Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Good day, everyone, and welcome to the Cutting Edge Install Podcast brought to you by Omni Cubed, where innovation meets installation and everything in between. I'm your host, Merv Campbell, and it's an absolute pleasure to have you with us here today.
This podcast is about celebrating. Celebrating, sorry. Pros, the installers, the experts, the game changers, the movers and the shakers. And we have got a mover and a shaker on the.
Today we'll dive into stories, we're going to share some insights, and we are going to have fun. Podcasts can be boring, but I hope and pray not this one. The Irish, come on. We know how to have some fun. So whether you're on the job, whether you're on the road, or whether you're looking to stay sharp and be up to date with the latest and greatest things, you've come to the right place. So let's get cracking. Good morning. How are we, dear?
[00:00:57] Speaker B: Good morning, Merv. What a great introduction. Thank you. I'm enthusiastic and pumped just from that introduction.
[00:01:04] Speaker A: Good. Awesome.
[00:01:06] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:01:07] Speaker A: Good. So basically, let's start at the beginning. Introduce yourself, share your story.
What brought you into the glass industry, what keeps you motivated during the day, and what is inspiring you to stay within a huge industry in these days?
[00:01:26] Speaker B: Well, first of all, thank you very much for having me. I really appreciate it. It's an absolute pleasure.
So my name is Cindy Sim. I am the director of Sales and Business Development here at Q Railing North America.
I've actually been here one year, but I've been in the glass and glazing industry.
Coming up on 12 years.
[00:01:48] Speaker A: Wow.
Wow.
[00:01:50] Speaker B: It has been. What a ride. Let me tell you, it's been an absolute honor.
And just to step back a little bit, how I got involved was I was really looking for a change in my career. So about 12 years ago, I was looking for something different and I came across an opportunity in the glass industry. I had no idea about this industry, but I was really looking for a challenge and something at that point in my career that would really differentiate my sales and my marketing background and bring something new to my resume.
So having stepped into the glass industry about 12 years ago, I could not believe the warm reception. I could not believe the people from all over the country that had been supporting me. I was so incredibly fortunate to really get the feedback, the mentorship from so many men and women that said, hey, let me teach you something. Let me take you on a tour of this glass fabrication facility. Let me show you, you what we do here. Everything from fabrication to manufacturing to installing, I was so blessed by the people in the industry, which continues to this day.
And I love this industry. And you know what they say, they say it all the time. Once you're in our industry, you never get out. It is, you know, with that, I'm still fortunate. You know, every day I have folks coming out and say, hey, come on out to my plant, come on out to my facility. We'd love to show you around.
And you know, again, having been with one company for, gosh, a little over 10 years, then coming to Q Railing, it was such an awesome transition. There was so much positive feedback, you know, from so many partners in the industry, having worked with them at one company, now working with them again at qrailing, and it really just continues to inspire me.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: Awesome.
[00:03:56] Speaker B: With the feedback and the support I get in this wonderful marketplace.
[00:04:02] Speaker A: Wow, that's so cool.
You talk about an inspiring opening to a podcast. Now I'm inspired. It's like, woohoo, let's get the heart pumping here.
And so on that note, kind of my next question to you would be, you are known. And I've been watching kind of from a distance, someone who is so positive, someone who is so empowering in the industry that we have, and one who has a voice that many people listen to.
And can I just say, even just by what we've interacted right now, you have energy that seems to like, just resonate when you start talking about glass. Where on earth does that energy come from?
And how on earth do you keep going in a space that is at times demanding?
Time is very limited these days. It seems like, is there really 24 hours in a day? It seems like there's one. But how do you keep going?
[00:05:02] Speaker B: Well, you know, honestly, for me, it's very simple.
I know it sounds cliche, but it's gratitude and what I think where the gratitude has come from and is also with age.
And I want to really let the younger generation know that when you have good in life, when you have a roof over your head, when you have your health, when you have your family's health, when you have food on the table, I have a great job. I love.
