WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:45.342 --> 00:00:48.132 Linda Ostovitz: Hello everyone and welcome to Real Talk Real Growth. 00:00:48.192 --> 00:00:51.372 I'm Linda Ostovitz and I am thrilled to have as our guest 00:00:51.372 --> 00:00:56.502 today, my friend Lynda Ellis, who is the owner of Capitol Concierge. 00:00:57.162 --> 00:01:01.862 I met Lynda through my board service with the Howard County Chamber of Commerce. 00:01:02.012 --> 00:01:08.582 I am the immediate past board chair, and I'm still a member of the board as I have 00:01:08.582 --> 00:01:13.082 been for a number of years, and right now, chair the small business committee. 00:01:14.147 --> 00:01:18.977 And in that position, I have been very fortunate to have great opportunities 00:01:18.977 --> 00:01:23.117 to really get to know people who perhaps I might not have had the 00:01:23.117 --> 00:01:25.367 opportunity to get to know as I have. 00:01:25.967 --> 00:01:32.207 And Lynda is one of those people, and I think she really hit my radar last year 00:01:32.697 --> 00:01:38.397 when she was awarded recognition from the Howard County Chamber of Commerce. 00:01:38.997 --> 00:01:42.567 And I don't remember what it was called, Lynda, but the award was given to you for 00:01:42.567 --> 00:01:48.657 the fact that you had grown so much in a short period of time in a business life. 00:01:48.657 --> 00:01:53.187 We were looking at three years and how much you had grown your business. 00:01:53.187 --> 00:01:58.602 And frankly, I enjoyed being with you and spending time with you, but when 00:01:58.602 --> 00:02:01.932 I saw that, I thought, oh my goodness, I need to know more about this woman's 00:02:01.932 --> 00:02:05.412 business acumen, which is extraordinary. 00:02:05.802 --> 00:02:08.892 So Lynda, thank you so much for being with us today. 00:02:08.892 --> 00:02:13.272 Look forward to our conversation and sharing how it is that you 00:02:13.272 --> 00:02:15.162 have come to be so successful. 00:02:16.124 --> 00:02:20.684 Lynda Ellis: Thank you so much for the invitation allowing me this honor. 00:02:21.154 --> 00:02:27.634 Linda, it is really, really special and may I say you are such a leader for 00:02:27.694 --> 00:02:29.734 business and for women, so thank you. 00:02:29.974 --> 00:02:33.064 Linda Ostovitz: Well, thank you so much, but let's talk about you. 00:02:33.574 --> 00:02:36.944 So, Capitol Concierge, is the name of your business. 00:02:37.634 --> 00:02:44.279 And if you would share with our listeners, what Capitol Concierge does. 00:02:44.609 --> 00:02:48.719 I know I was blown away when you told me, so let's just blow away the 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.399 rest of our audience this afternoon. 00:02:51.539 --> 00:02:52.469 Lynda Ellis: Well, thank you. 00:02:52.799 --> 00:02:57.599 We are the people who do whatever you need us to do that you don't have time to do. 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:01.349 So, our company is 35 years old. 00:03:01.349 --> 00:03:06.199 We were started with five commercial office properties where we are 00:03:06.199 --> 00:03:09.529 the concierge of the front desk, the person who greets you and says 00:03:09.529 --> 00:03:10.729 goodnight to you when you leave. 00:03:11.239 --> 00:03:16.489 And I came to the company in 98 and we have flourished because of our team. 00:03:16.549 --> 00:03:21.889 And so we're in residential properties, we're at the front desk and we're in 00:03:21.889 --> 00:03:27.529 private companies like, Facebook and Google and Generali, which is the largest 00:03:27.809 --> 00:03:29.519 travel insurance company in the world. 00:03:29.519 --> 00:03:33.119 And we're in private companies who care about their employees and want their 00:03:33.119 --> 00:03:34.859 employees to have a better work life. 00:03:34.889 --> 00:03:39.269 And we do those things that, as long as it's legal and ethical, 00:03:39.609 --> 00:03:41.829 that you don't have time to do. 00:03:42.099 --> 00:03:45.459 The everyday stuff that you think I'll get to, I'll get to, 00:03:45.459 --> 00:03:47.379 I'll get to, but you never do. 00:03:47.429 --> 00:03:51.309 Linda Ostovitz: So it's very interesting that you point out in particular, as 00:03:51.309 --> 00:03:57.609 long as it's legal and ethical, because this woman, as you will hear, has lines 00:03:57.609 --> 00:04:04.374 in the sand for what she does, how she does it, who works for her, who doesn't 00:04:04.374 --> 00:04:09.644 work for her, all of which really have I'm oversimplifying this, have led her 00:04:09.644 --> 00:04:11.714 to the success that she enjoys right now. 00:04:12.284 --> 00:04:16.034 So I heard what you said, we do what other people don't have the time 00:04:16.034 --> 00:04:22.634 to do, but could you give us some examples of the extraordinary things? 00:04:22.784 --> 00:04:23.984 I think they're extraordinary. 00:04:23.984 --> 00:04:28.994 Maybe your every day, I dunno, things that your concierge have done for your clients. 00:04:30.044 --> 00:04:34.004 Lynda Ellis: I'm happy to do that because a lot of them are such fun things. 00:04:34.004 --> 00:04:37.024 We do things that are not as fun. 00:04:37.024 --> 00:04:37.984 I'll go into that. 00:04:37.984 --> 00:04:43.244 But some of the fun things that we have done is one of our Facebookers at 00:04:43.244 --> 00:04:48.804 Facebook emailed our concierge and said, I need 30 yards of this purple fabric. 00:04:48.804 --> 00:04:55.269 And he had sent the concierge a picture in a bizarre magazine of an 00:04:55.269 --> 00:04:59.409 advertisement and there was a model in it wearing a purple jacket, and he 00:04:59.409 --> 00:05:01.689 said, I need 30 yards of that material. 00:05:02.859 --> 00:05:07.959 It was not an advertisement for the jacket itself, so our concierge 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:09.429 were all very resourceful. 00:05:09.429 --> 00:05:10.959 That's one of the things we looked for. 00:05:11.349 --> 00:05:15.009 And so the concierge called Bazaar Magazine, found out 00:05:15.009 --> 00:05:16.479 who the advertiser was. 00:05:16.764 --> 00:05:20.814 Got the advertising agency so that we could find out who the model agency 00:05:20.814 --> 00:05:26.034 was and then determine whether that model wearing that purple jacket was 00:05:26.574 --> 00:05:31.584 a model modeling a designer jacket or was it a jacket that he just put on? 00:05:32.174 --> 00:05:36.644 So once we found that out, we called the manufacturer of the jacket to 00:05:36.644 --> 00:05:41.264 determine who was the manufacturer of the material of that jacket. 00:05:41.564 --> 00:05:44.144 And within two weeks, the Facebooker had. 00:05:45.089 --> 00:05:47.369 30 yards of material that he wanted. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:50.144 Linda Ostovitz: What resources you have. 00:05:50.744 --> 00:05:54.394 I think you also shared with me that one of your concierge 00:05:54.634 --> 00:05:58.594 arranged a funeral for one of the, I'm gonna use the word tenants. 00:05:58.594 --> 00:06:02.014 I don't know if that's correct, but maybe one of the tenants in their building and 00:06:02.014 --> 00:06:09.194 another one arranged a from beginning to end, a 25 year anniversary trip. 00:06:09.494 --> 00:06:11.234 Could you just talk about those briefly? 