Building Strong Teams in Small Businesses | MM#143

In this episode, Jessie and Angela cover a comprehensive discussion on building a strong team within the context of small businesses and solopreneurship. They emphasize creating a positive workplace culture, fostering open communication, and recognizing and rewarding achievements. They also touch on promoting work-life balance, building diversity and inclusivity, and providing leadership and direction. Additionally, they discuss personal anecdotes related to client relationships, the importance of respecting individual strengths and personalities, and the use of personality tests in the workplace. The conversation provides valuable insights into the nuances of team building and management in the modern work environment, tailored for moms and small business owners looking to grow their teams thoughtfully and effectively.

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It's coffee time!
Jessie & Angela

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Transcript

00:00.00
Angela
Hey everyone thanks for joining us today. We're going to be talking about building a strong team.

00:37.36
Angela
So so I would like to clarify. Okay.

00:37.90
jessievalle
But hold hold hold on hold on before we get started I meant to tell you before we started recording but hey everybody can Listen. So I recently discovered cold foam in a can like it's like whipped cream Only it's. Like vanilla flavored cold foam and I am obsessed and now it's like I can only drink my cold coffee with cold foam on top. My life has changed and unfortunately I should probably stop or at least limit myself because um, calorie is galore. But.

01:09.22
Angela
Yes, you know what I have discovered is Chi tea but like not like the kind you make with the bags because that tastes too water down but like the Chi tea concentrate that comes in like the boxes. It's so good with like some creamer in it. It's delicious.

01:13.30
jessievalle
Oh.

01:24.86
jessievalle
It does it have caffeine.

01:28.65
Angela
That's my new obsession. Yes, Well, you can get a decaf version. We keep both in the house so you can get like a decaf Chai.. It's so good.

01:39.94
jessievalle
Um, yeah I need to try that. Yeah well I'm asking because yeah, the other day I I Just really wanted some more of the coffee but it was like the middle of the afternoon I'm like okay.

01:51.29
Angela
Yes.

01:54.60
jessievalle
I'll use Decaf coffee so I can get my cold phone. But.

01:58.78
Angela
ah ah yeah you can get the decac Chi Tao is the brand that we use. Um, but yeah, that's really good. Definitely recommend. We gotta stay caffinated. Yes.

02:03.57
jessievalle
I've heard of that I mean us marketing moms. We got to stay caffeinated. Ah.

02:15.27
Angela
Um, about to make a second pot of coffee after we get done recording.

02:15.44
jessievalle
As like you know everybody has their vices right? And if mine is drinking too much coffee I'm gonna I'm gonna live with that. There are worse things. Yeah.

02:23.89
Angela
Yeah, that's okay, it's fine. Oh goodness. Okay so te now I'm very excited about the cold foam I'm gonna have to try it.

02:33.78
jessievalle
Anyway, okay, now. begin begin today's topic I just really wanted to talk about caffeine for a minute.

02:43.75
Angela
Um, okay so team building I Want to clarify that when we talk about team buildingding. It's a little bit like when we talked about expanding your services and products how it sounds a little counterintuitive but this sort of team building is not like.

02:52.85
jessievalle
Is.

03:00.10
Angela
If you're a solopreneur become an agency type team building. Um, like if that's your thing go for it. But if you're in the phase where you're like I'm just I want to make the same amount and work less or you know grow slowly then that's what this that's the kind of team.

03:03.63
jessievalle
Um, if if.

03:11.45
jessievalle
Is it.

03:19.20
Angela
That this is focusing on not like grow and expand and become an agency and be huge.

03:19.93
jessievalle
Yeah, and I think a lot of people confuse like here building a team and they think great I'm bringing on 20 people. You can build a team with 2 or 3 people.

03:29.98
Angela
Right.

03:36.46
jessievalle
And the other thing is they could be part-time they could be contractors. We're not talking about necessarily having to bring on employees you can if you want but that's another beauty of working with contractors is you can hire specific people for specific tasks.

03:42.45
Angela
Right.

03:51.63
Angela
Right.

03:54.22
jessievalle
And at least that's something off your plate and it doesn't have to be full time and it's It's a way to dip your toes into building a team without just diving right in and blowing up which is what we're not trying to do at this phase in our business.

04:09.20
Angela
Right? Exactly? Yeah as ah as a tech person I work on a few teams and some of them are really big and some of them are like me and 1 other person so it just depends on what your needs are.

04:16.20
jessievalle
Exactly yeah, that's a really good disclaimer Angela just that it sounds counterintuitive but we promise it's not and you will be better off for it.

04:26.60
Angela
Yes.

04:35.58
jessievalle
All righty. Well what are some ways like how can we build a strong team.

04:39.52
Angela
Yeah, okay so one way is to create a like a positive culture among your team workplace workplace culture to me still has the connotation of being in an office. So.

04:50.35
jessievalle
In. And.

04:57.66
Angela
Have a hard time using that word but just general vibe of the team and the people that are working together like make sure that it is encouraging collaboration being respectful to each other make sure that you have.

05:00.61
jessievalle
Yes.

05:06.68
jessievalle
Um, friendly. Ah.

05:16.38
Angela
Shared values which doesn't like is another thing that ah was never a thing growing up like when we were growing up doesn't didn't matter like you just went to work. You did your thing and then you went home but now especially for.

05:22.50
jessievalle
You can? yeah.

05:33.30
Angela
Moms with businesses like the types of businesses. Moms usually run those things are becoming a lot more important people are shopping and spending money now more based on Brand values. They're choosing who they're working for and with based on those values so having a team.

05:37.20
jessievalle
Um, a.

05:47.17
jessievalle
Who.

05:51.13
Angela
Of people with similar values. Whatever those values are can really help a lot whereas if you have a team of people that aren't necessarily all working toward the same goal or valuing the same thing then you're going to have infighting. You're going to have people that are kind of holding off doing. Jobs like it just kind of becomes a mess.

