How to be effective at front-line operations

by Joe Domaleski | Jul 9, 2024 | Blog, Business, Columnists, Community, News Center, Opinion, Top News

This past weekend many of you probably enjoyed a long Independence Day holiday. Not everyone had a long weekend; many people still had to work while others enjoyed time off. Front-line workers were still on duty keeping us safe, protecting our freedoms, and helping “mind the store” so that the rest of us could shop, eat, and play. Although I had to work a little over the weekend, for the most part, I got to enjoy family time and even some quiet reflection.

Last week we explored the Declaration of Independence and what the Spirit of 1776 means in 2024. I’d like to finish the theme by turning our attention to the activities that put those words of Independence into action. The words were bold, but the actions that followed were even bolder. When our great country declared Independence on July 4, 1776, direct combat operations had already begun. After the Declaration, front-line combat operations escalated dramatically.

What are front-line operations?

In the military, front-line operations are where soldiers directly engage with the enemy. Sometimes the front line is well-defined, and at other times it resembles guerrilla warfare, where things aren’t so clear. Regardless of the ambiguity, the front line is critical for both offensive and defensive operations. Operating from the front line requires bravery, quick thinking, and effective communications. When I was in the Army, we were often told our mission was to “shoot, move, and communicate.”

In business, front-line operations refer to direct interactions between a business and its customers and critical business partners. These operations include customer service, sales, and support. Both business and military front-line operations involve potentially high-stakes direct engagement that can significantly impact overall outcomes. We’re going to focus on front-line operations in business, where team members are the face of the company, representing its value and brand in every interaction.

Examples of front-line operations in business:

• Customer Service: Handling general inquiries, questions, complaints, requests, and feedback regarding products and services.
• Sales Interactions: Engaging potential customers to listen to their needs, propose solutions, and close new deals that benefit the customer and the business.
• Technical Support: Assisting customers with technical issues or questions related to a product or service.

If there’s a front line, then it has to be supported by back-end operations, “aka supply chain.” Back-end operations support the front-line by handling administrative tasks, data management, logistics, and IT. Examples include processing payroll, managing inventory, and maintaining IT infrastructure. While back-end operations ensure that the company runs smoothly behind the scenes, front-line operations directly influence customer satisfaction and brand perception. You need both front-line and back-end operations to be successful in business, but oftentimes front-line operations are more stressful. Why is that? Because it’s mostly about dealing with people and all of the good and bad that comes with that.

Sometimes being on the front lines means working during a holiday weekend. Our dog Loki looks on while I research a problem for one of our high-profile web support clients from our cabin on Lake Hartwell 7/7/24. Photo/Joe Domaleski

I believe in front-line leadership. An effective leader should position themselves where they can best lead. In business, a leader needs to lead by example and not hide in the background. For me, that means staying directly involved in sales and customer service. Over the years I’ve learned a few things about operating from the front-line.

A leader has to be able to be client-facing. Leaders who hide behind others are not true leaders.

Some tips for being effective from the front line:

1. Focus on the goal: Whether it’s making a sale, answering a question, or solving a problem, it’s essential to focus on the goal. A lot of distractions occur on the front lines. Don’t let the “fog of war” cloud the way.
2. Stay calm and composed: Handle high-pressure situations with a clear mind. It’s hard to not get excited about a tense situation, but expressed frustration rarely solves problems.
3. Listen actively: Seek to understand what’s going on and what needs to happen. Oftentimes, you may get conflicting information and have to use discretion to sort things out.
4. Communicate clearly: Use clear, concise, and positive language. This may not be easy when the other party is not communicating clearly. Repeat back what was heard.
5. Be proactive: Anticipate issues and address them before they escalate. This comes with experience, and the only way to develop that experience is to get involved.
6. Maintain a positive attitude: Believing that something can be done is half the battle. A positive demeanor can diffuse tension and build rapport.
7. Document and follow up: Here at my company, we always take meeting notes and send them back to clients to record what was discussed. This helps build consistency and ensures that we accomplished the goal.
8. Document and learn: We also keep records of issues and resolutions for our team. It helps our staff learn and improve. It also comes in handy if we need to refer to it later when someone’s memory is less than perfect.
9. Set a sustainable pace: One of the most important tips is to pace yourself when getting involved in a potentially long-running front-line situation. It’s exhausting to be on a long phone call, video chat, or meeting. More than once I’ve politely told someone we can either talk about a problem or we can spend time on doing the work to solve a problem. There is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to discussions (and this is coming from a guy who likes to talk).

