our Gmail account and I remember sweet tear is like I think. Gmail has a glitch. And. I'm like oh. Hey. Guys I want, to make sure that I am creating content, that is exactly. What you, want, to hear so will, you tell me which part of this video is your absolute, favorite comment. Below and tell me did something, make. You laugh did something make you cry did something, super, motivate you or, light a fire under your butt or. Any. Old thing at all let, me know down below and make sure you tell me what minute, it happened at so that I can, create. Around, that exact, thing thanks. Guys guys. I have, asked our leadership team to speak to you some, of them you will recognize, from, our, dance squad they feel very comfortable, on this stage some. Of them are sweating. Their, flops sweating, right now backstage. So. I need, you to give a raucous. Loud, all, your love support to, the OCO leadership, team. That's, a hand sit down guys I want. To make you all jump up and down but I won't because you're wearing heels and I'm a nice person. The best is that these people have been in t-shirts and. Sweating, and denim, brad, has sweat through like 17, shirts right. And, then. I'll save some in, the hallway and I'm like what happen. We leveled, up okay. So. Um will can. We go through you guys have in your workbooks if you're wondering like what they do with their histories you can read their resume, we, want to jump right into the conversation so that we can add the most value so. I'll just tell you really quick this, is Dave hey. Kristin. Is our CFO, Brad is our head of business development RC. Whose actual, name is Rachel, but when I hired her I said there can only be one of us so. We changed literally changed, her name to RC that sounds like Devil Wears Prada so. She's our head of product and D, is the head of the start today brand so.
Also. Running. The merch booth running, the thing in the back weeding out on the Divas also, the cruise director on, the Lido deck also, checking people in also, the world's greatest MC, am i right, hello. Okay. So. We. Know I'm obsessed with finance right and so I want to start with our CFO, who's. Just just tickled pink to have to be on this stage right now, so. What, I think is really interesting about. Having. Kristin join our team is that, as soon as Dave and I started working together every. Day he was like we need a badass C CFO, we need a badass, CFO we need a badass CFO we need a CFO, and I had only ever really had accountants, and then we had a director, of accounting, and then we had like, a account I don't even know like an accounting coordinator, so. We had this team and I was like what I mean, they make sure we don't get audited like why do we need I can see my thing I know how much money we have and Dave kept trying to explain to me that you need this, person to help you like, you need to know how I describe the relationship is I I. Go on gut I go, on gut the dreams are based on gut I know you really well I go and gut Kristen. Goes on data and you. Need that you. Need the yin and the yang together so that you don't do something stupid. So will you explain to them if they don't have a high-level, person. Who's handling the finances are counting why why, is CFO, why. Why is CFO. Hold, it right here hold it right here see yeah this is definitely not my comfort zone. You're. Doing. Christian's, growing, right now. Growing. So. Why. Is CFO, so CFO, is gonna be a great strategic, partner, for you as you're. Ensuring that your financials. Are compliant. And that you. Have like, Rachel mentioned all of the data that you can make fantastic decisions. Upon so, they're, gonna get you all of those standard, financial reports a balance sheet income statement cash. Flow because we all know cash, is clean right wait so they're gonna be able to help you control, that cash flow to maximize. It in the best way possible so. That you can maximize your business a CFO. Does a lot more than, just doing those reports, as well as CFO. Is gonna help you make some of those other strategic decisions. As you're, building the structure, of your business, so Rachel, and Dave have these big, amazing. Audacious, dreams and they, need that structure, to build upon it so we're. Evaluating, right, now what kind of software should we really use should we use the software that we have or, should we hire five more people to do what we're doing, you. Know really, making some of those decisions so. That as we continue to grow we. Have the structure that we need I keep telling my team lately, that, rome wasn't built in a day but, we're gonna lay like one amazing, brick, every, single day so that, five years from now we, have this foundation made. Of like titanium, because we know how big this thing we're building it on and. I would also say I'm just I'm gonna make what Kristin said just a little more sexy, because. I'm thinking of myself back in the day and have it I would be like oh that's something that I need later, so, when we talk about this idea of, helping. You make decisions, with data versus, gut it's saying, like when.
