Lessons Learned From 100 Agenda-Free Business Lunches — With Lauren Hisey

Jason Montoya

00:00:00

Two in this Listen to Learn discussion. I'm chatting with repeat guest and business consultant Lauren Heise. Lauren, say hello.

Lauren Hisey

00:00:08

Hi.

Jason Montoya

00:00:10

Uh, listeners can check out my, uh, 2020 conversation with Lauren on episode 28 of the Share Life Podcast. In this conversation, um, we're talking about her mission to have a hundred lunches with a hundred people, and the lessons she learned along the way. She started in 2020, around when we first chatted, and, uh, I think I was one of the earlier lunches. And, uh, and so she has now finished these a hundred lunches two years later this summer. So in 2019, uh, Lauren, who is a continuous improvement specialist transition from corporate America working with Nielsen and at t before that to the entrepreneurial life as an independent coach and consultant, she works with business owners to rapidly get from where they are to where they want to be. And we originally connected through the organization, um, she's involved with called Kettering Executive Network. And, uh, I had actually spoken at one of their events, uh, about path of the freelancer and how to flourish as a freelancer during the pandemic. Um, well now she's finished her a hundred lunches and I wanted her to share the lessons she learned in the process. Her project is a similar one to what I did when I jumped into Lance and my recommended go-to approach for anyone jumping into entrepreneurship. So, Lauren, go ahead and start by telling us about this mission, when it started, when you finished, and why you began it to begin with.

Lauren Hisey

00:01:28

Uh, so, um, I, so how'd this started? This is back in 2020 when we couldn't go anywhere. <laugh>, the whole world kinda shut down <laugh>.

Jason Montoya

00:01:39

And you're, you're a new entrepreneur. Yeah,

Lauren Hisey

00:01:41

I was a new entrepreneur. I launched in 20, in 2019, and then a year later it's kind of like everything just kind of, everything just kind of stopped because nobody was, nobody was spending money, but I wasn't going to let that, I call it a small defeat now. Right. <laugh>? Yeah. The fact that it felt huge. Um, I, and so I figured I was up, oh no, I had participated in someone else's a hundred lunches and, um, I had met her through, um, another network I belonged to called Women and Lean. And, um, she's over in, I think the, I think she's in the uk. Um, and I forget what number I was of hers, but I love the concept. And then I was thinking, um, one day I was like, um, I was talking to my partner, uh, mine from Australia and I said, you know what, even though we can't see each other, we're doing a lot of, we were doing a lot of, uh, FaceTiming mm-hmm. <affirmative>.

Lauren Hisey

00:02:33

And, um, because it just was, you know, just because you can't see someone in person doesn't mean you can't see them, you know, like this and this. I think we all discovered that and we could all do that. So after I was, I'd whisper hard to someone's lunches and talked to my friend in Australia, I was like, you know what? I told my husband, I'm like, I know we can't go out to network, but that doesn't mean I can stop networking. And so I just, I asked one person to be, hey, to be part of my lunches. And then I started on my journey down that, um, I did a lot. So most of my lunches were all virtual, um, until about 20, 21 I think at, I'm trying to think, maybe springtime, but 2021 or maybe in the summer of 2021. Um, I, cause I remember my first lunch was with a gentleman from Kettering and his name was Carl.

Lauren Hisey

00:03:19

And uh, he said, would you be open to having lunch? That was the first, I think the second or third time was asked if I was okay, okayed and open to meeting lunch. And I said, yeah, Charlotte's get done. I had my vaccines and we're supposed to be starting to kick back out in the world. <laugh>. So since then, since 2021, my lunches have been both virtual and they have been both virtual and in person. Um, and I've, gosh, I've met, I've met so much amazing people I've met. The furthest away was two people from Australia and then, um, yeah, two people from Australia. And then I think I've had a bunch of people from, uh, over in the year in Europe as well. And then, but most majority have been here in the US probably cuz it's easier to do it based on the time differences.

Lauren Hisey

00:04:08

Um, and a lot of them lately have been in the Atlanta area just because of Kettering. Yeah. Um, I think it's great. I've been trying to do a lot of net, a lot more networking locally as well. Cause I was trying to get into more local businesses, but that doesn't stop me from, you know, meeting people from all over. Um, but, uh, the lessons I've learned, I think I've asked, I've had a few people ask me, they're gonna write a book and I'm like, oh, that's a lot. Right? <laugh>, I guess I get to compile all my lunch posts, tell a book. Um, but I've learned so many different things about different people and, um, I do these without any agenda, without any, it's more of me learning about other people and figuring out how I can help them. Right. Doing, doing something, pay it forward. Mm-hmm.

Jason Montoya

00:04:49

<affirmative>. Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:04:51

And, um, it's interesting to me, like I've met, um, people that I've known for probably maybe even a few years, didn't know enough about them to know who they really were. And once you start having lunch with them and you connect with them on a, on a different level versus of, so of it just being purely business, you get to meet them on a more personable level. And um, and I think that's how you develop great relationships. In fact, being an entrepreneur, people always asking me, how do you sell it? I'm like, I think, uh, that was one of the biggest things that got out. That's just learning how to talk to people and have, um, more of a relationship business with people as well. With a lot of my clients, instead of thinking my clients as just a client, I'm, it's, it's more how can I help them? And that's, I think the relationship business comes more in, comes into that when you work with your clients for a lengthy amount of time.

Jason Montoya

00:05:43

Yeah. So would you, would you say that was a change in yourself? Um, in terms of like the relational focus?

