Growing Lean
Growing Lean is aimed at helping entrepreneurs learn from other successful business owners who have successfully grown their business against all odds. Join our discussion to share the wealth of knowledge from people who have been in the trenches growing lean startups.
Have an app idea and need help bringing it to life?
Book a free discovery call here:
https://meetings.hubspot.com/ethan-halfhide/discovery-call
Growing Lean
Shattering the Glass Ceiling: A Journey from Radiologic Technologist to CEO with Deborah Smith
Ever wonder how a hardworking radiologic technologist from West Virginia shatters the glass ceiling, achieves her PhD dream, and becomes a successful CEO? Prepare to be inspired! Our special guest Deborah Smith, the President and CEO of Dynamic Systems, has a story to tell about her journey towards success and how she overcame the affordability barrier. She talks about her unstoppable drive to self-educate, climb the corporate ladder, and her dedication towards empowering women. Deborah also shares insights from her latest book, Sure Fireways to Improve Business Performance, where she discusses various initiatives like change management and human-centered design, offering a masterclass in leadership transformation.
In a candid conversation, Deborah reveals her secret sauce to winning - a solid strategy, investment in people, and an indomitable never-say-die spirit. She presents a compelling account of her experience working with diverse clients and mentoring them to reach their potential. She emphasizes the significance of metrics like customer satisfaction, repeat business, and cost expenses in the grand scheme of success. Experience the exciting shift in the landscape of women executives, and understand the profound impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion evident in her leadership style. Join us in this riveting episode as we journey through Deborah's stories of hope, resilience, and success.
Have an app idea and dont know where to start? Book a Free Discovery Call Here
Learn more about our award winning app development firm Lean Discovery Group
Connect with me on linkedin
Welcome back to the growing Lean podcast sponsored by Lean Discovery Group. This is your host, dylan Burke, also known as Deej. I'm very happy to be here with Debra Smith, president and CEO of Dynamic Systems. Welcome, debra.
Speaker 2:Good morning, dylan, and thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your podcast and share with your audience today.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Thank you so much for being here and for your time To get us started. Can you give us a little bit about the history and background of yourself and how you ended up where you are today in terms of your business?
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely. I've had the most amazing career in life and I'm so excited to share what I've been doing. First of all, I started my journey In West Virginia as a young lady. I tried to learn everything I could. I was a bookworm. They used to call me the bookworm because I love to read, but reading really helped me to get where I am today.
Speaker 2:So one of the things that I did was, right out of high school, I wanted to go into healthcare. So I went in the radiologic technology program and I didn't have the money to go to college. So if I got my technology certification, I could get a good job and I would be able to work for a healthcare system that would allow me to go to college, and they paid for it. So that's what I did. I worked as a radiologic technologist for many years and my goal was to get a PhD. So I acquired my PhD. My other goal was to become a CEO. So I became a CEO. But that was a long journey, because when you work and the company pays for it, they only pay for like six hours a semester. So instead of getting my PhD in 10 years, it took me 20. But I am so thankful for the journey that I had and the mentorship and the coaching that I had from different people that helped me along the way. As part of my journey, I worked for companies that really invested in me as a leader. I had amazing courses that they taught me along the way to be successful with my customers.
Speaker 2:After working in healthcare for many years, I decided to go into consulting. So I joined General Electric and that's where I learned the performance improvement sciences of lean and Six Sigma. I continued on that journey of change management, rapid decision making. I had the opportunity to become a master black belt, a master change facilitator. I went on to learn other methodologies, such as theory of constraints. I became a Jonah. I became a PMP, a project management professional. So I have a ton of certifications and so much knowledge built up in this head that I decided my legacy was going to be giving back.
Speaker 2:I wanted to give back first to the women, and women have had a very difficult time in the workplace to become leaders, executive leaders, and so I've written three books. Dylan Women Leaders is the first one I wrote. It just took a spark of possibility. It's my biography, with all kinds of topics related to business, argument, communication strategy, mission mind and this. And then I wrote a second book and it's called Women Leaders. But it's the burning ring of fire and it's women from all across the world that I've worked with and the success. They each wrote a chapter and they told about their success as being a women leader. And then I didn't want to leave out the young girls that are striving to be leaders. And my third book was Women Leaders the Sparks that Created the Possibility, and these are stories from girls from high school and college and just starting their careers and we give them advice on how to be successful.
Speaker 2:But my fourth book, dylan, I am so excited about Sure Fireways to Improve Business Performance, and there's not a book on any site right now similar to this. It is a book. It's very people centric. It identifies 14 different initiatives and it goes through change management, high reliability, human center design, lean, six-sigma, bdsa facilitation 14 different initiatives. It'll be available in October. I'm going to stop there and let you ask me more questions.
Speaker 1:Amazing. Well, firstly, I'm super inspired by your persistence of breaking the affordability barrier of getting your PhD and reaching the goals that you set out for yourself. I think that's super inspiring. Also inspiring is how you're now wanting to share that knowledge and expertise with other women looking to do the same. I'm super inspired and I'm excited to hear more. You sound like a great person. What was the biggest problem that you consistently faced at the beginning of your business journey? How did you solve it?