We're Picking a location for, an event and I'm, like no no we have a really, big following, in Des Moines you don't even know we've got a really big following. And Des Moines and then, with data they're actually, able to go yeah but if you look at the, ten thousand people who have done business with you in the last nine months it turns out that 7,500. Of them are based in Texas, so, we really need to have an event, in Texas it's like the because, here's at the end of the day I want, we all care about all the things but you care about how do you make more money and I, would never have assumed with all love and respect I know now better but I wouldn't, have assumed that, hiring, a CFO at, with which because she's a baller so she comes with a salary that's you've earned it you're awesome you deserve every single thing but that's an investment that you make as a business owner which feels scary and the, return on that investment, 10x. Immediately. Like, what, we did immediately or think about things like this who sells to people, in different states, do. You know the tax implications of selling to people in different states, do. You know that each state has a different tax requirement, and if you sell to 50 different states you are required to do I did not know that Kristin. Knows she knows right. So it's those kind of things the things that help you to not make mistakes it's not what you're doing year one but. It absolutely is, something, that you need to think about one thing I would say to that's been amazing the, the thing that the people in your organization are. Probably, struggling, most with and afraid most to admit is their competency. With finance, and a. CFO, who, is a good business, partner to the leaders in your organization, can. Create a trust, that. Affords, your leaders the opportunity, to learn more about the financial levers. In the business without. Having to fully expose, themselves, to either, Rachel or I necessarily because, in partnership, she's, able to come alongside any of these people on the stage or anybody else in the company to, help them make better decisions. That, are informed with fact yeah. So. Dee give, it up for Dee guy. So. D is one. Of my favorite children, D, I hired, pretty closely right out of college is that right yes so we've been together for almost five, born last. Year. And, D is I, love. And admire her so much because she has really worked her way from, would, you how did you start as a social media coordinator media, coordinator, and now is the head of a brand and, a huge division for our company and. It is D. To me this is a core value is the definition of growth so, she is always pushing herself so, hard to learn the next thing learn the next thing learn the next thing so that she can levels up level up Dave, said this earlier but we had a meeting recently where. We talked about this idea of what we're building and where we're going there, is not one person on this stage right now that. Has the skills necessary for, where we're going to be even two years from now every. Single person on this stage has to level up in order for us to achieve this dream so d, killing. It thank. You the reason I want to talk about how, long we have been working together is because, Dee and I both have a mutual obsession. With. Y'all we. Are obsessed with, you so, can you talk a little bit about for. Anyone who is trying to build, that community take, care of their, customer, what are some of the things that we've done and, also. This is kind of a weird question but how. Did, I as a leader and still that in you can, you think yeah um I, think it, was the idea that content, is so important. Starting, off as a social, media coordinator. Rachel. Was like I don't, care basically, what.
You Post of course that's motivation inspiration but, that it serves the community and. That. It's also really, pretty and so even. When we were working with clients. Like. JCPenney. Target. Walmart it was never like we're, just gonna post a picture and promote the product it. Was like how, can we use, this. Leather jacket that, this mom in Montana. And never thought that she could wear but we're gonna style it three, different ways to make her feel so confident. When. I was a social media coordinator seeing, that feedback, it like fired, me up I'm like this, is the reason I do what I do and I've, kind of brought that into. Every. Position, that I've had I went from a, social. Media coordinator to the marketing manager, to brand. Partnerships to, honestly. You name it, um. But. I always learned and it was always this intention, that no, matter what we do we're. Serving, you, guys and it. Came from Rachel, because, she's. Giving me this, freedom, to, succeed. But to also fail I mean I have failed, I mean, never. Where I've gotten like, close to part but I. Failed. I mean it was back oh my gosh October. Of 2018 not, that you remember. Um. But. We were launching our, first product, start today and Rachel's like this. Is my favorite thing about Rachel, is she's like I have. An idea, and. So I just grabbed my paper and my pen and I'm like okay I'm ready whatever, you want to do we'll do it and. She was like I want to launch this product and. I'm like okay let's, find this manufacturer. In Canada. Let's, build a new website all, the things, come. October. Third of 2018. We. Announced a product, the website, crashes and I. Thought. I did everything, in my power to like, not. Make that happen and, I was like we, disappointed. Her she's never gonna come back and I just like Rachel, got on the phone with me because. Again this was such a busy time for her and she was like it's gonna be okay as long, as we let them know that we, messed up. That's. All that matters as long as we're super, transparent, and honest, that we made this mistake and, we're gonna fix it then, we'll, fix it and so. Yeah. She's, just always, been that like, like. Pushing, me to do my best even when I think that I can't do any more she's, like oh no you can do it you you you can build a website it's fine I'm like great, I'm gonna learn how to code I'm gonna get with the developer and do all the things. That's. Constantly, what has been happening and, I'm super, appreciative, it of it I think someone. At my age doesn't get, to do what I do. And, so even, when people asked, like you, know you've been there four and a half years here 27, years old, what's. Gonna happen I'm like I don't know but like I know that I'm so, passionate about it that I can't do this anywhere else so thank. You. I.
