Lisa Qualls Named New Fresh ID CEO
Local Kansas City business adds experience and skill to its leadership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 12, 2010 – KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (February 10, 2010) – Lisa Qualls, an 18-year technology and business management veteran, joins Fresh ID, LLC, based in Kansas City, as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Qualls will assume 50% ownership of the company while building upon the solid foundation and momentum achieved by ownership partner and Chief Creative Officer Kristi Colvin. Fresh ID will continue to focus on experience design and helping businesses integrate technology to improve operational processes and customer communications. The appointment is effective immediately.
“I’m very excited about this new position,” explains Qualls. “Fresh ID has a long history of success in creating positive user experience and brand images for companies all over the country. This is a great opportunity for me to add my skills and experiences to an already fantastic leadership and team.”
Qualls was previously co-founder and Chief Development Officer for the successful start-up company LightThread, LLC. Responsible for business development, Qualls was instrumental in helping the company achieve profitability within their first year. Prior to LightThread, she held a variety of leadership positions in sales, program management, product development, business integration and executive management. She has successfully built, managed, and consulted on teams with global companies such as Cisco, Sprint, General Electric and John Deere. In addition to her new role at Fresh ID, she is the current President for the Social Media Club of Kansas City and serves as an at-large member on the Blue Springs Officials Association executive board.
Qualls joins founder and current Chief Creative Officer, Kristi Colvin, at Fresh ID, who has run the company as a sole proprietor since leaving PentaSafe Security Technologies in 2002.
“Many experienced business consultants reach a crossroads of deciding between remaining independent, or changing and growing into a larger company in order to achieve more. After working with Lisa Qualls at LightThread on various projects the past year, the synergy and complementing skills between us were too obvious to ignore. I knew she was the right person to take the helm and help Fresh ID grow into the future, so asking her to join me as a partner and take the CEO position made perfect sense. I have seen firsthand how dedicated Lisa is to our clients success and growth... she continually goes the extra mile for our customers, partners, staff and contractors.”
Colvin has created business communications since 1995 for leading software organizations and small-to-medium size start-up companies and worked for many Fortune 500 organizations as a consultant in addition to leading teams at PentaSafe and SigmFlow Software as User Experience Manager. From a foundation in print design and retail visual merchandising, she added web site design, user interface design and human factors research to her creative skill set. She specializes in applying design thinking and intuitive insight to branded online and offline experiences and emerging technologies.
Fresh ID also announces a change of location. The company’s new offices will be located in the Meers Advertising building at 1815 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64108. Fresh ID will officially move to the location on Monday, February 15.
# # #
About Fresh ID:
Fresh ID helps businesses around the world expand their business and reach their goals. By understanding companies from the inside out, Fresh ID designs intelligent solutions and products specific to what clients need in order to do business and engage with prospects and customers. Brand identity and monitoring, social media consultation and campaigns, web design, site socialization, interactive design, application development and user experience strategy are a few of the services offered by Fresh ID. More information about the company is available at http://freshid.com.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Bye Bye 2009 and Hello 2010!
Wow, what a year 2009 has been! New career, new teams, new degrees, new budgets, and overall a new way of living life. The Qualls family learned quite a bit this year...it was rarely easy or fun but we are blessed so much because of it. We are learning to appreciate the little things...a nice dinner out, time spent together, a new piece of clothing, signing a new business deal, going to a movie or visiting with out of town friends. We have been made very aware of how quickly life changes as we celebrated milestones, were told of job changes and said goodbye to loved ones. We were reminded time and time again...life is about the journey and not the destination. Our purpose? To appreciate each moment, appreciate each other and appreciate the hope for a new day.
As we leave 2009 & for many of us a year of hardship, heartache, & significant challenges, I ask you to consider the following: You have made it to 2010...you are surviving. Do you have someone to hug in your life? You are loved. Do you have somewhere to sleep? You have money. Do you think about tomorrow? You have hope. Find your blessings and embrace them as they will lead you on the path to more blessings tomorrow.
Love those around you, give of yourself, and DO, don't just try, but DO your BEST every day, change from within and watch the world change around you. Learn to love what you have, what you can make happen today and how you can help others. When you find yourself down, dust yourself off and stand up...tall and proud. You may have lost the battle but you are winning the war by living to fight another day.
Before you ask, "why me?" Ask yourself, "what can I do to make it better?" What are you learning, giving, and making happen? You find what you seek so seek with purpose and intention. Be the best possibility not just for others but most importantly for yourself. Find a way to win, even it means fighting like hell before you do.
I wish you the best of New Year's as I know we all need 2010 to have a bit more sunshine than 2009. I wish you and yours health, happiness and mucho love!
Be who you are and learn to be better,
- Lisa
As we leave 2009 & for many of us a year of hardship, heartache, & significant challenges, I ask you to consider the following: You have made it to 2010...you are surviving. Do you have someone to hug in your life? You are loved. Do you have somewhere to sleep? You have money. Do you think about tomorrow? You have hope. Find your blessings and embrace them as they will lead you on the path to more blessings tomorrow.
Love those around you, give of yourself, and DO, don't just try, but DO your BEST every day, change from within and watch the world change around you. Learn to love what you have, what you can make happen today and how you can help others. When you find yourself down, dust yourself off and stand up...tall and proud. You may have lost the battle but you are winning the war by living to fight another day.
Before you ask, "why me?" Ask yourself, "what can I do to make it better?" What are you learning, giving, and making happen? You find what you seek so seek with purpose and intention. Be the best possibility not just for others but most importantly for yourself. Find a way to win, even it means fighting like hell before you do.
I wish you the best of New Year's as I know we all need 2010 to have a bit more sunshine than 2009. I wish you and yours health, happiness and mucho love!
Be who you are and learn to be better,
- Lisa
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Leaving a Legacy
We buried my Uncle Don today. Quite a surprise, his death. He was hunting in Nebraska and on his break for lunch took a few gasps of air and boom..was gone. Heart attack. A pretty amazing man he was. He was a fairly quiet guy..you couldn't really tell what he was thinking most of the time. He was extremely smart...probably one of the smartest people I knew. He made a difference..to his family, his friends, and his community. And today, I realized that his greatest gift in his life is the legacy he created that will live on even now that he is gone.
The preacher who spoke about him today had never met him. But you wouldn't have known that had you heard him speak about the legacy my Uncle created in his lifetime. He shared with us the importance of respecting creation and how my Uncle lived his life dedicated to doing so. Uncle Don was a huge conservationist, volunteering his time to teaching hunter safety and the Discovery Center in downtown KC. He was an active community volunteer and fundraiser acknowledged by the key to the city he received from Pleasant Hill. He was a world traveler, sharing time and romance with his lovely wife, my Aunt Marsha. He was a family man, doting on his grandchildren introducing them to the world of gardening, fishing and tractor rides. He respected himself, achieving a highly respected 40 year financial career and taking care of his health as best he could given the illnesses/injuries that was bestowed on him from time to time.
Before today, I'm not sure I truly appreciated the life he led, the legacy he was creating before my very eyes. He wasn't always warm and fuzzy and you couldn't always figure out if he was mad, irritated or simply pondering a thought. But what I learned today, a very important lesson I am grateful to receive, is we need to look past the surface and instead focus on the actions a person takes in their life. We need to open our eyes and look at the results that are produced from what a person does with their time. These results are what creates a legacy..your legacy and mine.
My Uncle Don produced a great many results in his life including some we may not realize for years to come. Think about the hunter who prevents an accident from what he learned in one of his safety courses, to a child who sees the outdoors in the Discovery Center for the first and possibly only time in their life, to a couple who got their start in life from a loan he provided, to a citizen whose life is saved by the defibrillator or heat imagery device he raised funds to purchase, or to his family, his children, his grandchildren that create a legacy of their own based on the amazing time they spent with him. He was a man's man..a giving man..a man who taught me it is the acts in our life, throughout our life, the small ones just as important as the big ones that create a legacy and for this I will be forever grateful and will always miss him.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
The preacher who spoke about him today had never met him. But you wouldn't have known that had you heard him speak about the legacy my Uncle created in his lifetime. He shared with us the importance of respecting creation and how my Uncle lived his life dedicated to doing so. Uncle Don was a huge conservationist, volunteering his time to teaching hunter safety and the Discovery Center in downtown KC. He was an active community volunteer and fundraiser acknowledged by the key to the city he received from Pleasant Hill. He was a world traveler, sharing time and romance with his lovely wife, my Aunt Marsha. He was a family man, doting on his grandchildren introducing them to the world of gardening, fishing and tractor rides. He respected himself, achieving a highly respected 40 year financial career and taking care of his health as best he could given the illnesses/injuries that was bestowed on him from time to time.
