Q: What goals or accomplishments have you achieved that have led you to feel more fulfilled?
Curt: I am a big believer in the idea that achieving a goal does not necessarily lead to fulfillment. I think fulfillment is more about the journey. In my 10 years with the company, ACA has achieved a lot of goals, but it’s the actual work and teambuilding that’s fulfilling to me.
Corry: On the family front, I lucked into convincing a remarkable lady to spend our lives as partners. We are having a love affair for the ages, complete with terrific children. On the professional front, OTO has enjoyed wonderful success. We’ve accomplished more in our first 15 years than some of our best competitors have accomplished in twice the time. Helping build that team and providing a platform where individuals can perform at amazing levels has given me great fulfillment.
Geordy: I am blessed to have an incredible partner in Carter; wonderful role models in my mother and father; a best friend in my sister, Susanna; and a beautiful son, Dean. When I have had some hard days over the last few months, Dean’s simple joy always puts things in perspective. I like building teams and seeing others in our organization thrive. Restarting the Industrial business and launching the Self-Storage and Natural Resources businesses give me a lot of fulfillment. The incredible growth of OTO and ACA also provides a great deal of fulfillment. I’ve gotten a lot of fulfillment from participating in the codification and rollout of the Guiding Principles and other cross-company capabilities that set The Johnson Group apart. Crossing $3 billion in AUM and opening our 50th self-storage store this year were both major milestones. The success of our team members in achieving these goals provides the most fulfillment.
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve received when it comes to overcoming challenges?
Curt: There is a simple statement that’s on the wall of my office. It comes from Coach K and says, “Just be you. You is enough.” When we try to pretend we’re someone we’re not, we tend to not get the full set of resources we need to solve a problem, and we make mistakes we don’t need to make. If we focus on being ourselves, use the skills that we have, and ask for help where we need it, we can solve any problem. And don’t worry about who gets credit for what.
Corry: The best advice I’ve received to overcoming challenges is not letting them overwhelm you. Acknowledge the issue and work it. Don’t hide it from others, especially those on your team. Realize you have help and be humble enough to ask for it.
Geordy: Don’t be afraid of a challenge because in every challenge is an opportunity. You have to make the Obstacle become The Way. Typically transformational results come out of confronting a challenge. Embrace the challenge, seek other perspectives, and find the optimal solution.
Q: How has the way in which you define success evolved or changed over the years?
Curt: If you had asked me in the early years of my career to define success, I would have said it was about individual achievements and things that I had done, which isn’t the most fulfilling thing. As I’ve gotten older, what I’ve come to find is that the most meaningful way to find success is through our teammates. We can take the greatest pride in what they are able to achieve.
Corry: Earlier in my career I defined success through the tasks that were in my control, and personal results that were immediately measurable. As my career has progressed, tasks are often out of my control with results that may or may not be immediately measurable. Growing up I participated in team sports, and there have been many instances in my business career that corollate to the playing field. My early career efforts were about making the play. However, at some point I transitioned to a coach. Now I celebrate others making the plays and hope to provide some level of teaching along the way. It has always been a “team” activity for me, but the emotional highs are so much greater when I observe others succeeding.
Geordy: When I started my first job in banking, success was all about credit, accolades and praise, peer rankings, and compensation. Today, those are the least important attributes. Success is all about seeing the team thrive and grow together to overcome challenges.
Q: What is one thing you wish you knew 10 years ago?
Curt: I wish I had realized how precious time is and how fast it moves. Ten years ago, my oldest child would have been 5 years old and my youngest would be just about to be born. At the time, I thought we had plenty of time to do all these great things together. Now, 10 years later, I look back and it’s hard to believe how much time has passed and how precious that time was. As I get older, I value every minute and am conscious of how I allocate my time, giving it to the most important things in my life and not wasting it.