Try. So. Kind of on the same, tip. So, RC, is the head of product she also manages, our customer service team so can you talk a bit woo. We. Didn't, have a customer. Service team when you started we had one so he is Tara here Tara's not here is she no so, we have one sweet sweet. Member, of our community, who came to the first rise and had, always been so supportive and, I would always see her on social media like no matter what anyone would post under our hashtags there's Tara she's loving on him and one day I just reached out to the mom, and I said hey you want to make some extra you want to make some extra money you want to come and kind of be our customer, service person none of us had any idea what we're doing we had a gmail, account, that was how we handled, that and. Then. Journal, gate happened. Who. Was with us during journal gate okay if you don't know we. Had a crap-ton of journals, we were so excited our only mission was sell this product and then, we. Sold. The product and then, the company, that we partnered with to shift the journals just, didn't, do it it was so crazy and it was the holiday season, and none of us knew that was the other thing we're all living our best lives yay. Remember we're eating Jersey, Mike's to celebrate. Loving. Look, we sold our journals, it's amazing, and we, come in one morning and there, are, 6,000, emails, in our Gmail account and I remember sweet Tara's like I think. Gmail has a glitch. And. I'm like oh. And. It. Was awful, and it was so hard but in the midst of that eminent it is the biggest mistake, and mess-up cuz we have to own that like we partnered, with that, person we have to own that mistake and I'll just tell you to so you know we, literally called everyone we knew like if you had someone in the phone tree someone at your church who's in the PTA with you we literally, called everyone, in our tiny crappy, office we had our team and we had 25. Moms. On, folding. Chairs with old laptops, answering, emails one by one day whenever calling Pew for 10 days that's all we did was email and all of us remember we'd ring a bell when we finally found an order we'd be like wait why. Are. You remember, when you email someone email back and be like actually I already got it we don't cry like one person, got their holiday gifts, it was so, or it was so, horrible, I know it doesn't see it was so, devastating.
To Us because again we are obsessed with you, and we, were like people trusted. Us and they gave us money anyone. Not get a journal, and is anyone still waiting for that journal I, called. Someone in Alaska. Like hey it's Dave from the cocoa customer, service I called you in, Alaska. But, the most amazing thing happened this is how it, is for you, not to you and I remember just realness, I remember, standing in our kitchen when we found it up that night like 10:30 night when we realized this was real and we had 10,000, customers who hadn't, nothing that had been shipped to them and I remember, us just holding. Like literally holding on to each other like we're inside of a storm and bawling. Our eyeballs out because, it was the first thing we had done together, and we were like we already failed, we can't even do. But. Then the most amazing thing happened one of the emails we got out of thousands, of emails a sweet, sweet, girl named, Taylor who was at kindred Scott Taylor. Sends an email and she's like I love. You guys I love what you're doing and, I have been working in customer service for 10 years I do this for Kendra Scott I want to come work for you and we, were like, right. There get her in here and we, built that, that experience which was so horrific but, it gave us all of our best practices for customer service so will you talk about how you built that out absolutely. So that was like week two for me I'm, also at the Hollis company, and you were pregnant it, was pregnant, no big deal we had just moved, but. I think the biggest thing to me is customer. Service is the heartbeat of the Hollis company, so, when I use all of those things as an example we. Really, were able to take. That. Mistake. And really turn, it into a lifelong, customer, someone who's sitting in the front row, and, so you. Know overseeing, being, head of product and overseeing, our customer, service team is the most, incredible. Opportunity because. I want, each and every one of you to love the, products you buy the, hats that you're wearing but. At the end of the day we want to create an experience so, every, single person who walks out of that pop out shop, wait pop-up shop when you