Follow the Leaders
Future-Proofing Your Career in 2022: Break The Bias
VACEOs partners with Robins MBA to #breakthebias
In recognition of International Women’s Day, over 100 women gathered at the University of Richmond on March 10 to hear a keynote address by Susan Quinn, President & Chief Executive Officer of circle S studio for the fourth annual Future-Proofing Your Career event. Her topic: Break the Bias which is also this year’s International Women’s Day theme.
Hosted jointly by the Virginia Council of CEOS (VACEOs) and The Richmond MBA, the festivities took place at the Jepson Alumni Center to a sold-out crowd of women from all different stages of their careers.
An executive with 30 plus years of experience, Susan believes that “leadership is a mindset from the inside out.” It needs to be cultivated and nurtured like a garden and “not left to chance.”
Speaking for 30 minutes to an attentive audience, she mapped out four keys to future-proofing one’s career. They include:
- Respect yourself and stop apologizing
- Keep an open mind and stay curious
- Be authentic – don’t try to be anyone but yourself
- Raise the bar – keep bettering your personal best
Following Susan’s keynote address, there was a panel discussion of business leaders, including Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) member Connie Hom, CEO of Buckingham Greenery, Inc., Melody Short, co-founder of The Jackson Ward Collective and Polly White, Chair of the ChamberRVA and COO of Gather.
For Connie Hom, a first time panelist, but a four time Future-Proofing Your Career attendee, she shared that loved all of the energy in the room and was grateful for the opportunity to get together in person this year to “learn, improve and grow.”
Jennifer Boyden, CEO of Heart Havens, Inc., said “Being among and having conversations with other professional women is empowering. It is encouraging to see how far we have come and motivating to see how far we still need to go to work in a bias-free world.”
The words “inspirational” and “powerful” could be heard being murmured all around the cocktail reception held towards the end of the evening.
Susan Quinn best summed it up when she said there was “a lot of power packed into that room.” She also said, “when women come together to learn something new, they are often successful and there is no limit to what they can accomplish.”
About The Richmond MBA
The Richmond MBA is a highly-ranked part-time program designed to meet the needs of working professionals. With small class sizes and experienced, engaged faculty, the student body is comprised of high-potential individuals who form a network of ambitious and innovative leaders driving change across central Virginia’s top organizations. The program is part of the larger Robins School of Business, a fully-accredited business school in a liberal arts university, recognized nationally for quality and excellence.
About Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs)
Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) is a nonprofit organization connecting CEOs for learning and growth. Formed more than 20 years ago, member benefits include placement in a peer roundtable group and access to a thought leader network, and a robust program of events for learning and growth. This is not a networking group, but rather a group of CEO peers who are invested in the success of each member. To qualify for membership CEOs must run a business with $1M+ revenue and 5+FTEs. Learn more at www.vaceos.org.
5 Questions Every CEO Should Ask their Banker
As business leaders, it is imperative to have an inner circle of advisors you trust. In addition to a CFO, you often seek advice from attorneys, CPAs, and insurance agents to name a few. Adding a local banker to your list who lives and works in your market is smart and strategic.
Of course, a banker will discuss your business finances and help you gain access to capital. A trusted banker also has vast knowledge of the market, is up to date on the latest business deals and happenings and can share a wide network of contacts to help your business grow. With a community bank, decisions are made locally and often, much quicker, than at larger national financial institutions.
I would encourage any business leader to ask these questions of their current or prospective banker.
1. Is now a good time to expand my business?
Your banker should walk through different scenarios with you. What is the current demand for your products or services? Are customers requesting a new product line? Do you have customer support to grow? Are you growing so fast that you can hardly manage current business? Do you see an unprecedented opportunity that is exciting and difficult to pass up? Is your overall industry growing and is the opportunity ripe?
2. What precautions should I put in place to help my business with the concern of inflation and a potential recession?
Your banker understands that the effect of inflation on small to medium-sized businesses may seem somewhat insignificant in the short term; however, it can quickly have an impact on your bottom line. Reduced purchasing power means that businesses will sell less and potentially lower profits. Lower profits mean a decreased ability to grow or invest in the business itself. Credit control can help offset inflation. Your banker may direct you to increase savings and reduce unnecessary expenditures.