06:13.70
jessievalle
Yeah, and yeah I think it's definitely clear that you start to see the negativity building cracks in the business when.

06:25.74
Angela
Yeah, yes, absolutely.

06:31.45
jessievalle
People just flat out. Don't get along and it starts at the top I have and as service providers Angela and I have both been on amazing teams and amazingly terrible teams.

06:42.64
Angela
Yes.

06:48.80
jessievalle
Like the one woman who looked at me in the eye one time and said Jesse remember who pays you Mike Girl I work for my sale stuff like that I'm like I was glad I was a contractor and could hightail it out of there as fast as I could.

06:56.23
Angela
Yes, yep.

07:06.86
jessievalle
And that's the other thing is if you don't have a friendly workplace culture. People aren't going to stay with you because they have options these days Angela you were talking about the people going to to work. Well, you know what people were very limited to their geographical location.

07:16.36
Angela
It's true.

07:22.26
Angela
Yeah.

07:26.81
jessievalle
Now especially in the online space. You're literally open to the whole wide world. Don't tell me I have to stay working for this one company because they're local. It doesn't work like that anymore.

07:30.41
Angela
Yeah, right? No, it does not and people are not going to stay on toxic teams and I have 2 thoughts one going back to the. The values I was on a team 1 time and the 2 people at the top of the team had diametrically opposed like social right marketing they were on the same page social values. Not so much that team fell apart in six months because the people at the top were.

07:55.71
jessievalle
Oh.

08:05.23
jessievalle
That makes sense. Yeah.

08:06.77
Angela
But we're constantly at each other but my other thought thought is one of the things that goes along with creating that workplace culture is encouraging people to respect each other's abilities and like area of expertise If you're letting.

08:19.45
jessievalle
The.

08:26.65
Angela
Copywriters get into tech stuff or tech stuff tech people trying to get into social media posts like you're going to have issues with people stepping on each other's toes people not you know like I'm a tech person I am not a social media captions writer.

08:38.49
jessievalle
Um.

08:43.70
Angela
Person like if you try to have me do that Your business is not going to be doing well because I am not good at that I'm not even good at that for my own business but let alone someone else's that's why we're tanking. Ah so yeah.

08:51.56
jessievalle
Um, ah well, that's why we're tanking No I'm just kidding.

08:59.65
Angela
But so it's just like make sure you're encouraging people to stay in their area of expertise and to go to the people whose area of Expertise they need instead of just trying to do everything all by themselves.

09:07.46
jessievalle
Ah.

09:11.52
jessievalle
Yeah, and I feel like we've spent a long time talking about this first point because it's like 1 of the most important super important. Yeah, all right? Well the next thing we can do is like implement a continuous.

09:19.69
Angela
It's really important. Yeah.

09:30.31
jessievalle
Continuous learning and professional development system of opportunities encourage those that you work with to build their skills I know that I had 1 particular client who took the time. To build my skills and teach me and I felt so much loyalty to that client. It's like you give to me I give to you. It felt more like a partnership even though she was at the you know top of the business and I was just a contractor.

09:51.93
Angela
Um, yeah, yes.

10:03.82
Angela
Right? Well and it I know a lot of people hesitate on this particular one because they're like oh I don't want to shell out money for someone else's professional. It doesn't have to be that I have seen so many ways to implement this that do not involve the company spending money I have had.

10:15.89
jessievalle
Right.

10:22.28
jessievalle
It's true.

10:23.71
Angela
Clients that keep an eye out for free webinars or like online summits in my space that will just bring it to my attention like hey there's this thing you might be interested in if you want to sign up I have I have had clients.

10:30.66
jessievalle
And.

10:38.70
Angela
Pay for me to go to some of those things like this thing's free and if you sign up I'll pay you for the time you spend at it. Um I've had clients not purchase courses for me but purchase courses in their own name and allow me access I had a client do that at when the Gdpr first came out.

10:42.58
jessievalle
A.

10:54.71
jessievalle
And.

10:57.70
Angela
She purchased like a course and then just gave me access to it. Um, and it wasn't yeah she was like I'm not going to do this? Yes, yeah, and she knew that the money that she would save by having it done properly and not risking that legal.

11:00.31
jessievalle
Because she realized I'm not implementing this but I need to so here you you do it.

11:12.60
jessievalle
Okay.

11:15.70
Angela
Issue and it but it wasn't an expensive course. It's not like it was thousands of dollars you know it was I think even less than a hundred bucks so it doesn't have to be yeah, it doesn't have to be something really expensive. It doesn't even have to cost money sometimes even just.

11:16.65
jessievalle
Here. Yeah, just something thoughtful.

11:27.98
jessievalle
Move.

11:31.99
Angela
Hey here's this thing in your field I Thought you might be interested in can go a long way to developing loyalty in your team and appreciation in your team because not only are you helping them find.

11:38.53
jessievalle
You know? yeah for sure.

11:47.21
Angela
Resources to help them grow their skills which is going to help them not just with you but with other clients but they realize you're thinking of them. You saw a thing and realized that was something that I might be interested in and then took the time to tell me about it like that Really, it's like the client customer service.

12:04.47
jessievalle
Yeah, yeah, it's interesting like I was thinking the same thing but you just said it and I feel like I'm going back to number one with like creating that positivity and values and stuff.

12:06.63
Angela
But with your team members like you took the time to think about it.

12:18.10
Angela
Creep. How's it worth? Yeah, you know, um I feel like we might be.