Lauren Hisey

00:05:49

Y Yeah, it was, it was, it was a, it was a change and um, it got me over being scared too. Right. So it's more of, uh, is always putting yourself that out there. I know like, uh, we were just talking about annual podcast and building things that way and it's just, uh, and it, I think I got over the hump of asking people to be part of my lunches. And then it's also made it a lot easier for me to talk to people just in general.

Jason Montoya

00:06:17

So Did, did, um, did people, the fact that you were going in into these meetings agenda free, um, I imagine some people appreciate it, but did some people kind of almost question it? Like, uh, you have an agenda you're just not telling me? Or like how did that kind of play out?

Lauren Hisey

00:06:33

I did have, I think I've had a couple people where, uh, especially if we just doing it over Zoom or a little, um, you did understand the concept at first. I said, no, there's no agenda. They, they were, they would ask me up until like, an hour, what's the agenda? I'm like, there's no <laugh>, nothing to prepare for. It's just about meeting people. <laugh> Yeah. And networking and figuring out how can I help you? It's not, you know, it's, I think sometimes when people network, they get the wrong thing about networking, trying to figure out, oh, she's just trying. It's just for her. But it's not, it's more about them than it is me.

Jason Montoya

00:07:07

Yeah. And that's, yeah, that's interesting cuz um, you know, when I was doing my, uh, my meetings, I did have, I remember one person, he was, um, he's like, so you, you just wanna get together to get to know each other. That's, that's it. <laugh>. Like, and he just couldn't, he had a hard time comprehending it. And so, um, I don't know, maybe is that the nature of we're just in such a transactional world that to be agenda free is, is almost an anomaly.

Lauren Hisey

00:07:33

I, I think it is. Especially in, I wanna say, I was gonna say more in the US and maybe, and actually I wanna expand that to be more North America as well, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I'm gonna include all of North America into that because I think here we're such a trend, like you said, we're very transactional. And so I sometimes people, especially depending on where part of the country you're from or if you're from even up in Canada, like depending on where you're from, um, I think people are always like, what's, what's the point? <laugh>, what, what do we, what's, what do we, what are they trying to get out of this? And it's, um, but where, when you talk to pe, when I talked to the people in Australia, um, well those two were actually a little bit different cuz they were, they already knew about the a hundred lunches. They, they had, they've been embarking on their own journeys. But then, and then people in and over in Europe, very, they understood that there was no agenda. Um, I think most of the folks out of Kettering are a little bit different because in Kettering we're not, it's always how can I help you? And that's, it's a very paid forward organization. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So that's, I think it's a little bit different concept too. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like I say, but it really depend on what part of the US people are from too

Jason Montoya

00:08:44

<laugh>. Oh, interesting.

Lauren Hisey

00:08:45

Yeah. It's, um, it's the, while people are like, oh, we're all, yes, we're all the same country, but each I what I've always told people that have, that have first, first come into the us um, I said, we're all different. Like, we're all the same, but we're all different. Like, yeah. Each area has its own difference. And where someone says, oh, the Florida's the south. I'm like, no, Floridas, so, I'm originally from Florida, I'm gonna tell you, Florida's not the south <laugh>. Florida's a melting pot <laugh>. And then, um, but j I live now that I live in Jor, like North Georgia, that's like the south, like people are like the south, the what they say that most people will welcome you in into their arms. And they say y'all all the time, <laugh> <laugh>. That's truly the thing. But then when you go, say if you go to, um, out west, it's a whole d that's a whole different culture too. That's, you know, just they, I mean they're, I wanna say they're probably a lot more relaxed than some of us over here. <laugh>. So <laugh>.

Jason Montoya

00:09:40

Yeah. So, I mean, how did the pandemic play into this, particularly the first year? I mean, it's, uh, that's in the middle of it. I mean, obviously that helps in terms of doing virtual meetings. People are more open to it. Um, did you, how, how, what do you, what are your thoughts on, and just in terms of that season, um, and as it related to your a hundred lunches.

Lauren Hisey

00:10:01

Okay. Yeah. So I, I started it cause I knew that there was a way for us to network without having to meet people. Um, and so I think all of us were, uh, I think all of, I think I wasn't the only one that felt like, oh, like isolated, right? Yeah. So I was like, all right, you can't just be isolated. Uh, so I took it, I started to take that as, um, I took 2020 as a year to grow. And so that was one of the ways that I grew was getting out there and just, um, putting myself out there, getting to meet people and, um, yeah. Just getting to meet people. Cause there's no reason why we couldn't talk to people. Yeah. Like you said. Um,

Jason Montoya

00:10:38

And how, how much of a stretch or outside of your bubble or comfort zone was that for you?

Lauren Hisey

00:10:43

Uh, the first 20 were, was a stretch because I was reaching out to people who had never really talked to before. Yeah. And so, um, and I was very adamant at first when I started this. It was with people who I didn't really know. Yeah. Um, very well. And then I, and then I've had some people along the way who I have known for a while, but it was a way to re I hadn't talked to mines and we reconnect. I had them as part of my lunches to reconnect. Mm. So, um, it was, um, so it was, it was great. It was great, um, both ways cuz people got to know, know more about me, but that got to know about them. And, um, by doing a lot of those connections, I've, I've had, I've met with some, I've met with some CEOs and I'm like, and the, you know, and the, the, uh, advice they gave me was absolutely amazing. I learned so much from them. I learned from C and there's, I think I had some CFOs, some CIOs. I've had small business owners. I've had peers.

