From One Partner to Another

What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you?

Dont hire telecom people from big-named companies. They rely on the Big Name too much  its tough for them to sell an intangible.”  Frank Ahearn, president, Business Communications Management

“Build up a huge reserve so that you can withstand a recession with the intensity and depth as this last one.”  Dany Bouchedid, CEO, COLOTRAQ

When you lose a sale, they are not rejecting you, they just did not understand your value.”  J.R. Cook, vice president, agent channel, New Edge Networks

The grass just looks greener on the other side of the fence; it really is not.”  Matt Duray, president and CEO, The Connect Group

Sometimes the fight is not worth the time. Be OK with letting stuff go, even if the fight is justified. At the end of the day we only have so much time to go around and sometimes it’s better to move on.”  Cameron Larsen, principal, Astound Communications

Sign up for all the frequent flyer programs when you get into this business.”  Michael Machonkin, vice president of sales and marketing, GLOBALINX

Use resources (money, people and time) VERY, VERY carefully”  Troy McCracken, CEO, Spectrum Inc.

Focus first on the longer-term strategy, second on having the right people in the organization and third on the task at hand. It’s easy when you first start in the business to skip right to No. 3 the task at hand and never get back to Nos. 1 and 2.”  Janet Schijns, vice president of Global Training & Knowledge Management, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS)

Work hard consistently and think long-term. Careers and businesses are built over 10- to 20-year timelines. Rome was not built in a day.”  Rick Stern, CEO, Nitel

What’s the secret to hiring the right people?

“Build a company with solid systems that can accommodate average employees, not just the exceptional talent. With this in mind it becomes less critical to hire the best. Create entry tests and other objective measures that remove the likelihood of guessing wrong. Trust your instincts. One of the many key strategies I retained from the Jack Welch best seller: Imagine your No. 1 competitor has just hired the potential candidate sitting in front of you. Think about how that makes you feel. If it bothers you enough, they might just be a good fit.”  Laura Bernstein, president, CRA Inc.

“I follow three simples rules: references, references and wait for it references. I feel skill sets can be taught, but character attributes cannot. So moral fiber, work ethic and dedication are just some of the elements I look for when hiring people. And nothing speaks louder than having several credible references vouch for you.”  Dany Bouchedid, CEO, COLOTRAQ

“Interview, interview, then interview again and again (and again?). They need to be a good fit for the existing culture or it is a waste of time.”  Vince Bradley, president and CEO, World Telecom Group

“Hire someone who is as excited about your value proposition as you are.”  J.R. Cook, vice president, agent channel, New Edge Networks

“I dont think there is any single secret. However, I think there are several important factors, such as effective interviews, more than a single interview (both an initial and callback interview), as well as careful resume review and reference checks, all combining to increase the likelihood of a successful hire.”   Thomas Crowe, partner, Law Offices of Thomas K. Crowe P.C.

There is no secret, but as with anything, every minute spent in planning is four minutes saved later. I have found this same principle in hiring people works as well as anything else I have tried.”  Matt Duray, president and CEO, The Connect Group

“Make sure you would be comfortable having them over to your house for dinner. If you question that comfort, you probably will have questions about them working for you every day.”  David Goodwin, co-founder, Advanced Technology Consulting Inc.

“Hire the person, not the experience. It’s not the best player, it’s the best leader in a team that drives the most success for the team.” Paul Hayes, director of strategic initiatives, SYNNEX Corp.

Make sure the person you hire is the right person for your company and really look to ensure they will fit in your company culture. I have found that some people need a village to provide the daily support and encouragement and others are far more productive on their own. Furthermore, understand your new hires’ motivations and set a plan so they have the proper incentives. Other than that, assume not all hires will be successful and don’t be afraid to let them go if it’s apparent you picked the wrong person for your organization.”  Cameron Larsen, principal, Astound Communications

“I realize a lot of companies use different tests to measure a candidate’s personality type and strengths and weaknesses. However I believe the key is finding that person that comes into your office, can hold an engaging conversation and really has the personality and drive to make things happen. If you are hiring in the sales area, the key to success is relationship building and so often in the interview process, you can see individuals who struggle to really tell you about themselves or define why they would be a good fit. At the end of the day, you really need to weigh all the factors, but always trust your instincts; there is a reason you have been successful and look for those qualities in the team you build around you.”  Jeff Leshin, vice president of sales and marketing, Ernest Communications

Make your best guess on hiring smart, trustworthy people. Be willing to make mistakes. You will never really know how someone works until they work with you every day.”  Daniel Lonstein, COO, AireSpring Inc.

Finding people with the right skill set is obviously critical, but its also very important to hire people you like and respect. We spend a huge amount of our lives at work, so working with people who roll with the punches and have a sense of humor leads to success.”  Sarah Linares, vice president, revenue assurance and product development, TMC Communications 

I have always had luck with getting referrals from people I know in the business. It pays to have a strong network of leaders in the industry.”  Michael Machonkin, vice president of sales and marketing, GLOBALINX

Research, research, research.”  Troy McCracken, CEO, Spectrum Inc.