Why wouldn't I be happy? Why wouldn't I be grateful? And the people around me inspire me. I'm incredibly fortunate with the Q Railing team. There are so many positive inspirations around me. My colleagues in the industry, you know, what you'll know about me is that I love to not only support other women, but support my colleagues in the industry. And when I do a lot of my positive affirmations on LinkedIn, when I interact with people, it's helping me. And so when I feel the positivity between myself and another person, it only lifts me up. So the simple terms, it's gratitude for the simple things in life. And gratitude has come more so with age. Oh, yeah. I just want people to understand that it's. It is simple. There's so much to this good life. We are also incredibly blessed to be in this industry.
We have so much good around us. Do we stop and see the good around us?
And I just love that everybody is helping each other too, you know? And I think, you know, Merv, I remember meeting you almost a year ago at the California Glass association, and I knew from your handshake and your smile that you were someone I wanted to interact with.
[00:07:00] Speaker A: Yeah, totally.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: And, you know, you feel that, you feel vibrations of other people.
And this industry is no different.
You know, there are some phenomenal people here that I've created long standing relationships with just from the industry, just from LinkedIn. I have created so many relationships just from corresponding with people, helping somebody out, you know. And so the question you ask is, I love what I do. I'm inspired by the people around me.
And, you know, it just comes down to being grateful for what I have.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely.
We have a saying around here that at times you have to stop and smell the roses.
And it's hard to grow roses. There are thorns, there are briars, and you sometimes get pricked and you bleed.
But at the end of the day, when you actually see that beautiful rose and you're able to smell it, you appreciate it. And that's one thing about the glass industry that I have been learning a lot more, is the love and the warmth that everybody seems to have. It's kind of weird, but everybody really likes each other, which is like, unheard of. They really do, but it's so awesome. And I think that kind of segues into the next one where we have, like the NGA and we have like this wonderful group of people who go over and above and beyond. You're a member, you're a board member there.
What have you learned, even with them, that's changed your approach in leadership or your collaborations with companies like your own, like Q Railings?
[00:08:48] Speaker B: So that's a great question. You know, first of all, it's an incredible honor to be on the board of directors.
And what I appreciate so much about the National Glass association in general is their promotion and support of individuals within the industry and representing every different type of market and every different type of industry. So on the board, it's equally divided with, you know, glass manufacturer, suppliers, business owners, to C suite level. And when you have a mix and of highly intelligent, experienced people, men and women, you know, you can't help but learn. You can't help but be a sponge and someone who has probably the least amount of experience. And I have 12 years sit on the board with people that have, you know, 20 plus years in the glass industry is invaluable. And leadership skills, you know, again, you have not only you have owners of companies and then you have C suite folks.
The individual experiences, the individual leadership skills, I have learned so much and it's absolutely a pleasure because now I can interact with them on a professional level and then also on a social level. And, you know, what you learn from each other is it's indescribable. Again, I'm incredibly fortunate.
Not only do I wholeheartedly support the NGA and what they're doing, they have various efforts and they make sure not only to represent the glass industry, but to represent the glazing industry and also to make sure they're representing women and, you know, and so they have so many different paths of support.
So I continue to learn. I continue to take the leadership skills I learn from the individuals and bring them back to Q railing.
And I really believe that my positivity and what I have garnered from the board of directors translates over to how I manage our sales team, how I interact with our, you know, our warehouse team, our operations team. It's critically important that we work as one whole unit. And I've learned a lot of those lessons from being on the board.
[00:11:27] Speaker A: That's awesome. Yeah. I remember our first ever attendance at Glassbuilding. We reached out to the nga. We were kind of a fish in a very big pond. And we're like, we have no idea what in the world we're doing here. We're experts in the stone industry.
We believe these tools will work in the glass industry. Can someone help?
