WEBVTT
00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.400
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Keepin' It Clean podcast.
00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:12.320
I'm Haley Dunham alongside Mike Miller.
00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:13.279
Good morning, Haley.
00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:13.839
Good morning.
00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:14.400
How's it going?
00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:15.679
It's uh fantastic.
00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.440
I'm so glad to hear that.
00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.640
Um today we have a very special guest with us.
00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.079
Um, Ryan Klingman is joining us for our podcast today.
00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:25.600
Ryan, how's it going?
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.199
It's going great.
00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:28.160
Good morning, everyone.
00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:29.600
Good morning, Ryan.
00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:36.640
Before we dive into our topic today, um, we enjoy um just kind of getting to know our guests a little bit.
00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:47.439
So can you start out um telling us a little bit about you on a personal level um and then we'll kind of uh roll into your experience with Meyer and and things like that.
00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:49.119
Absolutely.
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.799
So uh I'm Ryan Klingman, business development manager at Meyer Lab.
00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:59.039
I believe I'm enter or in the middle of or entering year nine.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:00:59.600
Wow.
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:01.359
I am happily, yeah.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:02.960
Time flies when you're having fun.
00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:04.000
That's right.
00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.640
I am uh happily married to the love of my life, Caitlin Klingman.
00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:15.120
We have a two-year-old daughter named Reese, and we are expecting our second child here in about 10 days.
00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:16.400
That's really exciting.
00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:18.640
I didn't realize it was that close.
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:25.280
Yeah, life is uh life is getting very uh fast, very fun, very fast over here at the Klingman House.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:29.920
Is there a possibility that this could be our first podcast where we have a live birth?
00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:31.040
I hope not.
00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.000
That'd be exciting.
00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.200
I don't think I don't think so, but yeah, if it happens, it could happen.
00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:36.400
I'll bring you along for the ride.
00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:37.200
Keep it live.
00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:38.159
Thanks so much.
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.239
Well, tell us more about um your family and and kind of how you got started at Meyer.
00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:48.159
Um, so I got started at Meyer in 2018.
00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:54.719
Um previously I was a teacher at Knob Noster High School and a state champion track coach.
00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:58.480
Are you in the Nnob Noster Hall of Fame?
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.200
I think my team is, and by default, they had to put a coach's name by it.
00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:03.760
So yes.
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:22.400
Yeah, so Knob Noster is a town of like 1,500, but it is the largest Air Force base in the United States that houses the B-2 bombers that uh the U.S.
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.400
government uses for missions and all of that.
00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.080
So a lot of my students would come and go every two years.
00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:38.719
And one of the years my last year teaching, we had a year where the students came and we had four or five girls that were D1 athletes, and we ended up winning the state championship that weekend or that year.
00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:39.599
That's awesome.
00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:40.400
Very impressive.
00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:40.960
Yeah.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.199
What um what did you teach?
00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:52.800
So my first year there was ninth grade geography, and then my last three years was ISS and credit recovery.
00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:57.199
So there was a lot of sarcasm between me and some uh 15 and 16-year-old high schoolers.
00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:01.599
Like ISS as an in-school suspension or okay.
00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:03.280
That sounds that sounds fun.
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:07.280
I was handing out life lessons to those that made mistakes.
00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:09.120
I love that.
00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:15.599
So how did you um how did you transition from uh that life to selling soap?
00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:19.439
So that last year was year four.
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:21.599
My whole family was in education.
00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:30.879
I had a very heart-to-heart conversation with my dad, who was an educator 35 years, and I was like, Dad, I don't know if I can do this for 30 years.
00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.680
And I was 26, 27 at the time.
00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:38.159
And he said, Well, if you're not gonna do it forever, you might as well get out now and find something to do.
00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.759
And Meyer Lab had a job opening.
00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:56.240
I had known the Meyer family in a previous life, and I applied in I believe May uh came up for an interview in June, actually, an interview with Mike Miller and Kim Combs at the time.
00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:00.800
And I wore a suit and or I wore a shirt and tie for the first time ever.
00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:04.319
Yeah, no, no, I used to wear ties all the time.
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:23.600
But I remember that day I was in the in the office and we were having a conversation and doing the interview, and Mike was walking me around the warehouse, and I believe I ran into Wood out in the out in the uh manufacturing facility, and I was in my shirt and tie, and he Mike introduced me, and Wood goes, I don't think you're gonna need that tie.
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:36.000
And uh that's that was my interview, and the next week I got the call that I was gonna get an opportunity, and I was given a sprinter van in Kansas City.
00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:50.399
I was an account manager in Kansas City, and I was delivering five gallons of dish soap and boxes of toilet paper and all that to a lot of industrial or institutional customers around Kansas City area.
00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:56.800
And that was like, holy cow, I didn't know people went through this many five-gallon bales of soap.
00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.519
Yeah, so and and wildly successful clearly at that.
00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:08.720
Um, and so Ryan, one of the things I wanted to touch on is you've now lived in a couple different places working for Meyer.
00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:12.079
Uh at one point you made your way out to California.
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.759
Maybe touch on that a little bit for those that don't know your story.
00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:24.639
Yeah, um, I think I was about six months in, and concrete and asphalt was really starting to take off.
00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:27.920
And I was not a family man at that time.
00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.000
I was just running around trying to make a living.
00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:36.720
And Mike and Rusty, Mara at the time, pulled me into the office and kind of gave me a little bit of a spiel.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.639
And basically it ended with, would you move to California and help us expand concrete and asphalt?
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:52.000
And like the uh very aggressive slash don't think things through guy that I am, I believe my exact words were, when are we leaving?
00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.879
And uh that was it.
00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:58.560
The next day, Mike called me and goes, You realize you signed up to move to California.
00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:01.120
I said, Oh yeah, I'm ready, I'm I'm ready to go.
00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:02.879
He goes, All right, well, we're gonna do this.
00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.879
So hopefully you've told everybody that you're moving.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:05.360
Yeah.
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:10.240
And uh that was in that was the end of August.
00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:35.199
I went out with Shane Smith at the end of September to see some of the uh industrial customers we had, and I found an apartment, and I moved the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2018 with two suitcases and just a uh, like I like to say, a nut a nut driver in a dream, and that was it.
00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:35.920
Yeah.
00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.240
Did you meet your wife in California?
00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:39.279
I did.
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:39.920
I did.
00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:43.199
So I uh moved, I lived in Long Beach, California.
00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:44.800
We were we rented a warehouse.
00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:47.279
This is one of my favorite badges of honor at Meyer.
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:55.920
We rented a warehouse right next to like Los Angeles International Airport, and it was like an outdoor warehouse.
00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:02.639
It had like a lean to, and we just stacked pallets and product and uh sounds fancy.
00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.199
Hopped in the yeah, hopped in the truck and went.
