Jul 19, 2018
The old adage that preaches “to follow your dreams” might seem
outdated in today’s precarious working world but get ready to meet
a visionary that’s turning fantasy into reality. In this episode,
Jennifer talks with Mary Miller, the CEO of a Cincinnati-based
janitorial services company called Jancoa, and about their
pioneering Dream Manager
Program — and how to create a genuine culture of caring is
a serious game changer for both employees and employers.
- First things first: Who is Mary Miller and what brought her to
where she is today? The short answer? Herself! Tune in to hear more
about how Mary went from being a bankrupt twice-divorced single mom
with two kids to being the CEO and primary shareholder of
Jancoa.
- When it comes to living a journey like Mary’s, there are
lessons around every corner. Mary talks about what she learned from
her past and how she applied it to her future.
- Here’s a taste of Mary’s philosophy of work: instead of keeping
a laser focus on the task at hand and the money, making space for
recognizing opportunities will take you to the next step.
- Mary brings her wealth of experience to her coaching with
Strategic
Coach, where she works with business owners and entrepreneurs.
When talking to her clients about keeping an eye out for
opportunity and growth, she uses a question developed by one of
Strategic Coach’s founders Dan Sullivan: “If we were sitting here a
year from now, what would have to happen for you to be really happy
with your progress?”
- For Mary, intentionality in not only goal-setting but
reflection that can give you the breathing room to check in with
yourself and your efforts — and adjust if necessary. Mary sets
aside one day per quarter to reflect on the last 90 days,
specifically to track down lessons that can be applied in the
future.
- How did The Dream Manager Program start at
Jancoa? Mary talks about how the idea for the program sprouted out
of their efforts to retain employees after chronic turnover
problems.
- After meeting the best-selling author Matthew Kelly, Mary and
her husband Tony – the founder of Jancoa – told him their story.
Their program served as the backbone of the business fable featured
in The Dream Manager book.
- For many of Jancoa’s employees, their dreams were about
uplifting their family and future generations to come. Mary talks
about how enabling this kind of success amounts to a
culture-shifting endeavor.
- Let’s talk metrics: with their Dream Manager Program, Mary and
Tony set out to create a workplace that makes people want to stick
around. Mary discusses the results of those efforts from a business
perspective.
- Thanks to the Dream Manager Program, there are countless
success stories that come out of Jancoa. Mary shares some of the
highlights with us and talks about how as the business grew, the
formal Program has transformed into a broader culture of caring
that consistently attracts quality employees.
- Now that the second generation is overseeing the day-to-day
operations of the company, Mary now travels for speaking
engagements and coaching workshops. She talks about how her role as
a CEO has her more occupied with questions of long-term vision and
workplace philosophy than ever before.
- Mary recently published a book about the backstory of The Dream
Manager Program called Changing Direction: 10 Choices that Impact
Your Dreams by Mary Miller. She talks about the first point:
you’ll never get anywhere if you can’t learn to embrace
change.
- So what’s next for Mary Miller? She talks about her speaking
work and her own dreams to transform the lives of others and make
an even bigger positive impact in the world. Mary also gives us
some tips and links for resources to follow.
Resources & Links:
Mary Miller LinkedIn
Mary Miller Twitter
Mary Miller - Speaking
Strategic Coach – Mary
Miller
Jancoa
The Dream Manager Program at Jancoa (Program)
Floyd Consulting
The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly (Book)
Changing Direction: 10 Choices that Impact Your Dreams
by Mary Miller
Mike Sipple, Sr.
BucketList.org
Impact Makers Episode 1 - What Does
It Mean To Be An Impact Maker?
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