Being on the front lines can be exhausting. Leaders should rotate team members and shifts so that no one gets overloaded. It’s especially important that a leader rotate off the front lines so that they don’t get fatigued and make fatal errors. Although it’s industry dependent, a good rule of thumb is to not allow someone to work more than a 12-hour shift on the front lines. There are exceptions to that for the military, fire departments, and other emergency / essential services.

Some risks from staying on the front lines for too long:

1. Burnout: High-pressure environments can lead to stress and burnout. It’s important to have shift changes and set realistic pacing goals when someone is “holding down the fort.” No one likes to be alone on the front line.
2. Miscommunication: Misunderstandings can escalate issues. Left unchecked, miscommunications can lead to other negative consequences. This is why I believe it’s best to tackle issues head-on and not “ghost” someone by walking away from an issue.
3. Negative interactions: Handling difficult customers can be challenging. Customers are not always right, and some people just don’t want to be happy. I fired a client two weeks ago because they decided to use inappropriate language with my team members.
4. Inadequate support: Lack of support from back-end operations can hinder effectiveness. When someone is handling a front-line situation, they need to be able to count on their teammates for support.
5. Reactive approach: Being constantly reactive rather than proactive can reduce efficiency and effectiveness. It’s a fact of life that some people don’t plan and expect there to always be someone on the other end ready to help. They don’t mind transferring their poor planning to someone else and making non-emergency situations urgent. Don’t be that person. Emergencies can and will happen, so save the urgency for truly important matters that can’t be avoided. If you’re on the receiving end of a steady stream of avoidable “emergencies” it’s okay to call a timeout and reset the expectations.

One of the things I enjoy most about running a small business is being able to operate from the front lines. For those who know me personally, I have a hard time sitting still and enjoy being where the action is. A strong front line can empower your organization to reach new heights. You’ll learn more and grow faster by being able to effectively operate from the front lines. A weak front line will adversely affect your organization and may imperil its future. Being effective on the front line requires a blend of skills, strategies, and a proactive mindset.

Investing in front-line leadership and training pays off in the long run, creating a team that is skilled, confident, and proactive. Effective front-line operations bridge the gap between an organization’s goals and the customer’s experience. I believe a leader should prioritize the importance of clear communication, active listening, and maintaining a positive attitude. Make a commitment to prioritize front-line excellence. Whether in a business or military context, the front line is where the action happens, and being prepared can make all the difference.

[Joe Domaleski, a Fayette County resident for 25+ years, is the owner of Country Fried Creative – an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Peachtree City. His company was the Fayette Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year.  Joe is a husband, father of three grown children, and proud Army veteran.  He has an MBA from Georgia State University and enjoys sharing his perspectives drawing from thirty years of business leadership experience. Joe is a recipient of the Peachtree City Rotary Club Business Leader of the Year Award for 2024. Sign up for the Country Fried Creative newsletter to get marketing and business articles directly in your inbox. You can connect with Joe directly on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.]

I have a confession to make

by Joe Domaleski | Jun 25, 2024 | Blog, Business, Columnists, Community, News Center, Opinion, Top News

Ihave a confession to make: I talk too much. If you know me personally, that’s probably not a surprise to you. In fact, you’re probably nodding your head in agreement right now. Whether I’m at work, with family, or with a group of friends I’m normally talking. Yes, it’s true I can “turn off” the chatterbox mode but I’m not shy. In fact, my talkative tendencies have probably helped me in growing my business although that’s not the goal of my loquaciousness. This week’s article is going to be shorter than most, so that I am not guilty of being too wordy in writing like I can be when speaking.

Some close associates of mine have pointed out my garrulousness which has inspired me to do a bit of reflection. What I try not to do is gossip or talk behind people’s back. In general I avoid people who are prone to gossip. If I’m totally honest I’m probably a bit naive and don’t even recognize it when people may be talking about me behind my back. I tend to be a trusting person and assume most people are that way as well. This is one reason, among many, why I avoid politics and have never sought to run for political office.