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:14.639
Again, it's not as bad as it sounds, it's California, it's beautiful weather, but we uh we took on the West Coast with uh an outdoor warehouse, and like I said, a nut driver and a can do attitude.
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:22.480
And that was really the the start of uh you know a lot of success on the West Coast in that industry and others.
00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:25.839
So really a trailblazer in our company for sure.
00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:27.279
Absolutely.
00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:28.160
It was a fun time.
00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:45.839
And I lived in Los Angeles for two years, fortunate enough to move to San Diego, met my wife down there, who was a naval nurse at the time, and uh lived out in California, Southern California for six years and uh got married, moved back to her hometown, which is up here in northern Illinois.
00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.439
And now I am uh business development here in the Midwest.
00:07:49.519 --> 00:08:01.040
And I was telling somebody the other day, I think overall, if you counted it out, customers sold via cold call in 33 states and two countries.
00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:02.399
Fantastic.
00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:04.240
That's uh that's impressive.
00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.040
That's that's part of the reason we're talking to you today.
00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:18.319
Uh, last quick question on your background, which is an awesome background, but more current, uh, how many people live in the you you went from LA to somewhere in Illinois.
00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.720
How many people live in the town you live in now?
00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:24.720
Town I live in now is 1,100.
00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:29.040
And when I left San Diego, they were just crossing a million one.
00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:29.920
Yeah.
00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:34.559
So back to your roots, back to your nom Nostra roots, basically.
00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:36.159
Pretty much, yeah.
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:36.320
Yeah.
00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.440
It's been a it's been it's been a journey and it's been a heck of a ride.
00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:41.919
Have they asked you to coach the track and field team yet?
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.840
Do they know that there's uh a nom Nostra Hall of Famer in town?
00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:54.240
I was trying to I was trying to keep it under wraps, but then you know, Thursday night dinners turn into Thursday night stories, and the next thing you know, everybody knows.
00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:55.679
That's right.
00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:57.519
Yeah, I I hear you.
00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.399
Well, Ryan, uh, thanks for the intro.
00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.720
Uh it's uh it's an awesome one.
00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:13.919
And for those of you that don't know Ryan and our company, if you ever get an opportunity to have a conversation with him, Ryan's done a lot of things at Meyer, had a lot of success, and has an amazing story.
00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:24.879
Um as far as our topic today, the the basis of this podcast is we're continuing on uh kind of the step up initiative that we're we've rolled out at Meyer.
00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:32.480
And just as a refresher for everyone, the step up initiative is about why we win through the customers' eyes.
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.320
And it's an acronym.
00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.519
And that acronym stands for uh SPED.
00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:43.360
You know, speed meaning we need to be available, responsive, and relentless when customers need us.
00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.039
The T is trust.
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.279
Ultimately, that boils down to doing what we say we'll do for our customers.
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:51.039
The E is easy.
00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:53.919
Uh, there's a lot in this, encompassed in this.
00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:59.600
This is the topic that we're talking about today, but really it's a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:12.000
And then the P and step up is performance, and that's about solving problems, you know, through technical expertise, but product dispensing, et cetera, ultimately delivering the end result that we want for our customers.
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:17.759
So today, uh, Ryan, we're talking with you about uh easy.
00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:28.159
And the thing that initially made me think about you for this podcast episode is uh this idea of a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:45.840
And so today I've got some varying areas that I want to talk to you about, uh, but I really just want to focus on kind of how you think about and your approach to business because I think it's unique, I think it's admirable, and it's also been highly effective.
00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:49.039
Um, so that that's really where I want to focus.
00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:54.639
So maybe just by way of starters, uh, you've been extremely successful in winning business.
00:10:54.879 --> 00:11:02.159
How much of that success comes down to simply making it easy for customers to say yes and easy for them to work with us?
00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.600
Uh great question.
00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:14.240
I think a lot of it boils down to meeting meeting customers where they're at, not necessarily what's convenient for me.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:25.360
And what I mean by that is, especially in the concrete asphalt industry, which is where I work, you know, a concrete guy might work 12 hours in a day and that day might start at 3 a.m.
00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:35.360
So an install or a demo or a show up to move the process forward might need to take place at 6 a.m.
00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.159
It might need to take place at 4 p.m.
00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:42.159
It might need to take place before a night shift at 5 p.m.
00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:44.080
That's where the customer's at.
00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:50.639
And if I want to move things forward or we want to be successful or we want to even get a chance at this, we have to meet them where they're at.
00:11:50.879 --> 00:12:01.279
And the second thing is I don't I try to do my best not to say no until I've absolutely thought of any possible solution on the market.
00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:17.519
And what I mean by that is, especially at Meyer, there's so much knowledge and people have done so many things, and Meyer gives you such a flexibility to figure out a way to win that and make it a priority to reach out and see what other people have done to make a situation work.
00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:19.840
Yeah, that that makes a lot of sense.
00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.320
And you've been highly effective at that.
00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:27.600
I mean, for years, you've just uh again going back to do whatever it takes mentality.
00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:37.919
I mean, some of the hours that you work are are absurd, uh, but you know, as you said, you meet the customer where they're at, and that that's been really effective for you.
00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:54.559
I I'm interested in hearing where you think that mentality of doing whatever it takes has come from, whether that's been professional development, your upbringing in your family, like there's something inside of you that drives that.
00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:57.679
And I'm curious to hear you talk about that a little bit.
00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:06.320
Oh, there's a multitude of factors to that, but the base of it or the foundation is definitely rooted in how I was raised.
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.440
As mentioned earlier, my mom and dad are educators.
00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:27.600
You know, they work in the private sector of education, so they were the fundraising team, they were the janitor, they coached the team, they took somebody home after a long night, they they've done it all for their organizations and never once questioned why they were doing it or what time they were doing it.
00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.919
They just did it because that's what moved it forward.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.120
So I picked that up absolutely from my mom and dad.
00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:46.399
And then on a kind of in the middle of my life, I met somebody out in California, and he's a sales professional, very successful, and he used to always tell me, Ryan, customers are not always right.
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.519
That's BS.
00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:50.480
But customers have to be first if you want to gain more.
00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:59.200
And what that means to me is you're right, they might ask for something outlandish, but I have to put that request first and try to find a solution.
00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.600
And if I do that, it'll work itself out.
00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.159
Ryan, you talked about um making sure that before you say no, you've kind of exhausted all options.
00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:16.559
And uh you mentioned that there's a lot of people in the organization that have done a lot of different things that you could kind of pull ideas and thoughts from.
00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:19.200
We have uh you've been with us for eight years.
00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:27.200
Um, we've got a lot of newer folks in the company that may not have the exposure that you do to the people and the resources.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:41.679
And so if you are trying to um replicate that mentality with newer folks, are there any um suggestions that you would have for them on who to reach out to or how to figure out who a good contact would be for suggestions?
00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.360
Absolutely.
00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.559
Um, number one, everyone in Meyer is willing to help and talk about how cool they are.