3. Can you offer my business options outside of traditional banking?
A community banker should detail any new technology and additional services they offer. Such services can help you cut costs and be more efficient. There are multiple treasury management solutions that can efficiently help you manage your business budget, improve cash flow, protect against fraud, and reduce processing delays. Definitely inquire about remote and mobile deposit, ACH and wire management systems that will save you time and money.
4. Can you help me with supply chain issues?
Your local banker can tell you about certain lending tools it can recommend to offset this rising challenge. Supply chain financing can support the trade relationships of middle market companies as a way to help stabilize supply chains and improve working capital.
5. How can you support my growth plans?
A trusted banker should understand your business and industry. He or she can assist in reviewing financial forecasting and projections. Ask about cash flow analysis and tips to gain financial efficiencies. Moreover, your banker should be a good sounding board and offer advice.
I believe if you focus on building a positive relationship with an experienced community banker, your business will succeed and grow.
Too many leaders navigate the financial arena with little personalized support. Sadly, 20% of companies fail within the first two years, according to Forbes. While opening a new business can be exciting and is more popular than ever, getting sound banking advice at the start, or even years after launch, can propel your business forward and help you serve your customers far into the future. I believe if you focus on building a positive relationship with an experienced community banker, your business will succeed and grow.
About the Author & Blue Ridge Bank
Chris Layne, market president at Blue Ridge Bank is a professional who primarily works with closely-held and non-profit organizations in and throughout the Richmond Metro region. If you have any questions for Chris. please feel free to reach out to him at 804-518-2625 or chris.layne@mybrb.bank.
Blue Ridge Bank is a Virginia bank with a national reputation, Blue Ridge Bank is all about business. Our team exudes an enterprising spirit in each local market so we can best serve our business clients. We provide a wide range of financial services including retail and commercial banking, private banking and wealth management, mortgage lending, and government-guaranteed lending.
About Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs)
Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) is a nonprofit organization connecting CEOs for learning and growth. Formed more than 20 years ago, member benefits include placement in a peer roundtable group and access to a thought leader network, and a robust program of events for learning and growth. This is not a networking group, but rather a group of CEO peers who are invested in the success of each member. To qualify for membership CEOs must run a business with $1M+ revenue and 5+FTEs. Learn more at www.vaceos.org.
Youngest Guy In The Room
Member Spotlight on Corey Divine, 2022 Board Chairman for VACEOs
Q: Where were you born and raised?
A: I was born in Miami, FL. My parents divorced when I was young, and I spent the early part of my life split between the Florida Keys and Miami. I moved to Charlottesville in middle school and spent the rest of my teenage years in the Commonwealth.
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: I went to Gardner-Webb University, in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, and graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
Q: Who inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
A: My inspiration came from my father. He has owned different businesses my entire life. He demonstrated that if you work hard, you can achieve success while also being present for your family.
Q: Please tell us about your journey to become a CEO and how old you were when you got started.
A: The first company I founded was Rent The Help. I was 22 and still in college. I finished my last semester online so I could start the business when I did. Our original concept was providing residential labor to homeowners to assist with moving, yard work, and other general “muscle” projects. As the business evolved, we diversified by getting into event staffing and warehouse recruiting. In January of 2020 we broke the company into two separate companies – Rent The Help and Candidate Source.
Rent The Help provides high quality, short term labor for homeowners and Candidate Source provides staffing, recruiting, and direct hire services for a variety of industries.
Q: What excites you most about your role as CEO?
A: I enjoy developing people and solving problems. Every day is a new adventure and I welcome that.
Q: Who is Mr. Leo? Is it true he is the real top dog at Candidate Source?
A: My fiancé and I adopted Leo in the early months of COVID. He came to work with me every day during the pandemic and won over the hearts of our team. Every morning he runs around the office and gets his daily treat from his office friends.
Q: Are there any national/business authors that you follow? What is it about them or their message that resonates with you?
