Russ Hutchinson’s Post

Annual Summer shut down. I know I know the world doesnt stop spinning and all that jazz, but below is a nice example of trailblazing practices that we should aspire to set up as a new norm in the society whenever possible. We dont have to be ready (We never were ready for pandemic), we do need something to look up to at least for the sake of healthier life. And note, I havent even started listing the business case for it. Attraction and Retention springs to mind immediately. Start to contemplate at least, because if you dont your competitors likely are. #society #futureofwork #worklifebalance

You don’t need to achieve success through trials and errors. These are simple steps from those that had achieved success.

Sociallyin is the 2nd company that I’ve worked for more than 2 years in my entire career. At this point, I’ve finally realized why there are some employees who just refused to work anywhere else. It’s because once you’ve found a company that: 1. Treats you with respect 2. Cares about your well-being 3. Compensate you a fair amount 4. Challenges you to go above and beyond 5. Encourages you to be better and the best in your field 6. Provides you amazing co-workers and bosses that supports each other You just can’t imagine yourself working anywhere else. You just can’t imagine leaving your family behind. I know there’s some stigma about calling a company you’re working for a family but I believe this with every fiber of my being, that I’ve finally found a company that I truly consider as my 2nd family.

At American Chase, we're not just a workplace; we're a family of Chasers on a shared mission to make work feel less like a grind and more like a place where passion meets purpose. What makes it a great place to work? Well, who better to spill the beans than our very own Chasers! Get ready to dive into the real talk, the behind-the-scenes stories, and the candid experiences straight from the team's heart. So let our Chasers take you on a journey through the highs, the quirks, and the genuine reasons why American Chase isn't just a workplace—it's a vibe, a community, and a place where you're not just a part of a team; you're a part of something bigger. Hear from us, and discover why being a Chaser is the coolest gig around! #greatplacetowork #greatplacetowork2023 #certification #bestcompanytoworkfor #workculture #teamappreciation #collaboration #culture #workplaceculture #workbalance #americanchase #chasingpossibilities #itconsulting #usajobseekers

Leading up to Father’s Day this Sunday, team toth shop is giving shout outs to rock star dads in our tothy community. Joe Rubagumya is CEO & Futurist of Integral Technical Group; he’s one of our favorite human beings, so we're happy to feature him AND celebrate him - he’s a recent graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program. Today, we asked him a few questions about his experience as a dad. toth shop (ts): What's your biggest takeaways from fatherhood? Joe Rubagumya (JR): “Leading by example and how powerful dad’s words can be. But most importantly, being present in every activity.” ts: In 10 words or less, give advice to a soon-to-be dad. JR: “Cherish each moment and take as many pictures and videos as possible.” ts: How has fatherhood impacted how you show up in your professional life? JR: “Just a realization that I am no longer alone, that feeling of responsibility. Improved my understanding, consideration and empathy.” ts: What are some changes or adjustments that you make to balance work and parenting? JR: “I create opportunities where I can work while parenting. Remote working has helped greatly in this regard. Self-care to ensure I can keep-up with their energy, as well as reading children’s books to meet them where they are.”

After 6 seasons, my time at Netflix has come to an end. Hard work & curiosity led me to accomplish some amazing things since 2017. I moved cities (twice), touched ground in Europe, Asia & Latin America, experienced highly cross functional roles, was part of ERG leadership, launched Homecoming (those who know, KNOW), paid off my student loans, & blossomed into the professional I am today. I could write a whole book of thank yous but for now Ill keep it short: Veronica Gnaman, M.S. - The # of times I tell people about how we met & how without you, my resume wouldn’t have even hit the Netflix pile. Thank you for seeing in me what back then I couldn’t even see in myself. Molly Park - I remember where I was when you called me with the offer & thinking “Ill head to JFK right now!” because I’d never seen an offer that big. Thank you for taking a chance on this girl from The Bronx & teaching me the lesson of charging my full rate + tax. Taryn Teigue - To date, the best boss I’ve had the pleasure and honor to learn from & grow with. Thank you for believing me, seeing me, empowering me, & bringing humanity to leadership. You’ve set the bar extremely high. Claudia de Araujo Santos - Two key memories with you. First it's sitting in ICON & walking over (nervously) to introduce myself since I was hired while you were out. The second is our 1:1 in 2020 when I showed you a list of roles I was interested in & you asked me “have you ever thought about LATAM?”. Almost 3yrs later in my new home and I have you to thank for planting that seed. While I’ve gained some of my dearest friends by way of Netflix, my favorite value is still “We’re a team not a family”. I’m proud of my six year run with some of the most innovative, dynamic, healthy debate having, lean into risk teammates I’ve had the pleasure to collaborate with. For those wondering, I have zero clue what I’m going to do next professionally. The most timely thing on this Black woman’s agenda is rest. JM. Ps - LinkedIn can we get a #RecoveringFromBurnout or #OpenToRest badge? 