12:19.89
jessievalle
There's a reason anil and I have so like worked so well and synced so well the last several years because I'm pretty sure we're turning into the same person. Ah like I was going to say that don't need to you got it? Ah, That's great. All right? So moving on to the next one which is. Which is just accepting and welcoming open communication which a lot of people don't do. They're like I'm the boss. Do it my way or the highway This is it but lots of people have good ideas or maybe there's something you're doing that you don't realize is.

12:40.73
Angela
E.

12:46.75
Angela
Yeah.

12:57.15
jessievalle
Causing a toxic environment and somebody wants to bring it up to you. It doesn't have to be that extreme but just being able for your team to feel like they can freely talk especially when they are the experts in whatever you hired them to do.

13:01.25
Angela
Right.

13:12.41
Angela
Yeah.

13:14.77
jessievalle
Like hey I noticed we've been doing it this way I think we could do it this way would be more efficient and it would save time and in the end of the day save you money sure by all means tell me.

13:19.57
Angela
Right? Yeah, please tell me about it. Yeah,, there's and that's I don't know that there is anything. Specific because depending on your business. How you go about that is going to be different whether it's having meetings with team members or whatever but generally that it's like a general attitude the attitude of the person at the top being.

13:43.95
jessievalle
Um.

13:48.98
jessievalle
This.

13:53.53
Angela
I Would love to hear from you I encourage you to come talk to me to talk to each other like that sort of attitude is what makes a big difference because if the person at the top is just not going to listen to anything you say or they're dismissive every time you send an email or you know something like that then it's not.

14:10.39
jessievalle
Sorry I'm starting I'm starting to laugh because I'm thinking about parenthood and I'm like I don't want to hear what my 8 year old has to say but maybe I should loosen up a little bit. Ah.

14:11.60
Angela
Nobody is going to talk to you.

14:19.40
Angela
Right? Yes, exactly? yeah.

14:27.29
Angela
Ah, but yeah, it's it's that sort of thing if you are the person at the top and you have a very dismissive app even if it's not them coming to you about something even if it's just them normal communication because I have had clients that.

14:27.96
jessievalle
Ah, yeah.

14:36.88
jessievalle
But no.

14:40.88
Angela
Just in the normal course of communication hey this is done hey this is what I did have been very dismissive that I like I'm not going to go talk to them I'm not going to tell them my ideas I'm not going to tell them if there's a problem on their team because they don't even want to listen to me when I have stuff that I have to tell them like.

14:47.77
jessievalle
Ah.

14:56.89
jessievalle
Yeah I also think about brainstorming sessions like maybe you have something coming up and let's brainstorm what should go in the program. Let's brainstorm.

15:03.32
Angela
Yeah, oh yeah.

15:11.98
Angela
Um, he is yes.

15:12.66
jessievalle
Ways to market this. Let's brainstorm X Y Z I Know you feel at the top that it's your responsibility because it's your business but it doesn't necessarily mean it all falls on you have that open communication open up I like it yeah have a brainstorming session with your entire team and say okay guys.

15:25.27
Angela
And then.

15:31.65
jessievalle
This is what we're doing. Let's just throw out as many ideas as possible respect them all no matter how ridiculous they sound or how yeah we're not doing that they sound get them all down. But at least everybody feels like they contributed and when someone.

15:33.34
Angela
Yes. Right.

15:48.38
jessievalle
Has the ability to share their thoughts and their opinion. Yeah, it goes a super long way in building that trust loyalty and overall happiness working with you.

15:55.99
Angela
Yeah, going back to that number one and part of that with the brainstorming if you have sessions like that Also encourage other people to be open and allow communication like.

16:12.12
jessievalle
And.

16:14.66
Angela
If I have to go to someone else on the team to ask them a question I don't want to feel like they're going to be dismissive or look down on me or like I'm asking a stupid question because that's not my area of Expertise So kind of.

16:24.45
jessievalle
Yeah.

16:27.85
Angela
With that and also going back to number one like make sure that you have that expectation of your team members as well.

16:32.41
jessievalle
Yeah, for sure.

16:38.13
Angela
Um, and that kind of rolls into the next one which is encouraging innovation and creativity. So like making that a thing where if you have an idea or you have a different way of doing this tell us about it reach out to somebody if I have an idea for. As a tech person for like a marketing thing I should feel like I can go to the marketing person and be like hey I have this idea like without feeling like I'm going to get shut down because I'm not the marketing person I have people come to me with tech stuff sometimes where they'll say. Don't even know if this platform will do this. But what if we Xyz right? and so I can say actually it will do that and that's a great idea and here's how we can implement it or no, it won't do that. But maybe we could try with this other thing and that really does help a lot with.

17:25.17
jessievalle
And.

17:32.30
Angela
Encouraging people to think outside the box. Especially if it's something that impacts their their domain.

17:39.10
jessievalle
Yeah, so.

17:46.92
jessievalle
Go ahead introduce the next one.

17:48.86
Angela
Oh okay, um so the next one is recognizing and rewarding achievements and this can be within the business or outside the business. So this can be recognizing somebody that. The social media person posted a thing that went viral super exciting like the tech person figured out the demark email thing that had to be figured out in three weeks because Google and Yahoo decided to surprise everybody. Um.

18:17.60
jessievalle
Who.

18:24.91
Angela
You know and now we can send emails without them going to spam like just especially if you know someone on the team has been working on a problem for a really long time even if it's like a really granular just in their area problem. Recognizing that like hey this person worked really hard on this thing and they got it figured out and that's awesome and also it doesn't have to be just work related like it can be outside of work like this person bought a new house. They're having a new baby. They you know whatever they ran a five K Marathon like just yay we're going to celebrate with people.

19:06.44
jessievalle
Yeah, yeah, I've seen this implemented in a lot of different ways. Um kind of like you said for sure if someone's having a baby. They'll send them like a branded onesy or.

19:19.31
Angela
Um, right didn't yeah.