Before today, I'm not sure I truly appreciated the life he led, the legacy he was creating before my very eyes. He wasn't always warm and fuzzy and you couldn't always figure out if he was mad, irritated or simply pondering a thought. But what I learned today, a very important lesson I am grateful to receive, is we need to look past the surface and instead focus on the actions a person takes in their life. We need to open our eyes and look at the results that are produced from what a person does with their time. These results are what creates a legacy..your legacy and mine.
My Uncle Don produced a great many results in his life including some we may not realize for years to come. Think about the hunter who prevents an accident from what he learned in one of his safety courses, to a child who sees the outdoors in the Discovery Center for the first and possibly only time in their life, to a couple who got their start in life from a loan he provided, to a citizen whose life is saved by the defibrillator or heat imagery device he raised funds to purchase, or to his family, his children, his grandchildren that create a legacy of their own based on the amazing time they spent with him. He was a man's man..a giving man..a man who taught me it is the acts in our life, throughout our life, the small ones just as important as the big ones that create a legacy and for this I will be forever grateful and will always miss him.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur
As I sat down to eat a quick bite of dinner tonight, I started to think about my day and if I accomplished much. As I ran through the events of the day I thought this might make a good blog post to share with you what a "typical" day is like for a business owner who happens to also be a mom, wife, and a daughter amongst a few other descriptions others may give me. I was told in a leadership, entrepreneurial, and innovation program once that to be a business owner requires a certain type of psychology...it isn't for everybody. Boy howdy is that the truth! (yes, I just used the term, "boy howdy" which should be a good indication of the brain function I have left after a "typical day." lol)
I started the day interviewing a University of Missouri "J school" Journalism graduate for a potential position at LightThread. While conducting the interview I received a phone call from my mom letting me know her biopsy results for breast cancer came back negative and all was good...thank you God!
Once I made it in to the office I checked email, picked up the office, started to do dishes (yes kitchen duty is part of my responsibilities and as a side note the dishes never did get finished today and it was only 5 mugs), and read some more email.
I skyped my designer to check in on a website project schedule and a missing email. While talking to the designer our social media specialist arrived at the office who helped track down the missing email and got us back on track.
I work with my business partner on business card design since we both have speaking engagements coming up and it would be good to let people to know how to contact us. I become high maintenance when I ask him to redesign the card not once, twice, three but four times. Ultimately, I love the how the card looks and we end up printing two different cards to appease us both.
Sign some new contracts for a photography project and our new copywriter contractor that will start work in a few weeks.
I check in our checking account to see how our balance is doing and try to gauge a good time when I might get paid next. Good news is balance is positive and we have enough to cover all outgoing bills plus a few months rent...bad news not sure when I'll get paid next. Take a few minutes to strategize on how to get money in the door sooner than later, I then remember we have a blog project that should be done this week that will bring in some moolah. Yay!
I decide to check on the blog project and skype my developer. Seems like we are done with the project but having some wierd technical issues that only one person seems to experience. After checking a multitude of browsers and computers we think the one person's computer may be possessed but can't tell the client we are done until we fix the problem. Needless to say this is an issue that won't be resolved until tomorrow. Keep in mind, we can't replicate the problem so not sure how to fix it and of course we don't get paid until the client signs off so this one has us scratching our head a bit.
I start getting emails from my project team about a meeting scheduled for the afternoon. I screwed up yesterday and was supposed to schedule the meeting for yesterday afternoon but ended up scheduling for today. Too many conflicts for today so I end up cancelling for this week since we don't have many updates or actions to dole out..no need to have a meeting just to have a meeting. Developer is irritated with the late cancellation, I tell him I screwed up, my fault, sorry. I have learned falling on the sword is a much faster route to go and people actually appreciate you more when you acknowledge you made a mistake allowing everyone to move on quicker.
I get notified that a local group I am a member of may be experiencing issues with an election that is underway. I care because I helped instigate said election and happen to be nominated for President. So, after a few emails and forum comments we believe the issue is well in hand and taken care of.
Friend stops by to see if I want to go to lunch. Too busy and too broke I tell him...my social media specialist takes him up on the offer and I have the office to myself. Check some more email while eating a lean cuisine frozen lunch....yummmy.
I check-in on my professional study group that has a meeting scheduled this Friday. I missed our last meeting due to a freaky cornea issue (too much computer and allergies) so wanted to make sure I was prepared for our next get together. We always have prep work to do and this week's topic is our finanical ambition. Found out I need to review 8 research items and update a financial model...hmmm..that one is on tomorrow's to-do list.
The goal for the day is to begin writing copy for a new website that is instrumental in our launch of a new brand. Yes, I realize I am starting the day's goal after lunch, however for me getting started on a daily goal before 5:00 is actually a good day. I realize that to write the copy I need to learn HTML..which is a website code. I ask my social medial specialist to give me a quick tutorial which takes a bit longer than I expected because I learn I need to download a ftp server application, get back-end log-in information and print an HTML cheat sheet to help me remember all the code information. The good news is I was able to accomplish one whole page of copy....bad news I was able to accomplish one whole page of copy when I was hoping to get 4 pages of copy done.
While working on the copy I get an email reminding me that I was going to call someone after two...I get the email at 3:00. Damn. I send an email to the contact letting them know I got caught up with some issues and will call them at 4:00. I finish up the one page of copy and then check on a tradeshow project that started this week.
Good news! We received the tradeshow copy as promised. Bad news. The client's go-to-person notifies us she is going on a week long cruise starting Friday and we were hoping to make this a quick two week project...we get paid the remaining 50% of the project fees upon completion. I put in a request to my designer to see if we can acclerate concept design by 3 days to get the go-to-person's blessing so we can still finish next week. I'm still waiting on designer to say yes..keep your fingers crossed.
Husband emails wanting to know if I have time to run down some softball team issues for him. I say sure no problem. Send some emails and let him know all is good.
I make my 4:00 call that is supposed to last 30 minutes but ends up taking an hour.
When I finish the call I remember I was going to submit our new press release to four online press release sites this morning...and it is now 5:00. Well, better late than never. I start the simple but tedious process of uploading the press release to the different sites. Each site takes about 20-30 minutes to fill-out all the information, configure the text to their specifications and step through their publication process. Of course, the second site does something funky to my title heading and I can't change it. It really isn't that big of a deal but my OCD kicks in and I spend an extra 20 minutes trying to edit so a space can be added between a comma and the word 'to'... let me show you... the site published, Lisa Qualls, LightThread's Chief Development Officer,to present at KC Professional Development Days and I was trying to get it to look like, Lisa Qualls LightThread's Chief Development Officer, to present at KC Professional Development Days. So do you see the problem? I mean it's HUGE right??? Yeah I know...20 minutes of wasted time on something that really has no meaning in the world but was making me CRAZY. I finally gave up hoping that the other three sites will get the visibility.
I do some quick checking on google, yahoo and bing to make sure the press release is making the rounds. Also do some quick posting of the release on my social networks. Of course when you open up Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter you also get caught up on friends, news and check to see how many times your profile has been looked at. Needless to say it's 8:00 before I know it and I find myself starving...the lean cuisine although good doesn't really have a lot of staying power. I also then begin the guilt that comes with being a working mom...no home cooked meal for my kids and I missed my daughter's softball parent practice that I was hoping to participate in. I tell myself it will be ok when I watch every game at her tournament this weekend.
It is now almost 10:00 p.m. I finally did get to eat a quick ham and turkey sandwich with a hand full of potato chips and a beer. Kids and hubby got home from work and practice at about the same time around 9;30. I told them only 10 more minutes on the computer and yet again I guessed wrong and took longer than I hoped. They are now yelling at me to come join them for a quick t.v. show so they can go to bed. I love my life, my family, AND my business and can't wait to get started all over again tomorrow.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I started the day interviewing a University of Missouri "J school" Journalism graduate for a potential position at LightThread. While conducting the interview I received a phone call from my mom letting me know her biopsy results for breast cancer came back negative and all was good...thank you God!
