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Join NABR in partnership with Corp! Magazine for our CEO Thought Leadership Series, where Jennifer Kluge sits down with C-Suite Leaders to get their insight and expertise.
NABR is a service organization igniting greatness in companies and their people.
00:00:01:00 - 00:00:33:15
Jennifer Kluge
Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of CEO Thought Leadership. I am Jennifer Kluge, your host today. And we have a very special guest. Rebecca Bright is the president of Epitec, and Rebecca has been instrumental in shaping the company's culture and driving its growth. Rebecca's background is in sales, which I can't wait to dive deep on. And she's responsible for strategic direction, culture and driving growth and appetite.
00:00:33:15 - 00:00:36:00
Jennifer Kluge
Welcome to the program.
00:00:36:02 - 00:00:45:07
Rebecca Bray
Thank you so much, Jennifer. I really appreciate you inviting me to hopefully share some nuggets of wisdom with your audience.
00:00:45:09 - 00:01:01:06
Jennifer Kluge
Oh, great. So for those that don't know who Epitec is, I know you're an industry leader in I.T. engineering and professional staffing with Fortune 100 clients. Tell us more about Epitec, like a 30 second overview.
00:01:01:08 - 00:01:34:09
Rebecca Bray
A 30 second overview. Being in sales, that's a hard question. Plus, that's like a hard ask for me, I could talk hours about who we are. But Epitec is a leading staffing provider across the United States. We've been in business for 45 years this year, and we have continued to remain a private, diverse, owned business. We really specialize in connecting people and talent to our mid-sized, large sized customers across the United States.
00:01:34:11 - 00:02:07:10
Rebecca Bray
And what makes us really unique, and I think this has made us unique for many years, is that no matter where our sizes and currently where our size is today, we operate with standard procedures, quality to that of a billion dollar company. But we still have that agile connection to people business. So while our teams are very structured in how they work, we really personalize our service to both our candidates, our employees and our customers.
00:02:07:12 - 00:02:37:20
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah, that's very hard to do to have the process, the protocol of a global empire and still be flexible, nimble in an agile and drive culture in that way. So, Rebecca, you're your background is in sales. You are president of the company. You have an advantage over other leaders because you have the eyes of the client. You understand their needs.
00:02:37:22 - 00:02:48:12
Jennifer Kluge
Tell us a little bit about what your secret sauce is there compared to other leaders that don't have a growth background.
00:02:48:14 - 00:03:17:17
Rebecca Bray
I think that's an interesting question, and I will get to the answer around the specific sales piece in customers. But really, when I think about and we'll probably talk about this also later on, but when I think about my journey to leading tech, it isn't any one piece I think that really sets me apart. What really has set me apart is the fact that I've done a little bit of everything.
00:03:17:19 - 00:03:47:05
Rebecca Bray
You know, I really started in a support role for that company AS and recruiting. I've been in sales. I've lead our employee engagement efforts, I've done training and development. I've worked directly with managing customer projects. I have a solid understanding and a little bit of academic background with our financials, which is really also very important. So like having all those come together.
00:03:47:07 - 00:04:12:22
Rebecca Bray
But then with that or sales piece, which is really where my passion has been for many years, it does give me an advantage to understand our customers needs, understand their challenges. I've built solutions to help them solve those challenges. I've consulted with them and I can take best practices we've seen throughout the industry and apply them to our own teams.
00:04:12:24 - 00:04:56:10
Rebecca Bray
And I do think having the understanding that, you know, you can be that best financial wizard, but without our customers and the revenue into the company, that's the launch pad, there is there is nothing to support. And I think sometimes when you don't have that understanding as a leader, when times get tough, it's hard to pick a direction to go in, in when you understand for me, when I understand the market, our current economic conditions and specifically the impact on our customers, and then how that impacts our day to day, that really allows me to pick the best direction to point the team in and let them row that boat, you know, to their best
00:04:56:12 - 00:04:57:24
Rebecca Bray
to the best end.
00:04:58:01 - 00:05:22:11
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah, And I think that's what makes us great, is we all come to the table with different experiences and there's no better glasses than the vision of a client and the client's needs. So I'm sure that has helped you immensely in your career. So let's talk about sales for a minute and let's just chat about this workshop when.
00:05:22:11 - 00:05:23:24
Rebecca Bray
One of my favorite topics.