19:22.64
jessievalle
Um, someone got married they'll send a gift like that kind of thing. Ah when I worked at the school they used to do this tradition where when you got married they did a money tree but what it was is they would buy like a bush so we got like a ah. Can't even remember what kind of Bush it was anymore. But we got a Bush and then um they tied Dll like bills to it so whether they were dollar bills or 5 s or ten s or whatever 20 s a couple of those um it was really great because then it was like the school.

19:49.26
Angela
Yeah.

20:01.37
jessievalle
I mean and that was all the teachers if they wanted to donate so it wasn't just like from the school it was from the staff and that meant you know it was very personable and personal and to get that Bush and feel like wow like.

20:03.70
Angela
Right? yeah.

20:19.90
jessievalle
This is a bush that I can actually plant at my house and have it but then now I have some spending cash for my honeymoon that was really nice. So just little things like that or on the flip side.

20:20.59
Angela
Um, yeah.

20:25.47
Angela
Yes.

20:33.57
jessievalle
Where my sister works I know she has told me how when someone truly does something to show value for the company and really helps out. They get monetary bonuses like here's a bone like you just.

20:44.17
Angela
Nice.

20:48.89
jessievalle
Did this thing It was amazing and it's going to help us here's a bonus down to just words of recognition like hey I noticed you did this thanks I Once read an article that said nowadays people feeling valued.

20:57.23
Angela
Um, yeah, um.

21:08.83
jessievalle
At work means more than money now don't get me wrong. Everybody loves a good raise. But if you get a raise and yet you're still treated like crap. You're not as happy as you making a little less.

21:12.91
Angela
Yeah, yeah, yes.

21:25.70
Angela
Eaten? yes.

21:27.56
jessievalle
Somewhere but having a positive working environment which is why number 1 is still extremely important is.

21:30.90
Angela
Yes, and well it's so yes and that that one especially goes with this one and our next one which I'll jump into in a minute but the feeling valued at work is what led to that whole like.

21:42.97
jessievalle
Um.

21:47.45
Angela
Wave of they called it. The quiet quitting. Do you remember that so it was oh somebody's happy with her job anyway. Ah so there was this thing it was about a year ago I think

21:50.10
jessievalle
Now.

22:01.71
Angela
But there was this thing where all the employers were freaking out because their employees they called it quiet quitting their employees were all quiet quitting remote employees weren't doing their work but it was what it was is that people were doing the job they were being paid for and not all the extra stuff that they were being asked to do. Like all of the things that employees like or employers ask people to do that's outside their job description takes extra work hours that they're not getting paid for doing so they just quit doing all of that and all of the employees employers like freaked out because people weren't like they're not doing their jobs. But they couldn't fire them because they were technically doing the job they were brought on to do and being paid to do so like that's but you know if you're feeling valued. That's not a thing you feel like you have to do like those were not people that felt valued in their jobs. Those were people that felt like they were being taken advantage of in their jobs so making and to go to Jesse's point being more valuable than money people will stay and lower paying jobs providing that it's.

22:57.29
jessievalle
Ah, yeah.

23:10.46
Angela
You know, meeting their basic needs if they feel valued longer than they will stay in higher paying jobs where they feel like they're being treated like crap.

23:10.49
jessievalle
Now. So.

23:21.64
jessievalle
Exactly and I have 1 more example, um I work with a company that has this system where every employee gets a certain amount of woolcus column points every month and they can.

23:34.84
Angela
Who.

23:39.54
jessievalle
Dole out those points to their coworkers throughout the month and then the coworkers and turn those points in for gifts I always turn mine in for Amazon gift cards which are then immediately spent. However.

23:39.55
Angela
Yes I have yeah.

23:54.52
Angela
Um, ah yes, yes.

23:57.53
jessievalle
Had his help during Christmas time I'll say you say that. But yeah, like that's really nice to be able to say I don't care if you are the newest hire who has an hour of experience up to the Ceo of the company doesn't matter. You have points that you can.

24:12.70
Angela
Um.

24:16.73
jessievalle
Give to each other and that way especially in big companies. The head of the company doesn't have to have eyes on everyone if I'm the one that noticed Angela did something amazing I can give her points and that rewards her and we have like a channel that ah in slack where all of these go. So.

24:21.91
Angela
Right.

24:34.50
jessievalle
Everyone in the company can see hey Jesse recognized Angela kudos here's some points.

24:39.32
Angela
Um, yeah, yeah, those kinds of programs can make a big difference if they're done well which I think your company does do very well I've seen companies. Do it not so well. But he does Yes, he does.

24:45.94
jessievalle
Yes, excuse it doesn't your husband's company. Do it too. Yeah.

24:54.71
Angela
I won't get into it too much. But yeah, he does. We've gotten a couple things from there like for ah for his points. We got a little tablet 1 time like a little Android tablet 1 time and some headphones like we've gotten a few end Amazon gift cards. Lots of Amazon gift cards done that a lot. That's the best.

24:57.40
jessievalle
And.

25:06.66
jessievalle
That's cool. Yeah, totally.

25:13.86
Angela
Ah, but yeah, it is and and that has been a thing for him where you know if he does an extra project for the Team. He'll get points or you know things like that that you know, kind of help and make make them feel valued and seen like especially in. Big companies like you said because like if I'm a manager and I know this person worked really hard on this extra project and it's really helpful I I'm not authorized to give that person a bonus or a raise or a whatever but I can give them points and let them know hey I saw this I appreciate it.

25:44.51
jessievalle
Um, exactly, um yes and the other way that I like to use that is being able to foster relationships between departments.

25:50.77
Angela
I Want everybody to know you did this thing? yeah.

25:59.99
Angela
In.

26:01.74
jessievalle
So I might give 1 to someone in another department and that will make that department feel good about my department and you know so creating relationships there within the employees. So it's not everything starts with you at the top.