Jason Montoya

00:11:37

<laugh>. Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:11:38

I've had, uh, I had an old, um, one of my old bosses from at and t I had an old friend. So yeah. It, it or just people that I knew at Nielsen who I haven't really ever connected who I knew but didn't really connect with. Yeah. And so I learned, um, I learned so much about people that way and I got to learn about how to ask questions. But I also, the biggest thing was learning, was learning to listen without reacting. I think that's one of the biggest things. It's still very hard for me to do, but learning to listen without reacting is a bit with one big thing that I learned as well.

Jason Montoya

00:12:13

Yeah. Listening. What, what I guess dive into that a little bit more listening without reacting.

Lauren Hisey

00:12:18

Yeah. So, um, as a continu, so I u I was used to be really good. I'm, I'm good about that when I do my consultant work, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I'm very good at job just listening without really responding. But then I realized, um, when I first started networking and when I first started, um, I even in my personal life, like, you know, when you're just talking with my husband <laugh>, like, I, I always have to like, feel like I have to react to what people are saying. And I'm like, you know what? There's no reason why to do that. And I always felt a little stressed out about it and I'm like, ah, it's just go with it with this more casual. So it's just, it's uh, what's the same like, uh, you were given two years and one mouth for everything, right? <laugh>.

Jason Montoya

00:13:00

Yeah. So the idea of listening to learn versus listening to answer, listening to when the conversation or whatever it might be. Right?

Lauren Hisey

00:13:08

Right. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. And, and I was gonna say, and, and that's helped lot to meet with she, when it comes to even just talking with perspective clients and my clients themselves, when you're first going in and having the conversations is, I always ask 'em, what's the, what's your problem? Uh, like what's your business problem or what's keeping you up at night? And that gives me, I have also learned to, and the sales me, I don't need to have an a right. An answer right away. Mm-hmm. Unless they ask. It's just more about me learning.

Jason Montoya

00:13:36

So what do you think that is? Like what's, why are you compelled to, to wanna give them that when what you're you're saying is I don't need to give them that? What, what's, what is it that's going on in you that's making you wanna do that?

Lauren Hisey

00:13:49

Um, probably cuz I just like to help people. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I think that's probably the biggest thing. I mean, that's, uh, that's why I love what I do. I love helping people. Um, and they, and I think, you know, each one of us are as consultants and freelancers, whatever that we do, we each have our own thing that we try to help solve. And at the end of the day, I think we all, at least me, I just wanna help someone. And the only way for me to do that is to tru understand what the problem is. Yeah. So I have to list it. I have to listen first before I can help them solve their problems.

Jason Montoya

00:14:21

Yeah. Yeah. Now you mentioned, like me meeting people all around the world. So this is kind of an interesting shift from local networking to sort of virtual networking where all of a sudden you're meeting people around, um, the United States and in different parts of different countries. So what, what would you, uh, kind of highlight about that dynamic that was refreshing or restricting or something else?

Lauren Hisey

00:14:46

Um, I think the biggest refreshing was just learning, uh, learning about different people and living and learning about the different parts of the world actually. Um, it's, it's interesting to learn how we are all the same, but also, uh, we're similar but we're not at the same time. And learning about the different cultures from people are from, I mean, there's even people here in the US that are originally from other parts of the world that I've met. And it was interesting to learn how they grew up, you know, what they did. And, um, while some of the stuff that we, we would do as children would be similar, it was also vastly different too. So it was k I think that was the interesting thing was learning about the different cultures, learning about people themselves, learning about where they live. And it's kind of put a lot more on my travel, my travel list than I wanna go to now. <laugh>,

Jason Montoya

00:15:38

<laugh> all the places you wanna visit that maybe you hadn't even considered visiting.

Lauren Hisey

00:15:41

Exactly. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah.

Jason Montoya

00:15:44

So, um, you know, you're doing a hundred lunches over two years. Um, was it, uh, was it, I I can kind of imagine like at some point in the beginning, you know, you're wondering like, what am I doing? I'm crazy <laugh>. Um, or maybe towards the end it's like you're at 80 and you're like, oh man, this, this has been a good run. Do I need to finish? Did you feel any of those things or were you kind of like committed to to it from beginning to end without any doubts?

Lauren Hisey

00:16:13

Um, I was committed to it from, to the, uh, from the beginning to end, but it did take longer than I thought it would because I had to pull back the frequency I was doing it at. Um, at first, um, when I, when I was starting to rebrand and looking for more clients, cuz 2020 is a little hard because like I said, um, people weren't spending money right at first. So I had some free time in my hand. So I used that as a learning learning period and get it in building brand awareness. Yeah. Um, so I was doing a lot at first. It, then as I started to get toward the end of 2020, you know, clients started to pick up again. The client works hard pick up again. So I had to kind of draw it back where I was only doing maybe, um, one or two a month versus saying like four or five.

Jason Montoya

00:16:56

Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:16:57

Yeah.

Jason Montoya

00:16:57

And then, so, so yeah. Well, so on that front, how, how did it affect business then?

Lauren Hisey

00:17:03

Um, it did help build brand awareness. Like, I think, uh, people got to know who I was and know what I did and, you know, I got a lot more followers on LinkedIn that way.

Jason Montoya

00:17:13

<laugh>, yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:17:13

Or just in social media in general. Um, so it, uh, it did help generate who I was. And, and so that was, that was a good brand awareness building. And then, um, it, so it did help with the, with business a lot.

Jason Montoya

00:17:26

Yeah. And did you find that it was people that you were literally meeting with? Or was it more like, um, connections of those connections?

Lauren Hisey

00:17:34

Uh, both. Yeah. It's probably both of those. Both of those. Yeah. And they always say you never, you never know who you're gonna meet and who might be your client one day.