00:06:11.504 --> 00:06:16.944 Lynda Ellis: Those are so wonderful and when I referenced the funeral service, 00:06:17.334 --> 00:06:22.344 Linda, it gives us an opportunity to make a difference in someone else's life. 00:06:22.344 --> 00:06:30.484 And then during COVID, we were honored to help many families with the parting 00:06:30.484 --> 00:06:35.064 of their loved one and arranging funeral services for those loved ones. 00:06:35.064 --> 00:06:37.224 And it's really hard, as you can well imagine. 00:06:37.644 --> 00:06:42.004 And it was a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in someone's 00:06:42.004 --> 00:06:47.664 life that we couldn't shake their hand or see personally, but it was a 00:06:47.664 --> 00:06:52.254 really hard time and we were able to lighten that load and it was truly a 00:06:52.254 --> 00:06:54.324 blessing for us to be able to do that. 00:06:54.954 --> 00:07:00.844 And in terms of the 25 th anniversary, it was so fun because our client told 00:07:00.844 --> 00:07:04.144 me he wanted something special, told our concierge he wanted something 00:07:04.144 --> 00:07:08.349 very special and they went on to an island, they were there for a week 00:07:08.349 --> 00:07:14.139 and one of the days he wanted a beautiful, beautiful day of sailing. 00:07:14.469 --> 00:07:19.549 And so he wanted a specific yacht in terms of the feet of the yacht. 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:23.269 He wanted a captain so he wouldn't have to sail it himself. 00:07:23.389 --> 00:07:24.859 He wanted it catered. 00:07:25.039 --> 00:07:29.159 He wanted special wines and he wanted breakfast, lunch, and dinner 00:07:29.369 --> 00:07:31.979 on that yacht by candlelight. 00:07:32.122 --> 00:07:34.377 It happened, the weather cooperated. 00:07:34.377 --> 00:07:35.697 It was beautiful weather. 00:07:35.697 --> 00:07:39.597 And he came back and he said it was the most amazing trip that 00:07:39.597 --> 00:07:42.407 he and his wife had ever spent. 00:07:42.407 --> 00:07:44.837 And he said it was wonderful because of what you did. 00:07:45.077 --> 00:07:52.207 It was so wonderful that, and we don't encourage this, but he actually texted 00:07:52.207 --> 00:07:59.557 me the next day and said, I want to bring something back for the concierge. 00:08:00.352 --> 00:08:03.352 And I see some earrings, could I bring those back for her? 00:08:03.832 --> 00:08:07.992 It was just such a really nice touch, but they felt so wonderful. 00:08:07.992 --> 00:08:09.252 And it's the memory. 00:08:09.852 --> 00:08:13.902 It's the memory that we helped create for them, and that's truly 00:08:14.202 --> 00:08:15.792 an honor to be able to do that. 00:08:16.992 --> 00:08:20.127 Linda Ostovitz: Well, you gave me some chills during those two stories, 00:08:20.127 --> 00:08:23.247 and then I think, my goodness, she even controls the weather. 00:08:23.772 --> 00:08:26.172 So that's pretty incredible. 00:08:26.862 --> 00:08:31.772 So you had worked for Capitol Concierge in management for a number 00:08:31.772 --> 00:08:33.362 of years before you bought it. 00:08:33.842 --> 00:08:39.462 So can you give us an idea of the size of the company, what its capacity was, 00:08:39.462 --> 00:08:42.642 what it was doing when you bought it? 00:08:43.602 --> 00:08:44.292 Lynda Ellis: Absolutely. 00:08:44.592 --> 00:08:50.362 I met our founder, Mary Naylor, and she's one of those people who knows what the 00:08:50.362 --> 00:08:52.402 market wants before the market wants it. 00:08:52.852 --> 00:08:56.872 And so she was starting another company and she wanted someone to 00:08:56.872 --> 00:09:01.052 come in and run Capitol Concierge, and that's something that I have done 00:09:01.052 --> 00:09:03.242 throughout my career is run companies. 00:09:03.482 --> 00:09:07.802 I just sold my second company and I was looking for something different. 00:09:08.162 --> 00:09:12.452 I was in instructional technology for over 25 years. 00:09:12.752 --> 00:09:13.382 It was fun. 00:09:13.382 --> 00:09:15.782 It was good to me, but I wanted something different. 00:09:16.082 --> 00:09:18.542 And when I came to the company, when I met Mary, I didn't 00:09:18.542 --> 00:09:20.042 know how to spell concierge. 00:09:20.042 --> 00:09:21.122 I can do that now. 00:09:21.512 --> 00:09:27.227 And Mary and I just absolutely matched. 00:09:27.617 --> 00:09:30.527 Our strengths and our weaknesses complimented one another. 00:09:30.577 --> 00:09:32.657 We talked from 10 to 10. 00:09:33.207 --> 00:09:37.617 One day she called me at 11, made me an offer, and the rest is history. 00:09:37.617 --> 00:09:41.937 And at that time there were 19 people in our corporate office. 00:09:41.937 --> 00:09:43.317 I don't have that now. 00:09:43.992 --> 00:09:47.022 Because I believe in very flat organizations, it keeps 00:09:47.022 --> 00:09:48.222 you close to the client. 00:09:48.882 --> 00:09:55.362 And we had at the time, 87 employees and we were only in commercial 00:09:55.362 --> 00:09:58.932 office properties providing, being the person at the front desk. 00:09:59.352 --> 00:10:02.082 And so I went to Mary, I said, why don't we go into shopping malls? 00:10:02.082 --> 00:10:03.492 And she said, yeah, I think that's great. 00:10:03.492 --> 00:10:06.022 So we did a lot of work in shopping malls. 00:10:06.622 --> 00:10:11.872 Tyson's Corner Center, Columbia Mall, Towson, malls in Massachusetts, in 00:10:11.872 --> 00:10:14.812 North and South Carolina and in Texas. 00:10:15.172 --> 00:10:17.392 And then I wanted to go into residential. 00:10:17.822 --> 00:10:20.072 Into high-end condominiums. 00:10:20.072 --> 00:10:22.712 And she said, Lynda, that's a pain. 00:10:22.742 --> 00:10:24.392 It is a pain, but we love it. 00:10:24.392 --> 00:10:29.102 It's we, so we are a company 24 by seven by 365. 00:10:29.702 --> 00:10:32.112 And that's been very good to us. 00:10:32.112 --> 00:10:37.857 And then I said, we need to provide our service to corporations whose employers 00:10:38.067 --> 00:10:42.357 value their employees, and how can we make their day better so that the 00:10:42.357 --> 00:10:45.837 individual employee feels seen and valued? 00:10:46.557 --> 00:10:48.717 I'm very much a grower, Linda. 00:10:48.967 --> 00:10:50.707 I get bored if we're not growing. 00:10:50.707 --> 00:10:58.002 And we just started to grow and in 2007 after trying to sell the company for 00:10:58.002 --> 00:11:02.157 our board three times, I went to the board and said, why don't I buy it? 00:11:02.217 --> 00:11:03.507 They said, oh, that's a great idea. 00:11:03.507 --> 00:11:04.917 I said, yeah, that's a great idea. 00:11:04.917 --> 00:11:06.927 It depends on the day, whether it's a great idea. 00:11:07.387 --> 00:11:11.467 And so I went to the company to our employees and said, if you'll come along 00:11:11.467 --> 00:11:17.587 with me on this journey, we will make this company a national company and then 00:11:17.587 --> 00:11:20.017 a global company, and we've done that. 00:11:20.617 --> 00:11:22.027 We have a company in Ireland. 