Before you judge, let me explain why my chatterbox tendencies aren’t all bad. Being talkative has its good points and it’s bad points. First, let’s examine why I talk so much.

Yours truly at the Fayette Chamber of Commerce talking about how the Lessons of Ted Lasso can apply to business on 9/20/23. Photo/Mia Scarbrough

One of the main reasons I talk so much is that I’m genuinely excited to share new things. Whether it’s a fascinating article I read, a personal experience that I think someone might find interesting, or some historical factoid about days gone by, I can’t help but share my enthusiasm with others. My excitement bubbles over, and before I know it, I’m off on a tangent, explaining every little detail. My wife is very patient with me as I often repeat stories and observations I’ve shared before. My long-time employees probably feel the same way. My trend towards being more voluble has increased as I’ve gotten older and accumulated experiences. Thanks for being patient with me y’all.

Another reason I can’t seem to keep quiet is that I genuinely don’t like it when a group of people is too quiet. Silence can be uncomfortable, and I often feel compelled to fill it. This isn’t always a bad thing; sometimes, my chatter can help break the ice in awkward situations or bring life to a dull meeting. However, I admit it can be overwhelming for those who prefer a quieter environment. Not everyone can jump right in to contribute to a discussion. Sometimes that’s a matter of style, but it can be deliberate.

A long time ago before I started my business, I was an overpaid consultant managing a multi-million dollar e-commerce project for a client. The client had a habit of having three meetings when considering any major decision. In the first meeting I had to present my ideas to a single person to vet them ahead of time. Then, we had the actual meeting where the decision maker was present. He would sit there in silence as I presented my report. It was as if the person couldn’t speak, which drove me crazy. The third and final meeting was with the original client contact who shared the big boss’s feedback as a kind of mediator even though none was needed. I never forgot that strange arrangement and to this day feel uncomfortable with situations like that. Why can’t everyone just get in a room and freely discuss ideas and make decisions? Again, I would never make it in politics where a lot of “back room” deals are made.

The Good Points of Talking Too Much

Let’s start with the positives. Talking a lot means I’m always engaging with people, sharing ideas, and sparking conversations. This can be particularly useful in my roles as a business owner, community leader, and marketing professional. In marketing, communication is key. The more I talk, the more I can share our vision, promote our services, and connect with clients. Additionally, talking a lot often leads to more networking opportunities. By being open and engaging, I can connect with a wide range of people, which can lead to new collaborations, partnerships, and friendships.

Over the years I’ve been asked to be a speaker at various gatherings and enjoy the opportunity to share and meet new people. Sometimes people take advantage of my interest. A few years ago a local group approached me to speak about our local economy from my perspective as a long-time business owner. The group was honest that their original guest speaker wasn’t available and I was the back-up choice. I said “yes”. Two days before the event, they called me back and said the original speaker was available again and that they preferred to have him speak instead. To add insult to injury, they then invited me to purchase a ticket to hear the other person speak. Really? Pro tip – if you invite someone to participate in an event and plans change most people will understand, but you shouldn’t charge them to attend. Although the group who did this is still around, they have declined in influence over the years – probably because they’ve done stuff like this to other people. Talkative people like me can be helpful in a pinch, but please don’t take advantage of it.

From the top of Amicalola Falls – yours truly (front, far right) serving as a volunteer hike leader on a senior adult trip with Fayette County Parks & Recreation on 4/20/2024. Photo/Joe Domaleski

On the other hand, being talkative can be put to good use in other areas. It’s been my pleasure to volunteer with various groups and serve as a tour guide or hike leader. I’m all too eager to share facts, information, and history with an eager audience. I can’t tell you how many hikes I’ve lead in our local community pointing out trails, natural features, and local history. I’m not a historian and will defer to my friends at the Fayette County Historical Society for more detailed historical information if needed. Sharing is fun – with the right audience.