Jason Montoya

00:17:43

<laugh>. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's funny cuz um, yeah, I've, I've had some of those kind of agenda free, uh, relationship building meetings and lunches and then, uh, you know, a couple years later they're like, Hey, I wanna work with you. You know? Yeah. Yeah. So I've had, I've had those for sure. And, um, and then other times it might be a referral. Um, uh, you know, it just, it just depends. So,

Lauren Hisey

00:18:06

Yeah, that's always, see in 2020, a lot of my stuff came from referrals. And then same in 2021. Um, yeah, a lot of 'em came from referrals or also just need to also just, you know, just hammering away at it. I guess not, hammering is not the best way. Knocking on doors there go knocking on doors, <laugh>.

Jason Montoya

00:18:24

So was it, um, you mentioned, you know, having to pull it back on the number of lunches, which slowed down your pacing. Were there any other shifts you had to make just in terms of like, taking care of the clients you had and, and continuing this mission and, um, any other lessons on that front?

Lauren Hisey

00:18:42

Um, I just say, you know what, at the end of the day, um, trying to balance all of that. Yeah. It's a little, it's a little hard because, you know, you, I I have to, you know, when I sign clients, I'm very, um, focused on my clients. When I get them. I give them our all because that's why, you know, that's one of the things I, I wanna make sure that they get what I wanna make sure they're getting the value that they expect. Yeah. So, but then, um, but then when you tell them, Hey, um, I can't, you know, I'm gonna be out of pocket for a couple hours, to be honest, they don't really, uh, and you tell them, you know, and then they find out what you've been doing. A lot of them find it like, oh wow, that's great. Never thought about that.

Lauren Hisey

00:19:23

Yeah. Um, and then, um, cause there's also times, you know, I'll go speak at, um, that through one of my lunches, I ended up, I ended up being a professor at the University of North Georgia. Um, and I do a lot, uh, he asked me a lot of times to come like, once this measure to come up and talk. So that's usually like an all day affair and people are like, okay, that's, I'm like, I'm gonna be gone for this amount of time, if anything like, comes up crazy, you know, just give me a call and we can, we'll talk about it. Uh, but you're still expecting to respond right away, but you gonna tell you no one's. It's, uh, everyone understands that, you know, you got life outside of work. Right. <laugh>, I guess the best way to put it,

Jason Montoya

00:20:03

<laugh>. So while you're on that note, tell everyone why they should be a freelancer or a consultant

Lauren Hisey

00:20:09

<laugh>, why should they? Because you get to help people <laugh> and it's a lot of fun. <laugh>.

Jason Montoya

00:20:14

Yeah. Uh, what are the, what are the perks that you like that are different than your corporate background?

Lauren Hisey

00:20:21

Um, I think the biggest perks is working with clients that are ready to, that are ready to, that are ready to go. Right. So a lot of times when I work at worked in corporate, a lot of saw a lot of, um, red tape mm-hmm. <affirmative> a lot of times. And so when cl uh, cl prospective clients start talking to you, one, they're, they're either when you, when the respective clients you start to figure out, um, are are they really ready? And if they are, then you, you know, when, when they're ready to sign on the dotted line or two, they may not just be ready, but they, maybe they need a little coaching with some strategy or help there. So that helps build and then that helps with the business development. Um, I think it's, you get to meet a lot new people outside it. Like when you work in corporate, you kind of just aren't just meeting with people within your company, but when you're outside of corporate, you get to meet people from all different areas and all different industries.

Jason Montoya

00:21:12

Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:21:13

Um, and I think it's just, it's, uh, I think it's, I find it, uh, while I used to find the work, I did the same work in cor in Nielsen. At at t it was really rewarding. I think here it's a lot more rewarding than it was beforehand.

Jason Montoya

00:21:27

Yeah. That's cool. So, so you're doing these a hundred meetings. Um, what are the things you're doing that are also, um, helping you? And, and so, you know, I saw your social media post, Hey, this is lunch number 12 or 35 or 97. Um, were you, how, how did that play into it and did you do other things like blog or other activities?

Lauren Hisey

00:21:48

Um, so yeah, I write about all, I do write about all those lunches. Um, I do write a lot of articles for, I do write articles. I haven't read anything for my own site lately. I should probably get back into that. But I do, I have been doing blogs, but I've been doing a lot more for a pub, like some publications once a quarter, um, where I write for some other firms Yeah. That I might partner with. So I do a lot of, I do a lot of that. Um, that's pretty much what I've been doing or in the social media posts. Right. Blast and post and this. And, and I do send out a, so I do send out a newsletter, try to send it out once a week. Um, yeah. Sometimes, you know, life gets in the way and it might be every two weeks or once a month,

Jason Montoya

00:22:29

But <laugh> Okay. Yeah. That, that email is important. Yeah. The, with the social, how did the social posts play into all this?

Lauren Hisey

00:22:36

Um, to be the, so the social posts between, um, a continued improvement stuff. And, um, I also do like a happy Monday and a Friday. I kind of tether back into continued improvement, but, um, it are doing the lunches posts as well. Um, it's interesting. I don't know people, I was like, are people really reading the stuff? But then I find out people are reading it and they'll reach out to me. So as I started getting closer to a hundred, um, it's interesting, I've had so many people that wanted to be part of my lunches that have excited to expanded into 200. We'll see how that goes. <laugh>. Yeah. Um, that might take another two years, but, um, or may take longer, who knows? Or less. Um, but, uh, people are really, really interested in being a part of that and learning how do you do that?