26:09.45
Angela
Right? um.

26:20.12
jessievalle
But it is carried on throughout the company. So again, whether you're huge or small. Everybody's role is important.

26:21.13
Angela
Yes.

26:27.25
Angela
Yeah, yeah, and you know giving people the encouragement to recognize each other as well like I have been on a team where there was like ah like I think it was even just like a Google form or like a type form you could just.

26:36.11
jessievalle
Good.

26:45.52
Angela
Hop in and like hey this person did this really cool thing and it would like go out to everybody. Yeah, which was really fun. Yeah, so our next thing is promoting work life balance which I said kind of goes back to that whole quiet quitting thing. Um.

26:51.18
jessievalle
Um, so yeah, recognition is important.

27:04.86
Angela
Because people don't want to feel like their whole life is about their job like you don't want that we don't want that. That's the whole point of the part of business that we're in is that we're done with the business being the majority of our lives. We want to kind of scale it slowly and.

27:20.82
jessievalle
Yeah.

27:23.67
Angela
You know make the same amount of money work less. That's the whole point of a team. So why would we want our team to feel like they have to make it their whole life.

27:31.66
jessievalle
Yeah I have several examples of good things that happen that way like 1 time I was on a on a call with a client and I was so embarrassed because my son decided at that moment.

27:48.10
Angela
No.

27:50.42
jessievalle
To start popping up on the couch behind me in the middle of call and I was so embarrassed and it just took a couple words from the client as on the phone with like Jesse I know your mom that doesn't bother me. It's fine and then from that moment I could relax and then we just ignored him.

28:03.30
Angela
It's fine. Yeah.

28:08.16
jessievalle
We continued our call and it was totally fine, but like just working with people who understand that I am a mom has no bearing on how good of a job I will do working with you.

28:21.26
Angela
Right? Yeah exactly I've had that as well and I've actually had so Jesse heard me say this before I've had several clients because my office is our living room and directly behind my desk is our front door like I'm pointing at it right now on my screen Jesse.

28:32.10
jessievalle
In.

28:39.37
jessievalle
Um.

28:40.89
Angela
Um, so especially when all of my kids were in elementary school and they all got home at the same time when the bus would show up in the afternoon. Our dogs would start barking things would get really crazy and like all 3 of my kids would come bursting in the door at the same time. Talking and animated and throwing stuff around and I had more than 1 client tell me it looks like you just got invaded by swat like that exact phrasing from half a dozen or more clients. It looks like you just got invaded by a swat team and you know I would kind of joke like oh. Kind of feels like it a little bit. You know they'd all come over and give me hugs and you know whatever so I would tell clients if I was going to be on a call with them at that time like this is going to happen. It'll it's okay, I'm not being invaded. Um, but it really did help to have those clients like.

29:21.50
jessievalle
Um.

29:36.23
Angela
Not be upset that I had to take a second because my kids had just like yeah now I Want to see what this looks like it's not as bad now that they get off separate buses at separate times.

29:39.50
jessievalle
And if anything could be like oh I Want to see that let's keep rocking So I'm on the phone when that happens. Ah, um.

29:54.40
jessievalle
Another thing is is when I had a baby I felt so supported by several clients that I was working with um, being able to.

30:00.84
Angela
Ah.

30:10.60
jessievalle
Give me the time off or even pay me ah continue to pay me a little bit into it because of our relationship we had had um like okay well I know you're not working So I'm not going to give you the full amount. However, let me give you a percentage of what I've been you know giving you.

30:12.87
Angela
Yeah.

30:22.96
Angela
Yeah.

30:27.76
jessievalle
If we're on a retainer or something like that. Um, just to help out a little bit with your like the base base of your bills until you come back? That was so appreciated again. It built the strong loyalty from a contractor stance.

30:28.16
Angela
Yeah.

30:34.34
Angela
Yeah.

30:47.20
jessievalle
Working with clients so you now now that I'm further along in my business because that was like five years ago and I'm the one in the.

30:47.30
Angela
Yes.

30:58.43
jessievalle
At charge seat. It makes me want to pass that on and be so much more understanding of people we work with if they're like hey I'm about to have a baby cool ah congratulations not well crap. How am I going to get this work done. But.

31:00.53
Angela
And.

31:07.45
Angela
Yeah, right? Yeah, exactly well and one of the simplest ways to promote work Life balance is just to respect your employee contractor. Whatever their time boundaries.

31:23.41
jessievalle
With.

31:27.90
Angela
Like if they work from this time to this time. Don't ask them to do work outside of that time if they only communicate by voxer don't send them 15 emails like just did and I get messages sometimes I got a couple over my Christmas break.

31:34.83
jessievalle
Yeah.

31:43.72
Angela
Um, but they were all like hey you don't even need to look at this until you get back I Just don't want to forget like cool. Yeah, cool, fine. Love that um I had a brand new client had just signed a contract.

31:47.40
jessievalle
Right? I Want to get this off my chest.

31:59.49
Angela
Was like hey can we hop on a call tomorrow and I was like hey I don't usually take calls on Fridays but yeah, like sure like we just started I'm happy to hop on a call so we can get this rolling and they were like oh no, absolutely not if you don't take calls on Fridays we'll do it next week and I was like you are about to be my new favorite client I can tell like.

32:12.79
jessievalle
Cool I know I was like I'm going to be with you a long time. It just immediately. It just such small easy ways to foster that strong team. It just yeah and it's so important.

32:19.39
Angela
Yes.

32:26.17
Angela
Um, yeah.

32:32.13
jessievalle
Um, okay so another one I want to bring up is building diversity and inclusivity and I don't like when I say that I know people immediately think where you were born what you look like all those things I'm not I mean you can talk about that? Yes, like.

32:36.82
Angela
E.

32:46.10
Angela
Ah, ah yes, yes.