The Not-So-Good Points

Yes, talking too much does have its downsides. For starters, it can be exhausting for those around me. I am appreciative to everyone who’s been candid with me about this. I hear you and am trying to get better. It’s not that I don’t care about your input, because I do. The older I get the more history I’ve accumulated and want to share. Yet, I’ve come to understand that just being the “old guy” in the room doesn’t mean I have a monopoly on ideas or perspectives. Not everyone wants to hear my small business “war stories”, detailed expositions of the latest marketing trends, or my enthusiastic deep dive into the mathematics of machine learning. One of the reasons I agreed to write this column was to give me a forum to do things like that in writing, knowing that the audience who reads my stuff does so willingly and isn’t subjected to my hot air in person. Thank you for reading my stuff.

The author hoping his audience is as interested as he is in the mathematics of neural networks. Trilith 12/11/23. Photo/Zavion Green

It’s been pointed out to me that talking too much can sometimes lead to missing out on valuable input from others. When I’m busy sharing my thoughts, I inadvertently dominate the conversation, leaving little room for others to contribute. This can result in missed opportunities for learning and growth. You already know I have trouble with “dead air” but have come to realize that silence is okay. Some people aren’t good at speaking up in a public setting. Others may need to cogitate on ideas and then present them at a later time. As a consultant I’ve had to “think on my feet” but perhaps that’s not the only way to do things. Technology, particularly smart phones, exacerbate the problem of quiet and it’s not too uncommon to find people in the same room texting each other instead of talking. Before I adopt a self-righteous Generation X posture by saying that everyone needs to put down their phones, a more nuanced opinion is to say that maybe we just need more balance in communication frequency and styles.

Striking a Balance

So, what’s the solution? For me personally, I think the key is to find a balance between sharing my excitement and allowing space for others to speak. I’ve been working on becoming a better listener, giving others the chance to share their thoughts and ideas. This not only helps me learn from different perspectives but also fosters a more inclusive and collaborative environment. It’s not easy, but I am trying. The following quote has been attributed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Actor Douglas Fairbanks, and a Dr. Dr. C. Z. Weiser back in the 1880’s. Although the true attribution remains lost to time, I think it’s a great quote:

When you are called upon to speak; be sincere, be brief, and be seated.

Please know that while I may talk too much, my chatter comes from a place of genuine enthusiasm and a desire to connect with others. But until then, if you ever need a fluent person to fill an awkward silence or share a new idea with unbridled enthusiasm, you know where to find me.

PS – Yes, I know I dropped a lot of big words in this article, most of which are synonyms for being talkative. Thanks to the online Oxford Languages dictionary and thesaurus for the assistance and increase in my vocabulary while writing this piece.

[Joe Domaleski, a Fayette County resident for 25+ years, is the owner of Country Fried Creative – an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Peachtree City. His company was the Fayette Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year.  Joe is a husband, father of three grown children, and proud Army veteran.  He has an MBA from Georgia State University and enjoys sharing his perspectives drawing from thirty years of business leadership experience. Joe is a recipient of the Peachtree City Rotary Club Business Leader of the Year Award for 2024. Sign up for the Country Fried Creative newsletter to get marketing and business articles directly in your inbox. You can connect with Joe directly on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.]

Focus on what matters with decision-based analytics

by Joe Domaleski | Jun 18, 2024 | Blog, Business, Columnists, Community, News Center, Opinion, Top News

Do you ever find yourself bogged down in minutiae, buried in tasks and decisions that don’t seem to matter? Perhaps you spend time mining data and information with no specific goal in mind. Although details do matter, some decisions and details matter more than others. Recently, I encountered a situation where a client was obsessing over offering a product discount of 15% vs. 20%. Financial models showed the expected profit difference to be negligible, but the client wanted more precision and was willing to expend a lot of resources to get it—too much, in fact. Indeed, getting a precise forecast of consumer spending is very hard to do—ask any large company that spends millions trying to do that very thing.

Sometimes, you just need to make a decision and move on, making improvements once results come in later so that you have better data. I’ve called that being “directionally correct.” My client’s decision-making process had become too complex without significant benefit. It’s a classic example of wasting dollars to save pennies. If you’re an accountant or business analyst, you have my permission to skip the next three paragraphs of this article.