Lauren Hisey

00:23:21

In fact, I've had, um, I've had two people reach out to me that have landed in new positions in leadership, um, higher up in the asked how they wanna know how what I did and what I do, so that they can do get to know their, um, people that are now working for them. Yeah. So they can do that as well. Like, like no agenda, just to, to get to know them better and create that, uh, relationship because, um, as we starting to find out, it's not always a leader telling the employee what to do. It's more of a, it is a very much of a two-way street and it's going into more of that. So I've had some people ask me about that. I've, and I've had some other people that launched their own. So that thought it was a super neat to do.

Jason Montoya

00:24:06

Yeah. That's interesting. I mean, did you, did you find that you almost, uh, had a following of people that were like, go like, almost like a marathon? Go Lauren. Go

Lauren Hisey

00:24:15

Lauren <laugh>. I did. Yeah, I did. I did <laugh>. In fact, I think I, I think of my surprise a few people that, like you said, when you got to the ado, I, it's been good, Ryan, I'm done. I find, uh, some people thought like, were surprised when I got tole hundred and they, I'm like, we, we were rooting for you, but we weren't sure if you're gonna do it <laugh>. I'm like, oh yeah, I'm gonna do it <laugh>. In fact, did you, go ahead.

Jason Montoya

00:24:37

Go ahead. Did you inspire anyone else? Uh, did anyone else go in? I had do this a hundred lunch thing.

Lauren Hisey

00:24:42

Yeah. I've had a few people that that started their own that I've had lunches with.

Jason Montoya

00:24:45

Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:24:46

Yeah. It's been interesting.

Jason Montoya

00:24:48

<laugh>. Yeah. Well, I think it, the other thing that comes to mind is sort of this idea of letting go of control. I, I don't, do you relate to that at all in terms of this, this experience?

Lauren Hisey

00:24:59

Yeah. Yeah. 100% <laugh> letting go. It's almost, uh, just, you know, it's hard. I think as individuals, a lot of us like to control what's going on, but we can't control everything that's going on in the world. And I think the hundred lunches taught me that as well. Well, the pandemic first taught me that, but then I realized, you know what I, if I can only control what I can control. Yeah. So that, I think the a hundred lunches helped with that. So I'm like, okay, yeah, the world might be, feels like it's going crazy, but at the same time, all I could do is control how it, how I react to it. And that's how I was reacting to it. Just growing and learning.

Jason Montoya

00:25:34

Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's fun. How were the, when you started doing lunches in person, did it, did it feel good? Was it weird? Uh, how did, how did that play out?

Lauren Hisey

00:25:44

Um, I, so at first, um, my first in-person lunch, uh, I was so super excited just to go out to lunch. I think I got a little overdressed <laugh> because it was like, I get to go, I'm going out to lunch. This is, this is great. And,

Jason Montoya

00:25:58

Uh, it's a big deal. <laugh>

Lauren Hisey

00:25:59

Meet and I think, you know what, in fact, weeks later, I wanna, I went on, uh, we, like we, we had been traveling, like we haven't really traveled, but then we started traveling a little bit more, a little bit more. And then I think after that lunch I went, um, I went away for a long weekend. Yeah. And I was like, oh, so good to get out and just see people. I'm a I'm an extrovert person. Yeah. So, um, getting out and seeing people I liked, it's, it's a lot of fun to do that. So, yeah.

Jason Montoya

00:26:27

Were there any, uh, particular milestones that stuck out just along the way or any kind of moments or, or events or tipping points?

Lauren Hisey

00:26:36

Um, I would say, so having the first and person lunch was a good milestone. Um, getting to the 50 was a good milestone. Um, some of the, uh, people that gave me some really good avi, I mean, there's some really good people that gave me some really good advice and that I've, that I've kept in touch with, obviously has been a good one. Um, knowing that there's some people that if I have questions about anything, I know I can go ask them. So I think it's the relationships. And then of course the 100 was fun. I, uh, was a, it was ad from Kettering. He, uh, he didn't know he was my 100 lunch, so, mm.

Jason Montoya

00:27:13

<laugh>. So how did Kettering play a role in this? Or, or how much of a role did it play?

Lauren Hisey

00:27:19

Um, so Kettering helps.

Jason Montoya

00:27:20

And what is Kettering for those that don't know what, what it's,

Lauren Hisey

00:27:22

Yeah. Yes. So Kettering is, um, is an executive network in the Atlanta area. Um, I think we have, so I'm member being Mark chair. I should notice, I think we have like 350 active members. Um, the way it works is, you know, once you're a member, you're always going to be a member. Um, it, but if you become, you become in, if you don, you know, if you don't pay your due, you become inactive. But you still have that network of people that you know, cuz you, um, but Kettering is, if I p pick up the phone and someone knows I'm a Kettering member, they're mo they're gonna pick up the phone and, and meet with me. Meaning that if I have a question or I've, you know, just have a question or if there's something that, um, I need some help with or anything, I know if that person belongs to catering, they're gonna help me out. Yeah. Along the way. Um, and that's what it is. It's, it's, it's a, like I said, it's a very pay, it's a very pay it forward organization. Um, we're very Ellie, in order to become a member, you have to be sponsored. Um, we do have some criteria that we do like to have people meet, but, um, but, uh, so the first time, my first experience, um, I remember walking in and I'm like, everyone's coming home telling my husband. I'm like, everyone is so nice, <laugh>.