00:05:24:01 - 00:05:59:16
Jennifer Kluge
But why not? So we're hearing from lots of individuals how hard it is to get people's attention. Our phones are sending us notification. Our computers are sending us five conversations in one moment. There's ringing over here. It's very hard to get someone's attention, especially in this hybrid world. Do you have any tips you're all trying to find candidates and all the buzz is going on and there's this social media and that social media, whatnot.
00:05:59:18 - 00:06:05:09
Jennifer Kluge
What are some best practices about really grabbing people's attention?
00:06:05:11 - 00:06:41:13
Rebecca Bray
I, I chuckle because I, I really I think about this on the Daily. And I, we joke in the office because as much as things have changed and there's been technical progress, you know, at the heart of it are relationships matter, solving problems, bringing value. And I think we're so used to just moving quick and not hearing. And this is something that I was taught as a young salesperson, understand your clients needs.
00:06:41:18 - 00:07:11:24
Rebecca Bray
And I think so many times, so many people, we don't really take the time to understand what the needs are on. And we try to just this is what I can do for you. And I don't even know if it's what you eat. And I think people are they are they're busy, they're distracted, they're uninterested in. So if you come out right away without something that's neat that you think you're going to fill a need and they don't.
00:07:12:01 - 00:07:42:14
Rebecca Bray
It's not you like Off the Radar right away. So I think, you know, we need to slow down a little bit and get back to working on relationships and understanding where the where the challenges are, where the problems need to be solved. Because I think it doesn't matter if you're trying to sell talent solutions, if you're trying to match a person to a job, if you're selling software, if you're selling TV, if you're not hitting the need, it doesn't really matter.
00:07:42:15 - 00:07:48:19
Rebecca Bray
So how do we get back to understanding what people's problems are?
00:07:48:21 - 00:08:28:02
Jennifer Kluge
And that's very good reminder, especially to the generation that hasn't really used to phone or has had to need to develop a long term relationship in a business environment. It's slow, it's methodical, it's slow, it's caring, it's empathy. It's all the things you don't necessarily learn in business, school or what have you. So that's a wonderful reminder. And by the way, anyone listening right now, I think the phone is coming back as a weapon because how many voicemails do you get now versus what you had ten or 12 years ago?
00:08:28:08 - 00:09:00:01
Jennifer Kluge
It's really an amazing. So let's talk a little bit more about your leadership. Everyone has pivotal moments. They could be positive and they could be negative or constructive. These milestones and experiences shape who we are. They shape our leadership. They shape how we come to work each day. As you look back, you've been with Epitec for 25 years.
00:09:00:03 - 00:09:09:20
Jennifer Kluge
As you look back on your career, what were some of those pivotal moments and what did you learn from them?
00:09:09:22 - 00:09:33:19
Rebecca Bray
I think there's many moments in time I have been humbled to learn. I don't know everything and to accept how you know when I need it or sometimes when I don't even realize I need it. But early on, when I had been with Epitec a few few years, just a couple of years, I was part of our sales team.
00:09:33:19 - 00:09:59:06
Rebecca Bray
I was one of our top producing salespeople. We were we were really going through some challenges. Growing as a company in our revenue had actually started to come down. And so our leadership at the time, which I was not part of the leadership team, had decided to bring in some consultants. And being in my early career, I thought they don't know what we do.
00:09:59:08 - 00:10:23:16
Rebecca Bray
They've been around a while, but they were going to help us. They were going to help us reset on our, you know, our mission. They were going to reset on our sales process. And while I was hitting my goals and exceeding them as a company and as a team, we were not. So that's a problem, you know, not a problem that I saw outright because I was doing what I needed to do.
00:10:23:18 - 00:10:50:22
Rebecca Bray
And then they also. But you know what they really worked with us on was mapping our process. And that was a pivotal time once for our change in growth, being able to really springboard in, set some better standards and processing quality in place for us. And it also taught me that I don't know everything going in today. As a company, we are solidly rooted.
00:10:50:22 - 00:11:11:15
Rebecca Bray
We still to this day, we map our processes, keep our maps updated. We work on our systems based our processes. So that was something that when those those consultants were brought in, I was not bought in and I did later see the value in that in and it was a game changer. It was a game changer for me.