come home and you put your hat on you. Remember the experience, right, and so we were able to take journal gate and make, it right and do, everything, we could to make all of you, lifelong, customers. And. So that really you know we took the core values that Rachel went over this morning and we made. Some core values for the customer service team and we, live and breathe those every, single, day. This. Year to date our customer, service team of seven have. Solved, over. 55,000. Tickets. Which come into us every, single day. 55,000. Jet Set ticket as an email right that's most of ten times of how many people are in this in this, room so really, you, know we listen to you guys we hear you we see you no, matter what it is if it's a bracelet, that's broken or a journal, that never got delivered, and, so really being able to listen to our customers see, our customers and, make things right and create, that experience should. Be embedded into the heartbeat of every single thing everyone. Does every, day can. You can you speak to because people are so terrified of feedback we absolutely get people who, are frustrated or upset or something didn't go right how do you train the staff so that they can handle that in the appropriate way and the way that we would want because we sort of lean in to like give them all the products, love on them better send them a pizza buy them some flowers like how do we but how do we take care of them yeah so I think again we go back to those core values every. Single day we're focused, every single week, we. Meet every single Monday, and we have a best practice, to really. Strategically. Think in the future of what are the questions that are going to come in this week and. How are we going to be able to react to that right everything, is not always going to go smoothly there. Are our obstacles. But it's how we react, to them every single day and. So really, being able to remain.
Calm Right, it's really easy to receive. An email or hear from an upset customer and. In the midst of it get get, a little bit upset, but. You know I always, say to the team take a deep breath we're gonna be able to figure this out, making. Sure you know the team is solution oriented, every, single day before, we start to get frantic, and. It really makes it different it makes us be able to navigate all of those different, issues and come to the table with, a solution. And you. Know even if there is a screen, between the, the ticket that comes in or the email that comes to us or it's, a, you. Know the checkout stage we connect. We connect with our customers, and. I think whether you're in any, type of industry, being able to make that connection is. It's. What drives us I mean to be, a part of a team that is the heartbeat of a company, it's, it, makes every single day a blessing and even the hardest, obstacles, we figure out a way to make it right sometimes. We send a pizza but I will. Just I will say this we. Had an experience where, someone attended, an event and they, did not have the best experience it. Was rise together, we. Will never do it again but, they. Sent me a note and said that they came in with an expectation that was different from the experience, of the event and, in that moment I had to make a choice this is the first time I'm hearing about this because I she'll, yeah, and the reality is I didn't say anything about it to you because of the decision, that I had to make in real time because, my, instinct, was to get a plane, ticket and fly to this person's house and, convince. Them that they were wrong about, how they felt and then. Win them over and then have them become, a part of our family, at holidays, so. That we could then live. For Everett but instead. I decided. To let go, of the. Ego, problem. That I was having with their reaction to our very, best attempt, and, immediately. Said, man. What, a drag, I'd like to refund your money immediately, and if you, had to pay for a hotel or airfare. I'd like to pay for that too and. It was gone, and they were appreciative, and, ended. Up actually becoming. A customer and something else that we'd created but. If I'd have spent one. Ounce of negative, energy trying, to turn. Them change. Their mind like, spend. Too much time worrying, about what, one-half. Of one percent of the attendees, thought it, would have distracted me from doing, any of the good work that we were gonna go do you're, gonna have people that don't want your thing you're. Gonna have people that are gonna be disappointed with your service, they. Aren't for you that's. Not a you