In this sixth episode of the show, I sat down with Gaby Israel Grinberg, Chief Experience Officer at Proofpoint Marketing, to talk about how to build a highly motivated and performing team from the ground up.
We also talked about the culture guidebook that Proofpoint uses, how this crucial document came about, and how to successfully manage a B2B business when life throws the unexpected at you.
Having the Right People is a Critical Piece of the Puzzle
Gaby admitted that when she set up the business with her husband, Mike, many documented processes for identifying and hiring the right talent weren’t set up. This resulted in the couple recruiting the wrong candidates and a high employee turnover rate.
She emphasized the importance of hiring the right people to help build your company.
“Making mistakes, although costly, has been by far the best teacher for me as a business owner,” she said. This led Gaby and Mike to create a more robust hiring process to build the right team.
“We do invest a lot of time upfront in making sure that we're hiring the right candidate for the right role.”
Gaby said the first step involves an initial video screen and a one-on-one call with the hiring manager. Once this is done, they assess the candidate’s ability to perform the necessary job skills.
A team interview and a reference then take place, and the candidates meet with the relevant team members they will be working with.
The final step in the process consists of the candidate having an interview with Gaby and Mike before an offer is made.
They invest significant time in the candidate and the experience. By doing this, they believe they can identify the best possible person who will succeed in the role within Proofpoint’s culture and their expectations.
The Proofpoint Culture Guidebook
Gaby is particularly proud of the culture book they have developed at Proofpoint Marketing.
The idea originated from the hardships that she experienced throughout her professional career.
She noticed that a lack of transparency and empathy from employers or colleagues led to burnout and low motivation.
“When I was going to start a business, I didn't want anybody that was either an employee, a client, or a contractor to feel as if they were collateral in this business,” Gaby said.
“I wanted them to feel they were important because people are such a huge stakeholder in a business.”
She also wanted her team to have a different experience as employees, inspiring her to create their culture book.
“Businesses exist to make money – absolutely… You can make money and do it in a way that treats people with dignity, respect, and empathy.”
How to Manage a B2B Business When Life Throws The Unexpected at You
Some say that innovation and greatness are born in times of extreme adversity. In Gaby’s experience, that was certainly the case.
Gaby shared a heartrending story of when her daughter, Lana, was born four months premature, spending the first six months of her life in the hospital.
While her family was going through this challenging period, Gaby’s former employer decided he could no longer keep her position, and she was made redundant.
It was out of this difficult experience that Proofpoint Marketing was born.
“The happy story is that our daughter is alive and well and thriving,” Gaby reflects. “We have a business that we're proud of, that we put people first as much as we can, and we balance the needs of the company with the needs of our people.”
She has also made it her mission to create a better experience for her team and customers at every touch point.
“My job is to think about the experience touch points and how we create a company that surpasses people's expectations when it comes to working and partnering with a company like ours,” she said.
Gaby also believes that it’s important to start a business for the right reasons, not just because you had a bad experience with your previous employer.
“The biggest lesson that I can share with you is to take that kernel of energy to start your business, but don't let that be the business.”
Be a Good Employer When You’re Small
Gaby stresses that you need to be a good employer when you’re at your smallest and find people who are the right fit for your company and culture.
“One [person] can spoil it for the whole company and create many downstream problems that will perpetuate if you don't cut that off from the source.”
Gaby also highlighted the importance of focusing on your company’s values, mission, culture, and non-negotiables.
‘If you can get that right when the business is small, then it will be easier to scale,” she elaborates.
Gaby helped me wrap up the conversation by emphasizing the importance of building a strong culture within your company that doesn’t always involve money.
“Culture is not money. Money allows you to amplify your culture, to do things that are in line with your culture, like a team retreat, training, and investing in learning and development.”
For more insights from Gaby Grinberg, you can listen to this episode of B2B Business Class on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
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