Adding True Value

As an entrepreneur one of the biggest decisions that you will make is who to hire to help you run and operate your company. The focus this week in class was all about finding the right people to do the right things. There was a guest speaker on Tuesday that talked about their local business that they started a few years back. They are doing very well now but initially they had a rough start all because of the team that was running it. They said that the right people make all the difference between success and failure. In my other business class today we talked about how to decide out of all the candidates which ones fix your needs. The rule is to judge three things. The 3 C's: Confidence, Competence, and Character. They can't just have a high score on one or two of these categories but all three. Employees become and asset to the company. Zappos Company requires that their employees fit their "culture", culture meaning that they have the attitude of working hard and building value for the company, not just getting pain for work. In all these discussions I have really learned how important it is for me to be that kind of individual that companies need. Not just pretending to be all those things, because everyone can see through fakers, but really putting my whole heart and soul into the company so that I can add value.

I have actually had a personal experience with this before. a few years back when I was a sophomore here at university I had to complete an internship of at least 300 hours. I somehow through the mercy of God landed on at a small floral shop in Virginia. I worked for ten straight weeks full time with no pay. I loved the job and the learning that I was getting so going to work every day was worth it even though i wasn't making anything. I planned on finishing up the last week there and looking for another job elsewhere so that I could earn money for the fall semester. One day the manager came to me and asked if I would consider staying and working for a wage. I realized in that moment that since I had worked hard and proved myself that it paid off and they wanted me to be a continuing asset. I accepted and worked the remainder of the summer. When it was time for me to leave for school they begged me to stay and work for them. I was tempted but I knew that schooling was very important for me to finish even if it wasn't necessary in this industry. Fast-forward three years to May of this year. I received a call from the manager of this same floral shop. I had kept in contact and visited them when I was in town. They knew that this was my last semester and I would be graduating. They asked me to consider coming back to work as a full time designer. They said that if I wanted this that they would delay hiring someone in the fall so that they could prepare for my coming in January. What an opportunity?! I have learned so much about the importance of being a good employee and working hard to add value. If I had just treated my internship with no respect because it wasn't paid I would have never had this great job offer right out of college. Employers know what makes a great employee compare to just an employee. Great employees bring customers in and they keep them. That is what allows the business to thrive and grow. Once again it’s the right people doing the right things.