The old adage that preaches “to follow your dreams” might seem outdated in today’s precarious working world but get ready to meet a visionary that’s turning fantasy into reality.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 about 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:
The Dream Manager Program at Jancoa (Program)
The Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly (Book)
Changing Direction: 10 Choices that Impact Your Dreams by Mary Miller
Impact Makers Episode 1 – What Does It Mean To Be An Impact Maker?
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