Do you think you would stay with a company when you're underpaid and another employer is throwing money at you to join? Well I did! When I first started my Career, I worked for a small IT staffing agency in Toronto, and at the time, was an all women team. It was never planned that way, it just kind of happened (𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 😜 ). Looking back we seemed to all have the same values, passion and drive. I've been thinking about those days and how I stayed with that company for almost 12 years even though I had offers that could have significantly increased my income. I'm sure if the company hadn't been acquired, I might still be there today. So, why did I stay when I knew I could make more money elsewhere? I stayed because the organization: - respected me - trusted me - empowered me - encouraged me - befriended me - cared about me - recognized me - elevated me - took genuine interest in me...and my family I often hear the argument from employers, “We can’t compete because we can’t pay top dollar.” To that, I say, “Really?” #CultureMatters #EmployerBranding #EmployerValueProposition #EmployeeLoyalty #TalentRetention

The penny dropped 23 years ago when I moved to our corporate head office. I joined a team implementing a new operating system for the business. A huge project. The project had been underway for at least a year when I joined the team. The week I joined, we were asked to show the wider business what the new operating system looked like. Just a taste - it was far from complete and ready for use. Our little project team of five had to present our part of the system. The team leader gathered us in a room and asked, "Who wants to present?" I did. I knew no one else was going to volunteer and if the team leader had to call a meeting to ask the question, I knew it wasn't going to be her. So, I said, "I'll do it." I wasn't confident in what our part of the system did, but I soon learned to master the necessary to present what needed presenting. And it went well. Being prepared to be upfront is the ultimate career flex. #beingupfront #career #knowledgework  

Time flies when you're having fun & doing big things! ⏱️ I completed my ‘tour of duty’ at brightfin at the end of Q2 and, during July, embraced a month of reflection and growth. I focused on the additional roles in my life that are supremely important to me: father, spouse, & friend. I put more time and intention into those areas in ways that are challenging when you’re running at full speed leading a 💯% remote, world-class, 🌎 sales team. It was an incredible month! 💡Unsolicited Advice: Plan for transitions regardless of if you’re starting or well into your career. The employment economy has shifted; proper planning turns professional transitions into exciting opportunities rather than anxiety-inducing challenges. Speaking of world-class teams, my time at brightfin further proved that, at the end of the day, it’s ALWAYS all about the people and team. I had the privilege and opportunity to learn from, work with, and lead some of the most talented individuals I’ve partnered with in my career. 🙌🏼 Ed Roshitsh, thank you for giving me the opportunity, modeling true servant leadership in the workplace, and validating the ‘right way’ to do things. 🙏🏼 To my 1st Team Teammates: Thank you for some of the most challenging, unique, educational, and fun shared experiences I’ve had in my career! 🥂 To the Revenue Leadership Team - RLT (Billy Cox, Ismail Elfath, Joe Fiori, Naomi Armstrong, Nick Reinhard): Thank you for buying into my vision for our team, for embodying CAT (clear Communication, mutual Accountability, maximum Transparency), for all of the learnings, and for ensuring that we enjoyed the ride! 🎉 To the Revenue Team: - we merged 3 sales organizations: ✅ - introduced new processes and tools: ✅ - tackled several very unique challenges: 👀 - grew our Fortune 500 footprint by >125% in back-to-back years: 🚀 - AND we had a great time doing it! 🥳 Thank you for trusting me & the RLT, embracing change, and all of the memories we made! To the brightfin team: Thank you for caring about each other, your customers, and for taking pride in your work. Thanks for buying into the idea that everyone ‘is in sales’ and for everything you taught me! 👏🏼 So what’s next? I'm excited to approach August with a fresh perspective. I’ll be taking my kids on their 1st camping trip, taking my son to his 1st baseball game, visiting with family and friends that I haven’t seen in far too long, hopefully ‘finding my golf swing’, and learning a few new professional skills that I want to acquire. Professionally? Stay tuned and please drop me a note at [email protected] if you want to catch up, have any thoughts/ideas/pitches to share, and/or if I can help you and your team in any way! Thank you all for being part of this remarkable journey; you make it memorable & meaningful! 🙏🏼