00:11:22.027 --> 00:11:23.587 We have a company in the UK. 00:11:24.217 --> 00:11:26.687 We're all over the United States. 00:11:26.687 --> 00:11:29.357 It's wherever our client needs us to be. 00:11:29.717 --> 00:11:36.467 And that has been such a wonderful gift to me personally, both as a business 00:11:36.467 --> 00:11:38.807 person, but as an entrepreneur. 00:11:39.107 --> 00:11:41.357 We have over 300 people. 00:11:41.357 --> 00:11:48.762 We're approaching 400 and it's because of those people, we've been able to grow. 00:11:49.122 --> 00:11:54.512 Our contracts, we are annual contracts and we have contracts that we've had 00:11:54.512 --> 00:12:00.632 for 30 years, and that's because we understand you don't win or keep a client 00:12:01.232 --> 00:12:05.132 when the contract is renewed in a year. 00:12:05.462 --> 00:12:13.352 You keep that client every day with every experience, with every touch, with anybody 00:12:13.412 --> 00:12:15.602 that you see, and that's our standard. 00:12:15.944 --> 00:12:20.594 Linda Ostovitz: So it sounds like you had goals of going national, then 00:12:20.624 --> 00:12:26.621 international, increasing your staff, if you will, going into residential and 00:12:26.621 --> 00:12:28.781 you've hit every single one of them. 00:12:28.781 --> 00:12:34.451 So the question any entrepreneur would have, and the one I have certainly 00:12:34.501 --> 00:12:38.881 that has caused us to be having this discussion is how do you do that? 00:12:39.661 --> 00:12:41.971 How do you accomplish those goals? 00:12:42.331 --> 00:12:48.211 You are not, from my observation, a company that does a lot of advertising 00:12:48.211 --> 00:12:50.881 or is in social media or billboards. 00:12:50.881 --> 00:12:52.471 I'm dating myself, I know. 00:12:53.221 --> 00:12:56.791 But how is it that you have been so successful in what you have 00:12:56.791 --> 00:12:58.951 accomplished in meeting your goals? 00:12:59.606 --> 00:13:01.796 Lynda Ellis: I think a couple of things, Linda. 00:13:01.846 --> 00:13:03.046 It's our standard. 00:13:03.394 --> 00:13:09.664 We're very selective how we hire, but it's making every single one of our 00:13:09.664 --> 00:13:15.034 employees know that not only that they're seen, but they're truly valued and 00:13:15.034 --> 00:13:17.524 they are a part of this organization. 00:13:17.914 --> 00:13:21.394 And I talked to them about, it doesn't matter if we have 00:13:21.394 --> 00:13:24.934 a hundred, 200, 500 employees. 00:13:25.174 --> 00:13:29.884 We have one company, one set of standards, one mission. 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:32.629 Our values are united together. 00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:38.119 And so people know, I think being clear to employees what your 00:13:38.119 --> 00:13:40.399 expectations are, what your vision is. 00:13:40.909 --> 00:13:45.859 And quite honestly, Linda, it's the people, our employees 00:13:45.859 --> 00:13:47.869 have made our growth, not me. 00:13:48.079 --> 00:13:50.599 I'm pretty good at staying out of people's way. 00:13:50.909 --> 00:13:56.159 We hire great people and let them do their job and they know they are a part 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:58.379 of the team, but there's only one team. 00:13:59.834 --> 00:14:03.434 We have several hundred concierges, several hundred employees. 00:14:03.824 --> 00:14:04.784 There's only one team. 00:14:05.526 --> 00:14:10.881 Linda Ostovitz: We talked, I think a little bit about, previously, that getting 00:14:10.941 --> 00:14:15.171 the right employee, especially since that's how you have grown this company, is 00:14:15.411 --> 00:14:22.071 critical and I remember very clearly you articulating your standard to me a hundred 00:14:22.071 --> 00:14:24.831 percent, a hundred percent of the time, 00:14:25.696 --> 00:14:26.106 Lynda Ellis: Yes. 00:14:26.331 --> 00:14:28.807 Linda Ostovitz: And there's a lot of people out there looking 00:14:28.807 --> 00:14:33.067 for jobs and there's a lot of competition for good employees. 00:14:33.982 --> 00:14:35.842 What process do you utilize? 00:14:35.842 --> 00:14:41.302 How many people do you have to go through to find that next one employee who 00:14:41.302 --> 00:14:43.162 gets the privilege of working for you? 00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:45.669 Lynda Ellis: We're very selective. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:50.829 As I've shared with you we have in-house recruiters, and they're at an average of 00:14:50.829 --> 00:14:59.799 34 interviews to find one that we will invite into the company and we are very 00:14:59.799 --> 00:15:02.049 specific about what we're looking for. 00:15:02.359 --> 00:15:06.739 There are things that you must bring with you that we can't teach you. 00:15:06.979 --> 00:15:09.259 We can teach you how to be a concierge. 00:15:09.934 --> 00:15:13.264 We can't teach you to be on time every single day. 00:15:13.744 --> 00:15:17.794 We can't teach you to have a smile on your face when your day is horrible. 00:15:18.064 --> 00:15:22.774 We can't teach you to hold the door open for someone just because. 00:15:22.774 --> 00:15:24.214 It's gotta be automatic. 00:15:24.574 --> 00:15:30.364 And we look for people who genuinely, authentically want to make someone else's 00:15:30.364 --> 00:15:32.524 day better when their day is horrible. 00:15:33.334 --> 00:15:39.754 That's what we look for, and I am the first one up when we do our training, 00:15:39.844 --> 00:15:42.124 and there's a couple of reasons for that. 00:15:42.574 --> 00:15:46.474 I want people to know who I am and that I'm accessible to them. 00:15:46.504 --> 00:15:50.494 Each one of them, every single one of our employees has my cell phone, which 00:15:50.494 --> 00:15:56.509 is on 24 by seven by 365, but I share with them, here's the edition, here's 00:15:56.509 --> 00:15:58.459 who we are, these are our values. 00:15:59.689 --> 00:16:01.429 And I congratulate you. 00:16:01.429 --> 00:16:06.529 So let's say our training for one day is 10 people 'cause the math is easy. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:12.889 We know that there have been 340 interviews for these 10 00:16:12.889 --> 00:16:14.719 people to be in this room. 00:16:15.049 --> 00:16:19.699 And so I congratulate them for joining the team and thank them for 00:16:19.699 --> 00:16:25.159 accepting our invitation to join the team because they have choices. 00:16:25.489 --> 00:16:28.429 And I always tell them, think about this. 00:16:28.979 --> 00:16:32.329 340 people wanted the seat that you're in right now. 00:16:33.229 --> 00:16:34.669 Think how special you are. 00:16:34.889 --> 00:16:40.099 I start with a question does everybody here agree with me that there are 00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:42.169 billions of people on this planet? 00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:42.829 Billions. 00:16:42.859 --> 00:16:43.969 And yes, they do. 00:16:45.049 --> 00:16:48.329 And then I say to them, but you realize there's only one you. 00:16:49.269 --> 00:16:49.849 Just. 00:16:50.149 --> 00:16:50.629 One. