Describe the situation when your organization engaged Lisa – what challenges were you facing?
We were really struggling with people and team structure. I was involved in almost every aspect of the business and having a difficult time delegating or at least letting go of some of the specific tasks in areas of operations, HR, hiring, and we had almost no accountability. We were working as silos with the Sales team dictating almost all aspects of the business. We had hyper-growth, but no ability to plan more than 3 months at a time so we were managing by fire all the time.
What positive results have you seen from your work with Lisa – what has changed?
We hired Lisa in 2013 coming off a year in which we did $1.7M in sales with 27% margin. In 2017, our revenue was $6+M with 30% margin. We empowered people to take ownership of their roles and although not perfect, saw huge gains in accountability, freedom to grow, and we were able to think bigger and more long-term – our planning went from 3-month business plans to 3-year business plans.
What do you value most about the work you and your team did with Lisa…what are one or two things she does well that you really appreciate?
I appreciate her radical candor, she pushed us to work on the hard things first, she allowed and pushed me personally to celebrate the wins which has been huge and is now a big part of our culture. She pushed me emotionally to analyze my personal life and challenge & clarify the end game, not just the daily grind.
Would you recommend Lisa to others? Why? What type of company/organization would most benefit from working with her?
Absolutely 100%. I learned about Lisa from 2 friends and former clients of hers, and I saw what she did for their company and for them personally. She did the same for me and she’ll drive you to places you didn’t think were obtainable so quickly. She was more than a coach – she is a mentor, semi-therapist, and has helped our company define meaning and purpose to an otherwise boring business.
What would you say to someone who was thinking of hiring Lisa - but wasn’t sure if it was the right move?
Lisa understands how to dig deep to allow “you” to pull out answers in monthly meetings that might have taken years to take action on. But be prepared to make some uncomfortable changes. She helps gel the leadership team and creates an environment that is sustainable once she steps out, and she genuinely cares about the outcome. She believes in “radical candor” which I LOVE and she has helped us to prioritize the hard things first. Spectra is years ahead of where we would be without her.
Brent Bennett
EVP & Utah Market Leader
Spectra Benefits / Hub International*
Cell: (801) 259-0799
*Brent was the founder & CEO of Spectra Benefits; he transitioned to EVP Market Leader when Spectra was acquired by HUB International in 2018.
