We’ve all sat through keynote speakers attempting to give us some inspiration on this or that. Perhaps it’s on better managing our time, being a better leader, building a dynamic company culture, or a long list of other topics. At some point, somewhere, someone came up with an idea, decided they were an expert, and started charging big bucks to speak on it in front of groups of people.
I’m going to be honest: these rarely get me all that excited anymore, and the messaging rarely sticks with me. So when a speaker does catch my attention, I’m on the edge of my seat – taking notes.
I had doubts about Tyler Gillum as the keynote speaker at The Collective last month. He is the head coach of the Savannah Bananas, and as you know – my family is a hockey family, and well… baseball is slow. Sorry, not sorry.
But Tyler caught me by surprise. I’ve become almost obsessed with businesses out there that showcase unrelenting customer service and hospitality. Think the Chick-fil-A and Buc-ee’s of the world. They do things different and broke the “norms” in business, and it shows! By being willing to go against the status quo, those businesses have become des-tinations and eclipsed their competition. The Savannah Bananas are no different. I love their fans-first mentality – things like doing 10 to 15 new things at every game so games don’t get stale. Promoting from within – like Reggie, their motivation and accountability coach who started as a janitor. Greeting fans before games. Circumventing the awful event ticket culture and protecting their fans from scalpers. The list goes on and on.
In this era of increased technology, Gillum shared a lot of tidbits restorers can use. What if we leaned into creating long-term fans (and referral sources!) more than short-term profits? Wouldn’t the profits follow? Same goes for asking our team how we can PLUS this experience.
These changes don’t necessary have to cost much, but figuring out how we can do the opposite of what’s normal could also help us blow right past the normal. Keep moving forward.
In partnership,
Michelle Blevins
Michelle Blevins
Michelle Blevins is a content creator, marketing consultant, and entrepreneur whose career has been centered around education and fostering relationships within the industry she serves.
A journalist by trade, Michelle is passionate about running a publication rooted in integrity and valuable education. She views her role as owner and publisher of C&R Magazine as a bridge between industry experts and restoration and cleaning contractors.
Since joining the restoration industry, Michelle has made it her business to stay on top of the latest industry trends. She has become a go-to resource for anyone looking to learn more about what’s happening within today’s restoration industry. This has earned her a spot on many industry stages facilitating panels and helpful discussion with industry experts on the biggest topics facing restorers and cleaners in the current market.
Related Posts