And the very. I think it was the very next day I got an invite to be on a panel as an expert. And I'm thinking, I ain't no expert. Who am I? I don't know what I'm doing.
And they reached out and they said, hey, we have these information times. We have these, like, trainings.
And I will never, ever forget that experience in a room with probably two to 300 people. And Merv's just being Merv, giving Little cliches and little ditties along the way and people are laughing.
And then when I go down onto the floor of the actual event and people are walking up shaking my hand like they've known me for years. And I'm going, I have no idea who you are, but sure, great to meet you. It's lovely to see you. But that's the type of thing that the engine, they just bring you in and they make you part of the family and they make you feel special in a way that's like kind of strange. But it's like it kind of, oh, okay, I can do this, I can be that. And so it's people like you on the board who are keeping that ball moving and progressing that. It's like, thank you for people like you. So yes, excellent.
[00:13:06] Speaker B: Absolutely. Merv. I mean, I think, you know, you kind of hit the nail on the head is, you know, the glass industry wants to support one another. The glazing industry wants to be there to help educate, you know, the future generations. And why not bring in the newer folks? Why not?
[00:13:22] Speaker A: Why not?
[00:13:22] Speaker B: You know, and it's about supporting and educating along the way. And look at now look at your, look at your feedback from what you experienced.
[00:13:31] Speaker A: You know, unbelievable.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: I think that it is so important to understand what each and every person means to the NGA and the opportunities that are there for them.
[00:13:43] Speaker A: Absolutely, absolutely. So let's get back to your day to day.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:13:49] Speaker A: You are working, you at qrailing are working with some of the most sleekest architectural systems in the market.
They're like beautiful. Thank you. But you also offer a significant competitive advantage. Can you elaborate a little bit on what different qrailing in the industry from say someone else?
[00:14:09] Speaker B: Yes, and thank you for that question and thank you for the compliment about our systems. We're incredibly proud of our different architectural systems. But what really differentiates qrailing from the industry is our full service turnkey package.
And what we have done more recently is gone to market offering a full opportunity. Okay. And that opportunity to make our Glazers lives easier by offering shop drawings, engineering, any kind of fabrication and glass. Okay, okay. So what's really important about that is it's turnkey and so it's a one stop shop. They can get everything for glass railings at new railing. Okay. We do not do anything else. We don't do shower doors, we don't do the storefront. We only do railing. Therefore we are the railing expert and.
[00:15:08] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:15:09] Speaker B: To take it up one notch, you know, I visit Glazers all over the country.
[00:15:14] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:15:15] Speaker B: Everything from the large, very large glazer who wants the full package. Okay. To the medium sized glazers that may only want, you know, our hardware and shop drawings or it may be engineering. Okay, okay. But the fact that they can get everything in one turnkey solution is invaluable and people will not only pay for it, but they want the service. And that's what really Q railing stands for, is the cue for quality. Quality in our product, quality in our service. And we are there to really to hand hold the glazers through the railing process.
And by having the in house experts, you know, whether it's via an ICC report, whether it's by an NOA or whether it is our engineering standards, we help the glazer through the entire process, delivering everything to the job site, including glass. It's been a game changer for us.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: Awesome. That's so cool. Yeah, quality, that's. You guys do it. We try to do it here.
And that's what sets companies apart these days.
There's quality, but there's also, in my opinion, customer service. And there's a face behind the brand and there's a warmth in a brand that comes with people interacting. And so you going to these places and speaking with them is so much better than getting a cool catalog and opening it and going, I don't know what I want. And then what. Sadly, what a lot of people do is they look at the bottom right hand corner, what's the cheapest? Because there's not that interaction, there's not that pull.
And what's really cool about your company and you especially is you're going to these people, you're asking them and then that's one thing we love to do. We love going to trade shows and we hear from people and they're like, oh, did you ever think of this on your cart or that on your dollies or something else you're going to. Okay, mental note, put that in there. And then you come back to your engineers and you're like, I have a light bulb moment, you need to listen to me right now.