32:51.47
jessievalle
It is important to be inclusive. However I also want to discuss including people with different strengths and personalities I have strong feelings about this because I have been working with someone who is like my.

32:59.87
Angela
Yes.

33:10.23
jessievalle
Opposite personality and as much as it drives me up a wall sometimes I know that his his heart is in the same place as mine. We are on the same team. We have the same values. We have the same goals for the company.

33:21.30
Angela
Oh. Yeah.

33:29.97
jessievalle
Yeah, our personalities are so different. We look at the same problem differently and while it drives me crazy I know that my way will push him and his way will push me and together we will do better and have more creative outcomes.

33:32.84
Angela
And.

33:48.56
jessievalle
Then working just with people who are just like me all the time. It's like when you're married. They'd say you shouldn't and they're like opposites attract. Yes, you should not marry someone who's exactly like you you do have to have some differences because that's how you grow as a person and keep.

33:50.62
Angela
Yeah.

34:00.73
Angela
Yeah, yeah, it does keep things is just yeah and it's when you can do that it allows you I feel like to make opportunities for.

34:08.16
jessievalle
Things interesting.

34:19.21
Angela
People that you may not have otherwise had an opportunity for if you have someone a subcontractor you bring on that is really really good at their job but they're not very organized and they just need somebody to like handle breaking down exactly what they need to do for tasks like and you have someone else. That's.

34:33.37
jessievalle
The.

34:37.29
Angela
Really really organized and loves to do that like that's awesome and you're giving both of those people an opportunity that it may not have gotten on another team like there are teams out there that are like no you stay in your lane and you you know you know don't go organizing things like don't go doing extra.

34:38.40
jessievalle
Yes.

34:44.36
jessievalle
Um, yeah.

34:49.26
jessievalle
Are the.

34:55.50
Angela
Or no, if you can't keep track of things like you don't get to be here like but because you can foster that and you can you know like you said strengths and weaknesses like Jesse and I Jesse loves to keep things organized. She loves to play in project manager she look.

35:02.28
jessievalle
Um, yeah, oh my gosh so much.

35:12.81
Angela
I use my inbox as a to do list like. So yeah, so you know having Jesse and I on a team Jesse's handling the organization I can do my part like she can do her part. It's great. So yeah, definitely having those things.

35:13.27
jessievalle
That stresses me out.

35:30.90
Angela
Have you ever had a client ask you to take a personality test.

35:34.39
jessievalle
Ah, yes, and I I don't I sigh because so many people are like this is the future. This is an important thing I don't like it because 1 time someone I was working with said something like oh are you.

35:39.00
Angela
Right? I don't like it.

35:48.75
jessievalle
Ah, this on this personality test and I'm like yes and they're like oh and I'm just like did you just personality test shame me like just because I got the because just because this personality test says I'm a certain way.

35:49.13
Angela
Um, right.

35:52.46
Angela
Right? It shame me? yes.

36:06.58
Angela
Um, right, right? exactly? Yes, everyone is an individual.

36:07.75
jessievalle
Doesn't mean that that's how I am to a T doesn't mean that I don't also have other strengths I am an individual I'm a person. It's like telling me that I mean I know that the stars aren't exactly like a personality test but telling me that I'm only going to be 1 way. Because of my birth date like I can read someone else's horoscope and feel just as connected to it I Hate to tell you it's.

36:26.39
Angela
Right? Exactly I think yes, right? exactly. I So I have I'm the same way I'm not a huge fan of the personality test I have taken a ton of them though because the types of clients that I have are the types of clients that enjoy knowing what their contractor's personalities are um and I do see maybe not some of them.

36:42.46
jessievalle
The.

36:49.90
jessievalle
Yeah.

36:57.17
Angela
But I do see a value in having a general idea that my favorite clients are the ones that not as much personality tests but they will ask for them are more using it to just to see how to communicate better.

37:13.92
jessievalle
It.

37:16.37
Angela
Like are you more of an introverted person that just wants me to leave you alone and not ask you small talk when we hop on a business meeting. Are you like an extrovert. Are you going to be really involved. Are you very technical minded are you more creative. Those things can be helpful. I Don't think the personality tests necessarily capture that very well but just to kind of take a cue from those tests and think about what sorts of personality traits you might need to know about your contractors to make sure your team is working together and to make sure you do have that diversity.

37:52.95
jessievalle
Yeah.

37:54.71
Angela
You don't want an entire team of introverts that don't like to volunteer information.

37:59.62
jessievalle
That's true I don't know I'm a little torn because to me I like the personality tests to learn about myself. But I feel like it's almost too invasive to just pass those out to people who hold the power to hire me or not because of.

38:08.37
Angela
Um.

38:15.55
Angela
Right.

38:17.37
jessievalle
What a test that I took so that I could have just accidentally clicked something says I do like learning about myself like some of them are like teaching you in times of stress you might act like this and it brought to my attention that in type.

38:21.48
Angela
Right? or faked it.

38:31.60
Angela
Yes I like those.

38:36.65
jessievalle
In times of stress I get more micromanagee and now I know this about myself and so I can simmer down take a breath and say okay I don't need to micromanage this person. It's just because I am stressed out I don't need to project my stress.

38:38.96
Angela
He.

38:55.97
jessievalle
Onto that person. They know what they're doing I'm going to let it them. Do it their way and I'm not going to micromanage them and so just knowing that about myself is good but my employer doesn't have to know that.

39:02.23
Angela
Yeah, so this is a little right? Yeah, this is ah like a little off topic. But if anybody does like personality tests and wants to use them I think a good way to use them would be like Jesse said. Let someone take the personality test to learn about themselves if you can find a good one and I'm not giving recommendations for which ones are good or not. But if you can find a good one that helps people understand themselves and is not just like a well you like to go to bed early I don't know something weird.