00:11:11:15 - 00:11:12:09
Rebecca Bray
And it was a game changer for everyone.
00:11:12:09 - 00:11:37:14
Jennifer Kluge
And historically, businesses can only get so big. So they grow and then they plateau. And in order to go to the next level, you need those processes in order to make a big leap forward and and wonderful that you're you're staying with it because they're there. They're living organisms. The process, right? And there's all these ripple out factors.
00:11:37:14 - 00:12:08:02
Jennifer Kluge
So that is very wise words on how to grow to see even more than than where you're at. So let's let's talk about talent management. You're in charge of the culture there, in charge of recruiting, hiring, developing talent. So let's not talk as you as the recruiter and the recruiting and then let's talk about you as the leader.
00:12:08:04 - 00:12:13:01
Jennifer Kluge
Could you elaborate on your talent strategy?
00:12:13:03 - 00:12:41:10
Rebecca Bray
Yeah, when I, when I think about our team and my role in our culture, in developing our team, I really think, you know, I do yoga for those that do yoga out there, you know, the yoga instructor will say, you know, they’re they’re a guide right there that they're really to tell you all the pieces are really there just to help facilitate and guide and
00:12:41:10 - 00:13:16:24
Rebecca Bray
I believe that for myself as a leader that I'm here you know help set the direction to guide but to pave the way for our all of our individuals on our team to really help shape, mold, develop and carry on our culture. So for us, culture is not something that is anybody's responsibility. It is everybody's responsibility. And so even when we look at our hiring practices, we involve several people to help that interview process.
00:13:17:01 - 00:13:43:04
Rebecca Bray
And that's a two way street. One, it's not just allowing, you know, different team members to contribute to the interview process, but it allows for individuals that are wanting to come work with Epitec to see and feel our culture, not just for me, right? Because I am a great salesperson. I can sell you on why I should work here, but that doesn't mean that person might be working with me on a day to day basis.
00:13:43:04 - 00:14:06:16
Rebecca Bray
So they really need to speak with the person that they're going to be next to because if they don't like that or they can love me, but if they don't like that person, it might be a mismatch. So it's for everybody to contribute in different, you know, shapes and forms. How we show up to work in our culture is important, you know, are we ready?
00:14:06:18 - 00:14:30:15
Rebecca Bray
Are we prepared? You know, we talk about people having muscle in it. For us, that muscle is, you know, are you motivated to come and be part of our mission to make an impact on people's lives and help them find that next career opportunity? You know, do we have a sense of urgency? Are we sensitive to what people's needs are?
00:14:30:15 - 00:14:36:13
Rebecca Bray
So we have these things that we want that are collective value to us.
00:14:36:15 - 00:14:53:18
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah, that's wonderful. You know, could you give us a feel for your culture? There may be some best practices or company rituals. Like what? What cool things are over there that if I was an employee, I'd be like, Oh yeah, that's pretty cool.
00:14:53:20 - 00:15:22:10
Rebecca Bray
Well, we've always said we we work hard and we play hard, but we really we really enjoy being together in connecting with each other, which over the past several years things have changed. But I tell you, as our team grew nationally prior to COVID, our team had grown nationally and we had made the switch to working in a hybrid environment.
00:15:22:12 - 00:16:06:15
Rebecca Bray
And we're kind of a it's not all all the way, one way or the other, right? A little bit of everything goes a long way. And we made that switch to working hybrid, even for individuals that were by offices because of and I would say inclusion and equity before it was like a key word, but really we wanted to learn to work together and have an environment that whether you're working in-person or virtual, that we have these tools and mechanisms that everybody feels part of the team because prior to that we did have a situation where people that worked out of our headquarters felt a was were feeling one way because they were in the
00:16:06:15 - 00:16:37:22
Rebecca Bray
office five days a week with each other. And then we have other individuals supporting our client feeling like they're kind of off on their own before all the wonderful technology was really maximized, you know, we’re we're in a conference room having breakfast, eating together, and we've got the one weird camera angle for the presentation and the virtual people couldn't hear, you know, And so we had to really learn to to say how, you know, even though we're remote, we want to feel connected.
00:16:37:22 - 00:16:53:04
Rebecca Bray
We want to work together. We are part of a team. And so how do we do that? And I think the the individuals that come work for us and with us, they're individuals that want to work in a team environment and want to help be part of the greater good.