00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:50.000
So get on human.
00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:57.519
Get on human, grab those phone numbers, mine is 573-301-8116.
00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:02.799
Get on human, call those phone numbers, ask questions, and throw out crazy ideas.
00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.320
That's just the way it works.
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:17.200
And if you do that, you're gonna come up with a solution, and you're gonna steal something from the John McCauley's of the world, the Ryan Klingmans of the world, the Steve Eskeys of the world, and you're gonna put it together, and you're gonna see, holy cow, how can you repeat this?
00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.600
And I can go and I can do it, and it's gonna work.
00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:30.559
So, my my biggest suggestion to anybody, and I tell everybody that I work with this, it's not gonna happen unless you make it happen, and this job and this career will be what you make it.
00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.240
I could not agree more.
00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:41.440
I think so many people miss out on the opportunity to get help from other people in our organization and just kind of uh stay in their lane, keep their head down.
00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.759
But there's so many people that want to help, and there's so many people that have been successful at Meyer.
00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.279
Tapping into that is uh is mission critical.
00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:58.559
Uh going back to mentality a bit, uh you one of the one of the roles of a BDM in our company is to work with other salespeople.
00:15:58.639 --> 00:15:59.919
And I want to spend some time on this.
00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:06.399
Salespeople, account managers, you've directly serviced customers, so you've had a lot of experience there.
00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:13.679
Uh, I'm curious your perspective on the ability to teach or cultivate mentality.
00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:22.159
You know, not everyone has had your same life experiences where they show up at mire day one and they have a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:30.720
Uh, it's not uncommon in the workforce for people to have kind of like this is just a job type mentality.
00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:44.960
And so I'm curious if in your time with working with people, if you feel like you've been able to teach that mentality or cultivate that mentality, or if your view is that's just something you either have or you don't.
00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:50.559
Well, I'm sure I've and the people I work with will attest to this.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:58.480
I'm sure I've tried to install instill mentality and I succeeded in some ways and probably went about it wrong in the other ways.
00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:09.200
But I do believe it can be learned because once you learn, as I mentioned earlier, where to meet your customers at, then you can piece together how to keep it going and keep it be successful.
00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.400
I use a term a lot and it's called have a timeline with tempo.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.960
And what I what that means is tempo doesn't mean it has to happen right now.
00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:25.119
It means I am moving a timeline forward as quickly as possible to make sure that the customer knows this matters to me.
00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:37.279
And if you have great tempo in the sales world or in the service world or whatever world it is that involves a relationship, you are going to find a solution and they're going to feel like you are working for them.
00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:39.119
And at the end of the day, that's what matters.
00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.119
Yeah, I I agree.
00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.640
I agree with you.
00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:55.359
Uh thinking about winning new business, when when you've been successful, uh, what typically makes customers willing to make the change away from another supplier to Meyer?
00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:59.200
Like what are the contributing factors there through your point of view?
00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:13.200
From what I see, a lot of people like the hands-on service and the hands-on relationship that Meyer takes, not only like with my relationships, but what happens across the country.
00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:17.599
You know, a lot of customers cross state lines and deal with multiple faces of Meyer.
00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:26.960
And nine times out of ten, when you succeed, they've heard about a great experience in Meyer or with Meyer, whether it be with me or with somebody else.
00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:41.119
Um, that's the number one thing that I always get back to is people know who Meyer is, and you'd be amazed at how small the world, especially the business world that we service, gets once you start doing a great job, or vice versa, if something goes wrong.
00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:41.599
Yeah.
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.599
Uh people know people know who we are.
00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.160
Yes.
00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.519
And that's that's a positive thing a lot of times.
00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.960
Yeah, certainly.
00:18:49.200 --> 00:19:08.559
Uh, which touching on that a little bit further, um, you know, I want to talk a little bit about the idea of delivering for customers because as you know, a lot of your success is contingent on the idea that a lot of other people do their job as effectively as well.
00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:13.039
Like you don't service every account that you sell, you can't be everywhere.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:17.279
As you said, you've closed business in 33 states and two countries.
00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:20.400
Uh, so it truly has to be a team effort.
00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:27.279
And so at the end of the day, you can promise a customer anything you want, but eventually someone has to deliver on that.
00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:36.559
So maybe talk a little bit about the importance of the relationship with operations, the service team, your other partners in sales.
00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:43.519
Uh, maybe just give some insight to that and and to the team effort that it takes and anything that you think's relevant there.
00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.599
Absolutely.
00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:49.200
Um, well, one thing I've learned in Meyer is it takes everybody.
00:19:49.519 --> 00:20:01.119
And uh what I think I struggle with at first was thinking I had to do everything on my own and not being organized enough to ask for help and put people where they want to.
00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:10.559
Um the most important thing that we have going for Meyer is the outreach or the stretch that can happen from Blue Springs all the way to the field.
00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:15.599
That doesn't mean it works perfect every time, but there's a lot of people out there that want to help.
00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:34.000
And throughout my career, especially right now, the guys I work with from the service side to the local reps to William and his operations team, for the most part, they do a really good job of laying out what the options are and hearing out what possibly could be added to it to get something done.
00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.279
And when you when all those things come together, it's wonderful.
00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:50.640
And I think the other part is you have to be okay with things not working out or not working exactly the way you want to, and being again back to that solution-minded of okay, that won't work, but there's still a way to get this done.
00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.559
Who can I get involved to get it done with great tempo for the customer?
00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:55.519
Yeah.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:14.400
If you were kind of going to try and boil that down and you said, hey, when I'm think about pursuing a new big potential customer, what's the number one thing that you need from the sales team or the operations team or even the the other local sales managers?
00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:21.680
Like, what's the thing that you need from a team effort standpoint to get the big deal over the finish line?
00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.119
Good question.
00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:37.200
Um from a local sales, from a local team standpoint, it's what is our footprint in the region as far as who do we know within this customer we're chasing?
00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:39.200
What are their thoughts of us?
00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:48.799
What do we have locally, whether it be equipment, warehouse, service rep, whatever it is that can help with the day to day if we were to move forward?
00:21:48.960 --> 00:22:02.319
And then from the operation side, what reinforcements, what equipment, what what can they get out in a timely manner to make sure We have everything we need.
00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:08.000
So when the word go happens from our potential client, we're ready to go.
00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:27.599
And then from there, it would be local people having local relationships, having high quality, in-depth communication with everybody at the at the ground level, and then operations, being ready to act whenever we do have something come up, whether it's a lack of product, we need more equipment, whatever it is.
00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:30.960
And for the most part, that does happen pretty regularly at Meyer.
00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:33.599
Yeah, uh, I think that's well said.
00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:40.799
And you know, as reflecting while you're talking about that, the you haven't used the word speed often.
00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.319
The I think pace and tempo have been the words that you m use more frequently.