And so, but that's where if you don't have the face to face, you miss out.
And so that's so important.
[00:17:45] Speaker B: It's so true. So one of the things that is critically important to me and has really not only differentiated me personally, but differentiated our sales team in the industry are the face to face manager meeting.
[00:17:59] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:17:59] Speaker B: There is nothing more important in our industry than meeting with the customer. And you know, you probably heard me say it many times. I am constantly telling our sales team, you know, you have to be in the field, you have to be shaking hands, you have to be, you know, bringing treats. I'm a big fan of bringing treats.
[00:18:20] Speaker A: Oh yeah.
[00:18:21] Speaker B: Do so many breakfast presentations and lunch presentations, presentations. And you know, many of you have heard me talk about that. That is such a differentiator in the industry that when you have the opportunity to shake hands and listen, you know, the critical part is listening, listening, listening to the customer.
[00:18:43] Speaker A: Totally.
[00:18:44] Speaker B: There is nothing more important. Listen.
[00:18:46] Speaker A: There's not.
[00:18:46] Speaker B: You know, I know I'm doing a lot of talking on this podcast, but no, it is critically important to listen and then you can help solve your customers pain points while listening. And so, you know, walking in to all of these glazers across the country, I mean, I will travel anywhere to meet a Glazer and I have seen the fruits of our labors and I've seen the success with our team by going in, stopping in, you know, and showcasing our product and having the people feel, touch and, you know, test the product, having a customer test the product.
So ultimately, you know, again, to answer your question, you know, it's important to differentiate yourself. And not only do we have a turnkey solution to differentiate ourselves, but our team is in the front field. We all represent Q railing as a team. We are all working together to produce a not only a quality product, but a completely efficient turnkey service. So that it's a win win for everybody involved.
[00:19:59] Speaker A: Everybody involved. Wonderful. Awesome.
So obviously everyone's batteries tends to drain and you're no different than me. I'm sure I'm a bubbly person. I can keep going on very little, but there are times when you've got to say, I need a couple of moments to myself. So outside of the office, outside of the job site, out of meeting all these people, what's something that you do that completely would recharge you and re energize you again?
[00:20:31] Speaker B: So one of my favorite things to do is read. I read a lot. I read and I'm a big believer in continuous self improvement.
And so if I can read and learn one or two things from these books, I feel like that does give me a leg up when I am feeling less energetic.
One of the things that really fills my heart and my soul is being with my son.
We go to the beach almost every weekend. I'm very, very fortunate to live close to the beach. And so being at the beach is one of the things that's always Filled me up. And you know, I do a lot of walking. I'm a believer in walking. So I listen to a lot of podcasts when I walk.
[00:21:17] Speaker A: Yep, there you go.
[00:21:17] Speaker B: You know, I listen to a lot of books on books on tape and.
But you know, it's very, it's very simple to say it's harder to do, Merv. I mean, you know, when you have kids and when you have a story spouse and you have family and you have a full time job, you know, often times we don't take care of ourselves, you know, we don't. And so just to have Those, you know, 30 to 45 minutes to read or to recharge, it does fill me up so.
[00:21:51] Speaker A: It does, it really does.
[00:21:52] Speaker B: Merv, I'm going to turn the question on you. What do you do to recharge?
[00:21:58] Speaker A: So I'm a father of three kids, so just like you, my children are a real blessing to me. I've got a 15 year old, a 14 year old and a 7 year old. The 7 year old keeps me on my toes. He also has red hair, so that'll tell you a lot about his personality and his energy levels, which are off the charts. But that's okay. He keeps me on my toes.
I love just being with my family, just having time with them.
It's not always, you know, having wonderful experiences. Normally it's doing the mundane. It's to like saying to my son, hey, you want to come help dad out in the yard? Or.