00:16:53:06 - 00:17:19:13
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah, we just released a guide to Executive Leaders related to talent and what should be focused on. And one of the things that we found based off of the data on the surveys is collaboration needs to be defined and it needs to be defined uniquely for each company. And that's what you just described as you you were figuring out the details of what collaboration looks like now.
00:17:19:15 - 00:17:41:10
Jennifer Kluge
And it's so amazing. We have it is the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic, right? And there's an entire generation coming that won't know what the pre-pandemic really was. So whatever we're designing now will set the stage for future generations. So it sounds like you're figuring it out. Congratulations.
00:17:41:12 - 00:17:44:15
Rebecca Bray
Like every day. But every day is a challenge.
00:17:44:17 - 00:18:11:17
Jennifer Kluge
I So the staffing industry's pretty unique in being a leading indicator for how industry is doing, how the economy's doing, what the future looks like. Talent is all over the place lately. What are you seeing out there? As is your crystal ball for 2024? What are your predictions on what's going to happen?
00:18:13:21 - 00:18:49:17
Rebecca Bray
I, that’s a big question, it's a great question. You know, we're really hearing from our our customers that, you know, people are just really kind of holding tight when it comes to staffing levels, investing in growing teams. You know, we have, I'll call it an anomaly, but we really had some an untypical behavior, right, coming out of COVID where it was like, you know, COVID shut everything down and then coming out of it, it was like gang, you know, like everybody is off the charts.
00:18:49:17 - 00:19:18:11
Rebecca Bray
And so now things have kind of been on the settling end and I think with so much uncertainty because of media, I hate to say it, but like, yeah, you don't know what's, what's real, what's not. And I think you know, folks with everything that's going on politically and economically, a lot of the big companies, I think they're not they're not going to go out on a limb and try to draw staff up one way or another.
00:19:18:11 - 00:19:32:10
Rebecca Bray
I think, you know, works. We're all trying to run the business. We're all trying to run the business as efficiently as possible. And we are seeing from our customers, though, that they are bringing a hybrid workforce that.
00:19:32:12 - 00:19:33:10
Jennifer Kluge
Yes.
00:19:33:12 - 00:20:00:08
Rebecca Bray
We're seeing a little bit of the full time onsite. But what we're really seeing when I look at, you know, a thousand open positions that we have across the United States, probably 70% are hybrid. Yeah, or we still have a few remote, we still have a few onsite. But that but that hybrid model and having people on in a location close enough that they can come in and some type of cadence.
00:20:00:08 - 00:20:04:22
Rebecca Bray
So not anymore having people just be wherever.
00:20:04:24 - 00:20:29:02
Jennifer Kluge
It's a little bit more structured on what days are in office versus out of office. Your industry's fortunate to to make that choice. And do you see candidates saying, okay, I'll do the hybrid that but they'd rather be 100% remote? Or are you seeing them itching to get back into an environment? What are you seeing there?
00:20:29:04 - 00:20:54:17
Rebecca Bray
You know, it's interesting. We're actually seeing more and more early career people wanting to go into an office, a hybrid. You know, we've we've actually lost a few great, great team members that were in remote locations were us because they wanted to go and work in an office not five days a week. But they want that availability and they want that connection.
00:20:54:17 - 00:21:31:04
Rebecca Bray
I think people are starting to kind of realize that there is something to that. On the other individuals that may be a little later in their career journey and everything, personal obligations like a little bit more flexibility are, you know, I don't you know, while there's a lot of I think openness and empathy and sensitivity out there around work life balance, I still don't promote people heading into an interview saying I really want to work remote so I can put my laundry in in between calls.
00:21:31:07 - 00:21:32:12
Rebecca Bray
Yeah.
00:21:32:14 - 00:21:33:16
Jennifer Kluge
Lunch.
00:21:33:18 - 00:21:35:16
Rebecca Bray
Right. It's not recommended.
00:21:35:18 - 00:21:58:23
Jennifer Kluge
Right. Well well, let me ask you this. Let's stick with the theme of candidate from their perspective. We have a lot of CEOs that listen to this program. We have a lot of leaders that listen to this program from a candidate's perspective, what are the most common mistakes we are making as employers? What are you hearing from them?