Lauren Hisey

00:28:41

I'm like, that's a little different. I wasn't used to that. And, um, and that's what it is. Everyone's, everyone's really, really nice. And in fact, I've been out and seen people and we're like, oh, hey, how are you doing? You know, in fact, um, probably about a year and a half ago, my dad was visiting up from, it was up here visiting from Florida, and we happened to be at a lake, uh, lake, it's called, um, lake Lanier. It's one of the lakes here. And, um, we were going to a restaurant on the water. And standing in front of me was, at the time the president of Kettering,

Jason Montoya

00:29:13

<laugh> <laugh>.

Lauren Hisey

00:29:14

I got to introduce them to all of my family, you know, my family and stuff. So I was like, yeah. Like see how nice They're

Jason Montoya

00:29:20

<laugh> <laugh>. That's cool. What, uh, so when you think about community building, like how much of a role did this play in cultivating your community, growing it? How do you feel about community differently than you, than you did before?

Lauren Hisey

00:29:35

Yeah, so, um, uh, so building a community. So, um, I think they used used to always say, uh, here, is it your tribe? Right? People always talk about their tribes <laugh>. Um, and so that kind of equates into community in my mind. Um, so it wasn't like, so, um, I was able to build a community of people that I know that I have a pool of people now that if I do have questions or if I need some advice or something, I know I could go to them. Um, cause I feel like I have like a hundred new friends, <laugh> Yeah. And they do try to keep in touch with people as much as possible. I, it, it is very hard to keep in touch with a lot of people. Yeah. Um, but it's been, um, it, it, yeah. Having that community is, is a, is a huge thing.

Lauren Hisey

00:30:18

It's, uh, I always think, I know there's people on LinkedIn that have probably 10,000 followers. I think I'm up to like 4,500. Yeah. Which I think is a really good number. And I'm like, <laugh>. And I, and, and that's one thing I, I would, I'm seeing people with these vast number people. I'm like, are they really connected with them? I mean, okay. Yeah. It's, there's somehow there that are just, they're big influencers and I know they're always gonna have a big falling, but I always, but I feel like community is a big thing. And so if you get to know your people on a more personable level, it's a little bit different than just having Yeah. Thousands of people who really don't know.

Jason Montoya

00:30:51

Yeah. So what c like when you think about trends, like whether they're technology or business, like, did you notice any shifts, um, through your a hundred lunches, um, that were noticeable in terms of just the change in the world and how, how, uh, technology and business affect it?

Lauren Hisey

00:31:10

Um, so that's, you know, it's kind of plays into what I, what I do and what I help clients with. Right. So with continued proven, so business process improvement and then also adding technology into that. Um, I think it's interesting. I've met with people that were like af that were scared of technology and I think, um, I think my biggest thing that I always try to tell people is like, don't be afraid of it. It's just here to help us. It's not gonna take, it's not gonna be, uh, a terminator take over the world.

Jason Montoya

00:31:37

<laugh>, <laugh>, no. Yeah. Well, it's, if, if we use it as a vehicle for some purpose, it, it can be a good, and I think we get, we get, we can get stuck in the idea that it becomes about the technology and that's where we get ourselves in trouble.

Lauren Hisey

00:31:50

Yeah. And it's, what's interesting though is I've, some of the people that I've met that are involved in technology, um, under, uh, you believe it or not, they, they understand that like it's, it's a vehicle to make people's lives easier. And I think as the world has changed, I think a lot of people want to find ways for them not at work all the time. Like, so that's what I love. Helping businesses help change and help Yeah. Uh, create an environment that's with problem solvers. That, that, but also taking away the mundane tasks. Right. So I think business leaders are seeing that our team, that they need to talk to their employees more and that they have to be more, a bit more transparent and seem to take that technology is okay now. And I think a lot of people got more comfortable with virtual meetings because it was a way of, that's the, the only way we could do business for a while.

Lauren Hisey

00:32:40

We weren't allowed to go visit in person. In fact, I mean, wasn't it just this year that's a lot of the covid restrictions are finally being dropped within the past three to six months. So people understand that it's okay to meet virtually and then once, um, maybe it's the, the best way to do things is to do things virtually for a while and then, um, and then meet in person every once in a while. You don't have to meet person all the time. So, um, even though I still think some of the bigger corporations are going back into that mode of we need to have everybody in the office and they see that people don't want that. They, they wanna have the, the ability to choose what's fright for their, for their life, which is a big thing. I think work-life balance has become a big thing for people.

Jason Montoya

00:33:27

Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:33:28

So I'm gonna see, we're just gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially with this, uh, financial stuff that's going on in the world right now too.

Jason Montoya

00:33:35

Yeah. Yeah. It's a wild, wild ride. We're on the boat in the middle of an ocean with the stormy weather <laugh>.

Lauren Hisey

00:33:41

Yeah, we are, we are. It's gonna be interesting to see how you, how people embrace it. In fact, um, just, I'm gonna see just the organizations here in Atlanta. Um, just knowing who the big, who the big corporations are. Some of them are, we're trying to bring people back in the office and then they realize they can't do that. Cuz nobody wants to go sit in an office for five days a week. It's just not, it's not something

Jason Montoya

00:34:08

We can do. Yeah. And I know people that moved, right? Yeah. They couldn't go back. Even if they were forced to <laugh>. Yeah. They'd rather quit than, than move back, you know?