Make sure your new hires have the resources to do their jobs better than you could do them yourself.”  Greg Plum, director of channel development, the Conference Group

Hire talented people and then find them the right role in your organization. If you wait for a role that fits their background, they will be gone before you have the right opportunity. The bottom line is, for a talented person, any opportunity is the right one.”  Janet Schijns, vice president of Global Training & Knowledge Management, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS)

Hire slowly, fire quickly you can coach, but you cant fix.”   Ben Stiegler, CEO, SynerTel

What’s the trick for balancing work and life?

“Prioritizing. I tell all my employees family first. If you are not happy at home, you probably will not be happy at work.”  Frank Ahearn, president, Business Communications Management

The solution to balancing work and home life is setting realistic expectations. We are over-extended because we allow it. Many of us have conflicting goals and because the goals are not written down and backed out detailing how we plan to achieve the goals, it can be difficult to see.”  Laura Bernstein, president, CRA Inc. 

You have to schedule personal and family time into your calendar and commit to it much like you would a business function. If you leave your personal and family life as the thing you do during your spare time, then it will rarely happen.”  Dany Bouchedid, CEO, COLOTRAQ

“What do you want people to say about you when you die? He was a hard worker who made a lot of money, or he was a great husband and father?”  J.R. Cook, vice president, agent channel, New Edge Networks

Never letting either one overtake the other.”  Thomas Crowe, partner, Law Offices of Thomas K. Crowe P.C.

I dont know, but if you figure it out, let me know.”  Matt Duray, president and CEO, The Connect Group

Prioritization and moderation.”  David Goodwin, co-founder, Advanced Technology Consulting Inc.

“Always know your priorities and write down both your personal and business goals, so you don’t lose sight of them.”  Paul Hayes, director of strategic initiatives, SYNNEX Corp.

Work smart, not hard! Make goals and then a plan on how to obtain them. Eat healthy and make time to work out every day. Don’t be afraid to change direction if what you are doing is not working. Most importantly, get out every day and do something fun for yourself and turn off your cell phone when you are spending time with your family.”  Cameron Larsen, principal, Astound Communications

Remember to achieve balance we must give equal attention to mind/body/spirit. Stretch and grow your mind, including dreaming and setting intentions that you declare. Write them down, share them, gain enrollment from others and ask for help. Listen to your body and give it the loving care it deserves. Do something you like that is fun for exercise. Make time to meditate and always walk in gratitude. Whatever you gain, give away as much as you can. Live for today each and every day. Stay focused on the bigger picture of life. It is great to have aggressive career goals, but when we all look back on our lives, I believe we want to be measured by the most important thing which is how did we do raising our kids and contributing in a positive manner to our community. So put down the BlackBerry and iPhone devices when you leave the office and spend time with the family. That will be your greatest legacy.”  Jeff Leshin, vice president of sales and marketing, Ernest Communications

“Give both 100 percent and everyone will be happy! Seriously though, you have to set work and life priorities so that you fit in the important things.”  Sarah Linares, vice president, revenue assurance and product development, TMC Communications 

Set boundaries.” Daniel Lonstein, COO, AireSpring Inc.

“No idea. If someone finds it, please let me know.  I was on the road for work probably 20 of the last 30 days.”  Michael Machonkin, vice president of sales and marketing, GLOBALINX

“Haven’t been lucky enough to figure this one out yet.”  Troy McCracken, CEO, Spectrum Inc.

“Still trying to figure this one out myself.”  Greg Plum, director of channel development, the Conference Group

Hiring well-trained, experienced and mature individuals that can be trusted so that the business owner can take well-needed time off.”  Jeff Ponts, executive vice president,  Datatel Solutions Inc.

Schedule your life into your work calendar and then don’t cancel the appointments!”  Janet Schijns, vice president of Global Training & Knowledge Management, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS)

Automate processes, hire and train the best people you can, motivate them to work effectively.”  Ben Stiegler, CEO, SynerTel

What business tool or resource would you not be without?

Most respondents said their mobile devices iPhone, BlackBerry, Droid, etc. or their CRM systems. Here are a few representative comments.

“I hate to say it, but my iPhone. It allows me to remain efficient when I am away from the office and, more importantly, to get out of the office, at least occasionally, without completely losing visibility to important matters.”  Neil Ende, managing partner, Technology Law Group

Salesforce.com – CRM Tool.”  Brad Lynde, President, Lynde Consulting

Here were some of the other answers:

Integrity there is no replacement for it.”  J.R. Cook, vice president, agent channel, New Edge Networks

LinkedIn is a fabulous tool to keep in touch with partners, customers, acquaintances and targeted prospects!”  Cameron Larsen, principal, Astound Communications

I could not live without my fantastic TMC co-workers. Their dedication to our customers and agents is beyond compare and we have lots of fun in the process.”  Sarah Linares, vice president, revenue assurance and product development, TMC Communications 

It sounds archaic, but a telephone.”  Daniel Lonstein, COO, AireSpring Inc.

All the wonderful people who support me day in and day out!”  Nancy Ridge, vice president, Telcombrokers  

RPM, Excel and common sense. I also agree with J.R.”  Mike Saxby, chief strategy officer, Telecom Brokerage Inc.

LinkedIn is a critical tool for me, I can get an answer, connect with the right people and get instant updates from my network much faster than in the traditional world.”  Janet Schijns, vice president of Global Training & Knowledge Management, Motorola Enterprise Mobility Solutions (EMS)