1172

Q&A, from page 3 in another. This was difficult for people to understand. I im- plemented many open book management practices and met with staff on a regular basis to give updates at quarterly, all- hands-on meetings and in a weekly email update. We com- municated the details of our strategic plan, reported finan- cials and explained what it meant and why we were doing it. We continue these practices to this day. TZL: What is your vision for the future of Sanderson Stewart? MS: The business model of the traditional professional ser- vices firm is broken. It’s an anachronism. It’s a 20th century model, and perhaps even a 19th century model for selling time by the hour, which was developed during the indus- trial age of assembly lines and steam engine technology. We now live in an information economy driven by 21st-centu- ry technology. My vision is to continue to innovate in our business practices, perhaps disruptively so, to create a 21st- century firm that is built on the concept that our ideas are worth more than the time it takes to put them on paper and have a few meetings – and hopefully we can have some fun while we’re doing it. “I’m the one always looking up and forward, assessing the changing environment and projecting into the future.” TZL: Tell me about a recent project you are especially proud of and why. MS: We recently worked on several new schools in Billings, Montana. The Billings Public School District hadn’t built a new school in nearly 30 years and recently passed a bond issue to build two new middle schools and completely re- build two elementary schools. We were part of the teams on all four projects. It was great to be part of projects that will have such a lasting impact on our community. The middle school projects gave us the opportunity to design campus- like learning environments that are unique in our area. TZL: What do you feel sets your company apart from oth- ers? MS: Outperforming the competition – it doesn’t matter the industry or the market – it all boils down to differentia- tion. You have to be different in the customers’ eyes in some positive way – better service, more reliable, more trusted, better expertise, or something. If you don’t, then the only way to differentiate is based on a cheaper price, and that’s the definition of a commodity. What separates us from the pack? Customer service. We’ve studied firms outside of our industry who have great customer service – companies like the Ritz Carlton and Nordstrom’s – to see what they do. We ask customers what they like and don’t like. We’ve learned that whenever there’s a breakdown in customer service, it always traces back to a communication breakdown. That’s why we’ve implemented tactics to ensure communication remains a top priority. We provide weekly progress reports to customers and consistently find that great customer ser- vice relies on three things: 1) Responsiveness (our goal is a one-hour response time)

2) Creating little ‘wow’ moments 3) Anticipating need It’s all about creating an experience, not just a design. TZL: Is there any news you care to share about anything else? MS: In 2014, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce voted us the Small Business of the Year at the 10th annual America’s Small Business Summit in Washington, D.C. That was a pretty big deal for us! TZL: Are you married? Do you have children? Pets? MS: I’ve been married to Sara for more than 20 years. She’s an environmental engineer. We have two children – a daughter in high school and a son in middle school – and a very energetic black lab. TZL: What’s one thing most people at the firm don’t know about you? MS: I went to college on a music scholarship. I played the pi- ano and trombone. I believe tapping into the left and right side of my brain has helped me to be an effective leader. TZL: What’s a favorite vacation spot? Do you have a dream destination? MS: We recently took a family trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was an amazing experience. I just love to travel, so my dream destination is just about anywhere that I can experi- ence new places and cultures. I’ve never been to Scandinavia or Africa and I’d love to visit the Himalayas. TZL: What’s the last book read? MS: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike . Phil Knight’s story illustrates how much success is dependent on grit and perseverance. TZL: What’s the last movie you saw? MS: I love old James Bond films. I think it was Moonraker . TZL: What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever gotten? MS: The people who are most successful keep showing up. TZL: Who is a leader you admire? MS: I’m fascinated by entrepreneurs. Two who come to mind are Richard Branson and Elon Musk. TZL: When you’re not working, what types of activities do you enjoy? MS: Hiking, trail running, fly fishing, and snowboarding – pretty much anything that gets me outdoors. My son and I are also on a quest to see a baseball game in every Major League ballpark, so we fit in baseball excursions whenever we can. TZL: What’s your favorite lunch? MS: Lunch with my kids – even if it’s just a sandwich in the school cafeteria – that’s the best.

THE ZWEIG LETTER October 17, 2016, ISSUE 1172

Made with FlippingBook Annual report