Speaker 2:My goal was to be an executive, and to be passed over by younger men with no experience straight out of college and to be accepted to an executive position was very frustrating for me. It wasn't fair and you didn't have a lot of leadway to back. When I was going through all of this journey, to really rebuttal, I would always say I'm not giving up. That's the number one thing. I wanted to reach my goals. Sometimes I would take a position that would take me up and the organization. I could learn a different area. I was determined I was going to be the most qualified CEO that ever stepped in. I would take a position going up the ladder, but sometimes I would take a lateral position and go across the organization, learn a whole other different area because I wanted to know and most of Dylan, these jobs are when healthcare, I've worked in government. I've worked in manufacturing, academia with the government, the Veterans Administration. I've worked with the Navy, the military. I took these broad opportunities to expand my credentials, to be in those jobs.
Speaker 2:I am so proud of my work, dylan, my work is not Deborah's work, it's the investment in other people. It's an intellectual investment in people to help them be successful. I think, having that type of mindset, that you as you learn and help other people be successful, it makes you look better as a leader. That was really important to me. Don't ever give up. You know that my books are all about the sparks of possibility and someday you can become that burning ring of fire. Once you're that burning ring of fire, there's no stopping you as to what you can do and achieve 100 percent.
Speaker 1:I completely agree with you. There's this quote I like to say. I'm not sure if I made it up. I don't want to take credit, but I don't know who the author was. It goes like if you want the world to be a brighter place, you've got to light other candles with your flame. I think you are doing just that and that's amazing. I really love that.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you, and I love that quote. If you don't mind, I'd like to put it in my next book 100 percent.
Speaker 1:I don't think I made it up, so you can go for it.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Have you noticed a shift in the last 10 years or so about companies wanting to hire women executives? Because I know in my lifetime I have, since I was a kid I've noticed there has been a big shift around how business owners think and operate and diversity and all that. So have you noticed a big difference and, if that big change, and Can you mention how that impacts the goal you're trying to achieve by helping women reach their goals?
Speaker 2:Absolutely, dylan. You're absolutely right. There has been a big shift. I do equate that to the diversity, equity and inclusion that has come on the forefront. Now we have chief diversity, equity and inclusion officers sitting at the executive table. That just wasn't the case five years ago, but because of this visibility, women are getting the opportunity to be heard. What they say matters more now than in the past. Before you didn't talk about it. You see the executive board of representative all male representatives and that was just acceptable. But now people are being really challenging. The board members have equal representation of women, especially women businesses being on boards, especially executive, and a chief nursing executive, which would be generally the female representative on that team. But now we're starting to see more female executives. I do equate that to the new laws that are coming out and the visibility of that. Dylan, one of the things people were asking me are you going to write a book about men leaders? I'm not bashing men, men me along the way. I would like to write a book on men leaders, so I'm considering that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100 percent. I'm glad that you are noticing a change. I think it's long overdue globally. Your point about people asking about you writing men interviews and it doesn't mean you're bashing them by supporting women. It means you're supporting the people that were marginally disqualified because of their gender pretty much Men weren't, so they don't need that support.
Speaker 1:If you know what I'm trying to say. It's cool to see that over the years your idea of the executive board has changed from just white men in suits sitting around the boardroom table to a whole bunch of different diversity women, people of color. It's great to see that shift in mentality from business owners and executive teams. I'm really grateful and happy that that has happened, especially like I come from South Africa, which obviously has a crazy history with racial segregation and the apartheid. So I'm glad to see that that's coming along globally because it's something that's very close to my heart. And yeah, sorry I digress there a little bit, but I want to talk about your business dynamic systems. Can you run us through what does that business do and what is your overall strategy for the business?
Speaker 2:Yes, I'm an independent consultant, so I work for different companies as a 1099 employee, but I do have my own business. What that entails is that I work with companies on three major areas. One is strategy making sure that companies have a good, solid strategy. Second is leadership making sure that leaders are confident in the work they do. The third is performance improvement sciences. With that three things, I always try to do a limit. If you start with a good strategy, you have competent leaders and you know how to improve your business, you create value for your company. You create customer loyalty, you create employee loyalty. So underneath those three focused areas, I have curriculum, I have mentoring and coaching techniques that I use and I actually can go on site and work with these leaders on these. It can be a one-year engagement, it can be a five-year engagement and then I do a lot of mentoring, coaching through virtual Zoom and Teams. But the one thing that I don't do is which I do not support at all because I've seen it fail so many times is I don't believe in training people without mentoring and coaching them. So people learn different ways and some verbal, some by site, some I actually had to do it. But if I'm with those people and I can coach them in the moment and give them feedback. They are so much more successful in being able to do their job. It's one thing to read a book and do. It is another thing to have someone there as a thought partner with you to help you be successful.
Speaker 2:Dylan, I taught a grade school many, many years ago. For about nine years, my husband and I did full-time ministry and I taught school. I've been to South Africa doing medical missions, so I'd love to talk to you about all that someday. But one of the things in my business is to make an investment in the people to be successful. I've got people that I mentor and coach and kids from grade school that still call me, still talk to me, and I'm helping them to be leaders in their business. That's what makes my job so exciting. I don't want to retire.