Lauren Hisey

00:34:16

Oh yeah. I know a lot of people. Like that's you. Um, I know a lot of people that have done that or said, Hey, we, uh, no, we're not, I'm not moving from here. This is where my family is. This is, my kids are like, they're realizing, you know, kids are more important than the job too. So if their kids are say a sophomore in high school, there's no reason to move them. Let them finish that out. And that's having a remote, being able to be remit virtual is a good thing. That's why I said, I think we might start to see, we're still seeing some struggles and the balance of that, but I think it's gonna come better as things go on. Especially with our, if there's a recession, people are like, Hey, you know what, maybe we don't need to have everyone in person all the time. <laugh>

Jason Montoya

00:34:56

<laugh>. Yeah. There's benefits. Um, so what about, uh, like your ideal customer? Like who's, who's the type of businesses that you like and work best with?

Lauren Hisey

00:35:09

Um, I usually work, so I work, um, from anywhere I, we used, so my smallest customer had 50 pe um, me think 50 people. Um, I worked with, um, a small business around like that, around the small medium, about that sides to, uh, fortune five hundreds. So, um, I work with what I do. It just depends on what they're looking for. Um, a lot of times it's just going in and doing, figuring out where, where the inefficiencies are in the process. And usually sometimes we just start very, very small. Sometimes I, I come in and they know they need, they have this really big problem and I gotta help 'em with that. So it's, it's, it's, it's a broad of things of where I work. Um, what

Jason Montoya

00:35:51

Are, what are some of the, what are some of the pain points or problems that, that tend to stick out?

Lauren Hisey

00:35:56

Uh, a lot of the big, uh, it depends on a lot of things. So like, you know, I've had, I've done some work in account in the account in the accounting areas, our finance areas of companies. And this isn't, this is, um, industry agnostic, but where they've had, um, it's there it takes, there's a lot of manual tasks, right? Allowing, collecting payments. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and that also kind of falls into doing into payroll as well. Like a lot of exceptions, a lot of manual exceptions. But going in and saying, okay, does, do you really need to be doing that check all the time? Or is that really, is that really efficient way of doing things? So finding the best practices and applying that in efficiencies. Mm. Um, but it's not me telling them what to do. It's more of me doing assessment, figuring out what's like process.

Lauren Hisey

00:36:46

Usually something simple as process mapping. Sometimes I'm just sitting there to see how long it takes and just, yeah. Having a conversation with people to know what they do on their, what they do, and then putting the pieces of the puzzle together so they understand what that, what that looks like. And then also understanding what their customers are experiencing. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and a customer is, is internal and external. And then bringing everybody together and figuring out toge and helping them understand how the, how to learn and how to problem solve. So, like I said, it's just, it's just me guiding them through this whole process and helping them and, and maybe asking the right questions along the way and listening. And then, um, and then understanding what the root causes are. Sometimes we look at data for that, like doing some statistical analysis, data analysis, and then having them pinpoint how do they solve that.

Lauren Hisey

00:37:36

The best problem, the miss, uh, solutions come from the people doing the work themselves. Yeah. And I always tell, I always tell my clients, cause I always usually how the first conversation is with the leaders. Yeah. And I just say, let's, they're gonna have the best, they're gonna have the best solutions. I guess. I might have some best practices that I could apply, but I want them to see what they have first. And I would tell you a lot of times this best practices as people already know what to do mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, they just didn't feel empowered enough to, to maybe say something. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So when I run, so when I do,

Jason Montoya

00:38:08

So you're helping them to voice, voice their opinion to disagree when it's appropriate.

Lauren Hisey

00:38:13

Right. Exactly. Yeah. It's really, it's really just about, and it's, it's funny, it's a lot of times it's, it just takes getting people together and start talking mm-hmm. <affirmative> and once getting it into one room, or it can be, it could be in person, it can be into our virtual room, whatever. It's, it's a lot of times it's just um, breaking down those silos and getting just people to talk mm-hmm. <affirmative> and to be Go ahead.

Jason Montoya

00:38:35

Well, I was gonna say that that tells me that they're not doing, there's not enough listening happening.

Lauren Hisey

00:38:39

<laugh>. Right. They're right. The, it is, communication is a huge thing. Um, and it happens across, it's not, um, it's not just at the Fortune 500 level. It is at the smallest, at the lower levels as well. Um, cuz people are protective about their jobs. They wanna make sure that, um, at the end of the day, most people wanna provide value into what they do. Um, they, because you know what you spend what, eight hours a day working, at least, you know, it depends on what you do, but that's where you spend a good chunk of your day Yeah. Is working. And usually the biggest selling point for me is I'm just coming in here as a third person to help you. But at the end of the day, we just, I wanna give you, make your work, make your life easier. Right. I wanna help you solve these problems and figure out the best way for you to do the work so you're not ha so you don't have to work over time. Yeah. So you can go back, have that life work balance so you can spend more time with your family. Yeah. That's usually a huge thing when, especially when it comes to change management, I think it's a huge spot. I get you get buy-in that way a lot easier.

Jason Montoya

00:39:37

Yeah. So you're helping these clients with automation and streamlining processes. How do you contrast that with this, with your relationship building and community building that you've done? Like how does automation and streamlining tie into or, uh, um, create problems and when it comes to relationships?

Lauren Hisey

00:39:56

Um, you know what, I don't think it creates problems. I think it actually helps it. Uh, yeah. And that's what, yeah. So especially, especially when people see that, um, I'm there to there to help. So the relationship building, I'm able to take what I've learned from my lunches and I was able to play it with my clients. Right. Yeah. Just like listening. And um, and what's funny is, uh, a lot of times when I go into like, just listening, trying to do the assessments, like the current state assessments to see what they, what the problems, where the, figure out where the problems are and then listen to people before I bring them all together in a group. I like to meet with them all individually or in smaller groups. Um, a lot of times they, I just sit there and listen. I'm like, I'm just here to learn what you do on a daily basis. What is your process? I don't wanna, because a lot of times, uh, I don't wanna look at old process maps. I like to know what they're doing today because I'm be honest, what's might have been mapped out three, even just three months ago is not usually relevant today. Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:40:58

Or Yeah, go ahead. Say or they don't share what exactly it they're doing cuz they were scared.