39:25.38
jessievalle
The.

39:33.86
jessievalle
Um, yeah, ah.

39:36.34
Angela
Something vague and unhelpful. Ah, you don't like to be around people that are upset who likes to be around people who are upset like are you getting me. But anyway if you can find a good one. Let people take it to learn about themselves and then give them that. Opportunity to fill out a form What what is your go to when you get stressed. What are you inclined to do when you get stressed. What are you inclined to do if you feel overwhelmed because then I know.

39:57.53
jessievalle
Yeah.

40:10.28
Angela
First of all that if you get stressed you're going to get microman energy. But I also know if I see you getting microman energy. It might be because you're stressed and maybe I need to address that with you and find out what's going on but I'm not digging into yeah but I'm not digging into your

40:19.60
jessievalle
Yeah, is it because of something I can help you with or is it a personal thing that I have no yeah yeah, give me the key points.

40:27.50
Angela
Personality like I don't need to see your personality test. Just take it learn about yourself. Give me some information that's going to be helpful. Yeah, so that's there's a suggestion if you are a person that likes to use personality tests.

40:38.48
jessievalle
Yeah, so and and that's the other thing is like just because you like personality tests doesn't mean all the people you work with do like I said sometimes it feels a little too personal too invasive because here's another thing is speaking of.

40:47.25
Angela
Yes, m.

40:57.15
jessievalle
Building diversity and inclusivity I know there are laws about when it comes to hiring now that's different than contractors I suppose but when you're hiring employees you have to be open to a diverse work environment regardless of a person's beliefs.

41:01.92
Angela
Um, yes, right right.

41:12.73
Angela
Oh.

41:14.97
jessievalle
Ah culture all the things. So to me, you need to be open to someone regardless of how they performed on a stupid personality test. Let's add that to the poster. That's all I'm saying the workplace poster now says.

41:26.40
Angela
Um, ah yeah on a personality test. Yes, yes, exactly the word place poster yes race religion sexual orientation or Enagram number. Ah.

41:34.46
jessievalle
Regardless of profile.

41:42.90
jessievalle
Ah know I'm telling you. It feels very invasive because I didn't choose to be Micromanagey when I'm stressed it just is who I am.

41:45.98
Angela
Yes, right? Yes now I will say I because I do get asked Subtlela I actually have on my website like a list of all of the ones I've taken and all of the things.

42:01.00
jessievalle
I Know you have you do.

42:04.49
Angela
But the the thing about that is I get to pick what I put on there and then I get to pick the parts of it that I share like here I'm an Enneagram whatever nine and here's what they are like and it's the parts that I feel like resonate with me and I can tell you about right.

42:09.62
jessievalle
Bringing the.

42:18.59
jessievalle
The.

42:21.13
Angela
Um, I'm not going to tell you about all the negative stuff. You don't need to see that whole thing. So that's you know and I have had a few clients really appreciate that because they said I have the type of clients that like those things. Um you know whereas you might not work with people.

42:25.51
jessievalle
Fair enough.

42:34.77
jessievalle
Um, yeah.

42:40.42
Angela
Like those like you may work with very analytically minded people that don't care what your personality is.

42:46.37
jessievalle
Um, yeah, all right? The the last item I think we need to address is just overall providing leadership in direction knowing that you at the top have a vision.

43:02.97
Angela
A.

43:06.17
jessievalle
If you don't have a vision. What are you doing in business. It's just going to be chaos on your team because person a is trying to go towards what they think the company's goal is and Person B is trying to go towards what they think the company's goal is and they're not aligned.

43:08.84
Angela
Yes.

43:25.81
jessievalle
And they both value different things based on their it's like it's like if you do have a big team in people in in different departments. They think their thing is the most important and while everybody thinks that their thing is the most important, let's remember.

43:27.36
Angela
Yeah.

43:36.17
Angela
Um, right if that's.

43:45.36
jessievalle
That maybe at the end of the day The order of priorities is the same and so you at the top have to be the one to set What is the priority I may think this thing that's.

43:52.93
Angela
Um, right.

44:02.63
jessievalle
Broken is the highest priority thing but in the Grand scheme of things. It's like the fourth on the list and so you at the top need to provide that leadership and direction to say it's important, but it is not urgent.

44:08.38
Angela
Right.

44:18.80
jessievalle
These are the things above it on our list of priorities. This is what we're shooting towards.

44:23.67
Angela
Yes, and just having a general, especially if you go into different if you are a service provider with different projects if you are a product if you sell products with different products having ah being able to explain to your team. This is what we're doing and why even if you are not able to get into the details of it because either it's not something you want to share. It's not something you understand um just being able to say this is my end goal for this thing. So that everybody knows what they're working for is huge I have been on teams where I would get random task assignments that I had no idea what they were relating to.

45:07.25
jessievalle
M.

45:11.42
Angela
What I was supposed to be doing with them. They didn't seem to fit anything that I was supposed to be doing or anything we're supposed and it was it was confusing and scattered and it made the team like grind up against each other because we weren't all working toward the same thing.

45:28.17
jessievalle
Yeah.

45:30.24
Angela
And I've had other clients that have been able to say okay this is what we're launching. This is my goal This is when we're doing it and I need these people to work on this project and like and everything goes so much more smoothly because we have Direction. We know what the end goal is. And we know what we're working toward and when we need to get there.

45:49.80
jessievalle
Yeah, yeah, so it's not asking you to be Micromanagey for your team. It's just to pass on your overall vision to that team. So everyone can be on the same page and know that they're working towards the same goals.

45:55.70
Angela
Right.

46:02.40
Angela
And. M.

46:09.57
jessievalle
Or just how you want to do things as a company right? So setting. It's about setting expectations. We are going to treat our customers like this when.