Once I made it in to the office I checked email, picked up the office, started to do dishes (yes kitchen duty is part of my responsibilities and as a side note the dishes never did get finished today and it was only 5 mugs), and read some more email.
I skyped my designer to check in on a website project schedule and a missing email. While talking to the designer our social media specialist arrived at the office who helped track down the missing email and got us back on track.
I work with my business partner on business card design since we both have speaking engagements coming up and it would be good to let people to know how to contact us. I become high maintenance when I ask him to redesign the card not once, twice, three but four times. Ultimately, I love the how the card looks and we end up printing two different cards to appease us both.
Sign some new contracts for a photography project and our new copywriter contractor that will start work in a few weeks.
I check in our checking account to see how our balance is doing and try to gauge a good time when I might get paid next. Good news is balance is positive and we have enough to cover all outgoing bills plus a few months rent...bad news not sure when I'll get paid next. Take a few minutes to strategize on how to get money in the door sooner than later, I then remember we have a blog project that should be done this week that will bring in some moolah. Yay!
I decide to check on the blog project and skype my developer. Seems like we are done with the project but having some wierd technical issues that only one person seems to experience. After checking a multitude of browsers and computers we think the one person's computer may be possessed but can't tell the client we are done until we fix the problem. Needless to say this is an issue that won't be resolved until tomorrow. Keep in mind, we can't replicate the problem so not sure how to fix it and of course we don't get paid until the client signs off so this one has us scratching our head a bit.
I start getting emails from my project team about a meeting scheduled for the afternoon. I screwed up yesterday and was supposed to schedule the meeting for yesterday afternoon but ended up scheduling for today. Too many conflicts for today so I end up cancelling for this week since we don't have many updates or actions to dole out..no need to have a meeting just to have a meeting. Developer is irritated with the late cancellation, I tell him I screwed up, my fault, sorry. I have learned falling on the sword is a much faster route to go and people actually appreciate you more when you acknowledge you made a mistake allowing everyone to move on quicker.
I get notified that a local group I am a member of may be experiencing issues with an election that is underway. I care because I helped instigate said election and happen to be nominated for President. So, after a few emails and forum comments we believe the issue is well in hand and taken care of.
Friend stops by to see if I want to go to lunch. Too busy and too broke I tell him...my social media specialist takes him up on the offer and I have the office to myself. Check some more email while eating a lean cuisine frozen lunch....yummmy.
I check-in on my professional study group that has a meeting scheduled this Friday. I missed our last meeting due to a freaky cornea issue (too much computer and allergies) so wanted to make sure I was prepared for our next get together. We always have prep work to do and this week's topic is our finanical ambition. Found out I need to review 8 research items and update a financial model...hmmm..that one is on tomorrow's to-do list.
The goal for the day is to begin writing copy for a new website that is instrumental in our launch of a new brand. Yes, I realize I am starting the day's goal after lunch, however for me getting started on a daily goal before 5:00 is actually a good day. I realize that to write the copy I need to learn HTML..which is a website code. I ask my social medial specialist to give me a quick tutorial which takes a bit longer than I expected because I learn I need to download a ftp server application, get back-end log-in information and print an HTML cheat sheet to help me remember all the code information. The good news is I was able to accomplish one whole page of copy....bad news I was able to accomplish one whole page of copy when I was hoping to get 4 pages of copy done.
While working on the copy I get an email reminding me that I was going to call someone after two...I get the email at 3:00. Damn. I send an email to the contact letting them know I got caught up with some issues and will call them at 4:00. I finish up the one page of copy and then check on a tradeshow project that started this week.
Good news! We received the tradeshow copy as promised. Bad news. The client's go-to-person notifies us she is going on a week long cruise starting Friday and we were hoping to make this a quick two week project...we get paid the remaining 50% of the project fees upon completion. I put in a request to my designer to see if we can acclerate concept design by 3 days to get the go-to-person's blessing so we can still finish next week. I'm still waiting on designer to say yes..keep your fingers crossed.
Husband emails wanting to know if I have time to run down some softball team issues for him. I say sure no problem. Send some emails and let him know all is good.
I make my 4:00 call that is supposed to last 30 minutes but ends up taking an hour.
When I finish the call I remember I was going to submit our new press release to four online press release sites this morning...and it is now 5:00. Well, better late than never. I start the simple but tedious process of uploading the press release to the different sites. Each site takes about 20-30 minutes to fill-out all the information, configure the text to their specifications and step through their publication process. Of course, the second site does something funky to my title heading and I can't change it. It really isn't that big of a deal but my OCD kicks in and I spend an extra 20 minutes trying to edit so a space can be added between a comma and the word 'to'... let me show you... the site published, Lisa Qualls, LightThread's Chief Development Officer,to present at KC Professional Development Days and I was trying to get it to look like, Lisa Qualls LightThread's Chief Development Officer, to present at KC Professional Development Days. So do you see the problem? I mean it's HUGE right??? Yeah I know...20 minutes of wasted time on something that really has no meaning in the world but was making me CRAZY. I finally gave up hoping that the other three sites will get the visibility.
I do some quick checking on google, yahoo and bing to make sure the press release is making the rounds. Also do some quick posting of the release on my social networks. Of course when you open up Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter you also get caught up on friends, news and check to see how many times your profile has been looked at. Needless to say it's 8:00 before I know it and I find myself starving...the lean cuisine although good doesn't really have a lot of staying power. I also then begin the guilt that comes with being a working mom...no home cooked meal for my kids and I missed my daughter's softball parent practice that I was hoping to participate in. I tell myself it will be ok when I watch every game at her tournament this weekend.
It is now almost 10:00 p.m. I finally did get to eat a quick ham and turkey sandwich with a hand full of potato chips and a beer. Kids and hubby got home from work and practice at about the same time around 9;30. I told them only 10 more minutes on the computer and yet again I guessed wrong and took longer than I hoped. They are now yelling at me to come join them for a quick t.v. show so they can go to bed. I love my life, my family, AND my business and can't wait to get started all over again tomorrow.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I Miss You!
Summer is in full swing and with it so is my calendar. We are a big softball and baseball family so ball games, practices and umpiring keeps us on the go. I have a rare evening at home so thought I would write a quick post and share some of the fun stuff going on in life.
Family
This is our first year experiencing competitive softball and boy does it keep a family busy. Samantha is enjoying the experience and has really turned in to a heck of a ballplayer. Zachary is playing baseball and working his bootie off at McDonalds. He finds plenty of time to hang with "his boys" and is a reminder of how summer is a time for fun. Jackie is teaching summer school, helping mow yards for the parents, and being the great husband he always is. I am so blessed to have such a fun and engaged family!
Being an Entrepreneur
I don't remember a time in my professional career where I have been so excited, scared, crazed and inspired all at the same time. Owning and managing a company is as hard as everyone says it is but it also so rewarding, challenging (in a good way) and educational. LightThread has been through some twists and turns as most start-up companies experience but our team is strong and focused. We have started to build momentum and buzz the last few months which has been very motivating. In fact, our CEO Simon Kuo was interviewed on KCTV5 which you can see here:
Our office is located in the Screenland Theater down in the Crossroads district. The building is a renovated fish house with a mini museum dedicated to the early life of Walt Disney. To say it is super cool would be an understatement and is home to many special events including the monthly Legends Luncheon supporting the Negro League Museum. We love to have friends stop by and always have cold brewsky's in the fridge. Work is the priority but if we're not having fun then whats the point? In fact, some of our best ideas are inspired when we are playing around, sharing thought-provoking conversation and laughing. First Friday's are an especially good time in the LightThread office so if you are ever in the area please stop by!
I am obviously focused on family and work this summer so it may be a while before I post again. I miss writing so will definitely pick up the pace come September. In the meantime, you can catch me writing on the LightThread blog, speaking at the KC Professional Development Days or attending SMCKC events around town.
Be who you are and learn to be better!
Lisa
Family
This is our first year experiencing competitive softball and boy does it keep a family busy. Samantha is enjoying the experience and has really turned in to a heck of a ballplayer. Zachary is playing baseball and working his bootie off at McDonalds. He finds plenty of time to hang with "his boys" and is a reminder of how summer is a time for fun. Jackie is teaching summer school, helping mow yards for the parents, and being the great husband he always is. I am so blessed to have such a fun and engaged family!