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:51.469 You. 00:16:52.119 --> 00:16:56.119 That's how special you are and that's how special our company is. 00:16:56.329 --> 00:17:00.319 And you've just joined a team of over 300 colleagues. 00:17:01.309 --> 00:17:08.639 And from the very beginning I want them to feel I, whoever I am, I am important. 00:17:08.909 --> 00:17:11.609 I also share that we have different jobs. 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:16.849 I do a job of trying to create or creating the vision. 00:17:16.849 --> 00:17:22.099 They're doing the job of buying into that vision and helping to 00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:24.289 create the reality of that vision. 00:17:25.129 --> 00:17:26.299 And they're special. 00:17:26.749 --> 00:17:31.669 And so I think by helping people feel that they count, they stay. 00:17:31.669 --> 00:17:33.499 We have very high retention. 00:17:33.899 --> 00:17:38.309 And I may have shared with you that if you are with us a year, 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:40.229 you're gonna be with us five. 00:17:41.399 --> 00:17:44.549 If you're with us five, you're gonna be with us for a long time. 00:17:44.939 --> 00:17:48.479 And I have to share with you, I don't know that I've shared this but last 00:17:48.479 --> 00:17:57.249 Thursday, our president and three of our operations managers hosted three 00:17:57.309 --> 00:18:03.819 of our employees at a very, very nice dinner, two of which we were celebrating 00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:10.149 their 20th anniversary with our company, and one of which, on that Thursday 00:18:10.149 --> 00:18:13.449 night was his 30th anniversary with us. 00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:20.259 It's about being a part of something bigger than yourself and that you know 00:18:20.589 --> 00:18:26.389 that you count because people have choices and they can leave whenever 00:18:26.389 --> 00:18:28.519 they want, but they wanna be here. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:36.719 It starts at the very beginning so that they know from the CEO owner to 00:18:36.719 --> 00:18:39.899 every single other employee, we're all one team and we're together. 00:18:40.457 --> 00:18:45.737 Linda Ostovitz: Everybody talks about the importance of what you have just said, and 00:18:45.737 --> 00:18:47.747 it's not a hard thing to agree to, right? 00:18:47.807 --> 00:18:52.157 We're one team, we want people to know we're important, but the execution 00:18:53.327 --> 00:18:56.807 seems to be so hard to accomplish. 00:18:57.447 --> 00:18:58.527 You've done it. 00:18:58.980 --> 00:19:05.352 Now, do you have other people at other levels in the organization who you 00:19:05.352 --> 00:19:07.062 can't meet with 300 people every day. 00:19:07.062 --> 00:19:10.062 We understand that, and you're a force of nature. 00:19:10.062 --> 00:19:13.932 When people are in your presence, they feel everything you just said. 00:19:14.862 --> 00:19:18.792 But what do you do after you've had the opportunity to share with 00:19:18.792 --> 00:19:22.752 them or make them recognize how special they are to have that 00:19:22.752 --> 00:19:26.802 reinforced over time by other people? 00:19:26.802 --> 00:19:27.732 How does that work? 00:19:28.432 --> 00:19:34.342 Lynda Ellis: Because we hire that, we hire people for what they, who they are. 00:19:36.312 --> 00:19:38.832 What they believe in and their integrity. 00:19:38.832 --> 00:19:42.012 Those are all characteristics that we look for. 00:19:42.252 --> 00:19:46.362 You mentioned my a hundred percent of a hundred percent of the time, one of the 00:19:46.362 --> 00:19:51.402 things I talk a lot about in training, and I'm not doing, I'm only, I think 00:19:51.412 --> 00:19:56.502 my piece is like 30 minutes and part of it is getting to know the new hires. 00:19:57.792 --> 00:20:05.732 It's the genuineness of that experience and I share with them, our standard 00:20:05.852 --> 00:20:09.422 is a hundred percent of a hundred percent of the time, and you have 00:20:09.422 --> 00:20:13.622 to go way beyond a hundred percent to get noticed in this company. 00:20:14.462 --> 00:20:19.312 And the reason our floor, the reason our foundation is a hundred percent a 00:20:19.312 --> 00:20:23.392 hundred percent of the time is how do I go to a client and say, I'm gonna 00:20:23.422 --> 00:20:27.352 charge you a hundred percent of the fee, but I'm only gonna give you 99%. 00:20:28.252 --> 00:20:32.542 Because when I'm a customer, I want a hundred percent of my manicure. 00:20:32.782 --> 00:20:35.722 I want a hundred percent of my haircut. 00:20:36.142 --> 00:20:40.142 I want a hundred percent of my maintenance on my car. 00:20:40.262 --> 00:20:41.972 I don't want 99.9. 00:20:43.142 --> 00:20:45.392 I paid you a hundred percent. 00:20:46.202 --> 00:20:50.372 And so many times people it's hard. 00:20:50.702 --> 00:20:52.622 That's why it's hard for the first year. 00:20:53.702 --> 00:20:57.107 Because life is what life is. 00:20:57.107 --> 00:21:01.007 And we all have challenges where people are sick and I'm really 00:21:01.007 --> 00:21:02.707 worried about my loved one. 00:21:02.707 --> 00:21:06.917 They had a horrible diagnosis, just come on or they shared with 00:21:06.917 --> 00:21:09.917 me, or I have four flat tires. 00:21:09.917 --> 00:21:10.907 What am I gonna do? 00:21:11.177 --> 00:21:14.767 When you put your hand on the door of you're building, it is showtime. 00:21:16.147 --> 00:21:21.397 There are no exceptions, and I'm very clear about that. 00:21:22.432 --> 00:21:25.252 That goes for whatever. 00:21:25.252 --> 00:21:27.562 And I don't wanna say levels 'cause I don't believe we 00:21:27.562 --> 00:21:29.152 have levels in our company. 00:21:29.362 --> 00:21:31.522 We have different jobs in our company. 00:21:31.972 --> 00:21:36.592 So whether you are in the corporate office, you're a part-timer. 00:21:36.712 --> 00:21:43.282 We have 70 over, I think we're about 70 on-call people, that 00:21:43.312 --> 00:21:44.572 there's only one standard. 00:21:45.292 --> 00:21:50.467 And I share with them, if you get into this company, it's not what you 00:21:50.467 --> 00:21:54.727 thought it would be, or it's not what you wanna do, because I'm a really 00:21:54.727 --> 00:21:59.317 staunch believer and you should be doing something that you enjoy. 00:22:00.517 --> 00:22:02.737 If it's not what you want, tell us. 00:22:02.737 --> 00:22:04.717 We'll help you find something else. 00:22:05.047 --> 00:22:06.997 Doesn't make you a bad person. 00:22:07.177 --> 00:22:09.577 It means we're the wrong company for your career. 00:22:10.867 --> 00:22:17.072 So it's just hiring, whether that's our accountant, our director of our 00:22:17.072 --> 00:22:24.022 accounting, our hr, our any of the facets of our operation, they've 00:22:24.022 --> 00:22:26.302 been hired exactly the same way. 00:22:27.232 --> 00:22:31.352 And they are held accountable for exactly the same things. 00:22:31.562 --> 00:22:36.262 It's one of the things and I've been some of my entrepreneurial friends 00:22:36.262 --> 00:22:38.092 have really challenged me on this. 00:22:38.902 --> 00:22:40.942 Our org chart is a bit different. 