00:21:59:00 - 00:22:17:15
Rebecca Bray
So some companies have tried video interviewing. Well, that is not going over well with candidates, where we're being asked, they basically get on and it's recorded and they're answering questions, but nobody's on the other end.
00:22:17:17 - 00:22:18:16
Jennifer Kluge
Oh.
00:22:18:18 - 00:22:20:06
Rebecca Bray
Yes.
00:22:20:08 - 00:22:21:01
Jennifer Kluge
Oh.
00:22:21:03 - 00:22:33:01
Rebecca Bray
Yeah. So like, if you're you know, you want to again, you want to see the culture of the company. So that has not gone over well.
00:22:33:03 - 00:22:48:21
Jennifer Kluge
I cant blame them, let's just stick with that for a second. We want to bring someone onto your team. But they don't see you. You have this voiceover asking the questions. I don't even like it when I'm in a meeting and cameras are turned on.
00:22:49:00 - 00:23:31:13
Rebecca Bray
It's not as comfortable. Yeah. Yes. So we've seen that, you know, we we are good or bad. And, and I think sometimes people don't like this, but the does the bad apples spoil the bunch? But in our technical world because of some of the say fraud out there, you know our customers are using more software to identify if somebody is actually answering the questions themselves because there's been there's been that out there, which I think for the Yeah.
00:23:31:13 - 00:23:54:19
Rebecca Bray
For and for the candidate that is authentic in answering the questions, sometimes that feels really harsh and it's like, well, it's not that we think you're, you know, maybe not going to answer the questions to the best of your ability, but there has been so many instances now. So I think how we're using technology sometimes is, again, kind of helps with the disconnection Yeah.
00:23:54:21 - 00:23:56:13
Rebecca Bray
Or aides and the disconnection.
00:23:56:18 - 00:24:17:12
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah. And I've even heard too that a recruiter will get a resume from four or five different people and it has the same description for the job. That really doesn't make you stand out as a candidate. Anything else that we're getting wrong is employers in the recruiting process.
00:24:17:14 - 00:24:44:21
Rebecca Bray
Like anything for candidates that really are interested, are we getting back to them at least to even say sorry at this time? It's not a match? You know, we still get a lot of folks giving feedback that, you know, they don't like, that they don't hear anything. They don't know what's going on. And in the process, we are also seeing which from a candidate end it can be frustrating at times is a lot of third and fourth interviews
00:24:44:21 - 00:24:51:23
Rebecca Bray
now to the decisions made, which, you know, that can be a painful process for candidates sometimes.
00:24:51:24 - 00:24:58:06
Jennifer Kluge
Yes, especially if you're busy and juggling and a lot to begin with. And we're all stretched thin, right?
00:24:58:08 - 00:25:05:20
Rebecca Bray
Yeah. If you're already working, you know, and you're taking time out to interview and now you've got to do that three or four times.
00:25:05:22 - 00:25:22:14
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah. Rebecca, one of the things I really admire about you is you take the time to mentor and you talked about mentoring as a key part of your job as president there, but you mentor young ladies in your free time.
00:25:22:16 - 00:25:23:19
Rebecca Bray
I do.
00:25:23:21 - 00:25:33:09
Jennifer Kluge
Tell us more about that to share some some experiences there, and then we'll talk about what advice you're giving them.
00:25:33:11 - 00:26:10:07
Rebecca Bray
Yeah, but so I do a lot when it comes to young females early in career and sometimes in school with technology, specifically. So I'm part of technology organizations. One is the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and so from there we want to give more support to young ladies pursuing careers within IT and a lot of times there still is not a heavy female population in their classes at college and or on in early career.
00:26:10:07 - 00:26:37:03
Rebecca Bray
When they start their career, they don't have a good support network. So I, I do participate and try to do some mentorship so that there is an avenue of someone to talk to, even in when they're struggling in classes. How, how do you organize yourself? How do you set yourself up for success or to get the right help that you need?
00:26:37:05 - 00:27:09:24
Rebecca Bray
Because sometimes people just don't know where to go for help. Also, when you start a new opportunity or how do you evaluate what's going to be the best internship for me? What's going to be the best first job? How do I? I had one young lady this past summer her she was applying for internships. The internship she had with the company the summer before had basically said, Right, well, I'd love to have you back as an intern, but she wanted to take an internship somewhere else for some different exposure.