Being an Entrepreneur
I don't remember a time in my professional career where I have been so excited, scared, crazed and inspired all at the same time. Owning and managing a company is as hard as everyone says it is but it also so rewarding, challenging (in a good way) and educational. LightThread has been through some twists and turns as most start-up companies experience but our team is strong and focused. We have started to build momentum and buzz the last few months which has been very motivating. In fact, our CEO Simon Kuo was interviewed on KCTV5 which you can see here:
Our office is located in the Screenland Theater down in the Crossroads district. The building is a renovated fish house with a mini museum dedicated to the early life of Walt Disney. To say it is super cool would be an understatement and is home to many special events including the monthly Legends Luncheon supporting the Negro League Museum. We love to have friends stop by and always have cold brewsky's in the fridge. Work is the priority but if we're not having fun then whats the point? In fact, some of our best ideas are inspired when we are playing around, sharing thought-provoking conversation and laughing. First Friday's are an especially good time in the LightThread office so if you are ever in the area please stop by!
I am obviously focused on family and work this summer so it may be a while before I post again. I miss writing so will definitely pick up the pace come September. In the meantime, you can catch me writing on the LightThread blog, speaking at the KC Professional Development Days or attending SMCKC events around town.
Be who you are and learn to be better!
Lisa
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Online Transparency vs. Privacy
Looking for something fun to do on Saturday while getting educated on the latest and greatest in social media? Check out Chicks Who Click, a one-day Social Media Conference for Women incorporating networking, education and empowerment with like-minded women, achieving great heights in the area of Social Media. I will be serving on the transparency vs. privacy panel that will discuss the challenges to personal security, privacy and reputation that are unique to the online world.
I found a great post highlighting the benefits of the panel discussion that you can read here. How Come Men Don’t Have to Worry About This S**t?
Posted using ShareThis
I hope to see you at the Chicks Who Click event! If you can't make Saturday you may want to sign-up for the networking event Friday night at the GranFalloon.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I found a great post highlighting the benefits of the panel discussion that you can read here. How Come Men Don’t Have to Worry About This S**t?
Posted using ShareThis
I hope to see you at the Chicks Who Click event! If you can't make Saturday you may want to sign-up for the networking event Friday night at the GranFalloon.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Spring Time is Here!
If you grew up in the midwest, there is a good chance you are a weather junkie like me, especially during this time of year. Tonight was our first significant weather event here in KC and for me it was the first time ever I integrated online viewing with my TV viewing. It was like a 360 degree theater of weather watching and it was awesome! Or like Jim Flink said on Twitter..it's like surround sound stereo! If you happen to be online while watching storm coverage on TV I thought you may find these sites interesting.
First is www.kcweather.org. This site was mentioned multiple times during channel 9 coverage and happens to be ran by a friend of mine. They host a live chat during severe weather situations when Ed Roberts (Ed runs the site) is available, which is most of the time. Ed also posts daily podcasts that you may find helpful. Not only do you get some meteorology education, you also meet some pretty cool people in the room. I had a great discussion with the Yahoo sports writer from Rivals.com and ended up getting into a side discussion about the NFL draft, high school recruiting and appreciation for online communities. Fun stuff!
For those of you on twitter you can follow @kcweather to get live updates. For those of you not on twitter, you can simply go to search.twitter.com and search on #kcstorms and you will see all live tweets that often have weather spotters providing live updates from around the metro area.
I know, I’m a super geek to be doing this kind of stuff on a Saturday night but my daughter had a softball tourney this weekend so was hanging at home. One more thing..in case you didn’t see the live tornado video on KMBC channel 9 it is a must see…a photojournalist and reporter got caught in the I-70 turnpike tornado and had to escape to a ditch…they got it all on video.
Spring is here in KC and I’m soooo happy!
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
First is www.kcweather.org. This site was mentioned multiple times during channel 9 coverage and happens to be ran by a friend of mine. They host a live chat during severe weather situations when Ed Roberts (Ed runs the site) is available, which is most of the time. Ed also posts daily podcasts that you may find helpful. Not only do you get some meteorology education, you also meet some pretty cool people in the room. I had a great discussion with the Yahoo sports writer from Rivals.com and ended up getting into a side discussion about the NFL draft, high school recruiting and appreciation for online communities. Fun stuff!
For those of you on twitter you can follow @kcweather to get live updates. For those of you not on twitter, you can simply go to search.twitter.com and search on #kcstorms and you will see all live tweets that often have weather spotters providing live updates from around the metro area.
I know, I’m a super geek to be doing this kind of stuff on a Saturday night but my daughter had a softball tourney this weekend so was hanging at home. One more thing..in case you didn’t see the live tornado video on KMBC channel 9 it is a must see…a photojournalist and reporter got caught in the I-70 turnpike tornado and had to escape to a ditch…they got it all on video.
Spring is here in KC and I’m soooo happy!
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Monday, April 20, 2009
40-Day Series Wrap-Up
WOW! Those 40 days went by fast.....super fast. I had a great time sharing with you just some of the fantastic people I have had the pleasure and honor of working with the last 20 years. I hope you learned something along the way as I know I learned a ton! I need to thank three more people as I wrap-up the series...my parents Tom and Rita Nicholson and my husband Jackie Qualls. My parents instilled in me a serious work ethic to keep going, do what it takes to get the job done and don't quit. They have provided an endless amount of support throughout my career. My ever patient husband taught me how to let go of the tough days and to celebrate the good ones. He also taught me the power of loving the difficult as there have been many days I have been difficult at best and he loved me anyway. I am truly grateful for having their love that inspires me each and every day.
Many people have asked me if I planned out who I was going to write about. I did write a list of about 40 people when I got the idea for the series but I didn't plan on when I would write about them or what I would write about. I also had names and memories that came to me while writing the series. Before I would write a post I would ask God for guidance and it never failed the name would come through loud and clear. Many times I would hear from the person that they had no idea they made such an impact and that I couldn't have had better timing...God works in mysterious ways. Once I figured out who I would write about the story would flow pretty easily. I found it interesting that every post would take a life of its own. What I thought I had learned from the person often times would be something different by the time I got to writing the golden nugget. Ultimately, the experience left me feeling blessed, thankful and in awe of the amazing people who have touched my life.
40-Day Series Review:
Annette Loos Golden Nugget: Don't assume people know when they do good work or are making a difference because more than likely they don't. Taking a few minutes to share a note of your observations can inspire a lifetime of confidence.
Linda Chappell Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to give the rookie a chance to make a difference. Simply believe in them, encourage them, help them find their way from time to time and then watch them grow as they take your company to new heights.
Tony Painton Golden Nugget: 1) Take care of your team, even if it means breaking the rules from time to time. 2) Laugh the tension away
Victor Alba Golden Nugget: Share your passion and hobbies with your co-workers, you may find a connection that transcends business and leads you to new possibilities in life.
Shushan Aleaqui Golden Nugget: Take the time, show the patience and have the courage to be authentic when coaching others.
Kathy Walker Golden Nugget: Don't forget where you came from and be willing to lead as your authentic self
Claudio Lima Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to ask the smart guys for help and if you are the smart guy help the student feel smart too. Be kind to those who are on assignment and/or new to the group.
Sharon Williams Golden Nugget: Be a listening ear and know when to tell a joke
Steve Coker Golden Nugget: Find someone who you trust enough to call you a chicken and appreciate it when they do
Linda Sherlock Golden Nugget: If it isn't good do what you have to do to fix it and make it great.
Tim Lunsford Golden Nugget: Foster an environment of debate, challenge the status quo and be wary of the Yes man
Jean Matkovich Golden Nugget: Embrace learning and share what you know with others.
Simon Kuo Golden Nugget: Stay in touch with old colleagues and be open to new opportunities they offer
Craig Cowden Golden Nugget: Ask the tough questions and have your voice be heard
Rebecca Caldwell Golden Nugget: Embrace community service and let others help you to achieve the "impossible"
Tricia Howe Golden Nugget: Energy creates energy..giving 100% is infectious!
George Porta Golden Nugget: Appreciate people for who they are and focus on their strengths
Glen Boney Golden Nugget: Give unconditional help and support
Laurie Halfert Golden Nugget: Listen without judgment
Fong Johnson Golden Nugget: Being a mentor is more about learning than teaching
Francine Ray Golden Nugget: Keep the small stuff small by taking care of the details.