[00:22:40] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:22:40] Speaker A: Me and my daughter, we like to go to plays, so we'll like to like watch like theater dramas and things like that. We'll go do that type of thing. My youngest, he just wants me to go on the trampoline, which I'm 42 and my body, my body doesn't really like the trampoline all that much, but there's sometimes I give it a go. I also, I like archery, so I like to, I like to shoot. I have a compound bow and I like to go out at night and sometimes after a hard day, I will fling arrows at a hay bale, so to speak. And I find that very relaxing. It's just the, it's the breathing, it's the looking at the target.
It's the, when you're looking at it, you're thinking, okay, how could have I improve my day? How could I improve over here? And just like you, I love, like Audible, takes a lot of my money.
So I probably should have had shares in Audible before I started purchasing them because I Think I've raised Amazon share price quite a bit. But I love. I have probably a 15 minute commute to work each morning and that gives me enough nugget to grasp onto to meditate throughout the day. And then. Okay, was there anything in that that was good? If not, let's spit it out, let's get the next batch in, let's see if there's anything there. So those are some of the things that keep me charged and then doing things like this. So we've just started these podcasts and having people on who are energetic, who enjoy their work, it's inspiring. And I hope people who listen, hear that, either in the tone of our voice or if they're watching it, that what we do, we enjoy.
And this is not a plug. This wasn't in the script, but if anyone is having issues, because mental health, physical health, these are difficulties in our day. And a lot of people, they say nothing. If you've got things like, we're people, we have ears, we like to listen, reach out. I'm not saying I'm some sort of psychiatrist or some. But sometimes a problem shared is a problem halved, as my dad would always tell me.
And so if there's someone listening to this and they've got. They're struggling, they're not knowing, they can't see the light, they're too close to the forest.
Talk to one of us. Like, I'm not putting you on the spot, but I am more than willing to talk to whomever, whenever, because people, some people do struggle. And it is.
There are. The days we live in are.
It's a roller coaster for a lot of people, sadly, small businesses, you know, everything that's going on, they're struggling financially, they're not knowing where the next job's gonna come from. And that can be very taxing on someone, on their mind, even their body, even their family. Yeah. And so if someone wants to reach out, I'm sure you can find us on LinkedIn or somewhere.
[00:25:44] Speaker B: You know, Merv, it's an excellent point you make about mental health. One of the things that I don't know if you know this about me, but my son is autistic. And the reason I bring it up is because I post about my son maybe three or four times a year, and people from all over the industry come up to me, I don't know them, and they say, I have an autistic brother or I have.
[00:26:13] Speaker A: I got goosebumps. That's awesome.
[00:26:15] Speaker B: And I have an autistic cousin or my Best friend's son or daughter is autistic. And yes, Merv, this goes back to. You never know what people are living in their personal lives.
[00:26:28] Speaker A: Nope, you've no idea.
[00:26:29] Speaker B: And I do believe LinkedIn is a wonderful spot for professional post. But I also think that we are all human, like you said.
And when I post about my son, it's like this beautiful vibration through the industry and people reach out to me all the time saying, yes, you know, Cindy, I contacted you because I have an autistic daughter or, you know, I don't know much about autism, but can you tell me about it? And so, you know, we are human. We are all struggling in our own way and you know, and so I just wanted to kind of reiterate what you said. If anybody out there needs a little, you know, pep talk or a little, you know, cheering up, you know, reach out to us, you know, Absolutely. We are human. And I think it's just important to know that we are here to support one another, whether it's through your daily challenges, professionally or personally.
[00:27:33] Speaker A: Absolutely. Yeah. No, that's really encouraging.
That's one thing. Like even the glass industry people have big hearts.
Like you'll see people and they've got hearts because they care for people.
There are other industries where people, it's just, it's dog eat dog, it's survival of fittest.
Not with glazers and glass people particularly.