00:22:46.480 --> 00:23:02.400
But I just want to call out for our company like how frequently somebody that's a highly effective seller in our organization, being yourself, Ryan, how frequently you call out the importance of tempo or pace or speed to execution.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.799
That that's very closely tied to being easy to do business with.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.440
Absolutely.
00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.160
Absolutely.
00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:10.480
Yeah.
00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:15.440
I mean, I think all of us at some in some way are customers for other industries.
00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:21.440
And the one thing that you want is just, I want it now, and if it's not gonna happen now, I want to know when it's gonna happen.
00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:23.119
Yep, for sure.
00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:28.000
Hey, so uh the other thing is we don't always get it right.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:35.200
Uh mistakes are inevitable in business, uh, whether that's individual or company driven.
00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:39.759
How does how do you handle it with the customer when we do screw up?
00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:42.400
Like how how do you maintain that relationship?
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.920
How do you keep moving forward?
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:45.599
What's your approach there?
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:50.799
Uh great question, and I do screw it up a lot.
00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.119
Um it's be forthcoming.
00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:01.839
You know, I think I've made mistakes early in my career where I thought I had to figure it out, and if I didn't have the answer, I could hide behind the fact I was trying to get it.
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.759
And at times that can burn you.
00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:10.480
Um I think as long as you're transparent with your customers, that creates a lot of equity in the relationship you have.
00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:24.960
You know, if you think about the term equity, if I let them know that I screw up or I take ownership of it, that just builds such a well, such a direct relationship or big relationship with the customer.
00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:35.119
It really moves you from that beginning part or beginning standard of a relationship to a wow, this is a very deep and rooted relationship with a customer when you own something like that.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:35.759
Yeah.
00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.000
I I couldn't agree more.
00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:43.519
Um, you know, I I guess I'd probably close with this question, Ryan.
00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:45.039
And and this has been great stuff.
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:54.880
I hope that people in our organization have really taken note because it's relevant to any position within the company, uh, what you've talked about here today.
00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.319
So thanks for sharing.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:06.480
I would say uh the last thing uh kind of in close is again, you've traveled all over the US and Canada working with a variety of sales and service people.
00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.799
You've worked closely with operations.
00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:16.480
Um, you know, what separates those that are highly successful from those that are less so?
00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.079
Oh man, I might need a fourth cup of coffee after that one.
00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:36.720
Um I think what separates those that are successful to those that maybe struggle to get there is just the ability to keep going.
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:47.039
It's the it's the ability to just dial into I'm gonna figure this out one way or the other and not getting distressed by failure.
00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:55.440
You know, I I have a baseball player background, and the greatest players of that game failed seven times out of ten.
00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.079
Yeah.
00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.079
They only succeeded three.
00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:02.640
And I think the greatest thing about that is you make a mistake, you flush it.
00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:07.039
You get the answer you don't want, you flush it, and you move on and you figure out what's next.
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:15.359
And I think that to everybody that I've ever met that I view as very successful, they do that really well with a great attitude.
00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:17.920
Yeah, uh very well said.
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:30.480
I can uh remember a circumstance this year where you and I experienced that exact same thing where we thought we had something across the finish line, and uh unfortunately it didn't work out that way.
00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:36.559
And despite that, you know, you've continued to have a very successful year, and eventually that will work out.
00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.000
That big deal will fall.
00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:50.799
And, you know, in my terminology, that's just having grit, like having a grittiness, showing up every day, putting one foot in front of another, not letting the success or failure of the day before dictate how you show up today.
00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.759
And I think you do that as well as anybody in our company.
00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:58.480
And just want to tell you, uh, thank you for being a great culture contributor.
00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:01.440
Thank you for being an example for a lot of people at Meyer.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:06.240
And again, I just encourage you, uh, as Ryan shared his phone number here today.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.839
It's on Human.
00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:18.079
Uh, this is a guy that that if you need some encouragement or just you're navigating something tough or you want to share some success, Ryan's a great guy to reach out to in our organization.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:20.799
So thank you, Ryan, for being on the podcast today.
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.559
Really appreciate you as a person and and your contributions at Meyer.
00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.319
Absolutely, guys.
00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.359
Thanks for having me.
00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:30.400
And we got a lot left on the table here this year.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.599
And good luck to everybody.
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:34.400
As Mike mentioned, if you ever need something, let me know.
00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:38.880
Um, if I don't answer, it's probably because uh baby number two will be here before you know it.
00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:43.920
Yeah, hey, I almost forgot Haley's most important aspect of the podcast.
00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:50.079
She was like flagging flagging me down that she has to give you the rapid fire question.
00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.079
So I guess we're not gonna let you go just yet.
00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.119
So the rapid fire question.
00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:56.559
We'll keep it quick though.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.119
Sounds good.
00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.000
All right, first question.
00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.240
Okay.
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:04.480
You have to enter a talent show in 10 minutes for a chance for a one million dollar cash prize.
00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:07.839
What is the act that you're doing for the talent show?
00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:10.160
Michael Jackson's thriller.
00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:12.559
Ooh, I love singing, dancing, all of it.
00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:19.519
Hey, we if if uh baby number two doesn't interrupt this, I think we'll be in Nashville together in a couple weeks.
00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:20.799
I'd like to see that.
00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:21.759
Absolutely.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:23.519
Yeah, vocals included, Haley Feature.
00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.079
Love it.
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.880
Uh, next question.
00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:29.039
Would you be more likely to win a fight with a kangaroo or a raccoon?
00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.440
Oh wow.
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.759
Uh I would say probably a kangaroo.
00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:39.599
I think I could last the stamina and I can always take a punch and get back up.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.119
I like it.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:42.400
Such a bizarre question.
00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:43.279
It is.
00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:46.640
Um, mullet or handlebar mustache?
00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:52.400
Oh man, I would love to be a mustache guy, but it's just not in the genetics of mullet.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:52.880
That's the new.
00:28:53.119 --> 00:28:54.480
I I've seen you with a mustache.
00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:56.400
It's uh it's interesting.
00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:58.640
Uh last question here, really quick.
00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:05.200
Um, would you rather let your wife pick a tattoo for you or have your buddies pick your wardrobe forever?
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.039
Oh.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.519
My wife's got a sense of humor.
00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:11.200
I'd go wife with for the tattoo.
00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:12.400
Yeah, I'd be the same.
00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:13.119
I like it.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:13.680
Good deal.
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:18.000
Well, thank you for thank you for playing, and Mike, thanks for letting me do my rapid fight questions for sure.
00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:19.200
Thanks, Ryan.
00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:19.920
Have a great day.
00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:21.680
Appreciate you being on the podcast.
00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:22.960
Absolutely, guys.
00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:24.240
Have a good weekend.
00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.400
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Keepin' It Clean podcast.
00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:12.320
I'm Haley Dunham alongside Mike Miller.
00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:13.279
Good morning, Haley.
00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:13.839
Good morning.