Tony Krueck Golden Nugget: Create a culture of quality and trust by encouraging and accepting candid discussion
Clay Holyfield Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them
Jay Bluhm Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings
Amy Mahalovich Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others
Jo Blagovich Golden Nugget: Give people second chances
Fred Harris Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers
Susan Morgan Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead
Tom Hoskins Golden Nugget: Family First
Jerry Leeper Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication
Lori Ames Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.
Sally Harding Funk Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees
Tom and Rita Nicholson Golden Nugget: Keep going, do what it takes to get the job done and don't quit
Jackie Qualls Golden Nugget: Let go of the tough days, celebrate the good ones and love the difficult people as they need it the most
If this series taught you something please leave a comment as it may teach us all a golden nugget. Thank you for stopping by and check back again soon.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Many people have asked me if I planned out who I was going to write about. I did write a list of about 40 people when I got the idea for the series but I didn't plan on when I would write about them or what I would write about. I also had names and memories that came to me while writing the series. Before I would write a post I would ask God for guidance and it never failed the name would come through loud and clear. Many times I would hear from the person that they had no idea they made such an impact and that I couldn't have had better timing...God works in mysterious ways. Once I figured out who I would write about the story would flow pretty easily. I found it interesting that every post would take a life of its own. What I thought I had learned from the person often times would be something different by the time I got to writing the golden nugget. Ultimately, the experience left me feeling blessed, thankful and in awe of the amazing people who have touched my life.
40-Day Series Review:
Annette Loos Golden Nugget: Don't assume people know when they do good work or are making a difference because more than likely they don't. Taking a few minutes to share a note of your observations can inspire a lifetime of confidence.
Linda Chappell Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to give the rookie a chance to make a difference. Simply believe in them, encourage them, help them find their way from time to time and then watch them grow as they take your company to new heights.
Tony Painton Golden Nugget: 1) Take care of your team, even if it means breaking the rules from time to time. 2) Laugh the tension away
Victor Alba Golden Nugget: Share your passion and hobbies with your co-workers, you may find a connection that transcends business and leads you to new possibilities in life.
Shushan Aleaqui Golden Nugget: Take the time, show the patience and have the courage to be authentic when coaching others.
Kathy Walker Golden Nugget: Don't forget where you came from and be willing to lead as your authentic self
Claudio Lima Golden Nugget: Don't be afraid to ask the smart guys for help and if you are the smart guy help the student feel smart too. Be kind to those who are on assignment and/or new to the group.
Sharon Williams Golden Nugget: Be a listening ear and know when to tell a joke
Steve Coker Golden Nugget: Find someone who you trust enough to call you a chicken and appreciate it when they do
Linda Sherlock Golden Nugget: If it isn't good do what you have to do to fix it and make it great.
Tim Lunsford Golden Nugget: Foster an environment of debate, challenge the status quo and be wary of the Yes man
Jean Matkovich Golden Nugget: Embrace learning and share what you know with others.
Simon Kuo Golden Nugget: Stay in touch with old colleagues and be open to new opportunities they offer
Craig Cowden Golden Nugget: Ask the tough questions and have your voice be heard
Rebecca Caldwell Golden Nugget: Embrace community service and let others help you to achieve the "impossible"
Tricia Howe Golden Nugget: Energy creates energy..giving 100% is infectious!
George Porta Golden Nugget: Appreciate people for who they are and focus on their strengths
Glen Boney Golden Nugget: Give unconditional help and support
Laurie Halfert Golden Nugget: Listen without judgment
Fong Johnson Golden Nugget: Being a mentor is more about learning than teaching
Francine Ray Golden Nugget: Keep the small stuff small by taking care of the details.
Tony Krueck Golden Nugget: Create a culture of quality and trust by encouraging and accepting candid discussion
Clay Holyfield Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them
Jay Bluhm Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings
Amy Mahalovich Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others
Jo Blagovich Golden Nugget: Give people second chances
Fred Harris Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers
Susan Morgan Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead
Tom Hoskins Golden Nugget: Family First
Jerry Leeper Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication
Lori Ames Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.
Sally Harding Funk Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees
Tom and Rita Nicholson Golden Nugget: Keep going, do what it takes to get the job done and don't quit
Jackie Qualls Golden Nugget: Let go of the tough days, celebrate the good ones and love the difficult people as they need it the most
If this series taught you something please leave a comment as it may teach us all a golden nugget. Thank you for stopping by and check back again soon.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Friday, April 10, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Sally Harding Funk
Sally developed and taught me how a long distance telephone call works. Your phone to the end office to the central office to the PoP to the PoP to the central office to the end office to the phone you are calling. There is a bit more to it than that but that is how we started. The diagram is called a call flow. She would teach me the fundamental knowledge I would lean on throughout my entire telecom career.
I didn't realize it then but I was so very fortunate to get such training. Most of my colleagues didn't get an overview let alone a two-week, sit down, white board, deep dive crash course in all things telecom. Sally walked me through a ton of call flows, network diagrams, and telecom definitions. When I started that job I thought ATM was a place where you pulled money...Sally would teach me a whole new ATM, Asynchronous Transfer Mode network. Voice, data, T-1's, OC-3's, and PVC's...a world I never knew existed would become the world I would live and breathe the next 10 years.
I would be exhausted at the end of our sessions from brain overload but she had a way of making it fun and exciting. She was patient with all my questions. She would become a trusted supervisor and team mate who would provide valuable advice through some pretty challenging career events. She helped me establish a foundation of knowledge that was critical to both my personal and professional growth.
Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I didn't realize it then but I was so very fortunate to get such training. Most of my colleagues didn't get an overview let alone a two-week, sit down, white board, deep dive crash course in all things telecom. Sally walked me through a ton of call flows, network diagrams, and telecom definitions. When I started that job I thought ATM was a place where you pulled money...Sally would teach me a whole new ATM, Asynchronous Transfer Mode network. Voice, data, T-1's, OC-3's, and PVC's...a world I never knew existed would become the world I would live and breathe the next 10 years.
I would be exhausted at the end of our sessions from brain overload but she had a way of making it fun and exciting. She was patient with all my questions. She would become a trusted supervisor and team mate who would provide valuable advice through some pretty challenging career events. She helped me establish a foundation of knowledge that was critical to both my personal and professional growth.
Golden Nugget: Provide meaningful training to employees
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Thursday, April 9, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Lori Ames
Lori and I love the MU tigers, love Springfield, MO and love golf. We had an instant connection when we met (which happened to be during a business interview). Our team had all intentions of hiring someone else and then we met her and changed our mind. She had this aura of confidence, calm and intelligence.
Little did I know during that interview just how much fun Lori was going to be. We shared college stories, happy hour stories and made new stories of our own. Lori wasn't just a good time, she was a true friend and confidant. She helped me get through political turmoil, new bosses, and adjust to jobs I thought were over my head. She would stop me cold when I was whining, tell me to get over it and jump back in the fight. She could challenge me like none other and I didn't want to disappoint.
Lori is one of the most courageous people I know. She manages personal challenges that requires the strongest of faith and intestinal fortitude. She knows who she is, gets stronger every day and is full of love, love, and love. We have many great memories that I reflect on often. A born leader, true professional and amazing friend, that's my Lori.
Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Little did I know during that interview just how much fun Lori was going to be. We shared college stories, happy hour stories and made new stories of our own. Lori wasn't just a good time, she was a true friend and confidant. She helped me get through political turmoil, new bosses, and adjust to jobs I thought were over my head. She would stop me cold when I was whining, tell me to get over it and jump back in the fight. She could challenge me like none other and I didn't want to disappoint.
Lori is one of the most courageous people I know. She manages personal challenges that requires the strongest of faith and intestinal fortitude. She knows who she is, gets stronger every day and is full of love, love, and love. We have many great memories that I reflect on often. A born leader, true professional and amazing friend, that's my Lori.
Golden Nugget: Trust someone to catch you when you fall, they'll push you back up.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Jerry Leeper
A bit of a different twist with this entry..I am going to talk about someone from my junior high/high school days. You may think this is a stretch to connect this experience to making business personal. Bear with me, I'm optimistic you'll understand the connection.
Jerry Leeper was my band and orchestra teacher in 8th grade. We had heard horror stories in the 7th grade which was in a completely different building miles away from the junior high. With the way the first few weeks of 8th grade band started I had no doubt why the stories existed. Mr. Leeper was loud, demanding, and had no tolerance for excuses. He was the first teacher for all of us that set expectations and made sure at you met them. As you can imagine the attrition rate was high that first quarter but if you held on and stuck with it you wouldn't be disappointed.
