Greater Milwaukee Jobs

April 14, 2016

Greater Milwaukee Jobs

Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/666355

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 1 of 11

traditional ads. Gym meet: At the gym in 2011, Rossi fell into conversa- tion with actress-musician Zooey Deschanel and writer Molly McAleer about creating a "Funny or Die" for women, referring to the popular raunchy comedy website that had dabbled with branded video. Deschanel hated the negative messages that bar- raged her on social media and insisted the Internet lacked a positive place for women. Could a site avoid snark and gossip, but still entertain? Deschanel immediately booked a follow-up chat for the trio. "For me, it was a discussion," Rossi said. "Zooey was really passionate about it. She said let's get together and talk to agents and managers and see what we can do." Cost considerations: Making videos cost more than the women expected, even with a sponsor. They managed to finish one and place it on a simple website. Working out of Rossi's apartment, they linked to the video from their social media profiles, and to their amazement, visitors surged. Venture capitalists weren't backing many media compa- nies at the time, so they had to grow slowly and drop the emphasis on video, Rossi said. By the company's fifth anniver- sary in May, it will have more than 1,500 writers sharing sto- ries about their meals, friends, work, hobbies and health. Recent posts included: "I'm not sure about kids and that's okay" and "Cadbury Creme Eggs are now a pizza topping, how do we process this?" Smart moves: Bringing in experienced executives to fill roles including editor-in-chief and chief financial officer led to a big boost in the number of viewers, Rossi said. She set the website's "tone" and had "instincts," she said. But Rossi, McAleer and Deschanel wanted data-minded experts to provide extra guidance. "When you build a company, you think it's going to be the biggest in the world or nothing," Rossi said. "You don't really think about the rational plan." She said she found the right hires by accepting every meeting request, including from people she met while working out of SoHo House, a private club for creative industry workers, in West Hollywood and from investors who gave $1.25 mil- lion in capital. Turning to Time: The Time sale was intended to accelerate a return to video-making. In addition, the company that had about 18 employees in October now has access to thousands of people through potential part- nerships with Sports Illustrated, People and other Time busi- nesses. Managerial no-words: Rossi prefers that employees say "we have a lot going on" and "a challenge is" instead of "I'm overwhelmed" and "there's a problem." She fears that the latter options induce a "chaos high." And nothing productive comes from that, she said, recalling her days as an assis- tant always worried that a small misstep would draw anger from her boss. The former sayings invite help, she contends, set- ting a positive office mood. Shabbat: Rossi, who is Jewish, doesn't work or use her phone from Friday evening to Saturday evening in obser- vance of Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. She adopted the regi- men 3 1/2 years ago, tired by the "always-on" startup cul- ture. It was difficult at first. Her positive energy diminished when hundreds of emails awaited her Saturday night. But co-workers adapted. Now Rossi jokes that she feels for- gotten when her inbox is empty. If employees "feel like the boss is not going to be attacking over the weekend, they can actually enjoy the weekend," Rossi said. Personal: Rossi is a graduate of Beverly Hills High School. She lives in West Hollywood and meditates twice a day. Rossi is the author of "A Tale of Two Besties." 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • April 14, 2016 A. It's up to you to make it easy for your clients to adjust to your internal changes through understand- ing their needs and commu- nicating effectively. We've all seen it happen - Ted no longer works for the firm, but no one bothers to tell his clients. When they reach out, they get an email bounceback. Are your clients having this experience? If so, you're setting them up to be dissatisfied. And even if their experience isn't this extreme, it can lead to a neg- ative reaction. Your most important clients expect a high level of service, and you can use a transition to rein- force their status with you. So, the first thing to do is look at the gap between the ideal client experience and the current results. Are they completely out of the loop? Being informed of the change, but in a fairly pro forma way? Or are they being assigned new contact people who are not as good a fit? Taking each scenario in turn, consider the actions you could take. First, do you have complete and readily accessible information about your team's accounts? If someone left today, would you know which accounts need to be notified and who to reach out to? If not, that's your clear starting point. Then consider the commu- nication process. In some cases, you may not know the new team right away. That's OK, but it's still essential to reach out, let them know that Sally has left, and give them someone (you, per- haps) to contact when they need assistance.Your goal is to send a message that there is change afoot, that you care about their needs, and that they'll be looked after in the transition. Next, select the right person to support them. Matching skills to their needs is necessary; at the same time, matching style and tem- perament can also ease the transition. Especially in a rela- tionship that has been suc- cessful in the past, maintain- ing consistency is helpful. For example, a shift from very formal to more casual (or vice versa) could be some- what jarring. Once the new team or person is in place, it's up to you to monitor the success of the transition. Check in with clients, as well as your internal folks. Look for ways to adjust as needed, while also encouraging some patience as the new situation settles in. Don't neglect your smaller clients, either. If your top clients are having issues, it's likely that others are also affected. Be sure you're informing them promptly about changes that may affect them. Check the tone of your communications by taking the time to read any form letters you may be sending. I've seen many that are surprisingly brusque; instead, you can use them to send a message that they're a valued customer. It all comes down to plan- ning. Being ready to manage transitions (they are inevitable). Putting the client first. And being diligent and thorough in executing the plan.Your clients will thank you! Q. We've had some bumps with staff turnover; our more strategic level clients haven't accepted our team changes readily and I'm wondering how we should be handling it. Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coach- scorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. HelloGiggles ... from page 1 Distributed by: Conley Distribution, 262-513-2646 ©2016 by Conley Media, LLC Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Call 262-306-5008 for information. Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske, 262-306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Julie Sears, 262-306-5008 jsears@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dan Muckelbauer, 262-513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel, 262-513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS To place an ad: Call us at: 262-306-5008 – or fax us at: 262-338-5271 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays A publication of Conley Media Volume 18 • Number 30 April 14 10, 2016 Staff turnover doesn't need to affect service & A Q By Liz Reyer Tribune News Service (TNS) • T E C H / P R O F • G E N E R A L E M P L O Y M E N T Visit website for application www.totalnow.com call 414/434-0311 ext 113 A Customized System of Service Total Cleaning Systems Specialty Services Division is looking for individuals who have experience in any of the following areas: Hourly pay starting at $12-$16 based on experience. Currently looking for individuals wanting to work, part-time, weekends or summer only. SPECIALTY SERVICES SPECIALTY SERVICES PART-TIME • Stripping/waxing/buffing floors • Carpet Cleaning • Hard Floor Care • Structural Cleaning • Lift Operator experience a plus, but not necessary Requirements: Must be able to bend, twist, reach and lift. Must provide own transporta- tion and possess a valid driver's license and pass a background check. 249713003 West Bend Mutual Insurance Company is a regional property and casualty insurance leader and one of the top 100 insurance companies in the nation. Continued growth is creating exciting opportunities for talented people like you! We are currently seeking a Customer Service Representative who will specialize in taking phone calls from agents making policy changes. This opportunity is ideal for someone who enjoys providing outstanding customer service in a high volume, call center environment. Must have excellent customer service and data entry skills. We are a smoke-free, equal opportunity employer. Pre-employment drug and background screenings are required. Customer Service Representative To be considered for this opportunity, please apply online at: www.thesilverlining.com/careers 249764006

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Greater Milwaukee Jobs - April 14, 2016