00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:14.400
How's it going?
00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:15.679
It's uh fantastic.
00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:17.440
I'm so glad to hear that.
00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.640
Um today we have a very special guest with us.
00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:24.079
Um, Ryan Klingman is joining us for our podcast today.
00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:25.600
Ryan, how's it going?
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:27.199
It's going great.
00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:28.160
Good morning, everyone.
00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:29.600
Good morning, Ryan.
00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:36.640
Before we dive into our topic today, um, we enjoy um just kind of getting to know our guests a little bit.
00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:47.439
So can you start out um telling us a little bit about you on a personal level um and then we'll kind of uh roll into your experience with Meyer and and things like that.
00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:49.119
Absolutely.
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.799
So uh I'm Ryan Klingman, business development manager at Meyer Lab.
00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:59.039
I believe I'm enter or in the middle of or entering year nine.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:00:59.600
Wow.
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:01.359
I am happily, yeah.
00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:02.960
Time flies when you're having fun.
00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:04.000
That's right.
00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:08.640
I am uh happily married to the love of my life, Caitlin Klingman.
00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:15.120
We have a two-year-old daughter named Reese, and we are expecting our second child here in about 10 days.
00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:16.400
That's really exciting.
00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:18.640
I didn't realize it was that close.
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:25.280
Yeah, life is uh life is getting very uh fast, very fun, very fast over here at the Klingman House.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:29.920
Is there a possibility that this could be our first podcast where we have a live birth?
00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:31.040
I hope not.
00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:32.000
That'd be exciting.
00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.200
I don't think I don't think so, but yeah, if it happens, it could happen.
00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:36.400
I'll bring you along for the ride.
00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:37.200
Keep it live.
00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:38.159
Thanks so much.
00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.239
Well, tell us more about um your family and and kind of how you got started at Meyer.
00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:48.159
Um, so I got started at Meyer in 2018.
00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:54.719
Um previously I was a teacher at Knob Noster High School and a state champion track coach.
00:01:55.359 --> 00:01:58.480
Are you in the Nnob Noster Hall of Fame?
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.200
I think my team is, and by default, they had to put a coach's name by it.
00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:03.760
So yes.
00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:22.400
Yeah, so Knob Noster is a town of like 1,500, but it is the largest Air Force base in the United States that houses the B-2 bombers that uh the U.S.
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:24.400
government uses for missions and all of that.
00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.080
So a lot of my students would come and go every two years.
00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:38.719
And one of the years my last year teaching, we had a year where the students came and we had four or five girls that were D1 athletes, and we ended up winning the state championship that weekend or that year.
00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:39.599
That's awesome.
00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:40.400
Very impressive.
00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:40.960
Yeah.
00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.199
What um what did you teach?
00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:52.800
So my first year there was ninth grade geography, and then my last three years was ISS and credit recovery.
00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:57.199
So there was a lot of sarcasm between me and some uh 15 and 16-year-old high schoolers.
00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:01.599
Like ISS as an in-school suspension or okay.
00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:03.280
That sounds that sounds fun.
00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:07.280
I was handing out life lessons to those that made mistakes.
00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:09.120
I love that.
00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:15.599
So how did you um how did you transition from uh that life to selling soap?
00:03:16.719 --> 00:03:19.439
So that last year was year four.
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:21.599
My whole family was in education.
00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:30.879
I had a very heart-to-heart conversation with my dad, who was an educator 35 years, and I was like, Dad, I don't know if I can do this for 30 years.
00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.680
And I was 26, 27 at the time.
00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:38.159
And he said, Well, if you're not gonna do it forever, you might as well get out now and find something to do.
00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.759
And Meyer Lab had a job opening.
00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:56.240
I had known the Meyer family in a previous life, and I applied in I believe May uh came up for an interview in June, actually, an interview with Mike Miller and Kim Combs at the time.
00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:00.800
And I wore a suit and or I wore a shirt and tie for the first time ever.
00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:04.319
Yeah, no, no, I used to wear ties all the time.
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:23.600
But I remember that day I was in the in the office and we were having a conversation and doing the interview, and Mike was walking me around the warehouse, and I believe I ran into Wood out in the out in the uh manufacturing facility, and I was in my shirt and tie, and he Mike introduced me, and Wood goes, I don't think you're gonna need that tie.
00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:36.000
And uh that's that was my interview, and the next week I got the call that I was gonna get an opportunity, and I was given a sprinter van in Kansas City.
00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:50.399
I was an account manager in Kansas City, and I was delivering five gallons of dish soap and boxes of toilet paper and all that to a lot of industrial or institutional customers around Kansas City area.
00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:56.800
And that was like, holy cow, I didn't know people went through this many five-gallon bales of soap.
00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.519
Yeah, so and and wildly successful clearly at that.
00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:08.720
Um, and so Ryan, one of the things I wanted to touch on is you've now lived in a couple different places working for Meyer.
00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:12.079
Uh at one point you made your way out to California.
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:15.759
Maybe touch on that a little bit for those that don't know your story.
00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:24.639
Yeah, um, I think I was about six months in, and concrete and asphalt was really starting to take off.
00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:27.920
And I was not a family man at that time.
00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.000
I was just running around trying to make a living.
00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:36.720
And Mike and Rusty, Mara at the time, pulled me into the office and kind of gave me a little bit of a spiel.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:42.639
And basically it ended with, would you move to California and help us expand concrete and asphalt?
00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:52.000
And like the uh very aggressive slash don't think things through guy that I am, I believe my exact words were, when are we leaving?
00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:54.879
And uh that was it.
00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:58.560
The next day, Mike called me and goes, You realize you signed up to move to California.
00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:01.120
I said, Oh yeah, I'm ready, I'm I'm ready to go.
00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:02.879
He goes, All right, well, we're gonna do this.
00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:04.879
So hopefully you've told everybody that you're moving.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:05.360
Yeah.
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:10.240
And uh that was in that was the end of August.
00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:35.199
I went out with Shane Smith at the end of September to see some of the uh industrial customers we had, and I found an apartment, and I moved the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2018 with two suitcases and just a uh, like I like to say, a nut a nut driver in a dream, and that was it.
00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:35.920
Yeah.
00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.240
Did you meet your wife in California?
00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:39.279
I did.
00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:39.920
I did.
00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:43.199
So I uh moved, I lived in Long Beach, California.
00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:44.800
We were we rented a warehouse.
00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:47.279
This is one of my favorite badges of honor at Meyer.
00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:55.920
We rented a warehouse right next to like Los Angeles International Airport, and it was like an outdoor warehouse.
00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:02.639
It had like a lean to, and we just stacked pallets and product and uh sounds fancy.
00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:05.199
Hopped in the yeah, hopped in the truck and went.
00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:14.639
Again, it's not as bad as it sounds, it's California, it's beautiful weather, but we uh we took on the West Coast with uh an outdoor warehouse, and like I said, a nut driver and a can do attitude.