In business, there’s a technique for decision-making known as the cost-benefit analysis. I want to give you a classic business school definition of the concept, so let’s turn to the Harvard Business School (HBS). According to HBS, “Cost-benefit analysis involves tallying up all costs of a project or decision and subtracting that amount from the total projected benefits of the project or decision. If the projected benefits outweigh the costs, you could argue that the decision is a good one to make. If, on the other hand, the costs outweigh the benefits, then a company may want to rethink the decision or project.” (source: Harvard Business School https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/cost-benefit-analysis)

The most well-known quantitative measurement of a cost-benefit analysis is ROI (return on investment), which is calculated as follows:

ROI = (Total Benefits) / (Total Costs) x 100

A positive ROI means that the benefits exceed the costs, and, in general, a higher ROI is better than a lower one. A negative ROI indicates a loss. Most businesspeople have heard of ROI even if they’re not quite sure how to calculate it. There are other forms of cost-benefit measurement, but ROI is the most well-known. In marketing, we have a related measurement called ROAS, which is the Return on Advertising Spend. It’s the same concept, applied more narrowly to revenue generated by advertising spend. My company uses ROAS when helping clients plan marketing activities.

Organizations can spend lots of money trying to calculate ROI. On the cost side of the equation, you may have direct costs, indirect costs, fixed costs, and variable costs. On the benefit side of the equation, you might have direct benefits, indirect benefits, and long-term benefits (which are normally converted to present-day dollars). My MBA is in finance, and I spent several years in graduate school examining these concepts in significant detail. It’s been my experience that most small business leaders don’t truly understand the components of ROI, especially those regarding cost. Your homework is to look up the associated concepts of opportunity cost and sunk cost, two important terms we’ll examine in a future article.

Over my career, I’ve seen entire projects devoted to nothing but attempting to get an accurate calculation of ROI. Calculating ROI is a form of data-driven decision-making, which aims to improve accuracy, efficiency, and objectivity. Being data-driven, or at least data-inspired, is generally a good thing. It’s currently in fashion to say that you’re “data-driven”. I’m a numbers guy, enjoy stuff like this, and have even referred to myself as being data-driven. Recently, I attended an online webinar by two business school professors who challenged the notion of being “data-driven.” I decided to find out more.

Webinar about Decision-Driven Analytics with Dr. Stefano Puntoni, Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of Business, held on 5/16/24. Photo/Joe Domaleski

“Decision-Driven Analytics” is a new book by Professors Bart De Langhe and Stefano Puntoni (Wharton School Press, June 2024). In their new book, the authors make the case for a decision-first approach, where analytics initiatives are driven by specific business decisions rather than generic data exploration. In short, it’s the exact opposite of being “data-driven.” Putting the decision before the data ensures that analytics efforts are directly tied to tangible business outcomes.

I found myself smiling and nodding in agreement with many of the comments made in the book. For example, they noted that some people love to focus on the little things, to the point where the accuracy doesn’t matter. I had to laugh when I read, “When the numbers involved are more precise, people are more likely to engage in unnecessary calculations.” We all know people like that. I’ve been like that myself. Don’t be that person!

There’s an entire discussion about “confirmation bias,” which is the tendency to seek and interpret new data as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs. Much can be said about the current problems we have in society with confirmation bias and how algorithmically generated content and data can feed into that. What’s needed is a new approach.

“Decision-driven analytics aligns the efforts of data scientists with the highest-value contributions possible, directing them toward answers that impact decision-making, rather than letting them get lost in irrelevant data detours. This approach highlights the strategic importance of what we don’t know. It underscores the importance of intellectual humility and of challenging our assumptions about how the world functions.”

– Dr. Bart De Langhe and Dr. Stefano Puntoni in “Decision-Driven Analytics”

Joe Domaleski holding the Kindle e-book version of Bart De Langhe and Stefano Puntoni’s new book “Decision-Driven Analytics” (Wharton School Press, June 2024). Photo/Joe Domaleski

De Langhe and Stefano’s new book outlines a four-step process for decision-based analytics:

1. Decisions – identify relevant and feasible business alternatives to achieve business goals. This puts the decision ahead of the data, instead of mining the data to potentially solve a problem that doesn’t exist. In other words, what needs to be decided?
2. Questions – create questions to help evaluate and rank the potential alternatives under consideration. Questions should be precise and relevant to the task at hand.
3. Data – gather data relevant to answering the questions posed by the business. The quality and relevance of the data are more important than the quantity or availability.
4. Answers – generating answers to business questions enables organizations to achieve their desired business goals. Data is just a means to an end.