00:22:41.452 --> 00:22:42.322 I'm on the bottom. 00:22:43.582 --> 00:22:45.052 Concierges are on the top. 00:22:45.412 --> 00:22:49.612 The reason they're up on top is they're the ones who are in front of the customer. 00:22:50.032 --> 00:22:53.422 I'm not, and I share with them the reason our org chart is that 00:22:53.422 --> 00:22:55.762 way is I have one job, just one. 00:22:56.272 --> 00:22:58.042 And that's to support them. 00:22:59.422 --> 00:23:04.222 So when you visualize that org chart and I'm on the bottom, I'm supporting 00:23:04.222 --> 00:23:08.292 those folks and we do a lot to reinforce. 00:23:08.292 --> 00:23:13.812 It's really important that we support one another without even 00:23:13.812 --> 00:23:15.912 thinking about, it's just what we do. 00:23:16.709 --> 00:23:20.209 Linda Ostovitz: I think that employers across the board are trying to be 00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:28.159 creative and certainly cost conscious while still supporting their people 00:23:28.159 --> 00:23:31.999 and letting their people know that, that we support them and so forth. 00:23:32.049 --> 00:23:40.179 What works for you in terms of, again, on a continuing basis, showing your 00:23:40.239 --> 00:23:44.289 folks, reminding their folks that they are the key to the success of 00:23:44.289 --> 00:23:47.769 this company, that they're supported and that they're appreciated. 00:23:48.754 --> 00:23:50.284 Lynda Ellis: I think transparency. 00:23:51.334 --> 00:23:52.924 Things happen in businesses. 00:23:52.924 --> 00:23:54.364 I'll give you a great example. 00:23:54.544 --> 00:23:59.314 A few years ago we had a situation, I won't name the company. 00:24:00.150 --> 00:24:06.397 But our payroll didn't hit, and I got a call about 5:30 in the 00:24:06.397 --> 00:24:08.407 morning that the payroll hadn't hit. 00:24:08.437 --> 00:24:13.157 Turns out end of the story, it's a positive, but at the end of the 00:24:13.157 --> 00:24:18.077 story is when the payroll company sent the money however, that's done, 00:24:18.347 --> 00:24:20.027 they left one of the numbers out. 00:24:20.537 --> 00:24:21.407 It was a human error. 00:24:21.497 --> 00:24:21.977 I get it. 00:24:22.674 --> 00:24:25.734 But it was scary because a lot of our people, like many others 00:24:25.944 --> 00:24:27.324 live paycheck to paycheck. 00:24:28.044 --> 00:24:33.384 And so I came in to the office and I had gathered the team and I 00:24:33.384 --> 00:24:35.244 said, I'm gonna send an email out. 00:24:35.604 --> 00:24:38.784 And a couple of people on the team, on the corporate team said, well, 00:24:38.784 --> 00:24:40.254 wait, we don't know what we're doing. 00:24:41.694 --> 00:24:45.534 We don't know what the resolution is yet, and I said, I know that, but 00:24:45.534 --> 00:24:49.134 you think they're not gonna know that the money is not in their account? 00:24:50.004 --> 00:24:51.264 I wanna get to them. 00:24:51.474 --> 00:24:55.524 I sent them an email and I said, I have no idea what happened. 00:24:56.304 --> 00:24:58.524 I know that you guys have gotta be scared. 00:24:58.554 --> 00:25:00.354 I am concerned about this. 00:25:00.354 --> 00:25:03.399 I will manage, we're gonna manage through this. 00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:08.359 If you have any things that hit and you're gonna have fees, we'll 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:10.129 pay those fees will be paid for. 00:25:11.029 --> 00:25:14.569 And I will be back to you at 10 o'clock this morning to let you 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.419 know where we're at and update you. 00:25:18.499 --> 00:25:23.809 Without exception, Linda, every single email that I received back 00:25:23.809 --> 00:25:31.024 was Lynda, we know you and it always i'm so grateful for this. 00:25:31.384 --> 00:25:34.924 Every single email was, Lynda, we know you have our back. 00:25:35.224 --> 00:25:38.014 We'll take care of the client while you're taking care of us. 00:25:38.927 --> 00:25:40.607 You can't ask for more than that. 00:25:41.481 --> 00:25:42.681 You can't buy that. 00:25:43.341 --> 00:25:46.851 You have to show that you have to be transparent. 00:25:47.251 --> 00:25:48.361 Things happen. 00:25:48.661 --> 00:25:54.246 We had another situation where again, it was a situation with payroll. 00:25:54.486 --> 00:25:57.306 I just went and said, Hey guys, this is what happened. 00:25:57.516 --> 00:25:59.436 And I told them what we were gonna do. 00:26:00.876 --> 00:26:02.466 It's just being honest. 00:26:02.466 --> 00:26:06.786 It's being transparent, and it's caring enough to communicate. 00:26:07.956 --> 00:26:11.436 And quite honestly, I'm singing to the choir here, but you 00:26:11.436 --> 00:26:12.876 wanna handle the narrative. 00:26:13.611 --> 00:26:16.131 People are gonna make up whatever they wanna make up. 00:26:16.281 --> 00:26:17.751 If they don't know what the facts are. 00:26:17.751 --> 00:26:19.911 If they don't know what's going on, they're gonna, 00:26:20.001 --> 00:26:21.321 they're gonna make up a story. 00:26:22.761 --> 00:26:24.351 I want that to be a real story. 00:26:25.321 --> 00:26:27.451 Linda Ostovitz: And often those stories they make up are worse 00:26:27.451 --> 00:26:29.791 than what the reality is, right? 00:26:29.821 --> 00:26:31.951 Because then it takes on a life of its own. 00:26:32.011 --> 00:26:39.811 And I don't know I have come to learn with each growing year that I've been doing 00:26:39.811 --> 00:26:45.056 what I'm doing, which now numbers 44, that everything is about relationships 00:26:45.056 --> 00:26:48.926 and obviously you have a relationship with each of your employees and there 00:26:48.926 --> 00:26:55.106 is a trust there that's been cultivated that starts with everybody knowing the 00:26:55.106 --> 00:26:59.036 expectations and meeting them and having open discussions about what they are. 00:26:59.036 --> 00:27:02.851 So yay you for that and everything else you've done. 00:27:03.946 --> 00:27:08.086 Lynda Ellis: Well, Linda, like you've done you're a leader in your career and 00:27:08.206 --> 00:27:14.956 in your field, and it's caring enough to make people know that they're seen. 00:27:15.496 --> 00:27:21.286 I just can't, I know companies struggle with this, but I don't, 00:27:21.406 --> 00:27:23.206 maybe it's because I like people. 00:27:23.266 --> 00:27:23.836 I don't know. 00:27:23.836 --> 00:27:28.546 I genuinely like people I think we're extraordinarily interesting animals. 00:27:29.206 --> 00:27:34.682 But I'm reminded of times where I've had to sever a relationship, and 00:27:34.682 --> 00:27:35.942 I may have mentioned this to you. 00:27:36.002 --> 00:27:41.012 I just got one yesterday, one of the employees that I had to sever the 00:27:41.012 --> 00:27:44.972 relationship because I believe you know that I believe I don't fire anybody. 00:27:45.422 --> 00:27:46.412 You fire yourself. 00:27:46.682 --> 00:27:47.972 I don't wanna come to this party. 