And even that's one thing, like the NGA does and other organizations where they're promoting and they're trying to help people. To do what? To better themselves.
[00:28:08] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:28:09] Speaker A: And that's so, so important. And it's. Yeah, that's awesome. Well, thank you. That wasn't even on our script. That wasn't on any of the questions. And to me that might be one of the greatest points of the whole podcast. But no. Anyways, we'll get back on track here a little bit.
You've mentioned you travel a lot for work.
I'm the cm.
There's many weird and surprising things that you get to see. But what's something that's been unforgettable that you've seen on a job site or even through a glass related event?
[00:28:42] Speaker B: So having been in this industry a long time and as you mentioned, traveling, I've seen every type of manufacturing facility. I've seen the coolest of the cool robotics. I've seen the, you know, the most up to date tempering machine. I mean, I've seen it all. And I'm so fortunate to have seen so many amazing fabrication plans.
But honestly, the most exciting and different thing I saw was just recently at tuxbox when I went to see the bulletproof glazing demonstration.
To us by us Bulletproofing. And irony is I've been wanting to see a demonstration of bulletproof glass for quite a while, and I haven't been able to manage that. And having the opportunity to stand in the room at the gun range and see the professionals actually shoot into bulletproof glasses glass. And then, then, not only then, to have the experts explain the intricacies of the glass, the manufacturing process. I mean, kudos. This is not a plug for usbp, but I was really, really impressed with the.
How much they wanted to educate us.
[00:30:00] Speaker A: How much awesome.
[00:30:02] Speaker B: You know, not only was it just really cool to see, but the education program process was incredibly invaluable.
That.
That by far was probably the most exciting event to date in the glass industry.
[00:30:18] Speaker A: That's so cool. That's awesome. You got to experience that. That's legit. That's so neat.
[00:30:23] Speaker B: It was cool.
[00:30:24] Speaker A: That's so cool. So we're an innovation company.
You guys are too. You innovate some of the most beautifulest crafted pieces of, you know, railings. That. And people go railing.
I would challenge. And this is what I love. I love to challenge people. I'm like, okay, the next time you go somewhere, stop and look.
It's really. It's breathtaking when you actually open your eyes and you see, you know, a building, but then you see, like, railings and you see the glass. And you see even in our homes, like our kitchens, countertops, bathrooms, the craftsmanship, the attention to detail that we at times just very quickly glance past and don't recognize. But if it wasn't there, we'd be in a big lot of trouble.
But what's one innovation, either past or present, that you believe that's truly elevated? Like an installer's experience in the field?
[00:31:26] Speaker B: Well, one of the things I wanted to talk about was our Q disk.
So I bring this up because I believe so prior to coming to Q railing, I didn't know much about glass railings.
[00:31:39] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:31:39] Speaker B: And having seen some installation videos over the course of the past 12 years, that looks. That looks pretty intense, these different type of installs. So when I came to Q railing and they showed me how simple this Q disk was, this is literally okay. This system right here, you put these in the bay, shoot. The base chute is what holds the glass railing onto the substrate. And so this is all you need. Plus our Q Tool.
And this is it. This is it, you know, and the innovation of our Q Disk system, these go in the base shoe, the glass goes inside, this piece slips in and you hear a click, and you use this piece to tighten it, and it's in. That is it.
[00:32:35] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:32:35] Speaker B: That is all the installation. And so continually I hear from Glazers, this was the easiest install for Bay she we've ever had.
[00:32:45] Speaker A: Okay, awesome.
[00:32:46] Speaker B: Not only is it quick, and we've been so fortunate, as I travel, I get feedback about the projects. You know, not only do you want to obviously win projects, but you need to hear about the feedback. How did the project go? And just this week, I was in Las Vegas and we met a very important customer and we had completed the project.
And I wanted to say, you know, thank you so much for your business, but more importantly, how did we do?