Seems simple, but it’s counter-intuitive to most people. In my years of business experience, an overwhelming majority of businesspeople love to jump to the data without sufficient context. They obsess over trivial details that aren’t associated with a meaningful business purpose. It’s as if they’re trying to find a purpose for their data and calculations, whose significance is lost to time, and that someone told them they needed to use long ago.

A few years ago, I was working in a marketing capacity with a nonprofit client who hired an outside business consultant to “shake things up.” I wasn’t invited to the meeting (which often happens when someone, particularly a business consultant or coach,  doesn’t want to be challenged by another point of view). Anyway, the consultant said my client needed KPIs on their website. They weren’t wrong, but my client didn’t understand what that meant and neither the client or consultant spent anytime providing context. I got an urgent phone call from the client who said that I needed to immediately “install” KPIs on the website because the business consultant said so. My client seemed frustrated at me because I should have known to have done this. But it’s not a doable thing. You literally can’t install a KPI on a website; it’s not a “thing.”

It was very clear to me that the client didn’t know that a KPI is a Key Performance Indicator. It’s a generic term for a quantifiable measurement used to gauge performance. ROI is an example of a KPI. One can’t “install a KPI” on a website. Without embarrassing the client, I politely let them know that the website was already tracking a variety of metrics that could be used as KPIs. I then asked them what they wanted to achieve with the website, offering up my own suggestions based on professional experience. That’s an example of “decision-driven analytics.” The business objectives should drive the data and not the other way around.

There’s no question that we live in a data-driven world, increasingly powered by automation. AI-powered data collection and analysis have the potential to be helpful, but they can also be irrelevant, humorous, and, in some cases, downright harmful. Although I’m intrigued by machine learning algorithms applied to some forms of data analysis, I think the process needs to be guided by humans. There is an alternative to being data-driven, and that’s to be decision-driven.

Decision-driven analytics emphasizes the importance of human-centric decision-making aligned with business objectives. A decision-driven approach ensures that analytics are directly tied to tangible business goals. This approach avoids the trap of getting lost in irrelevant details and unnecessary calculations—whether performed by people or computers. It’s not just the “what” but the “so what” and “why” that matter in decision-making.

As business leaders, I feel that it’s important to prioritize human intuition and experience in the decision-making process. Recently a friend of mine was let go because their boss said, “the numbers didn’t work.” What does that even mean? I personally think that’s a cop out and weak leadership. Without context, a quick “reading of the numbers” often limits decision-making as a one-dimensional exercise. Many decisions are nuanced and require more than a quick read of a single data point. Who’s in charge, you or the data?

Effective leaders put the decision first to ensure that data serves to support, rather than replace, their judgment. I’m evaluating a number of business decisions for the second half of the year. Instead of mining the data I have, I’m starting with the decisions I need to make and then I’ll gather the data needed to help make those decisions. What business decisions do you need to make, and what data do you need to make those decisions?

[Joe Domaleski, a Fayette County resident for 25+ years, is the owner of Country Fried Creative – an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Peachtree City. His company was the Fayette Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year.  Joe is a husband, father of three grown children, and proud Army veteran.  He has an MBA from Georgia State University and enjoys sharing his perspectives drawing from thirty years of business leadership experience. Joe is a recipient of the Peachtree City Rotary Club Business Leader of the Year Award for 2024. Sign up for the Country Fried Creative newsletter to get marketing and business articles directly in your inbox. You can connect with Joe directly on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.]

The ripple effect of believing in others

by Joe Domaleski | Jun 4, 2024 | Blog, Business, Columnists, Community, News Center, Opinion, Top News

Twenty-two years ago, I wrote a business plan for starting my own company. I sat on that plan for a full year while I sought out advice, studied the market, and mustered enough courage to take action by launching the business in March 2003. In my very first column for this paper, I shared some of my motivations for starting the business. Looking back, it’s clear to me that the entire framework for our success has been based on trust and belief. Remember what Coach Ted Lasso said about belief?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Belief is trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something. For purposes of this article, I’m going to use the terms more or less interchangeably. We’re going to explore trust and belief in four areas: Family, Clients, Team Members, and Community.