A: I cannot pinpoint one author or business leader that resonates with me. I will share that I am drawn to books about CEOs and leaders that have built something or navigated challenging situations. Over the last few months a few books I have enjoyed are Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger (former Disney CEO) and Hot Seat by Jeff Immelt (Former CEO of GE).
Q: During these last few uncertain/difficult years, how did you keep yourself upbeat and motivated?
A: I found the pandemic to be an expensive learning experience. As CEOs we are forced to make decisions that significantly impact our businesses, employees and family members. Unfortunately, for COVID, there was no roadmap to help guide us. But, because we survived the experience and learned from it, we are stronger today than prior to March of 2020.
“VACEOs has been a rewarding experience. Having a network of CEOs to share experiences with is a valuable resource and something that has helped me become a better leader and CEO.”
Corey Divine
Q: What have you learned from COVID?
A: Overall, COVID proved 2 things: 1) If your business has a strong balance sheet you have a head start and are setup to weather difficult storms when they happen. 2) Always be ready for the unexpected. Never get comfortable with your sales or your people. I forget the author, but I read a quote when I first started my business that has always resonated with me “Your sales numbers serve as a scoreboard for the past. Focus on tomorrow, not yesterday.”
Q: Please tell us about your VACEOs experience. How long have you been a member? Why did you originally join? What part of your membership has helped you grow the most as a leader?
A: I originally joined the Council to invest in myself. My early career was all about growing my business, and I rarely took the time to focus on becoming a better leader. When I made the decision to join, I knew I needed to spend more time working on my business rather than in my business. VACEOs provided this platform for me and has been more beneficial than I could have hoped.
VACEOs has been a rewarding experience. Having a network of CEOs to share experiences with is a invaluable resource and something that has helped me become a better leader and CEO.
About Rent The Help and Candidate Source
Rent The Help – Rent The Help’s sweet spot are labor projects in the 2-4 hour range. Our most popular service is moving labor, which we provide throughout the Richmond area. Whether you need help moving an entire home, or just moving a couch from one room to another, our team is here to help. In addition to our moving labor services, we also provide labor services for yard projects, small commercial jobs, & event setup services. Our lives are busy, and the reality is, sometimes you just need a little help.
Candidate Source – We partner with businesses to help them find their most valuable asset – their employees. Our primary focus is in the warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing industries but we also offer solutions for call centers and other entry level administrative positions. We provide these services through a variety of methods but primarily through traditional staffing and direct hire arrangements.
About VACEOs
Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) is a nonprofit organization connecting CEOs for learning and growth. Formed more than 20 years ago, member benefits include placement in a peer roundtable group and access to a thought leader network, and a robust program of events for learning and growth. This is not a networking group, but rather a group of CEO peers who are invested in the success of each member. To qualify for membership CEOs must run a business with $1M+ revenue and 5+FTEs. Learn more at www.vaceos.org.
Five VACEOs Member Companies Make “Best Places to Work 2022” List
12th Annual “Best Places To Work” Rankings Announced
What does it take to be named one of the best places to work in Virginia? Would being celebrated in one of the top spots help you attract and retain the very best talent? Well, according to the business leaders we talked to, it sure couldn’t hurt. In fact, it could really help.
For the past twelve years, Virginia Business has compiled a list of Best Places to Work in Virginia in collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Best Companies Group. The much anticipated 2022 list was just published and we were excited to see five of our member’s companies recognized.
Please join us in congratulating VACEOs member Chris Leone of WebStrategies Inc., whose company ranked 28 on the annual list. Chris is not new to being honored. In fact, Chris has led his company to the “Best Places To Work” recognition five times before. Congratulations Chris!
Other winning Council members include Brian Forrester of Workshop Digital whose company is ranked 15, Justin Etheredge of Simple Thread whose company is ranked 31, Jon Newman of The Hodges Partnership whose company is ranked 55, and Lauren Sweeney of the Dotted Line Agency whose company is ranked 60. Congratulations to each one of these outstanding leaders. We salute you.
Are you curious to learn more? Would you like your company to be listed as a 2023 Best Places to Work in Virginia? While we can’t guarantee you will make the list, we can guarantee that by joining VACEOs you will have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the greatest business leaders in Virginia. Don’t wait. Come check us out.
About Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs)
Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) is a nonprofit organization connecting CEOs for learning and growth. Formed more than 20 years ago, member benefits include placement in a peer roundtable group and access to a thought leader network, and a robust program of events for learning and growth. This is not a networking group, but rather a group of CEO peers who are invested in the success of each member. To qualify for membership CEOs must run a business with $1M+ revenue and 5+FTEs. Learn more at www.vaceos.org.
Leadership Lessons from 5 Outstanding Women in Business
What’s the recipe for success in business and life? Members of the Virginia Council of CEOs recognize that the ingredients vary from company to company and chief executive to chief executive. But we can learn much from one another.
To that end, we asked five CEOs to share their leadership lessons for the current environment. Here’s what these outstanding businesswomen had to say.
Change Is In The Air
One theme that came through in these discussions is the immense transformation that is underway in nearly all facets of business. Arlene Lee, CEO and Principal of Lee Construction Group, Inc., in Charlottesville explained, “The greatest challenge is the pace of change, the breadth of areas in which the change is occurring, and the size of the challenges that require attention.”
With so much going on, a CEOs’ focus is zooming out and in, or as Arlene puts it, “I have to be able to see the big picture but also dive into the details with targeted precision…I have to be able to see the horizon and know where we are going but also to see the boulders in the way.”
Out-of-Box Solutions, New Normal
While CEOs have always had to combine strategic vision and tactical implementation, doing so can be especially difficult now because the old answers don’t always apply. Arlene elaborates that she must “be able to not just to define ‘The Box’ but to also throw it out the window.”
The Cultural Arts Center
One critical place to apply such out-of-box thinking is personal interactions. K Alferio, President/CEO of The Cultural Arts Center, highlights how “In-person engagement among staff, clients and target audiences has changed dramatically.” Her advice? “We must use our creative leadership skills—and tap into those of our employees—to create innovative communication tools.”
President/CEO of Yebo
Robyn Zacharias, President/CEO of Yebo adds to that theme, “The traditional 9-5 model is, as they say, history. The hybrid model is here to stay; the question is now how we make it conducive to the business as much to the employees.” Yebo moved to a full-time hybrid model in July. To prepare for that change she communicated early with her employees to give them time to acclimate to their new reality. She also gave them a voice and asked for their feedback and acceptance. Robyn said, “Together, we figured it out.” She added making it work “comes down to trust, collaboration and communication.”
Talent Competition
Courtney Gregory rose from CFO to President of Carrol Plumbing & Heating, Inc., before taking ownership of the company. Ask her what she needs most right now and her answer is emphatic. “Talent, talent, talent,” she says. “Specifically for my industry, experienced tradespeople have been difficult to acquire over the years but even more so after the pandemic.”
In an industry apart, The Cultural Arts Center is having similar problems finding employees to assist with its social advocacy mission. “Hiring and retaining talent is the most immediate and critical challenge,” says K.
Both CEOs are exploring solutions. According to K, “It is about more than monetary compensation which demands that we create a positive culture that people want to experience. We must consider flexibility in offering options for working from home and flexible hours when possible.”
“My lesson for a post-pandemic world,” Courtney adds, “is find good people, train them, invest in them.”
Lifelong Learning, You’re Worth It
A Better Place Consulting
How can a CEO keep up? Bunny Young, Founder of A Better Place Consulting, recommends tapping resources outside yourself. “Hire a coach. Find a mentor. Surround yourself with people who will challenge you to be the best version of yourself and take care of yourself.”
Courtney agrees. “Invest in yourself! Besides joining VACEOs, the best decision I made was hiring an executive coach! Taking the time to invest in myself and my company has been an amazing leadership lesson.”
Even if you can’t make a significant financial commitment to leadership development at the present moment, there are options. “Find a trusted confidante to bounce off ideas and frustrations as well as share successes,” K advises.
According to Bunny, the important thing is that leaders take to heart “that you are the greatest return on investment.” The leadership lesson she is drawing on “is to remember that what is best for me is best for the company and not the other way around.”
