I Built My Business With The “People-First” Mindset. Here’s Why It Has Paid Off
Whether I’m working with internal teams or external stakeholders, I’ve found the greatest success while proactively supporting those around me. Here’s how a people-first mindset generates results.
Building a Foundation
Prior to Qwick, I led an international team of over 300 people at Willis Towers Watson, the insurance brokerage and advisory firm. There, I worked hard to equip team members with the leadership skills, tailored advice, and appropriate support they needed to thrive.
I got interested in this people-first leadership style after reading “The Orange Revolution,” by Chester Elton and Adrian Gostick. The book explores how to build trust while empowering individuals to think creatively and set clear goals. It also encourages leaders to reward team members for their good work.
This approach really resonated with me, and it still influences my daily business decisions.
Prioritizing People
When I co-founded Qwick in 2018, I wanted to bring that same dedication to my internal team — and to every one of the hospitality professionals and partners that our company works with daily.
At Qwick, we prioritize our professionals and partners by listening to their needs and questions. We also make it easy for them to communicate with our in-house team members via text.
Why This Mindset Matters
Guided by a people-first mentality and a focus on clear communication, our team has formed valuable, long-lasting relationships with our professionals and partners. Their success is our success. That’s been especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When much of the hospitality industry shut down almost overnight in 2020, Qwick got creative. We put professionals’ needs first, expanding our core business by connecting them with job opportunities in hospitals, grocery stores, military cafeterias, and other foodservice outfits. We also prioritized our catering and restaurant partners. Along the way, our technology has supported everything from delivery-only operations to reopening efforts.
Looking Forward
Like our service and hospitality partners, Qwick saw a significant drop in business when the pandemic sparked nationwide shutdowns. A year later, many restaurants, hotels, and hospitality businesses are on the road to recovery. March 2021 was one of Qwick’s best months ever. As communities reopen, our original business partners are posting more shifts and hiring a bigger number of professionals.
Our success stems, in large part, from the bonds and trust that we’ve established with our partners since day one. By putting their needs first, by changing course to serve them during the pandemic, and by stepping up to support their comeback strategies, Qwick is helping hospitality businesses find success despite market uncertainties.