[00:33:15] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:33:15] Speaker B: That is one thing I don't know enough of us in the industry actually do. Do you go back out to the customer and say, how do we do on the project?
What can we do to improve?
And was there anything in particular that you thought we could not only do better, but where did we thrive?
And I bring that up, Merv, because time and time again, it's about this Q Disk. It is about how simple.
[00:33:44] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:33:45] Speaker B: Installation is.
It's only using this. This is the tool that's unbelievable. Nothing else. And so when we were in Vegas, they said, by far, your installation process is the simplest. And, you know, it's a reduction in labor time, you know, so it does. It does meet not only the installation team, it's an innovation for them, but it's cutting down on labor.
So I think what's important is not only do we innovate for the installer, because quite frankly, they're the ones out there doing the hard labor, but then what are we doing to the bottom line? Okay, so you totally. You have to look at all aspects of a project.
And without a doubt, our Q Disk system, not only has it won awards, but it's so simple to use. And it's really, really, really been terrific for Glazers in the field.
[00:34:39] Speaker A: That's so awesome. That looks. That looks legit. Yeah, it looks really cool. So go on their website, check it out if you want to know more.
You kind of mentioned there about going back to people, and that's one thing that's very, very important feedback. Whether good or bad, it's what makes a company succeed.
And so having that. But that all comes with, hey, how are you doing? It's a Handshake. Because once you gain. Because a lot of times people, even if they are, you know, annoyed at a job or it wasn't quite what they expected, if there isn't that sort of interaction, you'll either hear all the negative and never a positive or they'll go, yeah, it was fine. And they won't actually give you good feedback.
[00:35:29] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:35:29] Speaker A: And what's, what's so strange is like companies like yours, companies like mine, we thrive on that, good or bad.
[00:35:37] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:35:37] Speaker A: And that's so important. Like, we've got thick skin, we're armadillos, we can handle it. We're not going to cry in the corner. Maybe for a little bit, but not too long. But we don't know what to improve if no one tells us.
And so that's so important. Like we're not used, we're not using these tools day in, day out.
So we don't know. Well, we kind of know some of the pain points. But people who do it day in, day out, they're going to give you the best information.
And so kudos to you for going back. There aren't very many companies that do that. All they want is the check to go in the bank. And it's like, sorry, who were you again? I don't remember you. That's where relationships matter. That's where being with, being with people like Q railings is such a vital part of your business. So, okay, moving on.
[00:36:30] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:36:32] Speaker A: You post a lot on LinkedIn, a lot of wonderful information. If no one's following you on there, go and follow.
But you posted recently about participation in a wonderful event. It's for future construction leaders. It's a camp for teen girls and it's really, it's inspiring to me because I look at the next generation as those are who's coming after us.
So what advice would you give that next generation who they're entering the glass or even a construction industry? It might not be glass, it might be something else. But for those who wanna be like you, like they have you as a role model, what advice would you give them to kinda kickstart them into construction or glass in general?
[00:37:23] Speaker B: Well, I was incredibly fortunate, first to be asked to volunteer, but second, I was able to actually present to the girls about a personal brand and about a professional image on social media and what I think is incredibly important for this younger generation to understand how to utilize social media in a positive and professional manner. I must have reiterated that wording positive and professional manner a million Times, you know, because when you are younger, and especially this generation that has so much in the palm of their hands, you know, I tend to worry that it's going to be used negatively. And when you are that young, you don't necessarily think of the repercussions. At least I did.
[00:38:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:17] Speaker B: You know, and back when you and I were growing up, there wasn't cell phones, there wasn't cameras and video, you.
[00:38:22] Speaker A: Know, not at all.
[00:38:23] Speaker B: Now it's a completely different world.
But how do you spin that?
Instead of, you know, putting videos, you know, about you at a party or about, you know, some negative comment, put that in a positive, positive light. In a professional and positive light. So it was twofold. I would suggest to the younger generation, if you are a junior and senior in high school.
