Too Good to Be True – challenging the cliché and following my North Star

I am very excited to announce that I have joined forces with an innovative and growing tech company that is revolutionizing the construction industry, and so much more. EquipmentShare, headquartered in Columbia, Mo (in my backyard), helps contractors across the country build better and work smarter with the help of Track smart jobsite technology. In an industry ripe for disruption and modernizing, EquipmentShare offers smart jobsite solutions that help contractors improve productivity and efficiency while eliminating waste (in terms of both time, materials, and man hours).

When I sat down with founder Willy Schlacks a few weeks ago (observing social distancing, of course) about a career opportunity, he did not ask whether or not I felt I could do the job. He asked about my North Star — what drove me as a human and what drove my work. I had never been asked that on a what-did-or-didn’t-feel-like-a-job-interview. I was stunned. In fact, I asked Willy to repeat the question and then clarify what he meant. All he said was that he didn’t want to hear about processes or methodologies. Finally, after a few, what seemed like forever moments of silence, I replied “integrity, authenticity, being a kind human, and never staying still”. When I answered, I had no idea what he was looking for — and honestly, I was not concerned with meeting any sort of expectation. Those were my truths and for once, I was able to own them with conviction.

Finally, after a few, what seemed like forever moments of silence, I replied “integrity, authenticity, being a kind human, and never staying still”. When I answered, I had no idea what he was looking for — and honestly, I was not concerned with meeting any sort of expectation. Those were my truths and for once, I was able to own them with conviction.

Full disclosure, when I met with Willy, I was not interested in working for anyone but rather treated this conversation as engaging with a potential client. I was getting ready to launch my own PR firm, thanks to the encouragement from my incredible support system (Mindy Mazur, Paula Hodges, Julie Murphy, Chris Cox, Donovan Hensley, Jessica Cowden, Phil Brown, Larry Rebman, my husband Bogdan Susan, and so many others I deeply respect but cannot name for various reasons). I wanted to work on projects that mean something to me. Projects that are going to help people and make a difference. The funny thing is, after that long coffee with Willy— he became my biggest fan. In fact, he told me I should move forward with my business because he wanted me to get a taste for what it was like to be an entrepreneur (and he said my logo and name were killer and they shouldn’t go to waste). We parted ways and Willy said we would stay in touch and figure out where things go from there.

When I walked away from the meeting with Willy, I was more confused than ever. For once, a company wanted to hear about my ideas, about what I wanted to do to make the world a better place, my views on social issues, the environment, my faith, parenting. He wanted to hear what I had to say — because he wanted to make sure the new voice sharing the narrative for his company was the right voice for its future.

Several sparkling waters later, I met with individuals from the company to get a better idea of the culture at EquipmentShare. The story that continued to bubble to the top (especially from the women) was that the company values its employees over profit and if someone has an idea to make an improvement, then they should run with it. I can tell you, after years working in the news business and then years more working in government and for non-profits, challenging bureaucracy and thinking outside the box for solutions was not always encouraged. It’s often about keeping your head down and making sure you have proper coverage and authority. I’m not saying public opinion should not matter or that data and sources are not needed to back up your theory. But sometimes, good instinct and creativity should not be watered down to a soundbite or in small print on the back of an annual report in the “projects we are considering next year” section just because leaders “don’t get it” or do not take your idea seriously because it is not their own.

For me, the icing on the cake was the company’s commitment to building up communities and helping those in need. During the pandemic, some team members at EquipmentShare pitched the idea to the owners about setting up a meal pick-up program for those hardest hit (SO many families rely on our schools for buddy packs and nutritious meals – a system disrupted by the virus). The company not only gave the green light, but donated food and man hours, as well as matched funds raised throughout the community to sustain the model for weeks and months later. In just its first month, “No Child Hungry” distributed nearly 3,000 meals across my community.

Serving the public is in my DNA – and so is moving the needle through progress and innovation. That is why I am proud to say I became the 1,600th hire of EquipmentShare (here I am photographed with the 1,599th employee -- our newest robotics software engineer), officially accepting the role of Director of Public Relations and Communications. And thanks to Willy’s encouragement, I kept my PR firm logo mounted on the home office wall. It serves as a catalyst for the change I needed to make, which essentially was to make the leap, believe in myself, and take charge of my future.  To share my voice and follow my North Star. I challenge you, when a new opportunity sometimes seems too good to be true, don’t fall back on that cliché that it cannot be real. If you believe in yourself, work hard, are kind to others, are honest, and always look for ways to make the world a better place — people will notice, and good things will happen. And you are deserving of it. Stay true to your North Star. It will guide you well.

EquipmentShare is looking for talent across the US. If you are interested in checking out careers, please do so. You won’t be disappointed, especially when you encounter the many perks on the job (here is my son Rocco -- after he took a stroll on a Segway through the office and enjoyed a warm biscuit for breakfast provided by our fancy food team -- playing ping pong with one of our software engineers). The company is growing at lightning speed, opening up locations in major metros throughout the country with big plans to cross latitudes and longitudes. The Schlacks brothers came up with an idea to solve a problem and in a very short period of time, they attracted a talented team of individuals who believe in the mission and work together to enhance and evolve solutions that are paving the industry’s future. Join us as we change the way construction does business.

https://www.equipmentshare.com/jobs