00:27:09:24 - 00:27:26:20
Rebecca Bray
So she asked, How do I tell that? Like, I don't want to burn this bridge, so how do I say thank you? But no thank you in a manner which will, if I want to go back for the future. So that's some of the types of questions that I get asked.
00:27:26:22 - 00:27:55:21
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah so one more one more discussion around this point. And I ask this a lot if you had a 22 year old graduate sitting in front of you and they have all these aspirations for success in the business world, what advice would you give them?
00:27:55:23 - 00:28:30:11
Rebecca Bray
You know, I think when I think about what has me personally, what has made me successful is is my resilience. And I look back in it early on in my career, there were many times that I did not agree with my leadership and for whatever reason, sometimes I'm like, I don't even know why, but for whatever reason I zipped it in and had some trust in faith.
00:28:30:13 - 00:28:36:18
Rebecca Bray
Right? So and I don't mean if there was times where I thought something maybe, you know, was not ethical or anything like.
00:28:36:22 - 00:28:37:14
Jennifer Kluge
Right, right.
00:28:37:15 - 00:28:51:07
Rebecca Bray
But maybe I didn't agree with like, why would we do this? You know, I don't think this is the right direction for this. Whatever. But for whatever reason, I knew enough to say, you know what, Maybe, maybe I'm going to at least let it see it through.
00:28:51:09 - 00:28:52:03
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah.
00:28:52:05 - 00:29:15:22
Rebecca Bray
In, in sometimes I think we need to hang in there with the conversation and not shut down and not just be like, I don't agree. So I'm out. What can I always I always looked at like, what can I learn from this? Because there's going to be something, even if it goes the way I think it does, there's going to be something I'm going to be able to take away and learn.
00:29:15:24 - 00:29:25:21
Rebecca Bray
And I think today were really quick. Just as a society to give up on things, we're just like, we don't like it and we're done. And I feel like.
00:29:25:23 - 00:29:29:13
Jennifer Kluge
You can put it on social media, how horrible it is, right?
00:29:29:15 - 00:29:54:13
Rebecca Bray
Yeah. So and so I feel like if I gave there's so many points in my career where I feel like, man, had I done that, I would have missed out on so much learning and development. And I will tell you, there were times early on in my career I wanted to quit like I was ready and I was like, for whatever reason, I was like, hang in there a little bit longer.
00:29:54:15 - 00:29:58:07
Rebecca Bray
So, so fortunate and so blessed and so glad that I did.
00:29:58:09 - 00:30:28:18
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah, Well, I will never forget this. When I was in grad school, I had a professor give us all an assignment, and then he gave us a similar assignment. But it was a group project and he showed statistically how better the group project was. Ten minds coming together instead of one mind. And that was the most valuable lesson I got from school.
00:30:28:19 - 00:30:56:19
Jennifer Kluge
And then this is very similar. Very similar to that lean in and trust the group around you. Their perspective is equally important to your perspective. There's ten ways to do something right. Ten ways to do something right, and let's learn a new way to do it. Very good advice. So let's talk about you as a human. So often leaders are viewed by the title.
00:30:56:19 - 00:31:23:06
Jennifer Kluge
It can be intimidating. That can be scary. And little do they know that we're we're just like everyone else. We walk around in our in our slippers, too, right? Yeah. So. So tell me more about you as a human. How do you start your day, how you start your day, and then how do you start your workday?
00:31:23:08 - 00:31:26:19
Rebecca Bray
Okay. I'm I'm an early bird. I'm like.
00:31:26:20 - 00:31:27:23
Jennifer Kluge
Oh, what time?
00:31:28:00 - 00:32:00:10
Rebecca Bray
Crazy early bird. I always have been, alarm goes off at 4:45, so. Oh, I'm early. I go to bed early, though. I come to bed early. I turn into a pumpkin, I'm up early and I exercise first thing. So like that. And that's been my routine for many, many years. So I really I do think that helps me kind of set set the tone for the day.
00:32:00:12 - 00:32:20:00
Rebecca Bray
It helps me, you know, kind of get into a space of like physically kind of letting out whatever is going on. So I'm ready to ready to tackle the day. And I do, working on it, I try to do some meditation. I don't do as much as I would like. That's the peace that it's like I know I benefit from.