Speaker 1:I want to keep giving back 100%, and I think that's so special that kids you taught in grade school are still in contact with you. It means you made a real impact on their life, which is so, so awesome for lack of a better word and very inspiring. I really love that. And, yeah, we can definitely chat more about South Africa offline. I'm very keen to hear what you've done Back to you and your business. I'd love to know what metrics you use to measure the success of your business, because, from what I've heard so far, I doubt it's revenue, so I'd love to hear what metrics you use that you consider to be successful.
Speaker 2:Well, you're absolutely right, I might. One of my metrics is repeat business and upsell, because I want to be able to stay with that customer, to get them to success and sustainability. So that's one of mine. And then, of course, customer satisfaction. I wanted a nine or 10 out every account that I go with. On the scale of nine to 10, I want to be a nine or a 10. And so customer satisfaction is very important to me. And repeat business upsell business is being able to. And then the other thing with my business yes, I've got to make a living.
Speaker 2:I want to be able to continue to invest into my business. I have a website, dr Deborah Smithcom it's. It costs money to build websites, it costs money to write books and publish them. So that is where I want my revenue to go, is back into the business to further the education of others, in addition to customer satisfaction and repeat business. Also, I like to measure the, the cost of doing business, and that's what I was referring to about the website and the expenses and stuff like that. So I'd like to keep that, those margins. If you don't have a good margin, don't have a good mission, and so I want to keep my margins really tight.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100%. I think that's all super important and I love that your main focus is customer retention. It's obviously super important, but for the type of business you do, it's even more important. If you had to improve any of the metrics that you focus on, what, which one would it be? Which one do you think would need the most improving?
Speaker 2:My cost expenses because I want to do so many things. I want to do podcasts, like you're doing. I want to be able to do some online courses that people can click and do at any time of the day or night, because I work in 24, seven businesses and the people work around the clock, and so I want to create some online curriculum. I've got tons of curriculum. I just need to get it built and I need to hire a designer to do that to make the curriculum exciting. I'm exploring AI right now. I love open, I love chat, GPT, I love a Bard and Bing, and I'm learning about all of those. And you know I want to get those premium packages, but they're very expensive. So the one thing I have to watch right now is my expenses. I have a vision that is so big, Dylan, I can't afford it.
Speaker 1:It's never bad to have a big vision and from what I've heard, you you'll get there because you you're very persistent and you don't give up. So I'm sure you'll get there and we can chat offline about, about the website and the courses, because I'd love to learn more about that and see if we'd be a good fit anywhere in there. I wanted to ask we are running out of time, but I've just got two more questions what? Where do you see yourself and your business in? Let's say we sat down in three years time. What would you have liked to accomplish in those three years?
Speaker 2:Well, I want to be more online. I want to be more virtual. Traveling now is very difficult and that takes up Days of travel back and forth, so I want to be more accessible virtually, and so the other thing is I have 2 amazing, smart daughters and I want to I'm investing in them to the future leaders. They have incredible jobs. I got degrees. They're they're very smart and following in my footprints, and I got a really smart 17 year old granddaughter too. That helps me a lot with the technology. So I'm in 3 years.
Speaker 2:I want to make sure that my business can be integrated in with them as well. I have some colleagues that I work with that are amazing. They're super smart, and we may take this business a little different way than we currently being. As I told you, I have 3 major focuses strategy, leadership and performance sciences so I may want to pick up some additional things. I've been Invited to many conferences and things about writing books. Who would have thought Before interested in that? And so that's another opportunity. So I want to keep that door wide open, but I've got to really be cautious of where my money goes 100%, 100%.
Speaker 1:And before we go, what advice would you give to other Female business owners and leaders looking to succeed in business and in life?
Speaker 2:Well, 1 thing is success is so important, and if you want to continue to be positive and bold and make transformational changes, don't give up that's possibility going and Get good mentors, get good coaches, being networking and give back. The giving back is the most rewarding thing that you can ever do, and so that would be my recommendation is keep that spark of possibility going.
Speaker 1:Amazing. I love that so much. So don't give up and give back. I think those are very important rules to live by in general and in business. So thank you so much, deborah, for being on the show. I've really, really enjoyed chatting to you. What is the best way for people to get in touch with you if you have any offers for them? What's the best way they can reach out to Deborah Smith also to find out where your books are? Anything you'd like to say on that?
Speaker 2:Oh yes, my email is Dr Deborah Smith at gmailcom. I'm on Amazon with my books. Just type in for Deborah Smith and you'll see my books pop up. And also my website is Dr Deborah Smithcom, so I would. There's on my website. Is form where I can do a 30 minute free consultation with people if they're interested in that and we can see what the opportunities are for them.
Speaker 1:Amazing. Well, thank you again for being on the show. I'm looking forward to see what the future holds.
Speaker 2:Thank you, dylan, and thank you for this opportunity to speak to you and your audience. May you have a great day.
Speaker 1:And you too.