Trust within your family

The initial spark of belief and trust started at home. If you’re going to start a business, it’s essential for your family to be on board. My wife Mary Catherine believed that I could pull this off. It wasn’t easy giving up a high salary with benefits to start a business with no guarantee of success. In hindsight, I think it was even harder on Mary Catherine. We had a young family at the time. At least I knew what I was potentially capable of doing. She had to believe in my belief in myself. The trust she placed in me created a positive reinforcement cycle that inspired me. Once inspired, it motivated me to action, which also reinforced her beliefs—creating a flywheel of positive motivation.

Trust from clients

Once inspired by Mary Catherine’s belief in me and what I aspired to do, my primary job was to get new clients to believe in me and my capabilities as a solo entrepreneur. Judge David “DR” Moore of Peachtree Law Group was my very first customer during our first month in business. We knew “DR” from Church, as he taught all three of my children Sunday School. I remember telling him a little bit about my business one Sunday, and he said, “Joe, I’m not sure what all of that means, but I trust you. You’re hired. What’s next?” Last summer, he came to our 20th Anniversary party. Recently, it was my honor to attend the 40th Anniversary party for his law firm. DR’s taking a chance on me opened doors that I never imagined possible.

Joe and Mary Catherine Domaleski with Judge David “DR” Moore. DR was my first client 21 years ago. Thanks for believing in us. Photo/Joe Domaleski

Helping nonprofits has never been much of a money-maker for us, but it’s been a passion of mine since starting the business. I believe in the importance of community and helping those that help others. My first two nonprofit clients were The Real Life Center, under the leadership of Cathy Berggren, and the Peachtree City Running Club. Both organizations trusted me to build their websites. They believed I could do it despite my nonexistent portfolio of clients. In turn, I believed they were worthy organizations that could benefit from my services. Even though I should have been chasing higher-dollar accounts at the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. It was, and both organizations are still clients today. Not only that, but they’ve both been great sources of referral business over the years, which is more important than money to a small business.

“If people like you, they will listen to you, but if people trust you, they will do business with you.” – Zig Ziglar

Despite what anyone will tell you, to be successful in business, you need to be where people are. You can’t sit at home and hope people come to you. Being with people, learning from people, helping others, and being an active participant in the community helps inspire trust from others. Hearing what you do is good, but showing others what you’re capable of builds trust. Over time, word gets out, and people will come to you because they trust who you are and trust the word of others who’ve referred business to you.

One of our most long-standing clients is The Citizen Newspaper. Thank you, Cal and Joyce, for believing in me. Thanks to all of the current and former clients who’ve trusted in our business and believed in me personally. Your trust has kept our business going over the years. Trust from and with a new client means both parties are open to innovative approaches and fresh ideas. Belief in others is contagious.

Trust with team members

Within six months of starting the business, I had more work than I could do personally. I remember hiring my first contractor. It takes a lot of trust and belief in someone to delegate work to someone else. The delegate becomes a representative of your organization. In like manner, it takes a lot of trust on the part of the team member (whether they’re an employee or contractor) to work with an organization. They forgo other opportunities to put trust in an organization, knowing that it’s on the right path, that they’ll get paid on time, and that the work they’re doing matters.

A few years into the growth of my new company, I had the great fortune of meeting Vicki and Tommy Turner. They liked what I was doing and trusted me to run their business, AIS Computers. I merged my company operations with their established business. They believed in me, and that helped inspire some incredible projects and growth. Overnight, I had a large payroll to deal with and a great team to get things done. Unfortunately, the Great Recession of 2010 put a damper on things, and we made a joint decision to reorganize. Their belief in me was so strong that they helped finance my buyout of the non-retail business operations. Many employees went with me because they trusted the direction I was heading. That trust helped us chart a new course as Country Fried Creative.

Over the years, I’ve worked with some great team members. We currently have one of the strongest teams we’ve ever had. That strength is based on trust and belief in where the business is heading. Interestingly, as I write this, the job market has softened a bit, and we have more unsolicited job applications and resumes than I’ve ever had. I wish I could hire everyone, but our current levels of business don’t support that. If that’s you and you’re reading this, I just want to encourage you that there are opportunities out there. Thank you for trusting us and inquiring.