problem that's a them problem, let, it go yeah. They're, just real quick tactical, thing that our see touched on I want to make sure you get this if you anticipate anticipate. What. Is going to come into customer service so, what she means is if we have a journal launching, they will get together as a team and think of all the questions that might come in and they already have responses, prepped so, your your your your barista. Your, staff the different people who work for you aren't unsure, of how to respond to a customer or client if they have a question the. Worst when I was a wedding planner I used to say we never say, I don't know, ever it. You, teach your teacher, staff this you never say I don't know to, a customer or client you say you know what let me find out for you never. Say I don't know so have, a plan in advance for how you're gonna handle it Bradley. Bradley. Brad. You. May have seen him on the rise business, stage and, let, me just say. We. We. Who's. Ever been to who went to Minneapolis, or Dallas this summer okay or. Even LA so you know that we usually have a warm-up dancer, and we, didn't do it this time because. We're like well it's business well they think that's weird and then the first day I was like D, we. Made a horrible, mistake we. Should have had warm-up dancers and D was like I will, find a way. Literally. And then. Within moments, like. All, of a sudden they were like well. Brad you're getting my dad and, and. The, D buzz which. I am still being my, pants over. That. Hoop like do you guys like. Look they were like the Mighty Ducks they got into a perfect, V, with. No notice. They were just like yes which is so our culture, like our culture is like yes let's go we're dancing, on stage in front of 6,000, people will. You explain where that culture comes from this idea of choosing joy how, does your background sort of lead into that. Yes. To. That exactly, then I am I'm a person of story so, I just have to do a little bit of story that will lead exactly, to this.
Ten Years ago I started a business and, I. Started it with someone I was in a relationship with and I gave all my money to that business and then realized that was not the relationship, I was supposed to be in and so into good or in order to get out of that business I left. Everything all. My money all my income everything. And I. Started, its soul cycle right, and. At soul cycle one, of their core beliefs is we're a culture of yes and what that means is yes. To your teammate, yes we'll find a way someone. Comes and they have an issue yes, of course we'll, find a solution for you we'll find that yes and, what it also means is when someone walks in and they got, engaged it's, yes you got engaged and. When. They graduated, college yes you got graduated, college and, then, when they also lost. Their father he said yes, you. Lost your father I'm so sorry and you. Lost your business. Yes. But, you are strong enough to overcome that and so, for me to show up to that core value at, SoulCycle, having. Lost my business sleeping. In my truck some nights at 40, years old but, to show up and celebrate. People. Their. Highs and their lows was, so, healing for me as a person, that I would say it's not the culture that you create in your company is not just for that big world out there it's. For the people that work in your company. Because. If I didn't have to show up to a place every day that said celebrate. These people, I wouldn't. Have been healed because then it suddenly wouldn't have been okay for me to have lost everything but. The way we all do you, know so, this, these core, believes that what you're setting up it's a small, business is such a beautiful, thing to me because we'd. Love to change the world but also this. Is the world you get to create so the question is what are the flags you're gonna set down how, are you gonna put the boundaries on your world to say this is what I want, the world to look like to, create it from the ground up so yes our core belief is yes. Yes we like we are a culture of yes and positivity. Because, within these four walls we, can do it and that's, the effect it will have on the rest of the world, and the people that come to us. Brad. If, someone is trying to create culture for the first time let's. Say they have a team already and they're trying to create culture, some quick ideas that, they can use - what does that look like because we've talked about I know when we've discussed Sol this, idea of you, have to keep instilling, it and keep instilling it what does that look like yes, on a daily.