00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:22.480
And that was really the the start of uh you know a lot of success on the West Coast in that industry and others.
00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:25.839
So really a trailblazer in our company for sure.
00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:27.279
Absolutely.
00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:28.160
It was a fun time.
00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:45.839
And I lived in Los Angeles for two years, fortunate enough to move to San Diego, met my wife down there, who was a naval nurse at the time, and uh lived out in California, Southern California for six years and uh got married, moved back to her hometown, which is up here in northern Illinois.
00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:49.439
And now I am uh business development here in the Midwest.
00:07:49.519 --> 00:08:01.040
And I was telling somebody the other day, I think overall, if you counted it out, customers sold via cold call in 33 states and two countries.
00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:02.399
Fantastic.
00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:04.240
That's uh that's impressive.
00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:07.040
That's that's part of the reason we're talking to you today.
00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:18.319
Uh, last quick question on your background, which is an awesome background, but more current, uh, how many people live in the you you went from LA to somewhere in Illinois.
00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:20.720
How many people live in the town you live in now?
00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:24.720
Town I live in now is 1,100.
00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:29.040
And when I left San Diego, they were just crossing a million one.
00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:29.920
Yeah.
00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:34.559
So back to your roots, back to your nom Nostra roots, basically.
00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:36.159
Pretty much, yeah.
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:36.320
Yeah.
00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.440
It's been a it's been it's been a journey and it's been a heck of a ride.
00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:41.919
Have they asked you to coach the track and field team yet?
00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:45.840
Do they know that there's uh a nom Nostra Hall of Famer in town?
00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:54.240
I was trying to I was trying to keep it under wraps, but then you know, Thursday night dinners turn into Thursday night stories, and the next thing you know, everybody knows.
00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:55.679
That's right.
00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:57.519
Yeah, I I hear you.
00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:00.399
Well, Ryan, uh, thanks for the intro.
00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.720
Uh it's uh it's an awesome one.
00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:13.919
And for those of you that don't know Ryan and our company, if you ever get an opportunity to have a conversation with him, Ryan's done a lot of things at Meyer, had a lot of success, and has an amazing story.
00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:24.879
Um as far as our topic today, the the basis of this podcast is we're continuing on uh kind of the step up initiative that we're we've rolled out at Meyer.
00:09:25.200 --> 00:09:32.480
And just as a refresher for everyone, the step up initiative is about why we win through the customers' eyes.
00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.320
And it's an acronym.
00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:37.519
And that acronym stands for uh SPED.
00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:43.360
You know, speed meaning we need to be available, responsive, and relentless when customers need us.
00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.039
The T is trust.
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:49.279
Ultimately, that boils down to doing what we say we'll do for our customers.
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:51.039
The E is easy.
00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:53.919
Uh, there's a lot in this, encompassed in this.
00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:59.600
This is the topic that we're talking about today, but really it's a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:12.000
And then the P and step up is performance, and that's about solving problems, you know, through technical expertise, but product dispensing, et cetera, ultimately delivering the end result that we want for our customers.
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:17.759
So today, uh, Ryan, we're talking with you about uh easy.
00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:28.159
And the thing that initially made me think about you for this podcast episode is uh this idea of a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:45.840
And so today I've got some varying areas that I want to talk to you about, uh, but I really just want to focus on kind of how you think about and your approach to business because I think it's unique, I think it's admirable, and it's also been highly effective.
00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:49.039
Um, so that that's really where I want to focus.
00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:54.639
So maybe just by way of starters, uh, you've been extremely successful in winning business.
00:10:54.879 --> 00:11:02.159
How much of that success comes down to simply making it easy for customers to say yes and easy for them to work with us?
00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.600
Uh great question.
00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:14.240
I think a lot of it boils down to meeting meeting customers where they're at, not necessarily what's convenient for me.
00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:25.360
And what I mean by that is, especially in the concrete asphalt industry, which is where I work, you know, a concrete guy might work 12 hours in a day and that day might start at 3 a.m.
00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:35.360
So an install or a demo or a show up to move the process forward might need to take place at 6 a.m.
00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.159
It might need to take place at 4 p.m.
00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:42.159
It might need to take place before a night shift at 5 p.m.
00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:44.080
That's where the customer's at.
00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:50.639
And if I want to move things forward or we want to be successful or we want to even get a chance at this, we have to meet them where they're at.
00:11:50.879 --> 00:12:01.279
And the second thing is I don't I try to do my best not to say no until I've absolutely thought of any possible solution on the market.
00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:17.519
And what I mean by that is, especially at Meyer, there's so much knowledge and people have done so many things, and Meyer gives you such a flexibility to figure out a way to win that and make it a priority to reach out and see what other people have done to make a situation work.
00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:19.840
Yeah, that that makes a lot of sense.
00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.320
And you've been highly effective at that.
00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:27.600
I mean, for years, you've just uh again going back to do whatever it takes mentality.
00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:37.919
I mean, some of the hours that you work are are absurd, uh, but you know, as you said, you meet the customer where they're at, and that that's been really effective for you.
00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:54.559
I I'm interested in hearing where you think that mentality of doing whatever it takes has come from, whether that's been professional development, your upbringing in your family, like there's something inside of you that drives that.
00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:57.679
And I'm curious to hear you talk about that a little bit.
00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:06.320
Oh, there's a multitude of factors to that, but the base of it or the foundation is definitely rooted in how I was raised.
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.440
As mentioned earlier, my mom and dad are educators.
00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:27.600
You know, they work in the private sector of education, so they were the fundraising team, they were the janitor, they coached the team, they took somebody home after a long night, they they've done it all for their organizations and never once questioned why they were doing it or what time they were doing it.
00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.919
They just did it because that's what moved it forward.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.120
So I picked that up absolutely from my mom and dad.
00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:46.399
And then on a kind of in the middle of my life, I met somebody out in California, and he's a sales professional, very successful, and he used to always tell me, Ryan, customers are not always right.
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.519
That's BS.
00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:50.480
But customers have to be first if you want to gain more.
00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:59.200
And what that means to me is you're right, they might ask for something outlandish, but I have to put that request first and try to find a solution.
00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.600
And if I do that, it'll work itself out.
00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:08.159
Ryan, you talked about um making sure that before you say no, you've kind of exhausted all options.
00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:16.559
And uh you mentioned that there's a lot of people in the organization that have done a lot of different things that you could kind of pull ideas and thoughts from.
00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:19.200
We have uh you've been with us for eight years.
00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:27.200
Um, we've got a lot of newer folks in the company that may not have the exposure that you do to the people and the resources.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:41.679
And so if you are trying to um replicate that mentality with newer folks, are there any um suggestions that you would have for them on who to reach out to or how to figure out who a good contact would be for suggestions?
00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.360
Absolutely.
00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.559
Um, number one, everyone in Meyer is willing to help and talk about how cool they are.