00:32:20:00 - 00:32:23:19
Rebecca Bray
I just that's the one that falls off like, all right, no.
00:32:27:00 - 00:32:36:15
Jennifer Kluge
Oh most busy executive struggle with that. That's that's not unheard of. Do you have any quirky pet peeves.
00:32:36:17 - 00:33:05:05
Rebecca Bray
We you know, I we were talking about that in the office. I was asking I actually was asking people, see what other people say, you know, if I necessarily have if I were if they would be quirky. But I do think that sometimes what I guess is a little bit of a pet is where people ask for feedback and then and then don't take any of it.
00:33:05:07 - 00:33:05:10
Jennifer Kluge
00:33:05:10 - 00:33:06:12
Rebecca Bray
Or take it into consideration.
00:33:06:12 - 00:33:20:05
Jennifer Kluge
So it must be her. I'm fine. You're right. So a lot. Yeah, I think that would that would irritate just about everybody. Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies?
00:33:20:07 - 00:33:38:23
Rebecca Bray
I think I do not have any hidden talents. I for sure cannot sing or juggle or write a unicycle, but I so so no really in talents. I, I do love to read. So when I, when I can read, I love to read.
00:33:39:00 - 00:33:45:01
Jennifer Kluge
Who is there a book you're reading right now and would you recommend it so.
00:33:45:03 - 00:34:16:02
Rebecca Bray
Well the the my one recent favorite book was Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. If you have not read it as a leader. It's awesome. I had my whole leadership team read it, so it's about a restaurant that became the best restaurant in the world and how they did that. And I think there's a lot of parallels to the leadership, the customer service.
00:34:16:04 - 00:34:23:01
Rebecca Bray
There's a lot of good takeaways there. I also I like Simon Sinek like he has great Yeah.
00:34:23:03 - 00:34:23:09
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah.
00:34:23:09 - 00:34:45:20
Rebecca Bray
I think I think as a business leader, one of my favorite books of his was The Infinite is the Infinite Game, right? Because when I look at our business and our continued growth and succession and how we're going to carry on, that book really resonated that, you know, we're not we're currently we're not looking even we're privately held.
00:34:45:24 - 00:34:59:12
Rebecca Bray
We're not looking to just grow the business to sell with this, right? So we're looking at how do we create this legacy and ongoing commitment to our community. And so with that, that book was really insightful.
00:34:59:14 - 00:35:17:11
Jennifer Kluge
Okay. One one more question for you, and this is for you as a human in your life. So set your career aside for a second. What decision have you made that was an absolute game changer for you in your life?
00:35:17:13 - 00:35:42:22
Rebecca Bray
Having kids. I mean, I had it. I did not always know I wanted kids. And so at the point in which I met my husband and we got married and decided that, hey, if it happens, that would be great. And I was okay if it wasn't going to and ended up. I have a ten year old daughter and a six year old son and they have made me a better human being.
00:35:42:22 - 00:35:56:05
Rebecca Bray
They have made me a better leader, just a better person. And in so many ways, and they have tested my patience to the limits I never thought was possible.
00:35:56:05 - 00:36:12:12
Jennifer Kluge
That is such a fun time when the kids, I have two children myself, they're now young adults, but when they're when they your youngest turns four from 4 to 12, there's so much fun there. How much fun.
00:36:12:12 - 00:36:26:23
Rebecca Bray
They are, but my but, you know, like, I'll get out. I really try to have patience and there are something will happen and, you know, I'll lose it a little bit. And my husband, Travis, he'll look at me and he'll be like that. That's why you finally lost it?.
00:36:26:23 - 00:36:37:00
Jennifer Kluge
That's great! So it counts.
00:36:37:02 - 00:36:41:15
Rebecca Bray
Was actually marrying my husband and then having kids.
00:36:41:20 - 00:36:59:20
Jennifer Kluge
Yeah yeah. You can forget about hubby. Well. Rebecca, it's been wonderful having you on the program. Thank you for your insights, your wisdom, your expertise and congratulations on your impressive journey and keep shining bright.
00:36:59:22 - 00:37:05:10
Rebecca Bray
Oh, Jennifer, thank you so much. Have a great day and appreciate you having me.
00:37:05:12 - 00:37:07:18
Jennifer Kluge
Wonderful Thank you so much. Bye bye everybody.