One of the most rewarding aspects of working with new team members is our excellent partnership with the Fayette School District’s Work-Based Learning Program (WBL). For the past six years, we’ve worked with high school interns who work for us part-time, gaining important job skills. As a company, we believe in our interns and are very selective in hiring them. In like manner, they trust us to help guide them as they start their careers. Many of our interns have continued to work with us after graduation. We also work with college interns and recently picked up our first Master’s Degree candidate intern. These young professionals are eager to learn and grow, and trusting them with real responsibilities can significantly impact their careers.

Being on a team requires trust all the way around. We have a great team. Thank you to all the past, current, and future team members we’ve worked with over the years.

Trust in the community

I’m not one to seek out personal or company community awards. While the recognition is nice, my focus has always been on just doing the work. There are some very well-established awards that one can nominate themselves for, and that’s all fine and good—but it’s not me. Doing the right things for the right reasons is reward enough for us. Despite my reluctance to nominate myself or my company, occasionally someone takes notice of what we do, nominates us, and we win something.

Recently, it was my honor to receive the inaugural Rotary Business Leader Award from the Peachtree City Rotary Club. The honor was a total surprise and shared with the even more deserving Brent Scarbrough (Brent Scarbrough & Company) along with Pat Burke (Midwest Food Bank). The award itself says, “…in recognition of your business leadership with commitment to honesty, building relationships and fairness to all you encounter.” Wow! What a validation that there’s more to business than profit and dollars. Thank you, Rotary Club. Your belief in me and our company means a lot—especially now.

PTC Rotary Club President-elect Patti Kadkhodaian presents the Rotary Business Leader of the Year Award to Pat Burke (Midwest Food Bank), Joe Domaleski (Country Fried Creative), and Brent Scarbrough (Brent Scarbrough & Company) on 5/16/24. Photo/Hollie Holder

You see, we started off the year on an uneven footing. Most businesses don’t make it the first year and especially not twenty years. We lost two key employees in the first quarter of this year and had kind of wondered what our next moves would be without them. Another one of our key employees had a vision for us to launch something new for 2024, and so we have. I believed in her new vision, and she had the trust in our team to carry it out. The community response to our new marketing initiative has been tremendous.

Being an active member of our community is an integral part of who we are. We trust our community leaders will do the right things to foster positive growth for the betterment of all. As a community leader myself, I try to do the same thing—I’m not always right and, frankly, am somewhat politically naive, but I do care about our community. Let’s continue to support local and especially small businesses.

Thanks to the Mayors and City Councils of Fayetteville and Peachtree City for supporting me personally and our business. At the county level, there are lots of people to thank in both Fayette and Coweta County. I’d especially like to thank the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, who’s been along with me for the journey every year we’ve been in business. I believe in you, Chamber, and appreciate the trust you’ve placed in me and my company over the years.

The ripple effect of belief is very powerful. When you take a chance on someone, you inspire them to do the same for others. This creates an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to take risks and grow. It’s a cycle of positive reinforcement that benefits individuals, businesses, and the community at large.

For me, the spark started at home when my wife believed in me to start the business. That spark caught fire as new clients believed in what we were doing and signed up with us. New clients necessitated new team members. People join a team because they believe in what you’re doing. The ripple effect of belief has played out into the community at large. It really has been gratifying to see how many businesses and nonprofits we have helped launch and grow over the years.

Believing in others creates a ripple effect that promotes growth, innovation, and a supportive community. So, take that chance, believe in someone’s potential, and watch as the ripple effect transforms lives around you. It’s changed my life, and I know it’ll change yours and those around you. Queue up the song, “Take a Chance on Me” by ABBA. You’ll be humming that song for the rest of the day as you consider the message of this article. You’re welcome.

[Joe Domaleski, a Fayette County resident for 25+ years, is the owner of Country Fried Creative – an award-winning digital marketing agency located in Peachtree City. His company was the Fayette Chamber’s 2021 Small Business of the Year.  Joe is a husband, father of three grown children, and proud Army veteran.  He has an MBA from Georgia State University and enjoys sharing his perspectives drawing from thirty years of business leadership experience. Joe is a recipient of the Peachtree City Rotary Club Business Leader of the Year Award for 2024. Sign up for the Country Fried Creative newsletter to get marketing and business articles directly in your inbox. You can connect with Joe directly on LinkedIn for more insights and updates.]