00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:50.000
So get on human.
00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:57.519
Get on human, grab those phone numbers, mine is 573-301-8116.
00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:02.799
Get on human, call those phone numbers, ask questions, and throw out crazy ideas.
00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:04.320
That's just the way it works.
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:17.200
And if you do that, you're gonna come up with a solution, and you're gonna steal something from the John McCauley's of the world, the Ryan Klingmans of the world, the Steve Eskeys of the world, and you're gonna put it together, and you're gonna see, holy cow, how can you repeat this?
00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.600
And I can go and I can do it, and it's gonna work.
00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:30.559
So, my my biggest suggestion to anybody, and I tell everybody that I work with this, it's not gonna happen unless you make it happen, and this job and this career will be what you make it.
00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.240
I could not agree more.
00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:41.440
I think so many people miss out on the opportunity to get help from other people in our organization and just kind of uh stay in their lane, keep their head down.
00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.759
But there's so many people that want to help, and there's so many people that have been successful at Meyer.
00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.279
Tapping into that is uh is mission critical.
00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:58.559
Uh going back to mentality a bit, uh you one of the one of the roles of a BDM in our company is to work with other salespeople.
00:15:58.639 --> 00:15:59.919
And I want to spend some time on this.
00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:06.399
Salespeople, account managers, you've directly serviced customers, so you've had a lot of experience there.
00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:13.679
Uh, I'm curious your perspective on the ability to teach or cultivate mentality.
00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:22.159
You know, not everyone has had your same life experiences where they show up at mire day one and they have a do whatever it takes mentality.
00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:30.720
Uh, it's not uncommon in the workforce for people to have kind of like this is just a job type mentality.
00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:44.960
And so I'm curious if in your time with working with people, if you feel like you've been able to teach that mentality or cultivate that mentality, or if your view is that's just something you either have or you don't.
00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:50.559
Well, I'm sure I've and the people I work with will attest to this.
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:58.480
I'm sure I've tried to install instill mentality and I succeeded in some ways and probably went about it wrong in the other ways.
00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:09.200
But I do believe it can be learned because once you learn, as I mentioned earlier, where to meet your customers at, then you can piece together how to keep it going and keep it be successful.
00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:12.400
I use a term a lot and it's called have a timeline with tempo.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.960
And what I what that means is tempo doesn't mean it has to happen right now.
00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:25.119
It means I am moving a timeline forward as quickly as possible to make sure that the customer knows this matters to me.
00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:37.279
And if you have great tempo in the sales world or in the service world or whatever world it is that involves a relationship, you are going to find a solution and they're going to feel like you are working for them.
00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:39.119
And at the end of the day, that's what matters.
00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.119
Yeah, I I agree.
00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.640
I agree with you.
00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:55.359
Uh thinking about winning new business, when when you've been successful, uh, what typically makes customers willing to make the change away from another supplier to Meyer?
00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:59.200
Like what are the contributing factors there through your point of view?
00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:13.200
From what I see, a lot of people like the hands-on service and the hands-on relationship that Meyer takes, not only like with my relationships, but what happens across the country.
00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:17.599
You know, a lot of customers cross state lines and deal with multiple faces of Meyer.
00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:26.960
And nine times out of ten, when you succeed, they've heard about a great experience in Meyer or with Meyer, whether it be with me or with somebody else.
00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:41.119
Um, that's the number one thing that I always get back to is people know who Meyer is, and you'd be amazed at how small the world, especially the business world that we service, gets once you start doing a great job, or vice versa, if something goes wrong.
00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:41.599
Yeah.
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:43.599
Uh people know people know who we are.
00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.160
Yes.
00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:47.519
And that's that's a positive thing a lot of times.
00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.960
Yeah, certainly.
00:18:49.200 --> 00:19:08.559
Uh, which touching on that a little bit further, um, you know, I want to talk a little bit about the idea of delivering for customers because as you know, a lot of your success is contingent on the idea that a lot of other people do their job as effectively as well.
00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:13.039
Like you don't service every account that you sell, you can't be everywhere.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:17.279
As you said, you've closed business in 33 states and two countries.
00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:20.400
Uh, so it truly has to be a team effort.
00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:27.279
And so at the end of the day, you can promise a customer anything you want, but eventually someone has to deliver on that.
00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:36.559
So maybe talk a little bit about the importance of the relationship with operations, the service team, your other partners in sales.
00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:43.519
Uh, maybe just give some insight to that and and to the team effort that it takes and anything that you think's relevant there.
00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:45.599
Absolutely.
00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:49.200
Um, well, one thing I've learned in Meyer is it takes everybody.
00:19:49.519 --> 00:20:01.119
And uh what I think I struggle with at first was thinking I had to do everything on my own and not being organized enough to ask for help and put people where they want to.
00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:10.559
Um the most important thing that we have going for Meyer is the outreach or the stretch that can happen from Blue Springs all the way to the field.
00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:15.599
That doesn't mean it works perfect every time, but there's a lot of people out there that want to help.
00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:34.000
And throughout my career, especially right now, the guys I work with from the service side to the local reps to William and his operations team, for the most part, they do a really good job of laying out what the options are and hearing out what possibly could be added to it to get something done.
00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.279
And when you when all those things come together, it's wonderful.
00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:50.640
And I think the other part is you have to be okay with things not working out or not working exactly the way you want to, and being again back to that solution-minded of okay, that won't work, but there's still a way to get this done.
00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.559
Who can I get involved to get it done with great tempo for the customer?
00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:55.519
Yeah.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:14.400
If you were kind of going to try and boil that down and you said, hey, when I'm think about pursuing a new big potential customer, what's the number one thing that you need from the sales team or the operations team or even the the other local sales managers?
00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:21.680
Like, what's the thing that you need from a team effort standpoint to get the big deal over the finish line?
00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.119
Good question.
00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:37.200
Um from a local sales, from a local team standpoint, it's what is our footprint in the region as far as who do we know within this customer we're chasing?
00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:39.200
What are their thoughts of us?
00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:48.799
What do we have locally, whether it be equipment, warehouse, service rep, whatever it is that can help with the day to day if we were to move forward?
00:21:48.960 --> 00:22:02.319
And then from the operation side, what reinforcements, what equipment, what what can they get out in a timely manner to make sure We have everything we need.
00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:08.000
So when the word go happens from our potential client, we're ready to go.
00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:27.599
And then from there, it would be local people having local relationships, having high quality, in-depth communication with everybody at the at the ground level, and then operations, being ready to act whenever we do have something come up, whether it's a lack of product, we need more equipment, whatever it is.
00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:30.960
And for the most part, that does happen pretty regularly at Meyer.
00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:33.599
Yeah, uh, I think that's well said.
00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:40.799
And you know, as reflecting while you're talking about that, the you haven't used the word speed often.
00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.319
The I think pace and tempo have been the words that you m use more frequently.