Corry: Often, things are neither as good or as bad as you think they are. Ten years ago the world felt like it was imploding from a financial perspective and our industry seemed to be in a dire place. All of that passed, and we came out of it to achieve new heights. The business challenge is to learn from that experience and put ourselves in a position where we can thrive through all parts of the economic cycle. On a personal level, 10 years ago our children were in elementary and middle school. In the blink of an eye, two are out of college and working and one is halfway through college. Those moments where we are together as a family are the most treasured for Amy and me, and the passing of time causes them to be less frequent. While we knew the day would arrive, we still struggle with it and I wish some of those moments could be replayed.
Geordy: I wish I had known the world was not going to end in a financial meltdown and start buying every asset you could get your hands on. I would also like to have known the recovery was going to run for 10+ years! On a more serious note, I wish I had truly known how valuable time with family and friends is. I would have tried to live in the present and enjoy every moment shared with the people that I care about in life. Celebrate the small but beautiful moments in life.
Q: Where do you turn when you need feedback or insight?
Curt: I work for George, so the feedback typically finds me. I think having a trusted group of advisors – I have my father, my wife, oftentimes even my kids, and a few close, lifelong friends who I know want what’s best for me. I find that the team I work with at ACA provides some of the best and most valuable feedback to me. Interestingly, I have learned that those that I work the most directly with give me great daily feedback, but I also have a lot to learn from associates at ACA that may see me less frequently but have a completely unique perspective. This feedback helps me develop a broader view of where I have opportunities to improve.
Corry: I’m a firm believer in mentors and have been blessed with several. My wife, Amy, and my parents are family mentors. My children continue to be great sources of feedback and insight, helping me see the world from a different perspective. Throughout my professional career, George has been a constant source of inspiration and coaching. The path he allowed me to travel with him has been incredible. I work with an amazing team, who I learn from every day. I believe they are among the most talented people in our industry. Working on OTO, Todd Turner and I have been together more than we’ve been apart. Our careers have traversed multiple companies together, through multiple economic cycles. His business and personal advice is treasured. Geordy and other leaders in The Johnson Group are also important sources of insight and feedback.
Geordy: My father is always more than willing to provide direct feedback. It is always spot on and cuts to the crux of the issue. I have been blessed to have such a strong mentor. My wife, Carter, and my mother and sister are also trusted confidantes. I used to turn to William Spry often for his perspective, and I miss it every day. I also have a small group of former managers and coworkers at prior companies that offer feedback or subject matter expertise.
Q: What advice do you have for finding fulfillment in your community?
Curt: My wife and I have really enjoyed working with a charity that provides help to children of homeless families. Many of these kids don’t have their basic needs met, which is something we take for granted. It’s extremely fulfilling to offer our time to help. Find a cause that you’re passionate about, where you can help someone that needs it.
Corry: Participate! Find something that stirs your passion and participate in meaningful ways. A friend once told me, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” Find something that is meaningful to you and get involved. Help make your community the type of place you want it to be by giving your time, treasure, and talent.
Geordy: Find something for which you have true passion. Do not jump into the first thing that comes your way. Rather, really explore what is going to really excite you and provide meaningful fulfillment – you will be better in those roles or organizations. Once you find that, do not just write a check. Jump in and give your time as a volunteer and as a leader. So many organizations need leadership and volunteer time. Each of us can make a tremendous impact on society by giving back to the communities where we live. Investment at the community level is the social fabric that makes America so unique.
Q: As a leader, how do you hope to empower team members across the company to find fulfillment?
Curt: I hope we can empower our associates to have the confidence to pursue their passions and reach their full potential of development. For me that means helping people identify what those passions are and fostering confidence in their ability. It’s also important to have fun. If we’re able to do that, putting in the hard work always comes a bit easier.
Corry: First, we have to offer opportunity. People need a platform where a job exists, and hopefully company growth is taking place. Second, we have to offer an environment where people are prepared appropriately. We have to train, coach, and inspire. This never ends. Third, we have to trust one another. We have to trust that given the opportunity and proper preparation, our teammates will do amazing work; and if they fail, they will learn from it and be even better the next time they face a similar situation.
Geordy: I try to empower people in their roles. I want to offer guidance and support but stay out of the way of day-to-day detail. The only way you can scale a business and your own capabilities is through leveraging the comparative talents of other team members. I urge people to provide their recommendation to a situation rather than just asking me what to do.