Absolutely. Develop a LinkedIn professional page. Okay. Because oftentimes colleges now are looking at your LinkedIn profile. Okay.
[00:39:00] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:39:00] Speaker B: Then I would only post professional on LinkedIn. You can still have fun with Facebook and Instagram.
[00:39:07] Speaker A: Instagram, yeah.
[00:39:08] Speaker B: But also note that that will follow you for the rest of your life. You know.
[00:39:12] Speaker A: Good point. Very good point.
[00:39:14] Speaker B: The younger generation, to understand the implications of posting harmful material or posting images, they don't want to be out there for the rest of their lives and.
[00:39:25] Speaker A: Totally.
[00:39:26] Speaker B: But, you know, when I was down there in San Diego, these girls were so interested about the opportunities for LinkedIn to get into college or to get jobs, to get internships.
There's no reason why they couldn't create a LinkedIn profile that night when they left. Put on there. I attended Future Leaders.
[00:39:50] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:39:51] Speaker B: Put that on there. You know, so I tried to explain to them that there's the professional image that they have to get, keep professional and for future use, and then there's the, you know, having fun social media, but all under the personal brand.
[00:40:08] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:40:09] Speaker B: And so it was such a pleasure to meet so many young and inspiring women who wanted to get into glass and glazing, who wanted to get in, you know, to the electrician side of the industry and, you know, to see companies come in and not only donate their time, donate product, you know, donate, you know, so many, you know, future opportunities for the young girls.
[00:40:39] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:40:39] Speaker B: It really filled me up. I think there are more out of it than these young girls.
[00:40:46] Speaker A: That's always the way. It's always the way.
[00:40:48] Speaker B: And I was adamant, you know, about, you know, really, you know, honing in on their professional image, utilizing LinkedIn for college internships, and then all the things they have done, you know, because now is the time to Create that personal brand. And so that's the advice I would give the younger generation, is the utilizing social media for its benefit.
[00:41:16] Speaker A: Awesome. That's really, really helpful. That's good. So people share this loud and clear to young people.
One piece of advice my father gave me, who's an Irish man who was a farmer years ago, he says, once you squeeze the toothpaste out of the toothpaste tube, you can never get it back in.
And so if young people be careful of what you do put on there, because like you said, it follows and you can't get rid of it. It's like the toothpaste. You can't get it back in the tube once it's out there. So before you hit post, think twice.
Think twice.
[00:41:56] Speaker B: That's a good analogy. I like that.
[00:41:59] Speaker A: So anytime anyone's brushing their teeth, they're going to squeeze it now and go, what have I put on social media? But it's a good reminder. It is a good, good reminder. Well, this has been an absolute blast. This has been. Oh, I can't tell you how much wind is in my sails.
It's a Wednesday when we're recording this. It's the middle of the week. This is the boost that I needed to get me through to the end. And Sidney, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you so, so much. You've brought so much Briens and laughs, serious inspirations and some serious notes of help. If someone wanted to contact you or wanted to follow you or your company, how would they do that?
[00:42:45] Speaker B: Thank you, Murph. First of all, thank you for the opportunity to be on your podcast. It was wonderful.
[00:42:51] Speaker A: It's a pleasure.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: I really enjoyed it.
Please reach out to myself via LinkedIn or at Q Railing North America or, you know, you can hit me up. As a board member of the nga, you know, I would love to connect with you and see how we can all support each other in this wonderful industry.
[00:43:13] Speaker A: Awesome. Thank you so much. Well, that's a wrap on this episode of the Cutting Edge Installs. If you've enjoyed it, be sure to follow us. Subscribe, Leave a quick review if there's any questions, perhaps you'd like to be asked some of these people. Hey, put them on there. For more information about Omni Cubed, the tools, the design that help fabricators and installers, go check out our website@omnication cube.com and until I see you all again, cheerio. Take care and goodbye. Thank you all.