00:27:47.972 --> 00:27:48.812 You brought me here. 00:27:49.972 --> 00:27:56.062 This person sent me the cutest little meme or whatever they're 00:27:56.062 --> 00:27:58.072 called, yesterday is hump day. 00:27:58.072 --> 00:27:59.422 I hope you're having a great day. 00:27:59.782 --> 00:28:01.282 I terminated her. 00:28:02.416 --> 00:28:07.036 It's letting people know who you are and that you genuinely care. 00:28:07.366 --> 00:28:10.216 And I've said to people, Hey, I can fire you. 00:28:10.216 --> 00:28:11.326 It's not personal. 00:28:11.356 --> 00:28:12.256 Let's go have lunch. 00:28:12.556 --> 00:28:16.276 It didn't work out, didn't work out because you didn't adhere to our 00:28:16.276 --> 00:28:21.756 standards and you don't breathe the value system that we have in our company. 00:28:22.179 --> 00:28:26.649 You gotta breathe it, you gotta be it, and it's not kind of, sort of, maybe 00:28:26.649 --> 00:28:31.239 sometimes it's a hundred percent of a hundred percent of the time and that 00:28:31.239 --> 00:28:38.769 your, that you understand in this company, it is not a risk to screw something up. 00:28:39.534 --> 00:28:44.347 Where the risk comes in is you hide it, you hide it, you're dead. 00:28:45.084 --> 00:28:47.334 You let us know, we're gonna help you. 00:28:47.844 --> 00:28:51.684 But, and I share with people, if you hide it, you took away my runway. 00:28:52.224 --> 00:28:53.394 I can't help you. 00:28:54.034 --> 00:29:00.394 We've had serious situations where somebody will call me and they're like, 00:29:00.704 --> 00:29:07.084 Lynda, Lynda what's going on, and they tell me and we, we solve it together. 00:29:08.044 --> 00:29:11.134 It's kind of relationship that we make with our clients. 00:29:12.114 --> 00:29:12.954 Our clients. 00:29:13.764 --> 00:29:20.154 We've had, as I mentioned, for years and I, it's because every single day we have 00:29:20.154 --> 00:29:22.164 to earn it and we know we have to earn it. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.909 Linda Ostovitz: That leads me to something else that we had talked about, which 00:29:26.909 --> 00:29:32.909 is how do you get more clients and your very direct and simple answer to 00:29:32.909 --> 00:29:41.999 me was listen to them and your clients will tell you how to get more clients. 00:29:42.739 --> 00:29:44.929 Why don't you share what you meant by that? 00:29:46.204 --> 00:29:50.764 Lynda Ellis: Is I have this, my team, I've heard them say. 00:29:51.349 --> 00:29:54.679 Okay, be careful 'cause Lynda's gonna get the duct tape out. 00:29:56.089 --> 00:29:57.949 It's, you gotta shut up and listen. 00:29:58.579 --> 00:30:04.009 You have to listen to hear, don't listen to respond, listen to hear someone. 00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:09.079 And I often will say, if you're talking 20% of the time, you're 00:30:09.079 --> 00:30:11.269 talking 10% of the time too much. 00:30:11.629 --> 00:30:12.649 What are you talking for? 00:30:13.939 --> 00:30:17.629 Shut up and listen to what the person is saying. 00:30:17.869 --> 00:30:18.919 What are they thinking? 00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.879 How are they feeling? 00:30:20.149 --> 00:30:24.709 You wanna develop the relationship with a person, so you establish a level of trust 00:30:24.979 --> 00:30:32.419 that can grow and you also can hear, oh my gosh, this is what's going on for them. 00:30:32.419 --> 00:30:33.649 How could I help them? 00:30:33.949 --> 00:30:37.589 And so you help them whether or not it means business for 00:30:37.589 --> 00:30:39.959 you that day or that moment. 00:30:40.544 --> 00:30:44.424 Down the pike, they're gonna remember, you know what, I was talking to Lynda 00:30:44.444 --> 00:30:48.314 and she told me she has a concierge service and I think you ought to call her. 00:30:49.181 --> 00:30:53.441 It's all as you started, Linda, it's relationships. 00:30:54.071 --> 00:31:01.241 It is, and it's just, I know, you know, grew up with something 00:31:01.241 --> 00:31:07.541 nice, just as nice to do and be accountable for your own decisions. 00:31:08.051 --> 00:31:12.821 For your own consequences because we're human and we screw up. 00:31:14.411 --> 00:31:18.241 But if we screw up, we are mock speed to the client to 00:31:18.241 --> 00:31:19.981 say, we really messed this up. 00:31:20.401 --> 00:31:21.691 Here's what we're doing. 00:31:21.961 --> 00:31:25.051 We wanna know, we wanna partner with you to make it okay. 00:31:26.491 --> 00:31:29.971 Because when you think about it, what we do, we're brought in by 00:31:29.971 --> 00:31:32.311 property management companies. 00:31:32.866 --> 00:31:37.246 They have customers and our job is to serve their customers, whether 00:31:37.246 --> 00:31:42.886 they're called tenants or residents, and sometimes we have high maintenance 00:31:44.056 --> 00:31:48.946 people that we serve and that puts the property manager in the middle. 00:31:49.636 --> 00:31:53.986 So we have a number of customers, if you will, that need different 00:31:53.986 --> 00:31:58.711 things at different times, and you just, you have to be intentional 00:31:58.711 --> 00:32:02.551 about wanting to make somebody else's day better and solving the problem. 00:32:03.776 --> 00:32:04.856 Linda Ostovitz: There is this quote. 00:32:04.886 --> 00:32:08.426 I don't, I'm not even sure who said it, but I don't remember what you said, 00:32:08.426 --> 00:32:10.136 but I remember how you made me feel. 00:32:10.381 --> 00:32:10.981 Lynda Ellis: Yes. 00:32:11.701 --> 00:32:16.511 Linda Ostovitz: And it sounds to me like you have cultivated Lynda this 00:32:16.511 --> 00:32:23.231 team of individuals who are focused on how do I make my tenants or residents, 00:32:23.231 --> 00:32:27.881 whatever it is, feel better by something I was able to do for them no 00:32:27.881 --> 00:32:31.031 matter how large or how small, right? 00:32:31.091 --> 00:32:33.851 And you, it's probably hard to measure how large or how small. 00:32:34.511 --> 00:32:38.321 Because you can say hello or touch somebody's arm, and if they're having a 00:32:38.321 --> 00:32:42.611 miserable day, it might just be enough to make 'em feel better for that moment. 00:32:42.611 --> 00:32:43.721 Lynda Ellis: That's so true. 00:32:43.781 --> 00:32:45.581 Is something that we talk about. 00:32:45.821 --> 00:32:46.271 Yeah. 00:32:46.331 --> 00:32:51.131 An example I give to our employees is, have you ever been walking down 00:32:51.131 --> 00:32:55.061 the street and somebody smiles at you and says, good afternoon and 00:32:55.061 --> 00:32:56.951 you say, oh yeah, good afternoon. 00:32:56.951 --> 00:32:57.221 Fine. 00:32:57.271 --> 00:33:00.391 Did you walk away thinking that's an idiot, or did you 00:33:00.391 --> 00:33:01.681 walk away feeling better? 00:33:02.731 --> 00:33:03.511 Really simple. 00:33:04.961 --> 00:33:07.336 Linda Ostovitz: I totally agree, totally. 00:33:07.431 --> 00:33:10.551 Lynda Ellis: It's, it is, how did you make me feel? 00:33:10.601 --> 00:33:12.161 What is special? 