The junior high band ALWAYS sounded better than the high school band. We would win top awards, get invited to cool places, and would work our butt off to be better than any other band in the area. Mr. Leeper would push and drive us to improve our musical ability with challenging scores and intense practice sessions. He would tell us we only shortchange ourselves if we cut corners. He demanded we be the best we could be as trying to be anything else was simply being lazy.
It may sound like he was this tough mean old guy, and I would be lying if I didn't say there wasn't days when we thought he was a bit scary but I can tell you he really was one of the nicest caring teachers in the district. He pushed because he cared. He challenged us because he knew we had it in us. He was demanding because he wanted us to know the accomplishment that comes from giving it everything we had.
A true testament to the respect we had for him was years later when Mr. Holland's Opus came out and everyone one of us who kept in touch thought of Mr. Leeper immediately when we watched the movie. He was our Mr. Holland, he made his business of teaching personal. He would spend countless hours staying late helping us practice both as a class and individually. He would become a private instructor teaching me the oboe. He taught me that to become great was only possible through practice, discipline and dedication. To respect yourself was to respect your craft...take it seriously, reach for the high bar and be the best you can be..no more no less.
Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Jerry Leeper was my band and orchestra teacher in 8th grade. We had heard horror stories in the 7th grade which was in a completely different building miles away from the junior high. With the way the first few weeks of 8th grade band started I had no doubt why the stories existed. Mr. Leeper was loud, demanding, and had no tolerance for excuses. He was the first teacher for all of us that set expectations and made sure at you met them. As you can imagine the attrition rate was high that first quarter but if you held on and stuck with it you wouldn't be disappointed.
The junior high band ALWAYS sounded better than the high school band. We would win top awards, get invited to cool places, and would work our butt off to be better than any other band in the area. Mr. Leeper would push and drive us to improve our musical ability with challenging scores and intense practice sessions. He would tell us we only shortchange ourselves if we cut corners. He demanded we be the best we could be as trying to be anything else was simply being lazy.
It may sound like he was this tough mean old guy, and I would be lying if I didn't say there wasn't days when we thought he was a bit scary but I can tell you he really was one of the nicest caring teachers in the district. He pushed because he cared. He challenged us because he knew we had it in us. He was demanding because he wanted us to know the accomplishment that comes from giving it everything we had.
A true testament to the respect we had for him was years later when Mr. Holland's Opus came out and everyone one of us who kept in touch thought of Mr. Leeper immediately when we watched the movie. He was our Mr. Holland, he made his business of teaching personal. He would spend countless hours staying late helping us practice both as a class and individually. He would become a private instructor teaching me the oboe. He taught me that to become great was only possible through practice, discipline and dedication. To respect yourself was to respect your craft...take it seriously, reach for the high bar and be the best you can be..no more no less.
Golden Nugget: Being the best you can be requires practice, discipline & dedication
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
40-Day Series: Thank You Tom Hoskins
A true gentleman. Have you ever had the opportunity to meet one? I not only had the pleasure to meet one but the honor to work with one side by side every day for almost 3 years. Tom Hoskins was a retired Air Force Colonel and Vietnam War veteran. I remember him telling me about one of his most exciting days when he was invited to fly in a Stealth plane...pretty cool huh? He had quite a few interesting stories and I loved to hear him tell them. I always learned something new and he never got irritated with all my questions (at least that I knew of, I'm sure he had to get tired of them from time to time :) )
Tom was always calm, cool and collected. I on the other hand was the opposite. He was my zen master. He could just give me a look and I knew it was time to take it down a level. We spent countless hours talking. We would talk about meetings, bosses, and colleagues and what we could learn from them. I know I learned something from just about every conversation I had with him.
Not only would we talk about work but also our families, friends and home life. He encouraged me to be a better mother and wife. He would push me to leave the office on time. He would remind me that children grow fast and you don't get a second time around to do it better. My only regret is I didn't heed his advice and wisdom as often I should have. My wish for you...to have an opportunity to have a Tom Hoskins in your life...it will make you a better person.
Golden Nugget: Family first
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Tom was always calm, cool and collected. I on the other hand was the opposite. He was my zen master. He could just give me a look and I knew it was time to take it down a level. We spent countless hours talking. We would talk about meetings, bosses, and colleagues and what we could learn from them. I know I learned something from just about every conversation I had with him.
Not only would we talk about work but also our families, friends and home life. He encouraged me to be a better mother and wife. He would push me to leave the office on time. He would remind me that children grow fast and you don't get a second time around to do it better. My only regret is I didn't heed his advice and wisdom as often I should have. My wish for you...to have an opportunity to have a Tom Hoskins in your life...it will make you a better person.
Golden Nugget: Family first
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Susan Morgan
I honestly don’t have any idea what kind of career I would have had if I had not met Susan when I was assigned to work network migrations. Here I was this 20-something, high-energy, over eager kid not knowing a damn thing about technology, network or project management. I know there were times she had to just shake her head wondering what in the hell she was going to do with me. She had incredible patience and always took the time to answer my endless amount of questions. She would teach me just about everything I would ever know about managing projects, reporting on projects and dealing with project politics.
She taught me to understand the big picture. Always start with the big picture. If you didn’t understand the why and what you couldn’t develop the when, where, and how.
She taught me the importance of understanding the various team members and their why and what. Always respect your team members. You needed to know where your team members were coming from, what their role and responsibility was and why they may push back (typically because their boss was telling them to, which you could figure out if you knew the big picture).
She taught me the power of the project sponsor. Always treat your sponsor like the customer. Without a project sponsor you don’t have a project.
Finally, she taught me to be a project manager meant you were the leader. The buck stopped with you. If there was an issue, a delay, a quality issue you took the blame…you never ever threw a project member under the bus. You took responsibility; you fixed the problem and ultimately led the team to deliver the project per plan.
She also taught me the importance of continuing your education. Susan was always working on a new degree of some kind. She also taught me to enjoy hobbies and appreciate being good at more than one thing. Most important, she taught me to be kind to the rookies, embrace the challenges and be a real leader who stands up without fear.
Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
She taught me to understand the big picture. Always start with the big picture. If you didn’t understand the why and what you couldn’t develop the when, where, and how.
She taught me the importance of understanding the various team members and their why and what. Always respect your team members. You needed to know where your team members were coming from, what their role and responsibility was and why they may push back (typically because their boss was telling them to, which you could figure out if you knew the big picture).
She taught me the power of the project sponsor. Always treat your sponsor like the customer. Without a project sponsor you don’t have a project.
Finally, she taught me to be a project manager meant you were the leader. The buck stopped with you. If there was an issue, a delay, a quality issue you took the blame…you never ever threw a project member under the bus. You took responsibility; you fixed the problem and ultimately led the team to deliver the project per plan.
She also taught me the importance of continuing your education. Susan was always working on a new degree of some kind. She also taught me to enjoy hobbies and appreciate being good at more than one thing. Most important, she taught me to be kind to the rookies, embrace the challenges and be a real leader who stands up without fear.
Golden Nugget: Learn, stand-up, reach-out and lead
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
40-Day Series: Thank You Fred Harris
Fred was one of the best human beings I ever had the pleasure to work for. He was so much more than his title. He had lost his son to leukemia, the kind that doesn’t give you very much notice. He helped start the Heart of America Bone Marrow registry to honor him. The lives he has touched are many and I feel honored to have had the privilege to learn from him.
Fred and I shared a passion for quality…we believed company performance was directly tied to the quality of an organization’s strategy, processes and measurements. Sprint at the time was a big proponent of the Malcolm Baldridge Chairman Quality Award. Fred sponsored me to become a certified CQA examiner so I could bring the lessons back to his organization. What an amazing experience! As if that wasn’t enough he then accepted my proposal to create a CQA task force within his organization. He didn’t just ask one of his directors to participate; he requested that they all become involved. Some of my ideas weren’t very corporate…like the toy horns and hats I had the team wear at a milestone meeting but there was Fred wearing the hat and tooting the horn.
His guidance, never-ending support, and encouragement were somewhat rare for a man at his level to give to a junior level employee. But that was Fred, he didn’t try to fit the corporate norm…he was his own man, with his own idear’s, and wasn’t afraid to speak out on what he thought was important. There was one time he even brought up heaven at an all organization conference. His point was to get us to think about how we might be measured at the end of our life. He asked that if we were spending the majority of our life at work shouldn’t we be mindful of how we act to others as well as perform? That moment alone told me what an incredible man he was. I had the pleasure to witness his words in action and I’m a better person because of it.
Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Fred and I shared a passion for quality…we believed company performance was directly tied to the quality of an organization’s strategy, processes and measurements. Sprint at the time was a big proponent of the Malcolm Baldridge Chairman Quality Award. Fred sponsored me to become a certified CQA examiner so I could bring the lessons back to his organization. What an amazing experience! As if that wasn’t enough he then accepted my proposal to create a CQA task force within his organization. He didn’t just ask one of his directors to participate; he requested that they all become involved. Some of my ideas weren’t very corporate…like the toy horns and hats I had the team wear at a milestone meeting but there was Fred wearing the hat and tooting the horn.
His guidance, never-ending support, and encouragement were somewhat rare for a man at his level to give to a junior level employee. But that was Fred, he didn’t try to fit the corporate norm…he was his own man, with his own idear’s, and wasn’t afraid to speak out on what he thought was important. There was one time he even brought up heaven at an all organization conference. His point was to get us to think about how we might be measured at the end of our life. He asked that if we were spending the majority of our life at work shouldn’t we be mindful of how we act to others as well as perform? That moment alone told me what an incredible man he was. I had the pleasure to witness his words in action and I’m a better person because of it.
Golden Nugget: Think twice about how you treat your co-workers
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
40-Day Series: Thank You Jo Blagovich
I honestly do not know where to even start when writing about Ms. Blagovich. Dame. A real life dame. If you asked me one word to describe Jo that is what I would answer. She is smart, fearless, fun, and makes things happen. A leader who does not apologize for her high standards. She can be a bit intimidating when she wants to be. She would give me my big break in the corporate world by hiring me in to my first salary position.
I was assigned to a position that I knew nothing about and I'm not exaggerating...I really knew nothing. Fortunately I had many people around to help me but the learning curve was long. I was responsible for frame relay migrations with my primary focus advocating for our B2B customers. We had capacity issues that kept delaying migration schedules so I came up with a report to track the issues. Typically you have a stoplight report that reflects green, yellow and red issues but Jo was color blind. Now before I continue with this story I have to tell another story to give color (no pun intended) to the situation.
Weeks before I created the report I fell asleep at my desk. I had come off a very long weekend with no sleep and was asked to read some really awful, long and boring requirements document. While reading I dozed off. Of course Jo happened to walk by and busted me. I was still relatively new and was scared I was going to get fired. My manager told me I wasn't going to be fired but that I would have a long road to recover with Jo. Now back to the report story.
So I knew I had this one opportunity to impress Jo. I also knew she was a hard woman to impress and the odds were against me after the "resting my eyes" incident. Knowing she was color blind I made the report in shades of purple. She loved it. She fondly called it the "Barney Report" named after the popular kids dinosaur show at the time. I still had a ways to go to earn her trust but the recovery had begun. To this day she loves to tell the sleeping story.
Jo would become a HUGE influence in my career. She was my Sprint angel...watching over me as I moved job to job. Always answering my call and willing to meet with me when I needed her wisdom. She never held back and if I needed to hear the hard truth she was the one to tell it to me. I love this woman. I can't say it anymore simple than that...I love Jo. I think we are kindred spirits from a previous life...we share a name, work philosophies, and enjoy downtime fun. I would never had the career I had without Jo. I wouldn't be a business owner today. Thank you doesn't come close to representing how much I appreciate her. I thank God often for bringing this dame in to my life and showing me the way.
Golden Nugget: Give people second chances.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I was assigned to a position that I knew nothing about and I'm not exaggerating...I really knew nothing. Fortunately I had many people around to help me but the learning curve was long. I was responsible for frame relay migrations with my primary focus advocating for our B2B customers. We had capacity issues that kept delaying migration schedules so I came up with a report to track the issues. Typically you have a stoplight report that reflects green, yellow and red issues but Jo was color blind. Now before I continue with this story I have to tell another story to give color (no pun intended) to the situation.
Weeks before I created the report I fell asleep at my desk. I had come off a very long weekend with no sleep and was asked to read some really awful, long and boring requirements document. While reading I dozed off. Of course Jo happened to walk by and busted me. I was still relatively new and was scared I was going to get fired. My manager told me I wasn't going to be fired but that I would have a long road to recover with Jo. Now back to the report story.
So I knew I had this one opportunity to impress Jo. I also knew she was a hard woman to impress and the odds were against me after the "resting my eyes" incident. Knowing she was color blind I made the report in shades of purple. She loved it. She fondly called it the "Barney Report" named after the popular kids dinosaur show at the time. I still had a ways to go to earn her trust but the recovery had begun. To this day she loves to tell the sleeping story.
Jo would become a HUGE influence in my career. She was my Sprint angel...watching over me as I moved job to job. Always answering my call and willing to meet with me when I needed her wisdom. She never held back and if I needed to hear the hard truth she was the one to tell it to me. I love this woman. I can't say it anymore simple than that...I love Jo. I think we are kindred spirits from a previous life...we share a name, work philosophies, and enjoy downtime fun. I would never had the career I had without Jo. I wouldn't be a business owner today. Thank you doesn't come close to representing how much I appreciate her. I thank God often for bringing this dame in to my life and showing me the way.
Golden Nugget: Give people second chances.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Monday, April 6, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Amy Mahalovich
As I wrote about Jay Bluhm and appreciating time spent with siblings I was inspired to write about my real sibling, Amy Mahalovich. I know it may sound odd that I am thanking my sister for making business personal but trust me she has taught me a TON about making business personal. She is an RN. She has worked on both ends of life's spectrum...she has taken care of kids with cancer through their last days and she has brought new healthy babies in to the world. She takes her role seriously and treats each and every patient with such amazing care and thoughtfulness.
I have spent a fair amount of time in hospitals and I can say with confidence that Amy performs her "business" above and beyond what is expeced. She often gets cards, gifts and many many hugs from her patients...a true testament to the way she approaches her job. She makes it a point to understand her patients, their concerns, and their fears. She answers their questions, teaches them how to take care, and provides them the support they need, regardless if it is beyond her "role." I have had many conversations with her when I was opining about the trials and tribulations of my work. She never trivalizes what I am saying even though she could...my job isn't life and death...hers is.
I have complained about long days...she works 12 hours a day and that is on a good day. She will work both night and day shifts confusing her biological clock. She shares her talent and skill by helping her children's school district with nursing services. She embraces her role with passion, love and joy that many will only ever dream of. She has taught me the power of listening, authenticity, compassion,and empathy to connect with others in powerful ways. She works because she loves it and I can assure you it isn't because of the money. As a fellow professional I have the utmost respect for her approach, talent and skill that she delivers day in and day out. As her big sister I have such pride and admiration for what she does and more importantly how she does it.
Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I have spent a fair amount of time in hospitals and I can say with confidence that Amy performs her "business" above and beyond what is expeced. She often gets cards, gifts and many many hugs from her patients...a true testament to the way she approaches her job. She makes it a point to understand her patients, their concerns, and their fears. She answers their questions, teaches them how to take care, and provides them the support they need, regardless if it is beyond her "role." I have had many conversations with her when I was opining about the trials and tribulations of my work. She never trivalizes what I am saying even though she could...my job isn't life and death...hers is.
I have complained about long days...she works 12 hours a day and that is on a good day. She will work both night and day shifts confusing her biological clock. She shares her talent and skill by helping her children's school district with nursing services. She embraces her role with passion, love and joy that many will only ever dream of. She has taught me the power of listening, authenticity, compassion,and empathy to connect with others in powerful ways. She works because she loves it and I can assure you it isn't because of the money. As a fellow professional I have the utmost respect for her approach, talent and skill that she delivers day in and day out. As her big sister I have such pride and admiration for what she does and more importantly how she does it.
Golden Nugget: Be compassionate with others
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Sunday, April 5, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Jay Bluhm
I think Jay and I were brother and sister in a previous life. We had a connection that was rare in the corporate world. I even received coaching one time to be careful with being perceived as Jay's little sister. I understood the concern but honestly thought of it as a compliment. In some ways I really did look up to Jay as if he was a big brother. I only have one sister and always wanted a brother and in many ways Jay served in that role.