46:11.64
Angela
Um, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

46:21.54
Angela
Yes.

46:27.15
jessievalle
This person tries to return something. This is how we will handle it whether it's we are not accepting returns or we will accept returns in these circumstances or we accept returns no questions asked I don't care what it is.

46:29.75
Angela
A yeah. E.

46:42.93
Angela
Right.

46:46.85
jessievalle
But you need to set that expectation for your team. So they all know so it's just kind of that thing is just what you have to provide a direction and vision for how you want your your business to be ran especially as you step back but also because it's your business.

47:02.76
Angela
Um, yes, yeah, you should know where it's going.

47:05.83
jessievalle
You can't be witchywashy about it. You should know these things.

47:09.59
Angela
Yes, exactly because your team whether it is 1 person or 10 people are going to be looking to you for guidance there is times they're going to have to come to you and say I don't really know what to do in this situation and you need to be able to give them that guidance.

47:16.13
jessievalle
Um, if not.

47:28.28
jessievalle
Um.

47:28.58
Angela
In a very clear way without making them feel like I can't believe you bothered me with this? Yes, right? I don't know what do you think I should do like I don't know it's not my business like.

47:32.50
jessievalle
Well and not just that but in a confident way so that it's not oh I don't know what to do in my own business Exactly exactly.

47:46.44
Angela
If I wanted to be a whatever it is that you are doing I would be doing that and not the texta like.

47:53.39
jessievalle
Ah, fair enough fair enough but also for me, let's say. For example, you know Angela did want to as a techie in her service business bring someone on to help out as a subcontractor. To help her with her client projects. It's important for her to say this is the quality. These are my expectations I expect that you test the tech after you've built it. You don't just assume it's going to work even if you've done it a hundred times I expect you will test. It.

48:15.27
Angela
Is.

48:24.50
Angela
Um, yeah, um.

48:29.21
jessievalle
And this is when ah standard operating procedures and checklists really come in handy which I know we've talked about in another episode. So it just yes, you have you have to be the one at the helm.

48:43.84
Angela
Yes, um.

48:47.66
jessievalle
Providing that leadership and then that will really create that overall strong team where everybody feels like they're on the same page they're on the same team and they feel that loyalty and strength and solidarity together to continue into the future and it's not one of those companies that I have also seen. Where they get new like a slew of new employees every three weeks I don't know how they don't see the big red signs like I just don't but hey that's not my business so it doesn't matter. Ah.

49:11.50
Angela
All the time. Yeah.

49:18.24
Angela
Yeah I don't know. Yeah, yeah, exactly it's not my company. So.

49:24.76
jessievalle
Yeah, it's not my company so but because we've just told you all these tips for your company. Yours will not have that problem and if you start to see a pattern. Maybe the first thing you need to do is go back to.

49:30.12
Angela
Yes, yours will not have that problem either. Yes, exactly.

49:42.52
jessievalle
Opening that communication and sitting down with some people and saying what is going on here I'm missing something or maybe you know maybe you already know and you need to take some of those other tips we're talking about. Maybe it's time to deal with it. Especially if you want to be at a place.

49:45.23
Angela
Um, yeah, somebody tell me something. Yeah, you don't want to deal with it yet.

50:02.14
jessievalle
Where you don't have to be working all the time and you can't step back and enjoy life a little bit. Not you can't enjoy life when you're working or ah, an employee of a company at four eighty hours a week I'm not trying to dog on anybody who that is the life path. They've chosen. Um.

50:02.59
Angela
Yes, yep.

50:11.00
Angela
Um, right.

50:15.44
Angela
Yeah, bright. But yeah for us.

50:22.11
jessievalle
I Mean stepping back to do what you had intended to do when you started your business about that.

50:25.43
Angela
Yes, exactly exactly I think one of the best just to kind of end on a note one of the best examples of this I saw was a team that I was on where the client was a coach and she had a baby.

50:41.70
jessievalle
E.

50:43.64
Angela
And so you know she worked for most of her pregnancy and then she was off for a couple months but her whole platform her like her Facebook group everything engagement like didn't skip a beat while she was gone. And like she would hop in occasionally and check in on the team and and her coaching students and things like that but she took a solid five months off and her business didn't miss a beat because her team.

50:59.96
jessievalle
And.

51:13.80
Angela
Knew the expectations everybody was on the same page. Everybody knew exactly what was going on and how to handle things. She was very clear about when and how she could be communicated with for like emergencies. It was just amazing. It was the best example of of building a good team that I have ever.

51:31.36
jessievalle
That makes me feel so hopeful that you can take off five months to have a baby and and guess what your business didn't suffer that is like the best thing I've ever heard.

51:32.45
Angela
Been a part of.

51:37.80
Angela
Yeah to have a baby? Yeah yeah, it was amazing. It was wonderful I loved being a part of it and I loved watching it happen like.

51:52.26
jessievalle
Yeah, that's awesome.

51:56.29
Angela
I'm in a part of my business where I'm excited if I can take an afternoon off take my kids to the pool or take a week off for vacation.

52:03.70
jessievalle
I know right know that that that's awesome that is that is building a strong team to a t the love it all right? Well if you have any examples that you have seen please. We would love to hear from that like like I said just hearing Angela's story right? there that.

52:11.86
Angela
Um, yep, exactly.

52:23.66
jessievalle
Gave me so much hope and happiness just to hear someone else being so successful and not just that a marketing mom hearing a marketing mom being so successful that that just lights me up in that. That's awesome I Love hearing that.

52:23.78
Angela
Yes.

52:30.88
Angela
Yes, a marketing mom.

52:42.29
jessievalle
So if you have any examples like that please share them with us. We're at marketing mom's podcast on Instagram and you can always email us contact at marketing moms dot co so until next week bye everyone

52:57.43
Angela
Bye and.