00:33:12.211 --> 00:33:16.281 And to your point, Linda, there are so many stories that we have 00:33:16.881 --> 00:33:21.681 where the concierge has made a difference in someone's life. 00:33:23.241 --> 00:33:30.001 I remember one of our concierges, she's retired now Betty and I was in 00:33:30.001 --> 00:33:34.651 the building visiting, and I was with Betty and she introduced me to this 00:33:34.651 --> 00:33:40.681 person and the person said to me, I am so happy to meet you because I 00:33:41.281 --> 00:33:43.711 want you to know how special Betty is. 00:33:45.211 --> 00:33:52.786 That when my husband was sick, Betty was there and Betty knew when to talk to me 00:33:53.326 --> 00:33:56.446 and not talk to me, and Betty helped me. 00:33:56.956 --> 00:34:01.386 She would help me when I cried and she would help me with my fear. 00:34:01.476 --> 00:34:02.756 That's what we do. 00:34:03.141 --> 00:34:06.336 Linda Ostovitz: So I just got chills again for about the 10th time during 00:34:06.366 --> 00:34:08.961 this conversation, quite frankly. 00:34:09.011 --> 00:34:16.971 Clearly you are an amazing business woman, but you were also a very generous 00:34:17.501 --> 00:34:22.811 woman and business who is engaged with her community and believes in giving back 00:34:23.421 --> 00:34:25.941 and being a participant at all levels. 00:34:27.441 --> 00:34:32.501 Would you share with us the ways that you are involved in that way, and 00:34:32.501 --> 00:34:34.121 what does that do for you personally? 00:34:34.829 --> 00:34:35.879 Lynda Ellis: I am Irish. 00:34:35.879 --> 00:34:39.909 My father was born and raised in Belfast, and he raised me 00:34:39.909 --> 00:34:41.829 to give back to the community. 00:34:41.829 --> 00:34:43.179 That wasn't a question. 00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:45.339 It was, that's what we do. 00:34:46.449 --> 00:34:51.519 And so from the time I, I remember going into hospitals when I 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:54.069 was 12 to talking to patients. 00:34:55.479 --> 00:35:00.794 And it is, you can never, ever give as much as you get. 00:35:01.304 --> 00:35:01.994 You can't. 00:35:02.384 --> 00:35:07.574 It's impossible, and it's just creating a smile in somebody else's 00:35:07.574 --> 00:35:13.634 face and just knowing that you were able to make somebody else's 00:35:13.634 --> 00:35:15.134 day better is really special. 00:35:15.134 --> 00:35:16.094 You can't buy it. 00:35:16.349 --> 00:35:17.399 It's not for sale. 00:35:17.829 --> 00:35:23.289 So I've always been involved and I've been very, very, very involved in the Red 00:35:23.289 --> 00:35:25.269 Cross in a member of the Tiffany Circle. 00:35:25.269 --> 00:35:30.199 And I was chair of the Tiffany Circle, which is the philanthropic 00:35:30.199 --> 00:35:32.149 women within Red Cross. 00:35:32.249 --> 00:35:36.049 'Cause I lived in, I was married in Japan and our daughter was 00:35:36.049 --> 00:35:40.369 born in Japan and I learned over there so many wonderful lessons. 00:35:40.369 --> 00:35:46.369 And because we were not military I couldn't get a job initially and I 00:35:46.369 --> 00:35:51.829 volunteered with the Red Cross and I saw how wonderful that organization 00:35:51.829 --> 00:35:56.239 with all of its faults, with all of the stuff that you hear about that 00:35:56.239 --> 00:36:01.399 organization is so really special because it's making a difference. 00:36:01.399 --> 00:36:02.509 It's helping people. 00:36:03.124 --> 00:36:06.624 And so I've always been involved with the Red Cross. 00:36:06.724 --> 00:36:12.944 I am on the, I've been on the board of the trustees for my alma mater, my university. 00:36:12.944 --> 00:36:17.114 I'm now chair and I'm in the chamber with Hugh. 00:36:17.114 --> 00:36:18.764 I mean, who would not like that? 00:36:19.184 --> 00:36:24.194 I'm on the legislative committee and for all of your listeners who are listening, 00:36:24.194 --> 00:36:30.059 please get involved in what's happening in our state, and involved with what's 00:36:30.059 --> 00:36:36.119 going on in the school district, but your vote counts, your presence counts. 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:40.319 And that's so, so important because we have to help one another. 00:36:40.799 --> 00:36:45.449 I actually, one of the things that we really, it's a fun thing for those of 00:36:45.449 --> 00:36:50.579 your listeners who are familiar with McGruff the Crime Fighting Dog that is 00:36:50.579 --> 00:36:54.769 the National Council Crime Prevention Council, and I'm chair of that board. 00:36:55.249 --> 00:36:59.889 And because we're relaunching the awareness of McGruff, 00:36:59.889 --> 00:37:01.029 the Crime-fighting Dog. 00:37:01.029 --> 00:37:06.029 We're really fighting against all of the deaths of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs. 00:37:06.369 --> 00:37:11.419 I'm so proud of the work we're doing, but it gives me a chance to make 00:37:11.419 --> 00:37:13.609 a difference on a different level. 00:37:13.949 --> 00:37:18.979 I also am very involved in my, my church on several committees. 00:37:19.399 --> 00:37:23.059 It gives you the gift of making a difference in lives. 00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:25.819 So it really is self-serving, I have to say. 00:37:25.819 --> 00:37:31.589 I've had many conversations with many people about, I feel guilty 00:37:31.589 --> 00:37:33.719 because it is very selfish. 00:37:33.879 --> 00:37:36.699 How can you make somebody else's day better? 00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:40.204 How can you create a smile on somebody else's face and not feel 00:37:40.204 --> 00:37:41.974 good about yourself and not feel good? 00:37:41.974 --> 00:37:42.814 Oh my gosh. 00:37:43.264 --> 00:37:49.429 Not that you're so aware of it consciously, but you feel good, and 00:37:49.429 --> 00:37:51.924 how can you not want more of that? 00:37:53.189 --> 00:37:54.664 Linda Ostovitz: It is a feel good thing to do. 00:37:54.664 --> 00:37:55.889 There's no question about it. 00:37:56.804 --> 00:38:00.014 And I know you also, you've talked about some of the things you've done to 00:38:00.014 --> 00:38:05.684 give back, but I know you also mentor yo younger entrepreneurs, I guess is 00:38:05.684 --> 00:38:09.644 the right way to put it and share with them the benefit of your experiences. 00:38:10.544 --> 00:38:15.464 And while I think every mentor mentee relationship is different, 00:38:15.764 --> 00:38:18.854 'cause obviously you're dealing with different people at different places, 00:38:19.664 --> 00:38:24.984 you did share with me that there are sort of a list I wrote anyway, of 00:38:24.984 --> 00:38:31.224 things that you tell your mentees and people that you help throughout 00:38:31.224 --> 00:38:33.894 your life every day for how to grow. 00:38:35.664 --> 00:38:36.624 But what do you tell them? 00:38:37.164 --> 00:38:41.132 What do you tell our people who are listening to us how to grow? 00:38:41.857 --> 00:38:43.687 Lynda Ellis: You gotta start out with a vision. 00:38:43.687 --> 00:38:45.787 You have to start out with what you wanna do. 00:38:46.147 --> 00:38:48.777 And you have to lean into that. 00:38:48.777 --> 00:38:52.167 You have to know, you have to bet on yourself. 00:38:53.367 --> 00:38:54.987 You can't be fearful. 00:38:55.167 --> 00:38:57.747 If it was easy, everybody would be doing it right. 00:38:58.137 --> 00:39:03.717 And I encourage them to have the faith that they genuinely have, the 00:39:03.717 --> 00:39:06.857 faith they need to have in themselves. 