He offered support, encouragement, tough love, and even protection when needed. He introduced me to the Business Professional Certification program which would change my life. He coached me, taught me and connected me to new people. He made me laugh...a lot. He drank beer with me, found me a hotel room when I was stranded in D.C., and listened to me. All of this and I never worked directly for the man or even on his team. In fact, there were a few times where I may have caused him some stress through escalations and red risk assessments. And yet, through it all he was there sharing advice and always guiding.
I don't see Jay as often these days since I left Sprint a year ago. He is still there busting his ass to make sure good things happen through some of the biggest obstacles he has ever had to face. His success often times results in additional responsibility, bigger teams and a huge work load. He accepts it all as he believes it gives him more opportunity to make a difference. I can tell you first hand he takes full advantage of every one of those "opportunities" and DOES make a difference. I miss our chats, our weekly beer sessions and his laugh. But as a little sister I am so proud of what he is doing and know that when I need him he'll be there.
Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
He offered support, encouragement, tough love, and even protection when needed. He introduced me to the Business Professional Certification program which would change my life. He coached me, taught me and connected me to new people. He made me laugh...a lot. He drank beer with me, found me a hotel room when I was stranded in D.C., and listened to me. All of this and I never worked directly for the man or even on his team. In fact, there were a few times where I may have caused him some stress through escalations and red risk assessments. And yet, through it all he was there sharing advice and always guiding.
I don't see Jay as often these days since I left Sprint a year ago. He is still there busting his ass to make sure good things happen through some of the biggest obstacles he has ever had to face. His success often times results in additional responsibility, bigger teams and a huge work load. He accepts it all as he believes it gives him more opportunity to make a difference. I can tell you first hand he takes full advantage of every one of those "opportunities" and DOES make a difference. I miss our chats, our weekly beer sessions and his laugh. But as a little sister I am so proud of what he is doing and know that when I need him he'll be there.
Golden Nugget: Appreciate the time spent with your siblings
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Clay Holyfield
I just had lunch today with Mr. Holyfield and thought what a great person to write about in this series. Clay and I started working together a few years ago and I have had the distinct pleasure in seeing him grow as a professional and as person throughout that time. He is a snappy dresser, terrific husband/father and one hell of a smart guy. He comes from a blue collar background, is a K-state grad and appreciates a well played football game (meaning smash mouth all the way!). He has a sensibility about him that enables him to be great at just about anything he does.
Clay worked his way up from the ground floor so has a unique perspective on what it takes for a company to be really good. He has worked in product management creating the product, in internal operations delivering the product, and has supported sales directly selling the product. He and I worked together on a custom solutions team so he also understands that many times what the customer wants isn't exactly what a company offers so you have to make it up as you go. He knows to be successful requires playing in the gray area and that some lines are meant to be stretched to satisfy the client.
You often hear "customer comes first" but many times the customer gets lost in the process, the reports and the bureaucracy. Clay made sure the customer never got lost..even if that meant working long hours to do so. I was always amazed at his ability to take care of both his external and internal customers simultaneously...a task difficult to do at best and impossible at worse. He accomplished this with his professionalism, attitude, skill and sincere desire to satisfy his customer. That is another thing...he took personal ownership of his customer, he made it his responsibility to not let anything keep him from taking care of what the customer needed to be happy. A class act who took ownership and accountability to do more than give lip service to customer satisfaction, he made it happen!
Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Clay worked his way up from the ground floor so has a unique perspective on what it takes for a company to be really good. He has worked in product management creating the product, in internal operations delivering the product, and has supported sales directly selling the product. He and I worked together on a custom solutions team so he also understands that many times what the customer wants isn't exactly what a company offers so you have to make it up as you go. He knows to be successful requires playing in the gray area and that some lines are meant to be stretched to satisfy the client.
You often hear "customer comes first" but many times the customer gets lost in the process, the reports and the bureaucracy. Clay made sure the customer never got lost..even if that meant working long hours to do so. I was always amazed at his ability to take care of both his external and internal customers simultaneously...a task difficult to do at best and impossible at worse. He accomplished this with his professionalism, attitude, skill and sincere desire to satisfy his customer. That is another thing...he took personal ownership of his customer, he made it his responsibility to not let anything keep him from taking care of what the customer needed to be happy. A class act who took ownership and accountability to do more than give lip service to customer satisfaction, he made it happen!
Golden Nugget: Know what your customer wants and give it to them.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
Monday, March 30, 2009
40-Day Series: Thank You Tony Krueck
Tony was a key contributor to my project management skills. I learned how to give bad news, communicate program risks, and escalate issues that with some executives may not have been well received. Not that Tony didn't appreciate good news, I can assure you he did. In fact, he would often give public praise to those who kept their projects within control. Unfortunately, I had a very complex program that faced numerous obstacles. Without Tony's support I am confident that the program would have never seen the light of day.
After years of watching others manage difficult programs while leading a few myself, I could understand the fear many project manager's had when reporting issues. Executives could make it downright painful to tell them the truth. So much so in some cases that some PM's would outright lie or water down issues to the point where no action was taken. Delays, quality issues and budget overruns were commonplace as a result.
The culture of fear changed when Tony took the helm. Not that project's stopped having issues but Tony understood facts were a necessity to making quality decisions. He encouraged his PM's to identify risks early, communicate often and share bad news when necessary. He helped teams by removing obstacles, encouraging his peers to get engaged and escalating to his superiors if needed. He applauded truth. He removed the air of fear by creating a forum that welcomed open and candid conversation. In turn, quality decisions were made, risks mitigated and issues minimized.
Golden Nugget: Create a culture of quality and trust by encouraging and accepting candid discussion.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
After years of watching others manage difficult programs while leading a few myself, I could understand the fear many project manager's had when reporting issues. Executives could make it downright painful to tell them the truth. So much so in some cases that some PM's would outright lie or water down issues to the point where no action was taken. Delays, quality issues and budget overruns were commonplace as a result.
The culture of fear changed when Tony took the helm. Not that project's stopped having issues but Tony understood facts were a necessity to making quality decisions. He encouraged his PM's to identify risks early, communicate often and share bad news when necessary. He helped teams by removing obstacles, encouraging his peers to get engaged and escalating to his superiors if needed. He applauded truth. He removed the air of fear by creating a forum that welcomed open and candid conversation. In turn, quality decisions were made, risks mitigated and issues minimized.
Golden Nugget: Create a culture of quality and trust by encouraging and accepting candid discussion.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
40-Day Series: Thank You Francine Ray
Francine...you can't help but smile when you think about Francine. She always had a kind word, displayed sincere care and I don't think I ever saw her without a smile. Come to think of it, I don't recall ever hearing her say "no" either. If you had a volunteer request, Francine would raise her hand. Need a presentation edited? She was your copy editor. Print jobs, copies, hugs, or your sanity checked? Francine was there.
I can't begin to tell you all the times Francine helped me out of a last minute jam, plan a big event or manage an executive issue. As if that wasn't enough, she had a full-time job directly supporting a vice-president and the hundreds of employees within the organization. You could rely on her 100% as she always delivered on her commitments while paying attention to those details that most would overlook. She would happily accept any task no matter the size or visibility. In a big corporation where many people only wanted to work on something that had executive visibility, Francine was a breath of fresh air helping with what needed to get done vs. what was "cool" or "strategic."
Not only did she help me but she helped countless others throughout the entire company and in her community. She taught me the value in taking care of the details. She also helped me realize that much of the big problems would have never gotten big if someone had taken care of the issue when it was just the "small stuff." Last but not least, she taught me the power of the smile. :)
Golden nugget: Keep the small stuff small by taking care of the details.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
I can't begin to tell you all the times Francine helped me out of a last minute jam, plan a big event or manage an executive issue. As if that wasn't enough, she had a full-time job directly supporting a vice-president and the hundreds of employees within the organization. You could rely on her 100% as she always delivered on her commitments while paying attention to those details that most would overlook. She would happily accept any task no matter the size or visibility. In a big corporation where many people only wanted to work on something that had executive visibility, Francine was a breath of fresh air helping with what needed to get done vs. what was "cool" or "strategic."
Not only did she help me but she helped countless others throughout the entire company and in her community. She taught me the value in taking care of the details. She also helped me realize that much of the big problems would have never gotten big if someone had taken care of the issue when it was just the "small stuff." Last but not least, she taught me the power of the smile. :)
Golden nugget: Keep the small stuff small by taking care of the details.
Be who you are and learn to be better,
Lisa
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