Basis I mean we choose joy which is of course my favorite one here I mean we say, it constantly, even when we things we know things are rocky and it's up and down and it may even be a joke in the moment we choose joy but, we do it because we know it big picture, we. Are choosing joy, and so the more we do it over and over and that's why we started something which every, HoCo meeting, every, week we, have there. Are six different trophies, as it were that are shaped like what, the. Kroy bottles, of course the. Kroy cans so, each one it for one of our core values so, the, person that received it the week before gets. To choose one of the six and, then, they've looked for someone during the week that they feel are representing. One of those karelian bodying, that core value so. They can present it to them in front of everyone, really. Letting them know why, they, find that like you've, really shown growth. In ways that we just find so inspiring, I see it every day and your positivity, and the way that you say yes to everyone around you and like, so, they get to share it in front of everyone else and then the person receives it really. Understands. Why this is important to everyone else and that they're seen for it they're validated. And they're, heard, just for being who they are and, so it's a constant reinforcement. About. This, is the world that we are creating, here at the Hollis CO and this, is what we want to do and we do it on a daily basis to remind you because if you get too far out in the world we forget, because. The world is a crazy crazy. Place. But. Remember. Here on it. Thank. You, so, we're. We're gonna end with a big guy hello. So tell me you. Came. From, massive. Job right you came from this massive job you, came from a company that you were at for 17 years where you were extremely. Successful, and, beloved. And beloved, and beloved and then. You, came here, and we talked a lot about this idea of humility. And admitting. When you don't know, and, asking, for help and all of those things and you've talked about this before on podcast that this is something that you struggled with when you took over the CEO role, so, can you speak to that a little bit because now we're gonna get into leadership yeah, I mean, the story that, I I. Tell. In my book and I've told often was a story that I forgot, when I first came into. This, role I reverted, back to tendencies. From. The earlier parts of my, journey at the Walt Disney Company where I was, the beneficiary of fast. Promotions. That. Put me into places, that were outside, of the bounds, of my competency. That, in that space made me insecure. That. My not being holy and perfectly, qualified for, the job, likely. Had me being judged, by the people around me. At. Disney in like the fourth, year, of my. 17. I had four promotions, in four years and after, having been put in a job that was bigger than I deserved, I went, to a meeting and I thought my job was to make, sure that every other person in the room knew how smart I was. Every. Time there was a silence, in the room I would inject, something whether it was worthy of or, even a part of the thing that we were talking about in the room and. I felt very smart for showing, how smart I was and we finished this meeting and my boss asked. If he could see me in his office and I thought I was being awarded, a la Croix can at the time for. Genius, above. And beyond the call of duty Thank, You mr. Hollis for the showcase of your knowledge in, an area where it was not needed I walk, in the door the. Door closes. And he says. In. Words that still. As I think about it pierce my little baby's soul. Shut. The, up. Now. I thought I was like was it gonna be 1 5 or 2 fives I didn't know what I was getting and he just like daggers, me, and. He. Said. You. Have this, job because we, believe you to be the person who can get this job done and every. Time you try and show us how smart, or qualified, or worthy, you are of being in the seat in an. Environment, that isn't asking you to justify, your worthiness, you were undermining, your cause and, calling, into question your credibility, when. I came, to. This. CEO job, at the Hollis company I had. 25 years of entertainment experience, I'd been the head of sales of the Walt Disney Company, I was very successful and, had, never. Worked. In. What any of these humans, do, I've.
Never Worked in an online business never, worked in social media never worked in product never worked with book royalties, never, worked with digital at education, never worked with any of these things and, despite. All of what it said on my resume, I found, myself. Uncomfortable. With the reality, that my set of skills didn't align perfectly to this role now that I was operating, inside of and so I, would. Over. Represent, the bravado, of what I understood, from my past life of them though there was no application, to it and this. Woman bless, her who, had 15, years of blood and sweat equity leading. Up to that moment bitter. Tongue because, of wanting to preserve my pride and so finally, we get to have some great, terrible. Conversations. Her. Version of. STFU. And. I was able in the in those moments to be able to come more humbly to my team and say I don't, know I've. Never done this before a, lot, of times by the way we're walking into something that neither. Of us nobody, know you had to do but. At least in in walking, into the conversation, in a way that was more open to the reality that we each needed to learn instead of me representing. A know-it-all. In this that nobody wants to frankly, follow and was also false and liable. To lead us into a, bad part of the woods we, were actually able to go on a journey together to find solutions be. Humble. Admit. That you don't know you. Will get surrounded. By things and people who can help you get the knowledge that you need but, only from a posture that, humility, leading, first says I'm, gonna need some help here love. It guys. Give it up for the ho Co leadership. Team I. Hope. That, this was a helpful video or maybe at least entertaining if, there's anything that you want to know that I didn't cover be sure and comment. Below and let me know what, it is and also subscribe, to the channel hit, that like button but subscribe so every time we post new video you get a notification alright, guys have a great week.
2020-01-28 22:14