Jason Montoya

00:41:03

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. It's interesting you say all that cuz uh, you know, just recently Elon Busk finally bought Twitter. Yeah. And I was, I was thinking about that. I thought, you know, if he was smart he would probably take several months just listening before he changed anything <laugh>. Yeah. And we'll, we'll see if, if he does that. But, but I think that's a big part of it is just listening, understanding before, before changing. Right.

Lauren Hisey

00:41:30

Yeah. Yeah. I've, and I've done that to you. I've had people that I've known in my network that have made me moved or transitioned into a new company. Um, and a lot of times they'll come and start talking to me and I said, I usually, my advice to them is, let's talk again within a like in 90 to 180 days mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, I can come in and help you a little bit with strategy. I, uh, for me to try and go make changes without you really know what's going on. So sometimes they will bring me in just to learn what's going on. Yeah. Not make changes and then the changes will come probably six months later. Yeah. But a lot of times it's, um, it's me just going in and just learning to help them learn so that they have a true assessment, what's going on. But even then that's a little hard, especially if they just started because you know, they're like, oh wait, who's this person coming in? <laugh>?

Jason Montoya

00:42:19

Yeah.

Lauren Hisey

00:42:20

<laugh>. So sorry. Should say, let's, let's wait. You know, bring me in about 90 days in and then that's, that way you can develop your relationships with your people a little bit better.

Jason Montoya

00:42:29

Yeah. Yeah. So looking back at these a hundred lunches, any anything else you'd wanna lessons learned? Anything you'd else you'd wanna highlight that we haven't already talked about?

Lauren Hisey

00:42:40

Uh, biggest lesson learned is just getting out there and meeting people and just becoming comfortable with it. And, um, I've always told people this, um, especially people, um, I mentor, um, don't just stick to your industry or stick to your company. Just be open to meeting people from d from all over. Um, it's, especially cuz you never, because you never know. Right. In this day and age, it's i what you might be doing in one industry connection, be done in a different industry. Um, and I would say just be, just have those connections and keep up with those connections. Yeah. Those are the biggest things I would, that I've learned.

Jason Montoya

00:43:17

Cool. So, uh, on that front, like how would you, how would you say, what is the difference between creating connections and maintaining them? Like what does that look like practically?

Lauren Hisey

00:43:26

Oh, the difference. Maintain, uh, so creating connections is just going out and meeting people, but then, um, a lot of times, well, the old days, right? We used to get the, we used to get those business cards, <laugh>. I think now a lot of people could just like do it, right? They'll do it virtually and do it at LinkedIn and even though I still get business cards now. Um, but it's actually, uh, the first step integrating that connection and maintaining it is, you know, is sending a note on, hi, nice to meet you. We met at such and such event, or I met you through this person and maybe highlighting something that I do. Um, and then keeping up with those people, right. Maybe once a quarter. It could even be once every six months. It depends on Yeah. How busy you are, right? Just dropping a note or if you follow them on LinkedIn, just, you know, commenting on stuff or if the, you see like, you know, LinkedIn's really good about letting you know about people's birthdays,

Jason Montoya

00:44:19

<laugh> <laugh>,

Lauren Hisey

00:44:21

Um, just things like that. Right. Just create and just always reaching out in, in those ways. Or if you saw something like, um, I've done this before, especially with other people, people that are in consulting that are in a different area of consulting. Like, I've had some people that do financial consulting or are, uh, fractional CFOs. I've, I've, I've come across things where I know people need help and I'm like, I connect them. I'm like, I try to try to keep those people in mind. Like, Hey, I, yeah, this is something that might be of interest to you. Go take a look. Or yeah, if I read an article or a book or something.

Jason Montoya

00:44:54

Yeah. That's cool. Anything else?

Lauren Hisey

00:44:57

Um, that's pretty much about it. Yeah. I think it's just, just being open to connect with people and just, uh, and just always being, being, uh, just being open. Don't be so cool as mind. Just be open-minded.

Jason Montoya

00:45:08

Yeah. How can people connect with you? Uh, um, where are you located on the social media's

Lauren Hisey

00:45:15

Websites? Internet? Yeah, so LinkedIn is, I'm on LinkedIn. Um, I'm also on Instagram, but, um, it just look for Lauren Heisey or Lauren Heisey Consulting. Um, you can go to my website. The best way to get to my website, I do have just, just go to lauren heisey.com and that'll, that'll, yeah. Links over to my other website,

Jason Montoya

00:45:34

<laugh>. Cool. And, and then, uh, if they wanna sign up to your newsletter, I assume that's on there as well.

Lauren Hisey

00:45:39

Uh, yeah, the best way to sign for my, me, you know, what I need to automate is you talk about automation and technology, I need to automate that, but it's on my to-do list. But, um, if they wanna get on my newsletter, just they drop me, um, connected me on my website. Um, there's a, uh, contact us there that I'll, that sends me an email or they can connect with me pr send me direct message on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Jason Montoya

00:46:02

Cool. Well thank you so much Lauren, for sharing, uh, your life with us today.

Lauren Hisey

00:46:06

Oh, thanks for having me on again, Jason, I'm so excited to see you. Reach a hundred. So.