00:22:46.480 --> 00:23:02.400
But I just want to call out for our company like how frequently somebody that's a highly effective seller in our organization, being yourself, Ryan, how frequently you call out the importance of tempo or pace or speed to execution.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.799
That that's very closely tied to being easy to do business with.
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.440
Absolutely.
00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:10.160
Absolutely.
00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:10.480
Yeah.
00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:15.440
I mean, I think all of us at some in some way are customers for other industries.
00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:21.440
And the one thing that you want is just, I want it now, and if it's not gonna happen now, I want to know when it's gonna happen.
00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:23.119
Yep, for sure.
00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:28.000
Hey, so uh the other thing is we don't always get it right.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:35.200
Uh mistakes are inevitable in business, uh, whether that's individual or company driven.
00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:39.759
How does how do you handle it with the customer when we do screw up?
00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:42.400
Like how how do you maintain that relationship?
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.920
How do you keep moving forward?
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:45.599
What's your approach there?
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:50.799
Uh great question, and I do screw it up a lot.
00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.119
Um it's be forthcoming.
00:23:53.359 --> 00:24:01.839
You know, I think I've made mistakes early in my career where I thought I had to figure it out, and if I didn't have the answer, I could hide behind the fact I was trying to get it.
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:03.759
And at times that can burn you.
00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:10.480
Um I think as long as you're transparent with your customers, that creates a lot of equity in the relationship you have.
00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:24.960
You know, if you think about the term equity, if I let them know that I screw up or I take ownership of it, that just builds such a well, such a direct relationship or big relationship with the customer.
00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:35.119
It really moves you from that beginning part or beginning standard of a relationship to a wow, this is a very deep and rooted relationship with a customer when you own something like that.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:35.759
Yeah.
00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.000
I I couldn't agree more.
00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:43.519
Um, you know, I I guess I'd probably close with this question, Ryan.
00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:45.039
And and this has been great stuff.
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:54.880
I hope that people in our organization have really taken note because it's relevant to any position within the company, uh, what you've talked about here today.
00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:56.319
So thanks for sharing.
00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:06.480
I would say uh the last thing uh kind of in close is again, you've traveled all over the US and Canada working with a variety of sales and service people.
00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.799
You've worked closely with operations.
00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:16.480
Um, you know, what separates those that are highly successful from those that are less so?
00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.079
Oh man, I might need a fourth cup of coffee after that one.
00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:36.720
Um I think what separates those that are successful to those that maybe struggle to get there is just the ability to keep going.
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:47.039
It's the it's the ability to just dial into I'm gonna figure this out one way or the other and not getting distressed by failure.
00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:55.440
You know, I I have a baseball player background, and the greatest players of that game failed seven times out of ten.
00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.079
Yeah.
00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.079
They only succeeded three.
00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:02.640
And I think the greatest thing about that is you make a mistake, you flush it.
00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:07.039
You get the answer you don't want, you flush it, and you move on and you figure out what's next.
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:15.359
And I think that to everybody that I've ever met that I view as very successful, they do that really well with a great attitude.
00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:17.920
Yeah, uh very well said.
00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:30.480
I can uh remember a circumstance this year where you and I experienced that exact same thing where we thought we had something across the finish line, and uh unfortunately it didn't work out that way.
00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:36.559
And despite that, you know, you've continued to have a very successful year, and eventually that will work out.
00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:38.000
That big deal will fall.
00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:50.799
And, you know, in my terminology, that's just having grit, like having a grittiness, showing up every day, putting one foot in front of another, not letting the success or failure of the day before dictate how you show up today.
00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:53.759
And I think you do that as well as anybody in our company.
00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:58.480
And just want to tell you, uh, thank you for being a great culture contributor.
00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:01.440
Thank you for being an example for a lot of people at Meyer.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:06.240
And again, I just encourage you, uh, as Ryan shared his phone number here today.
00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.839
It's on Human.
00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:18.079
Uh, this is a guy that that if you need some encouragement or just you're navigating something tough or you want to share some success, Ryan's a great guy to reach out to in our organization.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:20.799
So thank you, Ryan, for being on the podcast today.
00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:24.559
Really appreciate you as a person and and your contributions at Meyer.
00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.319
Absolutely, guys.
00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.359
Thanks for having me.
00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:30.400
And we got a lot left on the table here this year.
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.599
And good luck to everybody.
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:34.400
As Mike mentioned, if you ever need something, let me know.
00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:38.880
Um, if I don't answer, it's probably because uh baby number two will be here before you know it.
00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:43.920
Yeah, hey, I almost forgot Haley's most important aspect of the podcast.
00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:50.079
She was like flagging flagging me down that she has to give you the rapid fire question.
00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:52.079
So I guess we're not gonna let you go just yet.
00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.119
So the rapid fire question.
00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:56.559
We'll keep it quick though.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.119
Sounds good.
00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.000
All right, first question.
00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.240
Okay.
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:04.480
You have to enter a talent show in 10 minutes for a chance for a one million dollar cash prize.
00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:07.839
What is the act that you're doing for the talent show?
00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:10.160
Michael Jackson's thriller.
00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:12.559
Ooh, I love singing, dancing, all of it.
00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:19.519
Hey, we if if uh baby number two doesn't interrupt this, I think we'll be in Nashville together in a couple weeks.
00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:20.799
I'd like to see that.
00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:21.759
Absolutely.
00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:23.519
Yeah, vocals included, Haley Feature.
00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:24.079
Love it.
00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.880
Uh, next question.
00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:29.039
Would you be more likely to win a fight with a kangaroo or a raccoon?
00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:31.440
Oh wow.
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.759
Uh I would say probably a kangaroo.
00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:39.599
I think I could last the stamina and I can always take a punch and get back up.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:41.119
I like it.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:42.400
Such a bizarre question.
00:28:42.640 --> 00:28:43.279
It is.
00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:46.640
Um, mullet or handlebar mustache?
00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:52.400
Oh man, I would love to be a mustache guy, but it's just not in the genetics of mullet.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:52.880
That's the new.
00:28:53.119 --> 00:28:54.480
I I've seen you with a mustache.
00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:56.400
It's uh it's interesting.
00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:58.640
Uh last question here, really quick.
00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:05.200
Um, would you rather let your wife pick a tattoo for you or have your buddies pick your wardrobe forever?
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.039
Oh.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.519
My wife's got a sense of humor.
00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:11.200
I'd go wife with for the tattoo.
00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:12.400
Yeah, I'd be the same.
00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:13.119
I like it.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:13.680
Good deal.
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:18.000
Well, thank you for thank you for playing, and Mike, thanks for letting me do my rapid fight questions for sure.
00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:19.200
Thanks, Ryan.
00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:19.920
Have a great day.
00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:21.680
Appreciate you being on the podcast.
00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:22.960
Absolutely, guys.
00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:24.240
Have a good weekend.