These women leaders are turning to supportive ecosystems to help them through and they issue a critical reminder, that it is up to us all to create these environments. “Never accept an invite to the table unless you can bring someone else with you for the opportunity. This is how we grow and support one another. This is how we know that we are not alone.”
Courtney summarizes, “Never stop listening and learning. Get involved!”
All Stages of Development
Many Virginia CEOs are still looking for their community. Our panel suggests VACEOs for nearly chief executives in nearly any stage of personal and company development.
Arlene was a new CEO when she joined the Council, for example. “Being part of a roundtable forum helped me see I was asking the right questions and going in the right direction. It helped me build the confidence and skills needed to fully step into my role,” she says.
Courtney’s business, by comparison, was more mature, but the VACEOs impacts were just as powerful. “We had years of success under our belt, but I knew I wanted to grow more. I came to my roundtable, presented about my issues and by the end heard ten different ways others had tried, their successes and failures to grow their business. That is something you can’t put a price tag on.”
“Being part of a roundtable forum helped me see I was asking the right questions and going in the right direction. It helped me build the confidence and skills needed to fully step into my role.”
Arlene Lee, CEO and Principal of Lee Construction Group, Inc.
A Place for Authenticity
Although these top executives mention the VACEOs programming lineup, including speakers and conferences to help expand leadership skills, they are most impressed by the attitude members bring to each session. “In our world there are few places where we can go to explore the hard questions, the vulnerable truths, as our authentic selves, where the people around us get ‘it.’” Arlene says, “The Virginia Council of CEOs is one of those rare places.”
“As leaders, one of the toughest challenges is feeling isolated,” adds K. “We all need a place to share our victories without seeming smug and a place to air our vulnerabilities without seeming weak.”
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” contributed Robyn. “Although it’s not always an easy thing for a CEO to admit.”
Going so deep might be scary at first but it’s worth it, according to Bunny. “The more you show up as your whole self and bring that vulnerability and authenticity to those you trust in VACEOs, the more you will get out of the experience. Listen a lot, as the knowledge and failures shared from all of the business owners around you will save you years and millions if you really receive it.”
Freedom to Move Forward
If other CEOs are wanted to home in on a single action or transformation to pursue, where should they focus? At first, Arlene finds it difficult to pick just one lesson from her experience but then she gets inspired. “There will be ‘leap now’ moments with no way to know how things will land. Embrace them. That is what gives wings lift to soar.”
“The great thing about those moments is they rarely include the metaphorical box,” she goes on. “There is incredible freedom in throwing away that box. The freedom to ask better questions, the freedom to see things from a new direction, the freedom to create, and the freedom to fail. Failure is the currency of success and failing forward defines the pathway.
“There is more than one right answer to every question or situation. Our job as leaders is to help teams and identify the best right answer. We must all feel that an idea that does not work is not failure, it can be a great learning and growth opportunity.”
K Alferio, President/CEO of The Cultural Arts Center
K agrees, “There is more than one right answer to every question or situation. Our job as leaders is to help teams and identify the best right answer. We must all feel that an idea that does not work is not failure, it can be a great learning and growth opportunity.”
And when failure eventually leads to success, there will be no one happier for you than your VACEOs peers. “I wish I knew I’d end up with ten cheerleaders,” Courtney says about her roundtable group. The members, she says, are “just as passionate about my success as they are their own.”
These conversations with five exceptional women CEOs revealed a wealth of leadership lessons. Now imagine what you might glean from a regular monthly roundtable. Actually, you don’t have to imagine! Get a taste for the VACEOs experience at one of our upcoming Meet & Greet events. Learn more and sign up at www.vaceos.org.
About Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs)
Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs) is a nonprofit organization connecting CEOs for learning and growth. Formed more than 20 years ago, member benefits include placement in a peer roundtable group and access to a thought leader network, and a robust program of events for learning and growth. This is not a networking group, but rather a group of CEO peers who are invested in the success of each member. To qualify for membership CEOs must run a business with $1M+ revenue and 5+FTEs. Learn more at www.vaceos.org.
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