00:39:07.257 --> 00:39:08.862 They're betting on themselves. 00:39:09.152 --> 00:39:13.742 I think it's really important for any entrepreneur, but especially 00:39:13.742 --> 00:39:15.242 for people just getting started. 00:39:15.242 --> 00:39:19.992 I just met with a couple this morning, two wonderful individuals, 00:39:20.412 --> 00:39:23.262 and it's about what is your vision? 00:39:23.292 --> 00:39:25.452 What are you doing, what do you want? 00:39:26.442 --> 00:39:32.517 And then putting that in place and doing it legitimately doing it 00:39:32.517 --> 00:39:35.217 authentically and believing in yourself. 00:39:35.757 --> 00:39:39.957 And I may have shared with you about our Buffalo Culture. 00:39:39.957 --> 00:39:42.987 I'm not sure that we talked about that, but do you know that the 00:39:42.987 --> 00:39:47.067 buffalo is the only animal on earth that runs into a storm? 00:39:47.427 --> 00:39:48.477 You know why they do that? 00:39:48.987 --> 00:39:50.337 You get through the storm sooner. 00:39:51.127 --> 00:39:51.817 Think about that. 00:39:52.507 --> 00:39:54.877 Why would you not wanna lean into the storm? 00:39:55.937 --> 00:39:57.672 Linda Ostovitz: Like swallowing the frog, right? 00:39:58.252 --> 00:40:01.252 Lynda Ellis: Yes, yes, exactly. 00:40:01.252 --> 00:40:07.602 You lean into things and you listen to others, you seek out other business 00:40:07.602 --> 00:40:09.312 people and hear what they're saying. 00:40:09.312 --> 00:40:11.742 Shut up and listen again. 00:40:12.352 --> 00:40:15.982 It's amazing how many people wanna talk rather than listen and 00:40:16.222 --> 00:40:18.022 you learn such wonderful things. 00:40:18.592 --> 00:40:21.802 And do not be afraid to fail. 00:40:23.722 --> 00:40:30.562 Every failure is a lesson to make you stronger, to help you grow, to help 00:40:30.562 --> 00:40:34.947 you do what you wanna do, to accomplish the things you want to accomplish. 00:40:35.870 --> 00:40:40.010 Linda Ostovitz: What is your advice consistent with all of what you've 00:40:40.010 --> 00:40:46.730 just shared in terms of a strategic plan and how far out it should go? 00:40:46.820 --> 00:40:48.440 How do we execute it? 00:40:49.010 --> 00:40:49.730 How about that? 00:40:50.210 --> 00:40:51.650 Lynda Ellis: So thank you. 00:40:51.650 --> 00:40:52.640 I appreciate that. 00:40:52.720 --> 00:40:53.110 Linda Ostovitz: You're welcome. 00:40:53.560 --> 00:40:56.650 Lynda Ellis: I used to be five year strategic plans. 00:40:56.650 --> 00:40:57.760 I don't do those anymore. 00:40:57.970 --> 00:41:01.520 It's three years and I do it's only three years, and you're lucky 00:41:01.520 --> 00:41:05.090 if you get three years because time, everything goes so fast. 00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:09.440 You've gotta sit down, develop your strategic plan, know what you're gonna do, 00:41:09.740 --> 00:41:15.290 and the specifics to that because one of the things, putting things down on paper. 00:41:15.830 --> 00:41:22.010 Or I guess in the computer you think, oh my gosh, I have to do that. 00:41:22.010 --> 00:41:22.880 Yeah, you do. 00:41:22.970 --> 00:41:25.940 Or you'll learn that I've got gaps. 00:41:26.450 --> 00:41:27.710 And embrace the gaps. 00:41:27.710 --> 00:41:33.080 Figure that out, and then adhere to your plan and be willing to, 00:41:33.140 --> 00:41:34.910 for that to be somewhat fluid. 00:41:34.910 --> 00:41:37.820 Because if something doesn't work, it's not a failure. 00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:40.250 It means that you've gotta go a different way. 00:41:41.210 --> 00:41:46.310 The plans are so important, and I will say that if you don't have a 00:41:46.310 --> 00:41:48.320 plan, how are you gonna get there? 00:41:49.380 --> 00:41:50.190 Where are you gonna go? 00:41:51.750 --> 00:41:54.060 And it's a lot of things. 00:41:54.060 --> 00:41:59.100 I've been blessed in my career to have a lot of luck and a lot of blessings. 00:42:00.930 --> 00:42:04.110 But without a plan, I wouldn't have had that luck. 00:42:04.110 --> 00:42:05.910 I wouldn't have had those blessings. 00:42:06.660 --> 00:42:10.380 And you have to know that it's you. 00:42:11.220 --> 00:42:12.630 It is you, you are it. 00:42:13.080 --> 00:42:17.400 And you have to be willing to accept that. 00:42:17.580 --> 00:42:23.160 You have to understand and intimately know there are gonna 00:42:23.160 --> 00:42:24.930 be a lot of missed birthdays. 00:42:24.930 --> 00:42:27.900 There's gonna be a, and it doesn't matter if you're a man or woman. 00:42:28.260 --> 00:42:30.510 There's gonna be a lot of things that you have to do. 00:42:31.200 --> 00:42:35.820 But if you've got that plan and you live the plan, you're gonna make it. 00:42:36.330 --> 00:42:40.140 Even though the plan may change in six months because something happened, 00:42:40.190 --> 00:42:44.720 it's, you may get a new competitor like AI is a competitor to us. 00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:49.610 Okay, well I didn't know that 10 years ago, even though AI was being developed. 00:42:49.850 --> 00:42:51.110 So what do we do now? 00:42:52.070 --> 00:42:57.000 And honestly, I think and I may have shared this with you, Linda, one of the 00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:59.070 number one things is you have to have fun. 00:43:00.180 --> 00:43:01.050 If it ain't fun. 00:43:02.250 --> 00:43:05.250 If you got this life, and why would you not enjoy living your 00:43:05.250 --> 00:43:06.690 life doing what you wanna do? 00:43:08.655 --> 00:43:12.915 Linda Ostovitz: What a fabulous way to wrap up this wonderful 00:43:12.945 --> 00:43:14.505 conversation with you. 00:43:15.235 --> 00:43:17.865 Lynda Ellis, it has been a privilege. 00:43:18.375 --> 00:43:24.360 I got to talk to you today, and just so anybody knows, I don't do this cold. 00:43:24.360 --> 00:43:26.460 I would never put anybody in that position. 00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:31.830 So we always have a conversation before the conversation, so we make sure we 00:43:32.190 --> 00:43:35.970 pull out all the best nuggets and cover everything that we ought to cover. 00:43:36.210 --> 00:43:40.260 So twice I've gotten to have this conversation with you in versions of it. 00:43:40.500 --> 00:43:41.430 It's a privilege. 00:43:41.460 --> 00:43:46.620 I admire you so much and I'm very thankful for all that you've brought to 00:43:46.650 --> 00:43:52.020 the chamber, to the business life that I'm engaged in, into my personal life. 00:43:52.020 --> 00:43:54.360 So thank you for all of that. 00:43:55.230 --> 00:43:59.160 Our listeners, please follow the podcast. 00:43:59.520 --> 00:44:04.680 It's Real Talk, which if you know me, I think, you know, that's what we do and 00:44:04.680 --> 00:44:07.380 our goal is to establish Real Growth. 00:44:08.040 --> 00:44:12.420 So follow me wherever you regularly listen to your podcasts. 00:44:12.700 --> 00:44:13.640 Lynda, thank you again. 00:44:13.640 --> 00:44:14.660 It's been a privilege. 00:44:15.080 --> 00:44:16.845 Very much appreciate you joining us today. 00:44:17.960 --> 00:44:18.470 Lynda Ellis: Thank you. 00:44:18.470 --> 00:44:19.250 It's an honor.