I would walk through the designer handbag department of Bloomingdale’s once a week and listen to the customers speaking foreign languages. I was always creative and willing to be in advance of the crowds. In my business, I’ve pivoted-is anyone else getting sick of that word?-to the next opportunity by listening. Today, I could look at anyone in that company and think they would be less good if they were working somewhere else and not here. If I hadn’t done that, my company would have lost its charisma and its ability to build great people. You need a system to pick it up, recognize, and grandstand it. It’s important to put those recognition systems in place, because a leader can’t be there to recognize every good deed once they have a staff of 500. I use recognition every point along the way to build and reinforce those behaviors I want to grow. People expect raises, but a surprise bonus that immediately acknowledges something well done is powerful in encouraging that behavior in the future. Recognition is a more powerful paintbrush than all the raises in the world. That was my attitude-and what I got for it was extreme loyalty-because my people knew I had their backs every day. And you do everything in your power to spoil them. You have to think of it as if you work for those people. As the boss, having the right headset, or mindset, is crucial. The goal of every great manager is to have each team member fully blossom and bring the most to the business. Nobody saw that coming! That’s called trusting your gut. So I bought a third of their business, and to date they’ve done over $250 million in sales. But something in my gut said to give these guys a shot. They didn’t know what their product cost to make, they didn’t know what to sell it for or who to sell it to. Their answers to our questions were atrocious.
One was unemployed, the other was a photographer, and they were pitching a wearable blanket with a hood. A few years ago, two guys walked onto the set and we didn’t know how they got through to Shark Tank. I look at someone and think: If there were a war and I had to throw my young kid into their arms for safety, would my kid be OK? That’s how I trust my gut. When you think about your gut, it’s the accumulation of everything you’ve lived in your life. Everyone has a gut feeling-we are all smart enough to size someone up the moment we meet them.
So we will need this much money.” That’s what guided me.
The first third will be productive right away, the next third may take six months to get there, and the last third won’t be productive for about a year. I can visualize the big picture and say, “We’re opening an office of 80 people. I never let go of that image, and I built my business toward it, again and again and again. I visualized the clothing I would wear, the office we would build, and the team around me asking questions that I’d answer. Visualization is my gift, and that dream inspired my business plan. I took on the tone in my voice and grew the dream in my head. When I heard pink, it felt fancy, so I said “I’ll take it!” I picked up that phone and I just saw myself as the queen of real estate. When the phone company installed my landline, they offered me a few colored options. When I was starting out in my career on a sublease desk, I’m not sure exactly what gave me the vision that one day I’d be the queen of real estate-but it had something to do with a pink princess phone. IN THIS STORY Your gut has years of wisdom Treat your team as if you work for them Listening can help grow business The workplace has a new function New York City will always bounce back
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